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!

DIY Wednesday: Chili Cheese Popcorn

February 17, 2016February 16, 2016 / ktbuchs87

DIY Wednesday: Chili Cheese Popcorn | Life Healthfully Lived Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks because it’s easy to make and you can eat a huge bowl of it without feeling gross. I’m a huge fan of volume eating because I like food. Unfortunately, a lot of popcorn that you can buy in the store is NOT so good for you. Flavored popcorn tends to be full of artificial ingredients, preservatives, oils, and way too much sodium. That can be a real bummer when you figure that out after you’ve already inhaled a whole bag by yourself. DIY Wednesday: Chili Cheese Popcorn | Life Healthfully Lived

But don’t you worry because I’ve got you covered! You can make your own flavored popcorn at home with half the bad junk and all the tastiness. I was surprised by how good these turned out and even Adam who tends to like plain things said these were addictive. Husband approval means you know it’s good!

You probably have most of these ingredients already and if so you’re only a few minutes away from a healthy snack!

Chili Cheese Popcorn

3 cups air-popped popcorn (or you can use this method if you don’t have an air-popper)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried minced onion
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil

Mix all the seasonings together and measure out one tablespoon into a small bowl. Add the melted coconut oil and mix everything together. You want it to be pourable. Set this aside.
Pop your popcorn and put it into a large bowl. Make sure you do this after you get the seasoning mix together. You want the popcorn to be hot when you mix everything together.
Once the popcorn is popped, pour the spice mix over the popcorn and toss to coat. It might take a few minutes, but keep tossing and the seasoning will get on all the popcorn.

Happy snacking friends and see you on Friday!

DIY Wednesday: Turmeric Paste and Golden Milk

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016 / ktbuchs87

If you have been following my blog for any length of time you know two things. I like spices and I’m usually talking about the benefits of turmeric.

Any chance that I can slip turmeric into the conversation, I will. If you’re sore from a really tough lifting session, I’ll probably tell you to use some turmeric in your next meal because it has anti-inflammatory properties. If you’re at a high risk for heart disease, I might mention that turmeric can help lower your risk. If you’re feeling depressed, worried about Alzheimers or cancer, I’m going to tell you that turmeric can help with all of those things.

I’m like the annoying friend who goes on a juice cleanse and it fixes everything from her weight to her crippling debt and she just won’t shut up about it. You’re welcome.

But seriously, turmeric is SO good for you and you should really start including it in your diet. It isn’t that expensive and you can find it in most grocery stores (if you shop at Whole Foods you can get it in their bulk spice section). It’s also really easy to use and slip into a bunch of different meals. But there are a few things you should know to get the most out of your turmeric:

Take it with black pepper
Take it with a fat

Why do you need to add these two things to your turmeric? Turmeric’s main component is curcumin (this is what makes it so potent and beneficial) and curcumin is fat soluble. In simple terms, in order for your body to absorb and use any turmeric you ingest it needs fat to break it down.

Black pepper enhances turmeric’s bioavailability which means it makes it easier for your body to use and distribute. This is a good thing and what you want your body to do with anything that enters your digestive system.

You can use turmeric in so many different things like soups, curries, stir fry, smoothies, and sprinkled over vegetables or meat. One of my favorite ways to use it is to toss some broccoli with a little coconut oil (fat), and then sprinkle garlic powder, turmeric, pepper, and a little sea salt over the broccoli and roast at 400 for 20 minutes.

Another great way to enjoy turmeric is to make Golden Milk which sounds expensive and fancy, but it’s really simple and easy to make yourself. I like to make a turmeric paste and keep it in a jar in my fridge and then scoop out what I need to make the milk.

A few pointers when you’re making your turmeric paste: Don’t use any utensils, pots, or jars that stain easily. Turmeric is amazing for your health but can stain plastic bowls, containers, or utensils. Glass and stainless steel work best and keep your kitchen tools looking nice. Also, turmeric does have a very earthy smell and taste so it might be off-putting at first. Use it in ways that you can sort of mask the taste at first and then start to slowly use it more prominently.

Ok, enough talking about turmeric and how good it is for you, time to actually use it!

Turmeric Paste

1/2 cup turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp black pepper (fresh ground if possible)
5 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup water

Place everything in a pot and whisk until it is completely combined. Heat over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until you have a thick paste. Make sure you keep stirring and don’t let it scald.
Pour your paste into a glass jar or container and let it cool completely. You can keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Golden Milk

1 cup coconut milk (or any other non-dairy milk you like)
1/2 tsp turmeric paste
1 tsp cinnamon
honey or maple syrup, optional

Place the coconut milk and turmeric paste into a saucepan and heat over low heat, whisking to combine.
Heat until it is just warm and then remove from oven. Add the cinnamon and honey or maple syrup if you would like it a little sweeter and whisk to combine.
Pour into a mug and let it cool a little before drinking.

You can also use the turmeric paste in other things like soup or curries. It adds a nice shot of turmeric along with the fat and pepper it needs so you can get the most out of it. Along with my jar of roasted garlic, I’ve started keeping this paste on hand for whenever I need it! DIY Wednesday: Turmeric Paste and Golden Milk | Life Healthfully Lived

DIY Wednesday: Sports Drink

February 3, 2016February 1, 2016 / ktbuchs87

DIY Wednesday: Sports Drink | Life Healthfully Lived I would say that sport’s drinks like Gatorade, Propel, and Powerade are some of the most controversial products when it comes to hydration. You have the people who are firmly in the water-is-the-only-hydration-you-need camp and then you have others who are firmly in the you-need-to-replenish-your-electrolytes-after-activity camp. Then you have those in the murky middle ground who believe sometimes you need sports drinks and sometimes you don’t. It can be very confusing.

I am somewhere in the murky middle ground. It all depends on the activity you’ve been doing and how long you’ve been active for. The vast majority of us don’t do enough work or exercise that will require anything other than water to rehydrate. There is no need for a Gatorade after a 20-minute workout or to hand out sports drinks after a kids soccer game. There are a few instances where you do need to replenish your electrolyte levels with something other than just water.

People who run/train for marathons, triathlons, Ironman competitions, or any other grueling endurance sport are probably going to need something more than just water. That is because they are asking their bodies to work at full capacity for a long period of time. Anything more than a 90-minute workout session is going to probably warrant a little extra attention to your hydration levels. DIY Wednesday: Sports Drink | Life Healthfully Lived

Now, here is my other sticking point: I think that commercially sold sports drinks are NOT the way to replenish your fluids and electrolytes. They’re full of sugar and other ingredients that actually make you thirstier than you were before. How else would they sell their product? If one drink made rehydrated you, you wouldn’t need another. Plus you’re getting way more calories than you need from a drink.

Lucky for you, it’s easy to make your own sports drink that will rehydrate you as well as replenish your electrolyte levels without the calories, sugar, or any other possible weird ingredients. You can make these in advance of a tough workout or activity and have them ready to go when you’re done. You can play with the levels of citrus and natural sweetener to suit your tastes.

You can play with the levels of citrus and natural sweetener to suit your tastes and if you don’t want or can’t find coconut water, regular water works just as well. And yes, I know there is salt in here and you’re going to tell me that is ridiculous because we all know that salt makes you thirstier. Yes, BUT, you also need the proper amount of sodium levels in your body to rehydrate and absorb minerals like potassium. If you’ve been sweating like crazy, then you have been losing a lot of sodium as well and need to replenish those stores. So don’t skip the salt (and make sure you use sea salt NOT regular table salt), it won’t make you thirstier and you won’t be choking down a salty drink.

Sports Drink

1 cup coconut water or regular water (make sure it’s just plain coconut water, no added sugars)
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 tsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp honey or maple syrup (less or more to suit your taste)
pinch of sea salt

Put everything into a blender and blend for a few seconds. Taste and adjust things as needed.

Keep this drink stored in the fridge up to 2 days before you need it. You can also double or triple this recipe to make sure that you have enough on hand for when it’s needed.

DIY Wednesday: Mushroom Gravy

December 9, 2015December 9, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I DIY Wednesday: Mushroom Gravy | Life Healthfully Lived have another holiday edition of DIY Wednesday for you today: gravy. After the ganache last week, I thought we would go savory today. I know it’s a little late for Thanksgiving, but there are still plenty of meals this season that will warrant gravy. I wanted to show you how easy it is to make your own gravy because I was just as surprised when I learned.

When I was younger, gravy was bought in a jar. My mom pretty much made the rest of our Thanksgiving feast from scratch, but the gravy and the jellied cranberries came from a jar and a can. So in my tiny kid mind, that is how all gravy was made. In a jar and then heated up on the stove. DIY Wednesday: Mushroom Gravy | Life Healthfully Lived

As I got older and started cooking for myself and reading cookbooks, I saw recipes for gravy. What?! You can make this from scratch?! Yes. Yes, you can. And it is really easy.

I’m making a mushroom gravy for those of us who don’t eat meat, but you can make gravy from pretty much any cooked meat you have following this recipe. Whichever you choose, it’s really simple and so much healthier to make your own gravy. It’s also cheaper which is a must during the holiday season!

Mushroom Gravy

8 oz mushrooms (I used baby bellas), sliced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
Olive oil
1/3 cup onion, minced finely
1 to 2 tbsp coconut aminos, liquid aminos, or soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp potato starch or tapioca starch (I used potato)
1 1/2 cup cool water
1 tsp parsley
3 tsp fresh rosemary leaves
salt and pepper.

Heat a little olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft. Sprinkle in a little salt and pepper then add the garlic and saute for another minute.
Add the coconut aminos or soy sauce, white wine vinegar, and the vegetable broth. Cook until the liquid has reduced by about half and the mushrooms have gotten smaller.
While the mushrooms are cooking make the starch slurry. Combine the 1 and 1/2 cups water and 1 tablespoon of starch and mix together with a fork. Make sure the mixture is smooth and all lumps are gone.
Pour the slurry into the skillet and stir to mix everything together. The slurry will start to thicken as it cooks. Add the parsley and rosemary. Taste and add salt and pepper to your taste.
Once the gravy is thick enough, pour into a gravy boat or bowl and use immediately.

Gravy needs to be used right after it’s made, because unlike its store bought counterpart it doesn’t last forever. It’s much better fresh and since it’s so easy to make you can whip it up right at the end of your cooking. DIY Wednesday: Mushroom Gravy | Life Healthfully Lived