Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Blueberry Bottoms

April 1, 2016April 1, 2016 / ktbuchs87

Told you this week was all about the Meyer lemons and poppy seeds. Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Blueberry Bottoms | Life Healthfully Lived

Of course, I had to make some lemon poppyseed muffins because who gets lemons and poppy seeds and DOESN’T make muffins? Psychos, that’s who. I might be crazy but I’m no psycho. Anyways….

I was a little worried that these wouldn’t turn out after I made my first batch and they were…. well, bland. They tasted like nothing and that’s not what you want from a muffin. So I switched a few things around and the second batch turned out much better. They even got the approval of my family at Easter, so that’s an even bigger plus! DSC_4509_00004 DSC_4507_00003

I used frozen blueberries because that’s what I had at the time but if you want to use fresh that’s good too. You might have to adjust your cook time, so keep an eye on them. Other than that this recipe is pretty straightforward and fairly simple to make!

After the recipe, you’ll find a quick poll. It will only take a few seconds and it will help me make this blog even better for you. Thank you in advance and have an awesome weekend!

Meyer Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Blueberry Bottoms

1 cup almond flour
6 tbsp tapioca starch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice
3 tbsp Meyer lemon zest
1 flax egg (3 tbsp flax meal mixed with 6 tbsp water. Let sit for 10 minutes to gel)
scant 1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp coconut sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly oil each well.
Combine all of the dry ingredients, except for the lemon zest, into a medium bowl and whisk together so it’s light and fluffy.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and make sure everything is completely incorporated.
Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. With a spatula, fold everything together. Once mixed together, add the zest and stir a few times to combine.
Place 3 to 4 blueberries in the bottom of each muffin well and then spoon in about 2 tablespoons of batter. These won’t rise a ton, so you can fill them about 3/4 of the way up.
Bake the muffins for about 22 minutes (a little less if using fresh blueberries). Remove them from the oven and see if the middle is set. If not bake for another 2 minutes.
Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge

February 24, 2016February 23, 2016 / ktbuchs87 / 2 Comments

DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived Doesn’t the word porridge always conjure up old-timey meals like in Oliver Twist? Or at the very least make you think of Goldilocks and the only three bears on the planet that prefer a hot breakfast over raw carcass?

Just me? Cool.

Porridge is actually any type of oatmeal, grain, or cereal that is cooked with boiling water or milk. Most people go for oatmeal because it’s the most readily available but you can make porridge out of a lot of different things. But for the most part it’s usually made out of some kind of grain and if you happen to be following the paleo diet, grains are a no-go. So does that mean you can never enjoy a warm bowl of porridge on a cold winter morning again? DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

Of course not! Not when you’ve got me around.

Not only can you make porridge out of cereals or grains, you can also make it out of meals (as in ground up stuff) and that includes nut meals. Finely ground nuts make a great base for porridge and it is entirely paleo-approved! I decided to go with almond meal because it can be made savory or sweet and it’s what I had on hand. Also, almond meal is fairly easy to find so you won’t have to hunt through a specialty store to make your own paleo porridge.

I have a recipe for a sweet porridge and a savory porridge, both are essentially same, but the seasonings and liquid choices are a bit different. If you’ve been missing your morning bowl of warm, cozy porridge try this easy grain-free version!

Paleo Porridge- Makes two servings

Sweet Porridge

2/3 + 2 tbsp almond meal (go for meal instead of flour because you don’t want it too finely ground)
1 cup almond milk or any other non-dairy milk you prefer
1 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or coconut nectar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt

Savory Porridge

2/3 + 2 tbsp almond meal
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste

No matter what version you make, the directions are going to be the same. In a medium saucepan, bring the liquid to a boil.
Whisk in the almond meal and turn the heat to low. Keep whisking as the almond meal thickens. This will take about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add in the sweetener (if making the sweet version) and seasonings as you keep whisking. Once you’re porridge has reached your desired thickness, pour into a bowl and finish it with your favorite toppings.

If you’re porridge is too thin add more almond meal, one tablespoon at a time. If it’s too thick add more liquid, one tablespoon at a time. As for topping ideas? How about:

any kind of berry
raisins
bananas or any fruit
cacao nibs
pumpkin seeds
hemp seeds
flax or chia seeds
chopped nuts
nut or seed butter
herbs like parsley or cilantro
salsa
roasted squash
poached egg
mushrooms
heck, you could even add cooked meat or fish to your savory bowl!

There you have it! Porridge two ways for all you grain-free people out there!

Busy, Wonderful, Happy Weekend

February 15, 2016February 15, 2016 / ktbuchs87

Today is just a happy recap of my awesome weekend along with a few pictures from the frozen tundra of Chicago!

Adam and I decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day on Saturday and by celebrate I mean we went out to eat a delicious breakfast. Going out to breakfast is kind of our thing. I know most people like to go to fancy dinners but to me, breakfast is where it’s at.

Busy, Wonderful, Happy Weekend | Life Healthfully Lived

Layer of ice on the last step in front of Lake Michigan.

Adam found this really cool little breakfast joint in Uptown called Tweet. They had an awesome gluten-free menu as well as a packed full menu and it wasn’t hard to find something delicious to eat. I had a build your own omelette with mushrooms and peppers, plus fruit, sliced tomatoes, and sauteed tofu. Adam decided to go for a steak breakfast burrito with Chipotle aioli and was pretty much in heaven. If you’re looking for a neat little breakfast joint, you should check them out!

I think this picture of Lake Michigan almost looks like another planet

After eating, we headed over to the McCormick Place to check out the Auto Show. Neither Adam or I are nuts about cars (we have a car that we rarely drive because it’s RIDICULOUSLY expensive to pay for parking in the city) but it was freezing outside and this was an inexpensive activity that was inside. We wandered around for awhile, looked at cars of the future, (hint: they all look the same and robots are going to take over the driving world) and tried to figure out which car models actually knew anything about the car they were standing in front of. Spoiler alert: Not many.

Ice in Belmont Harbor

After we were done with that we headed home to just hang out and relax. Well, our plan was to relax but I decided to ruin that. Recently, I just finished reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. It’s an awesome little book and a lot of the advice and methods she uses made a lot of sense. I started to look around our apartment and noticed that we had a lot of stuff. Stuff that we never used, stuff that was just taking up space, and stuff that wasn’t bringing us any joy. I decided enough was enough and I started tackling the clutter.

Soon I sucked Adam into the cleaning spree and over the course of two days we drastically cut down on the amount of junk we had accumulated over the years. I would say about 20-30ish reusable bags were filled with things we didn’t need and that was only from 3 rooms. We still have to go through our closets and our bedroom, but I already feel a lot better and I’ll have pictures when it’s all done!

That was our weekend and even though a large portion of it was cleaning it was wonderful. I got to spend some quality time with my husband, made our apartment cleaner and more comfortable, and ate tasty food. That’s my idea of fun!

How was your weekend? What did you do for Valentine’s Day?

Sweet Potato Hash

January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 / ktbuchs87

Sweet Potato Hash | Life Healthfully Lived The time has come to share the sweet potato hash that won the hearts of my family over Christmas. And they have promised me that they really do like it, not just because it was made by me and they have to pretend to like everything that I make. It’s actually good.

Plus Adam keeps asking for me to make it which is a good indication that he really likes something. Although the boy did use to but corn syrup on his pancakes and didn’t like mac n’ cheese as a kid. Seriously, what kind of psycho doesn’t like cheese and noodles as a child? My husband apparently.

Anyway, back to this sweet potato hash. I was trying to think of something to make for a crowd for Christmas brunch that tasted good but was still a little healthy. Gotta balance out those cookies! I had a bunch of sweet potatoes lying around and instead of just roasting them up like I usually do, I decided to fancy them up a bit. Ok, not that much but I added some bell peppers, onions, and cilantro and was amazed at how just a few ingredients made such a big difference.

So if you’re looking to change up your normal breakfast hash, give this sweet potato version a whirl. Promise you won’t be disappointed!

Sweet Potato Hash

2-3 large sweet potatoes, washed and dried
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 cup onions, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
handful of fresh cilantro, stems removed and chopped

Once your potatoes are washed and dried, dice into small cubes. You want to make sure they are fairly small and uniform inside so they cook properly.
In a large skillet that has a lid, heat a little olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes until a little soft. Add the bell peppers and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sweet potato cubes and half the minced garlic and mix everything together.
Sprinkle everything with the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and a little salt and then cover with the lid. Let the everything cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the potatoes don’t stick to the bottom.
Once the potatoes are fork tender remove the lid and add the rest of the garlic and seasonings. Cook for another five minutes. Turn off the heat and add the cilantro and stir to combine.

This hash is awesome served with a poached or fried egg on top. But then again, most dishes are better with an egg on top. Tomorrow is Adam’s birthday so we plan to spend some time eating good food downtown and probably going to see Star Wars again.

What does your weekend look like?

Gluten-Free Apple Ring Pancakes

November 13, 2015November 13, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Sundays are meant for a slightly fancier breakfast. You aren’t rushing off to work or school and you can take the time to put a little extra effort into your morning meal. I usually make Adam a huge plate of hash browns, eggs, and then pancakes or waffles depending on what I have on hand.

Lately, I have been craving his pancakes. I usually make his with whole wheat flour and that is a no go for me. So I decided to combine a few ideas and came up with this pancake.

I had seen apple ring pancakes online and always thought they looked delicious, so I thought that these pancakes would be good with a little taste of apple in them. The actual pancake part is gluten free and dairy free, plus they can be made vegan if you use a flax or chia egg instead of regular eggs.

I also left the pancake a little less sweet than normal because the apple adds enough sweetness for me. Other than that, these pancakes are a fun breakfast to make and serve, plus they look extra fancy without being that difficult to put together. So if you want to serve up a tasty twist on pancakes, try these ones out! Oh and if you need an idea of what to top it with, try my peanut-apple butter sauce.

Gluten-Free Apple Ring Pancakes

1 large yellow plantain
2 eggs or 2 tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 6 tbsp water
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp pureed pumpkin
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp peanut or coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 medium granny smith apple
chopped pecans, optional

Wash and dry the apple. Cut out the core and cut the apple into thin rings. Make sure you keep them thin or the pancake won’t cook right.
Place the plantain, eggs, almond milk, pumpkin, and maple syrup into a blender. Blend until you have a smooth mixture.
Add all the dry ingredients (not the pecans) into the blender and blend until combined.
Heat a little coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place one apple ring into the skillet and then pour a little batter over the ring making sure it is completely covered. If you’re using the pecans, sprinkle a little onto the pancake.
Cook for about 3 minutes and then carefully flip the pancake. It’s ok if the pancake breaks a little, it took me a few tries to get the pancake to flip perfectly.
Keep cooking until all the apple rings and batter is gone, keeping the finished pancakes on a plate in a warm oven.
Top with maple syrup, your favorite nut butter, or the peanut apple butter sauce below!

Peanut-Apple Butter Sauce

2 tbsp apple butter or apple sauce
1 tbsp peanut flour or peanut butter (could sub almond butter too)
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt

Mix everything together until you have a smooth sauce and spread onto your pancakes!

Other than making these pancakes, what other plans do you have for this weekend? Adam and I are going to see Elf the musical to celebrate our anniversary and I’m very excited! Elf is one of my absolute favorite movies and I can’t wait to see the musical version.

Happy weekend everyone!