Zucchini and Pea Cauliflower Risotto

May 6, 2016May 5, 2016 / ktbuchs87

Zucchini and Pea Cauliflower Risotto | Life Healthfully Lived Yup. Cauliflower is back. I know you’re probably getting a little tired of seeing it featured in my dishes but you know what? You’re wrong. Cauliflower is the magical unicorn of the vegetable world and I love turning it into all sorts of things from taquitos to sauce to sweet and sour bites to mac n’ cheese. It’s awesome and you’re going to have to deal with it.

Which should be easy if you’re stuffing your face with this tasty meal. Most people tend to shy away from risotto because it takes a really long time to cook and even if you follow all the steps it somehow still tastes like you didn’t do something right. Or is it just me chomping away and still uncooked rice? Just me? Ok. Zucchini and Pea Cauliflower Risotto | Life Healthfully Lived

Moving on. If you think risotto is too fussy or you’ve never made it before then you need to try this cauliflower risotto because it is the exact opposite of fussy. It doesn’t take long to make and you don’t have to stand over the stove stirring until your arm falls off like with regular risotto. Again, just me? This risotto is still creamy and rich like regular risotto but it’s also nice and light with all the fresh spring-y vegetables.

One other note about this meal, I really think that what gave this dish the depth of flavor I was going for was the Sherry I used to deglaze the pan. I know some people don’t like to use alcohol in their cooking (to each their own) and you can use water or broth instead but I don’t think it will have the same taste. Other than that, this risotto is straight forward and will have you licking your plate clean. Still just me?

Zucchini and Pea Cauliflower Risotto

1 large head of cauliflower, riced (you can grate it for bigger pieces which I did or run it through your food processor for smaller pieces)
2 medium zucchini’s, sliced into half moons
1 cup peas, if frozen make sure they’re thawed
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup onions, diced
2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sherry (I used this one) or other dry white wine or water/broth
1/2 cup water/broth
1/2-2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds (or pine nuts if you can shell out the small fortune a 1 oz bag costs)
zest from one lemon
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions until they’re soft then add in the garlic. Season this with a little salt and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add in the riced cauliflower, adding a little more oil if needed, and season again with salt and pepper. Cook for another five minutes until cauliflower is soft and just starting to get a little brown. Sprinkle the nutritional yeast or parmesan cheese over top.
Pour in the 1/4 cup sherry and deglaze the pan. Cook and stir everything until most of the liquid as evaporated. Add the zucchini and peas and pour in the water/broth and coconut milk. Stir everything together and cook until the liquid has reduced by about half.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and parsley. Top with the toasted almonds and taste to adjust the salt and pepper.

DIY Wednesday: Everything Bagel Spice Mix

May 4, 2016May 3, 2016 / ktbuchs87

I used to eat a lot of bagels. Like a lot. In high school, our cafeteria was mostly a la carte and you could go in and choose from a variety of things. There were the hot food entrees that would rotate each day but you could also get things like candy, chips, soda, snacks, cookies, and bagels. Oh, the bagels. They were huge and fluffy and a perfect vehicle for cramming more cream cheese into my mouth. Because I didn’t spread my cream cheese onto my bagel like a normal person. Oh no. I would rip chunks off my bagel and dip them into my tub of cream cheese and eat it that way.

I have no idea how I didn’t weigh over 500 lbs in high school.

Anyways, I mostly stuck to plain bagels and got fancy with my cream cheese. Strawberry one day, veggie the next, and sometimes they had a sour cream and chive version that was to die for. Plus the cafeteria didn’t really have a ton of choices when it came to the bagels. And then one of my friends introduced me to Panera bagels and it was game on. Asiago cheese, cinnamon crunch, french toast…. and just as many amazing cream cheese spreads to go along. But the one bagel that won my heart was the everything bagel. I could almost (almost) eat that one without any cream cheese. DIY Wednesday: Everything Bagel Spice Mix | Life Healthfully Lived

I can’t remember that last time I had a bagel or cream cheese for that matter, but I love the flavor of those everything bagels so I make my own spice mix and put it on everything (see what I did there?). You can put it on homemade bread (it tastes great pressed onto the top of rolls), sprinkle it over vegetables or stir-fry, and chicken and pork taste great if you use it as a crust while pan-searing.

So if you’re an everything bagel fanatic and want to add more of that flavor to your life or you don’t eat bagels anymore but still want that flavor try this simple everything bagel spice mix!

Everything Bagel Spice Mix

2 tbsp poppyseeds
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (place in a pan over medium heat and shake until golden)
2 tbsp dried minced onion
2 tbsp dried minced garlic
2 tsp course sea salt (use less if you have a finer grain salt)

Place everything into a small bowl or mason jar and shake to combine. Make sure to keep it stored in a sealed container so it doesn’t go stale

Balsamic Roasted Broccoli Rabe

April 29, 2016April 29, 2016 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Broccoli rabe is having a moment in the Dawson household right now. Every time I go to the grocery store I just can’t pass up those bright green bunches. I like the bitterness of the leaves and the slightly sweet broccoli, kind of like if kale and broccoli had a baby. Balsamic Roasted Broccoli Rabe | Life Healthfully Lived

That’s weird to imagine, so let’s move on. I usually just blanch and saute broccoli rabe because I don’t mind the bitter but some people are turned off by that taste. More rabe for me! But in an effort to be a little less selfish with my food (a very tough feat, just ask my husband) I decided to try preparing it a little different.

Roasted. Balsamic Roasted Broccoli Rabe | Life Healthfully Lived

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know that #roastallthethings is pretty much my favorite hashtag because I really do roast all the things. Roasting brings out the natural sugars in food and in turn makes things like broccoli rabe more palatable for everyone. The balsamic vinegar just ups the ante even more and adds a nice tang.

This is a simple side dish and after blanching it doesn’t take that much time. In fact, you could blanch the broccoli rabe a few days in advance so all you have to do is throw the rabe into the oven when you’re ready to eat. Easy peasy!

Balsamic Roasted Broccoli Rabe

1 bunch broccoli rabe
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1-2 shallots, finely diced
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

The first thing you need to do is blanch and shock the broccoli rabe. This helps it keep it’s color and tames a little bit of the bitterness. Separate the leaves from the broccoli stems, but don’t throw them away, and chop the broccoli part into bite size pieces.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water and add a few ice cubes. Have a colander ready.
Once the water is boiling, dump the chopped broccoli pieces and stir around. Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute until the water starts to come to a boil again. With a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to the cold water bath and then drain in the strainer. Repeat this process with the leaves.
Once the broccoli rabe is blanched and shocked you can roast it right away or store it in the fridge for about 2 days before you’re ready to cook it.
Preheat the oven to 400 and line a large tray with a Silpat or parchment paper. Toss the broccoli and leaves in the coconut oil and then lay them out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the shallots and garlic slices over them and then drizzle everything with the balsamic vinegar. You can add a pinch of salt as well at this point.
Roast for about 10 to 15 minutes, keeping a close eye so the broccoli rabe doesn’t burn. Remove from the oven let cool slightly before serving.

DIY Wednesday: Coconut Milk

April 27, 2016April 26, 2016 / ktbuchs87

I use coconut milk a lot. In curries, creamy sauces, my daily smoothie bowl, for baking, in dressings, in my coffee…. You get the picture. There are plenty of options for coconut milk in the store and some of them are actually a pretty good deal. I can get a 1-quart carton of So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk at my Wal-mart for $1.98. But the price isn’t what’s driving this DIY post. DIY Wednesday: Coconut Milk | Life Healthfully Lived

Pretty much every brand of coconut milk has some type of thickener or “gum” added to make it that thick and creamy milk we all enjoy. Some brands have even worse things added but I avoid those. While the So Delicious brand is good, it still has guar gum added and while in small doses guar gum isn’t horrible, too much can cause some gastrointestinal issues.

Since I use coconut milk pretty much every day, I decided to try making my own. You guys, this is like the easiest homemade alternative milk that I have ever done. Nut milks aren’t super hard to make, but if you don’t have a fancy blender it can be time-consuming. Coconut milk is quick, simple, and pretty much any blender can handle it. Even an immersion blender. Oh yes, I tried it. DIY Wednesday: Coconut Milk | Life Healthfully Lived

Even better, it’s also a cheap way to make coconut milk especially if you can buy your coconut shreds in bulk. So if you’re looking for a simple way to make coconut milk, look no further!

Just a heads up, though, you will need a nut milk bag or cheese cloth but that’s the only “special” equipment required for this milk. You could even get away with using a mesh sieve or strainer.

Homemade Coconut Milk

1 package unsweetened coconut shreds, 8 oz
4 cups boiling water
1-2 tsp sweetener of choice, optional (I left it unsweetened)

Get out a large bowl and layer your cheese cloth or nut milk bag over it. Boil the 4 cups of water.
Meanwhile, measure out 8 oz of coconut shreds and put them into your blender. Pour the boiling water over the coconut and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes to soften up.
Blend everything together. If you have a high-speed blender (jealous) this will take you literally 30 seconds maybe a minute. My blender took about 2 minutes. It won’t be completely smooth but you want a thick consistency.
Pour the milk into the bowl with the bag or cheese cloth. Squeeze out all of the milk (careful if it’s still hot from the boiling water part) and transfer the milk to a pitcher or other container. It will keep in your fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Two things to note, DON’T throw away the coconut pulp! You can dry it out and use it in baking or cooking. Also, the milk will get a hard crust on it while it’s in the fridge. That’s totally fine. Just break it up and stir or shake the milk and it will be good to go! DIY Wednesday: Coconut Milk | Life Healthfully Lived

Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Avocado

April 22, 2016April 21, 2016 / ktbuchs87 / 4 Comments

Don’t turn away in disgust. You can, and totally should, bake with avocado. They are good for you and replace a lot of the less than healthy fats you normally find in baked goods. Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Avocado | Life Healthfully Lived

A few weeks back Liz from I Heart Vegetables posted this recipe for chocolate muffins made with avocado and that got my wheel turning. I started thinking of other things I could make with avocado and then I saw a recipe for banana bread and the baking heavens opened. Gluten-Free Banana Bread with Avocado | Life Healthfully Lived

Banana bread is awesome, but regular banana bread is usually a little too sweet for me so I toned it down in this recipe. Feel free to add maple syrup if you want, but try it without first. The avocado keeps this bread moist and full of healthy fats and DOESN’T taste like banana guacamole. That wouldn’t be so good. Interesting…. but not tasty.

So if you have some super ripe bananas, an avocado, and a hankering for something delicious try this quick gluten-free bread!

Avocado Banana Bread

1 medium avocado, about 1 cup diced up
2 medium ripe bananas
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large egg or 1 flax egg (3 tbsp ground flaxseed and 6 tbsp water combined)
1 and 1/2 cup almond flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3-5 tbsp maple syrup, optional
1/4 cup pecans, optional
1/2 cup dried bananas, optional (but really delicious even if it sounds odd)

Preheat oven to 350 and oil a bread pan with a little coconut oil and line with parchment paper.
Put the avocado, bananas, and coconut oil into a blender and blend until it’s smooth. Add the egg or flax egg, maple syrup if you’re using, and blend again.
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and then pour in the wet. Use a spatula and stir to combine. If you’re adding nuts or dried bananas stir those in now.
Pour the batter into the bread pan and bake for 45 minutes. Pull out the bread and check to see if the middle is still wobbly. If it is, cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
When the bread is done, pull it out and let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes then take it out and let it cool on a rack completely.