Chocolate PB Bars and Superbowl Snacks

February 5, 2016February 5, 2016 / ktbuchs87

Chocolate PB Bars and Superbowl Snacks | Life Healthfully Lived While I don’t take a HUGE interest in football, kind of hard when your team is the Bears…. but I do enjoy watching games and I really like watching the big game. Ok, ok, I’m mostly watching for the commercials and the halftime performance, BUT I still like to watch.

I’m also in it for the food. Come on, does that one shock you? Chips and dip, pizza, wings, snacks of all shapes and size, the Superbowl isn’t just super because of the football players. The Superbowl comes right at a time when you have been working hard to make eating healthy a habit. It feels like it’s there to test your willpower and you’re a horrible human being if you slip up and eat a chicken wing…. or fifty. Chocolate PB Bars and Superbowl Snacks | Life Healthfully Lived

You should never feel guilty for eating food, even if it isn’t the healthiest. You made a choice and that’s fine. Eat the food and move on. To help yourself feel a little better of eating a super bowl during the Superbowl (see what I did there?), try making real food snacks and appetizers for your party. Instead of buying your chips and dip, make your own. Create a build your own pizza bar and provide plenty of fresh vegetables for toppings. Or do a taco bar! Mmmmmm tacos….. There are plenty of ways that you can make your party food taste indulgent and healthy.

Which is why I made this treat for you guys! I love my salted caramel chocolate swirl bars from Christmas and I wanted to see if I could make something with my favorite combo: chocolate and peanut butter. I mean really, is there anything better than chocolate and peanut butter? No. The answer is no. Chocolate PB Bars and Superbowl Snacks | Life Healthfully Lived

These are gluten, dairy, and egg free so they can cover a variety of diets, allergies, and intolerances. If you can’t or don’t do peanut butter just sub in your favorite nut or seed butter, crunchy almond butter works really well! You can also make these a few days in advance and that is one less thing you have to prepare.

So make these and be the hit of the party and enjoy the comm… I mean the game!

Chocolate PB Bars

Chocolate Cookie Crust

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar
6 tbsp solid coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350. If your coconut oil isn’t solid, measure it out and then stick it in the freezer for a few minutes. Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender and pulse until fully combined.
Add in the coconut oil and pulse until the mixture is all crumbly. Lightly oil an 8 x 8 pan with some coconut oil and line with parchment paper with a little hanging over the sides. Press the cookie crust into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. It will look like it isn’t set, but don’t freak out. It will all be ok!
Once it’s done let it cool for a few minutes and then place it in the freezer to harden while you get the filling together.

Peanut Butter Filling

1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seed and 3 tbsp water mixed together)
1 tsp baking soda combined with 1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp chunky peanut butter or almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp coconut sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks

In a medium bowl, mix flax egg, baking soda mixture, peanut butter, vanilla, and coconut sugar together. Make sure it is really well combined.
Stir in the coconut shreds and spread the filling on the cookie crust. Bake for about 8 minutes.
Pull it out and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and then bake for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from oven and let it cool completely before you cut them into bars. The bars may seem a little gooey, but they will firm up as they cool. Keep them stored in the fridge or the freezer until you’re ready to eat them.

Flashback Friday Recipes

January 29, 2016January 29, 2016 / ktbuchs87

There are two reasons that I’m doing this post:

Winter lighting in my apartment is KILLING me and my ability to get some good pictures

AND

2. I have to relearn picture stuff.

Don’t you hate it when you finally have something down that you used to be really crappy at and then something beyond your control makes you crappy again? Yeah, me too.

Recently I had to get a whole new photo editing program and I feel like I am back at square one with my pictures. I have to go back and relearn everything that I already knew how to do in my old program with this new one. Which is super frustrating because I felt like I had finally gotten into the swing of things when it came to food pictures. Taking good pictures has been a weakness of mine and I keep trying to improve so that my blog can look all pretty for you guys. Now I have to take some time and get back to where I was.

In the same vein, I’m battling some pretty bad light here in my apartment. I live on the interior of my building which means that I have two windows both of which face brick walls and get no direct sunlight. It’s kind of like living in a cave, especially in the winter when the light is already scarce. That means natural light (a food blogger’s best friend) is very hard to come by here at Casa Dawson.

What is the point of all this rambling? To tell you there is no brand new recipe for today. I’m teaching myself some new photo stuff and doing everything I can to get as much good light as I can on the recipes I do have to share. But fear not, I’m not leaving you totally recipe-less. I thought it would be fun to bring back some old recipes from when I first started this blog. It’s kind of fun to see where I came from and where I am now. For the most part, the recipes are delicious and the pictures are horrendous. But it’s all about improving right?

At least I don’t take pictures for the blog with my iPhone anymore….

Anyways, here are some Flashback Friday recipes for you and I promise I’ll be back with more new stuff next week!

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Stir Fry With Spicy Peanut Sauce

Eggplant Lasagna

Baked Falafel with Tahini Sauce

Turmeric Scented Mushrooms and Brown Rice Noodles

Crispy Coconut Avocado Fries

Healthy Brownie Bites

Creamy Avocado Fettuccine

January 22, 2016January 22, 2016 / ktbuchs87

I am really into avocados lately. I buy a big bag at the beginning of the week and add them to my smoothies and soups and anywhere else I can squeeze them in. They make things creamy and delicious. Plus they are full of good for you stuff. Creamy Avocado Fettuccine | Life Healthfully Lived

People sometimes shy away from avocados because of the fat content, even though I think most understand it’s good fat. Fat still scares people because it just makes sense that fat would make you fat. Don’t worry, I get it. You want to eat the best food for your body as possible and you don’t want to gain weight. Don’t fear fat. Trust me, fat is good and it will help you reach your goals all while being super tasty.

Now, don’t go hog wild on fat. Too much of anything, even a good thing like fat is a bad thing. But start including it in your diet and don’t feel guilty or worry. And if you’re looking for a new way to use avocados other than guacamole, try this creamy avocado fettuccine.

It’s a great weeknight dinner because it comes together in less than 20 minutes. And it’s good enough that no one will realize that there is no dairy in the sauce. You can even make it paleo and serve it over vegetable noodles instead of brown rice ones. It tastes good both ways, trust me, I tried it.

Creamy Avocado Fettuccine

2 Hass avocados
2 tbsp cheesy garlic spread
juice of half a lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder OR 3 to 4 fresh chipotle chili’s
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 package brown rice fettuccine OR spiralized vegetable noodles (butternut squash & sweet potato work really well)
2 to 3 tbsp fresh cilantro

Cook the fettuccine according to the directions on the package, drain, and set aside. Or if you’re using vegetable noodles, prepare those by cooking on a large baking sheet at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes or sauteing in a large pan with a lid until soft.
Meanwhile, slice the avocados in half and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh into a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients except the coconut milk. Pulse a few times until everything is pretty mixed together.
Add the coconut milk a few tablespoons at a time until you reach your desired consistency. I ended up using about 1/3 cup for a fairly thick but still pourable sauce.
Once your sauce is at the right consistency and the noodles are done, add them back to the pot they cooked in and pour all the sauce on top. Stir everything together until all the noodles are coated.
Sprinkle in the cilantro and stir just to combine. Serve it up and enjoy!

This recipe is probably going to make it into the regular rotation because it’s quick, healthy, and tastes so darned good! Creamy Avocado Fettuccine | Life Healthfully Lived

DIY Wednesday: Cheesy Garlic Spread

January 20, 2016January 19, 2016 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Cheese and garlic are two words that need to be put together as often as possible. Who doesn’t want something cheesy and garlicky? DIY Wednesday: Cheesy Garlic Spread | Life Healthfully Lived

People who are lactose intolerant, vegan, or a vampire. While I can’t make a cheesy garlic spread that would be suitable for a vampire, I can make one for those people who don’t or can’t do dairy.

This spread could not be easier to put together, especially if you already have roasted garlic on hand (which you should ALWAYS have roasted garlic on hand), and it goes with everything. On top of soup or stew, in tacos, as a salad dressing, on crackers, as a vegetable dip. The possibilities are endless! Heck, eat it with your finger. I won’t judge.

Make sure you have a batch of this on hand for Friday’s recipe because you aren’t going to want to miss that one. It’s pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

Cheesy Garlic Spread

2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight or very hot water for 4 hours
1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
2 tbsp roasted garlic
3 to 4 tbsp nutritional yeast, depending on how cheesy you want it
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Drain and rinse the cashews and place everything into a blender or food processor.
Blend for 3 to 4 minutes until everything is completely smooth. It will probably take less time if you have a high-speed blender.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

That’s it! Now go put this on everything and save a little bit for later in the week! DIY Wednesday: Cheesy Garlic Spread | Life Healthfully Lived

What You Shouldn’t Stress About

January 18, 2016January 18, 2016 / ktbuchs87

If you’re human, you probably stress out about things. A big project due at work, giving a speech in class, or dealing with an illness can all be stressful things. If you’re anything like me, you stress about stupid things. Like wondering if the people walking behind you just saw you stumble over your own two feet. Hint: probably, but they don’t really care.

It can feel like stress is a normal part of life and it really doesn’t have to be. There are certain things that a lot of us worry about that we don’t really need to, especially when it comes to your health. If you read health articles or magazines or watch the news, it feels like there is a new health claim every day that we have to worry about. And more than likely over the years, I have worried about it.

But as I’ve gotten older and learned more about my personal health, I have been able to let go of some of the “health” stress and do what works for me. I haven’t died or gained a billion pounds or detrimentally destroyed some part of my health. I’ve figured out what I like and what works best.

So here is a list of a few things that you DON’T need to worry about when it comes to your health:

#1- Eating superfoods

Kale, acai berries, and quinoa are all delicious and deemed superfoods. But you know what else is a superfood? An apple. Some broccoli. Even the humble clove of garlic is a superfood. Focus on eating real food that you actually enjoy and I promise you’ll be just fine.

#2- Sitting down

Yes, I have actually worried about this. There have been reports and research lately that say sitting too much has a negative effect on our health. Even if you workout, if you spend the majority of your day sitting it’s like you haven’t worked out at all. Cue Katie standing constantly for fear of ruining my metabolism and undoing all the hard work I put into my exercises. Sure, if you sit all day you should probably get up and move more. But you shouldn’t stress about sitting down if you’re tired or need a rest. Find a good balance of sitting and standing throughout your day that works for your body and your schedule.

#3- Making sure your body looks the same at all times

I think because we are constantly bombarded with images of perfect bodies and rippling muscles, we feel like we have to look like that too at all times. I know I would get frustrated when I would look in the mirror in the morning and at night and I would be looking at two different bodies. Your body shape changes throughout the day due to things like hydration, the foods you eat, and if you’re a woman, your period. The way your body looks doesn’t determine your worth or even how healthy you are. You’re long-term habits do. And remember those pictures of models are just a snapshot of a moment. They don’t look like that all the time.

#4- Eating at the right time

Eat right when you wake up. Fast for 18 hours. Don’t eat after 7 pm. Eat constantly for 6 hours and then don’t eat again for 12 hours. Who thought when you eat could be so confusing? Each one of these options has plenty of studies and research that supports their claims and probably, even more disputing them. You know what you should do? Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re not. As long as you’re getting adequate fuel throughout the day and can go about your daily tasks with enough energy, it doesn’t really matter when you eat. Do what works best for you.

#5- Thinking only one form of exercise can get you results

This is one that I’m currently working on. If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m taking a little break from running. It’s mostly because it wasn’t bringing me the same joy that it used too. I was dreading my run instead of being excited. The other part of me taking a break? I had convinced myself that running was the only way I was going to keep weight off. I had it in my mind that if I stopped running I would start gaining weight. My rational brain knew that was silly and wrong, but when do I listen to my rational brain? There are so many ways to move and exercise, no one way is perfect and no one way will get you results. Try new things and do what you love and don’t be afraid if those things change over time.

These are just a few of the things I have stressed about over the years and I’ve learned that they weren’t as big a deal as I was making them out to be. You’re not going to do everything perfectly and that’s ok. The mistakes let you learn what works for you and create habits and a routine that will keep you healthy for the long haul.

I hope you have an awesome Monday and I will see you back here on Wednesday for an all new recipe!

What are some silly health things you have stressed about over the years?