DIY Wednesday: Basil Salad Dressing

September 23, 2015September 23, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 3 Comments

Friends, I’m ready to admit something.

I’m kind of having a love affair with basil. I know, I know. It’s just a summer fling, but I can’t get enough of the stuff. It smells so good, looks so pretty, and tastes phenomenal. Even better, it makes any food I put in my mouth taste phenomenal.

I got into the fresh basil game a little late this summer because for most of the summer we were gone every weekend and I couldn’t get to the farmer’s market and I was not going to pay over $3 for the tiny little packages at the store. But this past month we have made it to the market and one stand there sells fresh herbs of all kind and I can get a whole bunch of basil for $2. Naturally I load up on it and come home and make all the basil things.

Besides the obvious pesto (which I have like 3 jars of right now) I have been making basil and lemon oil, and this dressing. I have swooned about this dressing a few times over on Instagram so I thought that I would share it with you guys.

I’ve talked about making your own salad dressing before and I think it’s the best money and health saving switch you can make. Making your own salad dressing is SO simple and you get to control the ingredients. Store bought dressing is full of preservatives and you’re paying a lot of money to ingest those things.

So why not make your own? This literally comes together in the touch of a blender button and BAM, you have a delicious, basil-filled dressing ready to go on salad, over vegetables, or straight into your mouth with a straw. Which I’ve never done…

Basil Salad Dressing

1 cup loosely packed, whole basil leaves
2 tsp roasted garlic or 2 cloves fresh garlic
2 tbsp tahini
1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk (you could also use almond milk)
juice of half a lime
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Ready for this? Put everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week…. if it lasts that long.

I love one step recipes almost as much as I love basil. See how easy it is to make dressing? You can even switch up the herbs you do and use parsley, dill, or cilantro. Whatever your little heart desires!

Simple Fish Salad

September 18, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Remember that wall of fish in my freezer? Well, it has made me become very creative with cooking fish and I thought that I would share some of my creations with you wonderful people.

I don’t eat fish but my husband, Adam does. I know that fish is a very popular, healthy protein and that many people eat fish. The problem with fish is preparing it. Some people have this perception that it is really difficult to cook and while it can be easy to overcook fish, it isn’t as hard as you might think. Some people think the best way to make fish is to dunk it in batter and fry it up, right mom :)? While this method is tasty, it isn’t the healthiest way to make fish.

Here is a simple and healthy way to make fish that is a nice change from pan or deep frying.

Simple Fish Salad

1 lb of white fish, I used rockfish but halibut, tilapia or cod would work well
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp fresh or dried dill
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2-3 tbsp homemade mayo (or use your favorite brand)
1/2 a medium zucchini, shredded

Fill a medium saucepan with a little water and then place a steamer basket over the top. Cover and bring to a boil.
While water is coming to a boil, remove any skin from your fish and cut into 1 in. cubes. Place the fish in a medium bowl.
Sprinkle fish with lemon juice and all the seasonings. Mix well to make sure all the fish is coated. Place the fish into the steamer basket and cover. Steam until the fish is cooked through about 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove the fish and place it in a clean bowl. Shred the fish with two forks and allow it to cool a little. Once the fish is cool, mix in the mayo. Use enough that the fish is covered by not drowning in the mayo. Stir in the zucchini shreds.
You can serve this right away or keep in the fridge and serve cold.

That’s it! This is a meal that comes together fast and can be made ahead of time. You can also serve it numerous ways. You can spread it over toasted bread, in lettuce wraps, or you can scoop it up with celery or carrot sticks. So many delicious options! If you’re looking for a new way to eat your fish, give this fish salad a try!

Have an excellent weekend everyone!

5 Things That Have Found Their Way Into My Kitchen

September 14, 2015September 14, 2015 / ktbuchs87

It might come as a shock to you, but sometimes I get stuck in food ruts. I usually make the same thing for dinner during the week so that I can keep Adam and I on track with healthy meals and I can keep our food costs down. But the other reason is that I can get lazy. Sometimes the idea of coming up with something new and delicious just makes me tired. So it’s easy to rely on the same old favorites in the kitchen and not venture into new territory.

While there is nothing wrong with preparing the same food that you know you like and you know is healthy and works for your body, it does get a little boring after awhile. Boredom, as least for me, only leads to bad things in the area of food. Soon I start eating more and more to feel satisfied because the meals I’m eating are the same old same old. When that happens I know it’s time to switch things up and throw some new tricks into my old routine.

Here are some things that I have added to my kitchen and pantry in hopes of shaking things up and keeping my meals healthy and fun!

P.A.N- Pre-cooked White Corn Meal

If you follow me on Instagram (which you should, I’m fun), then you have heard me rave about this. Actually you have heard me rave about arepas which are made from pre-cooked corn meal. I have seen arepas on other bloggers feeds and seen them on shows like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Every time I see them being made, I’m like, “Those look amazing, I need to try them myself.” So I finally got this flour to make my own arepas. Yes, you have to use pre-cooked corn meal not regular corn meal. This was the brand that was recommended everywhere I looked, and I found it on Amazon for like $2. Expect an arepa recipe soon because not only is it delicious, it is way easier to make than you would think.

Figs

This is another thing that I constantly see on social media and yet I have never tried them. Well, I have never tried fresh figs. I have had dried figs and fig newtons if you can count those as actual figs. But the fresh version was never on my radar. They have a very short season and I just happened to see them on sale at my Jewel so I picked some up on a whim. They are really good! I think I might have to try making some fig jam with them so I can enjoy them just a little bit longer.

Canned Coconut Milk

Ok, this isn’t a new one for me, but I had forgotten about it for awhile. I used to get a couple of cans of coconut milk a week and use them in soups and stews and oatmeal and baked goods. It’s really nice and creamy, so it works great as a substitute for things like heavy cream or whole milk. My favorite thing to do with it lately is make creamy herb dressings/sauces, which I used on my pasta salad recipe last week and which leads me to the next thing….

Fresh Herbs

Another one that isn’t new, but that I had put on the back burner. I usually pick up a bunch of cilantro each week, but one stand at my farmer’s market sells every fresh herb known to man. I have started getting fresh basil, dill, parsley, cilantro, and lemon grass and using them in all the things. Seriously, go get some fresh herbs and put them in your meals. They enhance the flavor and bring a wonderful freshness to boring old dishes. Throw some basil into a frittata or blend in some parsley with meat/lentil loaf. It will up your dinner game and everyone will think you’re a culinary whiz. You can also freeze, turn them into oil, or sauces to have them on hand for the winter months.

Trader Joes

We have a Trader Joes in our neighborhood, but I always forget about it because it isn’t in my usual rotation of grocery stores. That needs to change because I went there on Friday to find shaved brussels sprouts (another Instagram phenom) and remembered why I love Trader Joes. They have good food for a decent price. Plus I found these dark chocolate covered espresso beans for Adam that he has become obsessed with at work. Brussels sprouts and chocolate. Yup, good combo.

Long story short, don’t be afraid to branch out of your food comfort zone. It can get so easy to make the same things over and over and over… but even just a little change can add some pizzazz and flavor back into your meals. Plus there are plenty of healthy options out there to make dinnertime tasty and nutritious.

What are some things that have turned your kitchen game around?

The Last Summer Pasta Salad

September 11, 2015September 11, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Summer is having its last hurrah. Half of this week has been ridiculously hot and humid. I’m talking two showers-a-day hot and humid. But that humidity finally broke a few days ago and now you can feel a touch of fall in the air.

While I absolutely love fall, I’m not quite ready to give up my summer just yet. My farmer’s market still has plenty of end of the summer vegetables like corn and tomatoes and there are still a few 80 degree days in the forecast. Warm days like that beg for a meal that doesn’t require you to turn on the oven.

I came up with this pasta salad last Sunday when even thinking about turning on the oven made me sweat, and I was already sweating buckets. This meal comes together fast and tastes amazing served up cold. It also packs in a lot of vegetables and herbs and can be customized to whatever produce you have lying around.

So if you’re like me and aren’t ready to say goodbye to summer, whip up this salad and enjoy these last few days.

The Last Summer Pasta Salad with Herb Sauce

2 cups cooked pasta, I used brown rice rotini
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 ears of corn, kernels removed (you can also use frozen kernels, thawed)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup bell peppers, I used a mix of yellow, green, and red
1 cup zucchini, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic minced

Herb Sauce

1 small bunch of basil leaves, about 1/2 cup tightly packed
1 small bunch of cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
juice of half a lime
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender and set aside.
Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions until softened and then add in the peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and corn. Cook until the edges are slightly brown. Add in the garlic at the very end and saute for one more minute.
Remove the vegetables from heat and let them cool. In a large bowl combine the pasta and quinoa and the cooled vegetables. Mix everything well.
Pour the herb sauce over everything and stir to combine so everything is coated. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You can serve it right away or put it in the fridge to cool completely.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

August 28, 2015August 28, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I am the queen of roasted things. It’s pretty much my answer to everything. Broccoli? Roast it. Zucchini? Roast it. Almonds/cashews/hazelnuts? Roast it. Sweet potatoes. Roast it. Annoying relatives that randomly drop in for the weekend without calling? Roast it.

Ok, maybe not the last one but still. Whenever I have food that can be roasted, I’m gonna roast it. So I was shocked that I had never roasted peppers before. It’s not like it’s a hard process. It couldn’t be simpler. I just never looked at a pepper and felt the need to roast it. Well, that time is over because roasted peppers are delicious. They add a wonderfully smoky flavor to whatever you use them for and smoky is always good.

I put this sauce over gluten free linguine and it was fantastic. You could use this over zoodles, in lasagna, over vegetables (roasted of course), or you know just eat it straight out of the pot. I won’t judge.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce- slightly adapted from Minimalist Baker’s Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

2 large red bell peppers
1/2 cup caramelized onions (or regular onion), diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 cup coconut milk
3 tbsp nutritional yeast
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the peppers on the sheet. Roast the peppers for 20 minutes and then flip them over and roast for another 20 minutes. The pepper should have a little char on it once it’s done.
Remove the peppers from the oven and place a glass bowl over them to allow the steam to loosen the skins. Let them sit for about 15 minutes.
While the peppers are steaming, heat a little oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a blender.
Take the peppers out from under the bowl and remove the skins. The skins should slip off pretty easily. You can leave a little bit of the char on for a more intense smoky flavor.
Add the peppers, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to the blender. Pulse a few times to break everything up and then add in 1/2 cup of the coconut milk. Blend until smooth. If the sauce is still really thick add in more coconut milk, up to 1 cup.
Pour the sauce into a saucepan and heat through, about 5 minutes. Serve over pasta, vegetables, or even rice.

At first glance, it looks like there are a lot of complicated steps but you’re really just roasting peppers and then blending everything together. You could even roast the peppers ahead of time and then when you’re ready for dinner you can just throw everything into the blender and you have dinner in no time! You can also roast the peppers in a few different ways, I just like the oven because it doesn’t take a lot of effort.

Anyone have any fun weekend plans besides making this awesome and simple dinner? I’m looking forward to spending some time with Adam since we haven’t been able to do that for over two weeks! Have a great weekend everyone!