Secret Confession Of A Health And Food Blogger

November 16, 2015November 16, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Friday night. The weekend is finally here and I’ve finished dinner and I’m vegging on the couch watching Netflix. I know, I’m pretty much a wild and crazy party animal. I’m not quite ready to go to bed yet, I stay up like an hour past my bedtime on the weekends which is usually 9:30. Again, party animal.

And it happens.

That little nagging voice in the back of my head. You want to eat something, Katie. You want to munch on something salty, crunchy, sweet, whatever you can get your hands on. You want to keep reaching your hand into the bowl or bag or whatever large vessel you can fill. You want to keep eating even though you’re not really hungry, you’re just bored.

Every weekend is the same routine. I know it’s coming. I know exactly what will happen. I’ll pretend like I can’t hear that annoying little voice, but I know I will eventually give in. Because I don’t have any control over this situation. I have no power here. I’m stuck and always will be.

Right?

Nope. That is so not true. I’ve tricked myself into thinking that I can’t beat this habit. That it is somehow a part of my being, the way I am put together, and there is no fighting it. It is so much easier to stay stuck and feign that I’m weak against that little voice. That voice that is really just me.

I’ve gotten into the habit of telling others that they have the motivation and willpower they need to overcome situations like this when it comes to their health. But I’ve somehow convinced myself it doesn’t apply to me. Pot calling the kettle black much?

I can say no. I have total control over my own thoughts and feelings and emotions. I know this because I have done it before. There are days when I lack the motivation to go for a run or workout just because I’m lazy. But I’m able to power through those roadblocks and do what I know is best for me. So I know this isn’t a problem of not being able to exert control over my bad habits.

It’s me being a whiny baby and not WANTING to change. Some weird part of me finds comfort in those late night binges. It’s a way to be that person I was so many years ago when my whole day was a binge of unhealthy food.

I’ve talked before about how change is scary and hard for me, but it’s something I should embrace. I’ve talked about how motivation is something that has to be renewed every day. Well, it’s time to stop just talking about it and actually do it. Because I’m tired of letting a little voice control a part of me. A bad habit doesn’t get to dictate what I do.

So there it is out in the open. My little secret, my stuck-in-a-rut problem for everyone to see. Sure, it’s a little nerve-wracking to share it with the whole internet, but I know I’m not the only one who struggles with things like this. I’m human and even though health and food and all that is “my thing” I still have setbacks and things to work on. I probably always will, but it’s better to face them with the help and support of others rather than alone late at night.

Maybe this post can spark something in one of you. Maybe it can help change the habit you know is a problem that you’ve told yourself you can’t fix.

You can. Of course you can. I can too.

Ready?

DIY Wednesday: Coconut Chips

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I’m not a huge snacker, but every now and then the snacking bug will bite and I can’t seem to stop grazing. Luckily I try to only keep healthy snacks around the house so I’m not binging on cookies and chips, but store bought healthy snacks can be full of unnecessary ingredients.

While some people might crave sweet snacks or salty snacks, I usually crave a combo. I love the mix of sweet and salty. Kettle corn is a weakness and Garrett’s Chicago Mix (it will never be anything else to me)? Forget about it.

I have seen coconut chips in the stores and online for awhile now and they always sound really good. A nice mix of sweet and salty, healthy fats from the coconut, and the satisfying crunch of the baked chips. A snacker’s dream. Not so dream like? The cost. A tiny bag of coconut chips at the store can cost almost $15. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Good for you and me that it’s really easy to make your own at home! A few things, don’t worry if you don’t like the flavor of coconut these do not have a very coconutty taste. You will also want to make sure that you get the coconut flakes and not shreds otherwise you’ll end up with a pile of shriveled and burnt coconut shreds.

These come together fast and don’t require many ingredients, so if you feel a snack attack coming on you’re only a few minutes away from these sweet and savory coconut chips!

Coconut Chips

2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes, not shreds
2 tbsp coconut aminos, you can also use liquid aminos, soy sauce, or tamari
1 tbsp maple syrup, honey could also work
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Preheat the oven to 350
Dump the coconut shreds into a large bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir to coat everything.
Place some parchment paper or Silpat onto a large baking sheet and spread the chips in an even layer.
Bake for 5 minutes and stir the chips. Bake for another 2 minutes, watching carefully so the chips don’t burn.
Remove from oven and let cool…. or dig right in if you can’t wait!

Make sure to keep an eye on the coconut chips in the last few minutes because these can go from golden and delicious to charred very quickly. Store them in an airtight container for up to a week…. if they last that long!

DIY Wednesday: Date Sugar

September 16, 2015September 16, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Sugar has been getting a lot of attention lately. Really, it’s always gotten some type of attention. Is it good or bad? Are there better or healthier sugars? Are no calorie sweeteners ruining our health? Will you die immediately if you have one of your grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies?

There are so many opinions, studies, research, and questions swirling around sugar lately as more and more people are trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle. I don’t have all the answers about sugar, but I can share my experience/relationship with sugar.

When I totally changed the way I ate a few years ago, I cut out refined sugar. No more white sugar or brown sugar. I relied mostly on honey as a sweetener, but for a long time I avoided anything sweet other than fruit. That worked for a little while and eventually I didn’t crave sugar like I used to but every now and then I wanted something sweet. At first I thought that was a weakness on my part, but I’ve learned that it’s ok to crave things and to address those cravings in the way that makes me feel best. I still avoid refined sugar, but I use things like honey, molasses, and maple syrup as sweeteners when I’m baking and cooking.

Today’s DIY is all about another type of sweetener, date sugar. I’ve seen it in stores like Whole Foods and usually it’s really expensive for a small amount. When I saw that dates were the only ingredient, I figured I could make my own. A quick search on Google confirmed that it is a thing and you can make your own date sugar. I like this sweetener because it isn’t a liquid sweetener like honey or syrup. It doesn’t dissolve in liquid like white sugar, but it does add a really nice caramel flavor. You can use this in oatmeal in place of brown sugar, in baked goods, or even in coffee or tea if you don’t mind the grainy bits. I also like this sweetener because it offers all the nutritional benefits of dates while adding a sweet flavor.

DIY Date Sugar

20 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced in half

Preheat oven to 250 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Arrange the sliced dates on the sheet and bake in the oven for 2-3 hours checking every so often to make sure the dates don’t burn.
Turn off the oven and let the dates sit in the oven for another few hours or overnight until the are completely hard.
Once the dates are cooled and hardened, put them into a blender or food processor and grind until you have a fairly fine powder.

Keep your date sugar in an airtight container and store it in the fridge or freezer if you aren’t going to be using it right away.

Told you this one was easy! Now remember, the one thing about sugar I can tell you is that sugar is sugar. Your body can’t tell the difference between high fructose corn syrup or date sugar. It’s ok to have a sweet treat now and then but don’t make this the basis of everything you put in your mouth. It’s all about balance people!

Hope you have a great Wednesday and tell me, what’s your favorite sweetener?

My Misconceptions About Losing Weight And Being Healthier

July 6, 2015July 6, 2015 / ktbuchs87

When I first decided to get healthier and lose weight, I had a lot of misconceptions about what would happen. I learned through trial and error about what it really means to change your lifestyle. While some lessons took longer to learn than others, all the things I went through helped me get where I am today. I want to share those misconceptions with you so you can learn from my mistakes and maybe not feel so alone on your own journey.

Misconception #1- Losing weight will instantly make me happier

For so long my weight had made me unhappy. I felt uncomfortable in clothes, shy around people, and self-conscious about my appearance. I thought that if I could just lose the weight, I would finally be happy. I was wrong. Yes, losing weight made me feel better and I could wear clothes that I hadn’t been able to before, but my life didn’t instantly become better. That was because I never worked on the mental part of losing weight. I still saw a bigger girl in the mirror and I still felt like I didn’t look the way I should. Just losing weight won’t make your life better or you happier. You have to work through the reasons behind your weight gain and the mental side of losing weight.

Misconception #2- Exercising a lot and eating a little is the only way to lose weight.

You will lose weight if you eat less food and move more, that’s science even if it’s more complex than that. But I went about this the wrong way at the beginning. I was in the mindset that I had to be working out all the time, multiple times a day. I had to eat the bare minimum or else all that hard work would go to waste. This is a horrible way to be healthier because not only is it not a sustainable way of life, you could be hurting your health more than helping it. Exercise isn’t meant to a punishment to your body. It is meant to make it stronger, better, and more capable. It isn’t torture and you shouldn’t hate it. If you do, then maybe you need to find a different form of working out. Food isn’t the enemy. We need it to nourish our bodies and fuel our day. It should taste good and give us pleasure while making us feel amazing. Eating isn’t a necessary evil, it’s a chance to make your health even better. It took me a LONG time to realize these things but once I did, things really turned around.

Misconception #3- My body has to look the same every day to be considered healthy

This was, and sometimes still is, a hard one to get past. My understanding was that those athletes and models that I saw in magazines and online always looked that good. They just walked around with their rippling muscles, taut stomachs, shapely legs, and hair perfectly styled. It seems silly to think about that now, but back then I thought that was true. Your body changes daily. It won’t look the same every single time you look in the mirror. That’s ok and normal. It doesn’t mean you aren’t healthy or that you’re a slob, it means that you’re human. Some days I still struggle with this, but I remind myself that my body is capable of so many things whether I have a six pack or not.

Misconception #4- My cravings for “bad” food will magically disappear

No. Just because you’re eating better doesn’t mean that you won’t crave a big piece of chocolate cake or a huge slice of pizza every now and then. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. Cake and pizza taste good and cravings are a part of life. What has changed for me is that before I just blindly give into my craving I stop and ask myself why. Why do I want that piece of cake? Most often there is something else going on that is making me want that cake. I’ve also learned to satisfy cravings with healthier things.

Losing weight is so much more than just losing weight. Being healthier can come in many different forms and each person has their own unique experience. Even though I had all these misconceptions and issues to work through, my decision to be better was one of the best things I’ve done for myself. I have learned about who I am and what I can accomplish and I have gained a passion for sharing that with others.

So know that if you are just starting this journey, it might be hard and certain things you do might not work, but you’re worth it and you will learn how to make your health better!

Honey Roasted Almond Butter

April 3, 2015April 3, 2015 / ktbuchs87

You guys. This almond butter. When I found out that I would have access to a Vitamix for a few days the first thing I knew that I wanted to make was some kind of nut butter. I am a nut/seed butter junkie and I have some form of it everyday. The down side to this addiction is that it can get a little pricey. For some reason people seem to think that you need to add a bunch of ingredients to nut butter when in reality all you need is nuts and a little salt. You would think that the versions with less ingredients would in turn cost less but alas they are more expensive. Now I can still find peanut butter and almond butter for a decent price, but I can’t indulge in all the other awesome nut and seed butters out there unless there is a big sale.

It a lot more cost-effective to make your own nut butter, but I sadly do not have the proper equipment to do this. I tried once to do it with my food processor and I’m pretty sure I almost blew it up. That wasn’t the case with the Vitamix. In less than five minutes I had wonderfully creamy almond butter. It was magical.

I didn’t want to just do a regular nut butter for you today, I wanted to make it a little special. Celebrate high-powered blenders, ya know? So with just a few easy steps you can have this tasty honey (or maple) roasted almond butter to put on everything. And if you’re like me, you WILL put it on everything. Toast, oatmeal, celery, spoons, fingers…. Anywho, onto the recipe!

Honey Roasted Almond Butter

2 cups raw almonds
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup to make vegan
sea salt

1. Pre-heat oven to 375. Place almonds in a large bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the honey or maple syrup for a few minutes. Constantly stir and make sure that you don’t let it boil. You just want to heat it up to a nice pourable consistency.

2. Pour honey/maple syrup over your almonds and stir to coat. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread out the almonds into an even layer. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and place into the oven.

3. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and shake the almonds a little to move around and place back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Make sure you watch the almonds carefully so they don’t burn. You want them to be a nice golden brown not black.

4. Once done remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Once cooled, place all the almonds into your blender or food processor. Depending on the kind of blender you have this could take a few minutes and you might have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times. Just be patient and soon you’ll have a smooth and creamy nut butter.

That’s it! A few simple ingredients, a few easy steps, and you have yourself a nice treat! Make sure you store it in an airtight container and it should last you a week if kept in the fridge. Now go find things to eat with your almond butter. Remember fingers work just as well!