Your Body And Mine

July 21, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I read this article last week and found it very interesting. If you aren’t familiar with fitbit, it is a fitness band that keeps count of your steps and calories eaten. It is suppose to help with weight loss but some users are finding that they are actually gaining weight while using fitness bands. These users are confused because weight loss should be a simple equation of less calories in than calories out. But is weight loss that simple?

Unfortunately, it isn’t. Yes, if you have a deficit of calories at the end of the day you will lose weight. The thing with weight loss is that there are so many more variables than just the amount of calories you consume or burn. More and more people are realizing that each person is different when it comes to losing weight or getting healthier. The way that food affects each person is different, the way that exercise affects each person is different, and this means that the way each person goes about getting healthier has to be different. We can’t have cookie cutter diets or workout routines any longer, because they don’t work. I have preached this lesson before, because I believe that it is so important.

People don’t want to hear that losing weight is hard. They don’t want to have to put in a ton of work, so they are constantly looking for the magic bullet that will give them a quick fix. It is much more comforting to just pick up the newest book outlining the latest diet and believe that your weight problem will just go away in 30 days. I’m sorry to tell you that to get the kind of results that most people want or need, they need to put in much more work. You have to put in the effort to find what works best for you.

I know that sounds depressing. But putting in the work is going to make your journey to be healthier so much more rewarding. It is also going to make it last a lifetime. When people keep switching from diet fad to diet fad, they aren’t really learning how to eat better and fuel their body. They think that because this has worked for others, it should work for them. Relying on others or fitness gadgets totally to get healthier backfires because you are now dependant on something else. Put in the effort to customize your lifestyle to your needs, and suddenly you intuitively know what your body needs to stay healthy. Now you know what works for you and what doesn’t and it is easier to make health decisions. It becomes a habit to choose the good and turn down the bad.

I don’t want to bash fitness bands or certain diets. Those things work for some people and they are great places to start when you decide to get healthier. Just don’t rely too heavily on these things for too long. Take risks, experiment with different techniques, and embrace that you are uniquely you. It is a good thing that we each have our own set of needs, because who wants to be just like every other person? Bottom line: The most important step for better health is to make the decision to change. Once you do that, really commit to finding what works best for you to accomplish that goal. Putting in the work and extra effort will make you that much prouder when you get the results you are looking for.

Quinoa Cornbread Bites

July 18, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I’m not much of a baker. I like to play around with ingredients and I’m not one for using exact measurements when I’m cooking. Baking needs exact measurements or more often than not you end up with inedible hockey pucks. Trust me. I know. I had some leftover quinoa and wanted to do something out of the ordinary with it. I knew it did well in bread like dishes and I just happened to be making sloppy joes for dinner that night. So obviously I had to turn my quinoa into cornbread. Yes, that is a logical progression. At least in my mind. These bites come together quickly and freeze rather nicely, so you can make a bunch and not worry about them going bad. That is if you have any left over!

Quinoa Cornbread Bites

1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tbsp flax meal (you can buy the seeds in bulk which is cheaper and then grind them in a food processor at home)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup almond milk
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbsp molasses, depending on how sweet you want it
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 and mix almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients

2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.

3. Add 1/2 cup of the cooked quinoa to the milk and ACV as well as the 2-3 tbsp molasses. If you have an immersion blender, blend this mixture until it is smooth and creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, transfer to a blender or food processor.

4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir everything together. It will foam up a little bit due to the vinegar and baking soda, but it will go back down. Fold in the rest of the quinoa.

5. Spray a little olive oil into a mini muffin tin and spoon about a tbsp of the mixture into each cup. Don’t over fill because the bites will rise as they cook. Bake for 10-12 minutes and then let them cool on a wire rack.

These go really well with sloppy joes or chili. I’m sure they would taste really good with some homemade jam or as my mom told me, “These are just another vehicle to get butter into my mouth.” Now you know where I get my clever wit! Eat up and hope you enjoy!

How To Dress A Salad

July 16, 2014July 16, 2014 / ktbuchs87

No, I’m not talking about putting little shirts and pants on your lettuce leaves. I’m not that weird. Ok, yes I am but that is beside the point. Salads are a great way to get in a ton of vegetables and there are endless varieties of salads. Even with so many different combinations, people still find salads boring. Their solution to fix boring salads is to top them off with dressings. Don’t get me wrong, I love dressing and probably have consumed a mind boggling amount of ranch dressing. Store bought dressings though are LOADED with chemicals and preservatives and a ton of other not good for you ingredients. Go ahead and get that bottle of dressing out of the fridge and read the ingredient list. I’m going to bet there are some things in there that you can’t pronounce. That’s no good. Fear not! You do not have to give your dressings, you just need to go about them in a different way. Homemade dressing is super simple to make and so much better for you than store bought. In fact, you probably have all the ingredients on hand to make your own simple dressing. I’m going to show you how to make a simple dressing and give you a few variations so that you can make your own delicious salad dressing!

The basic components of a salad dressing are simple. Oil and some kind of vinegar. Your ratio of oil to vinegar can be made to your preference, but I tend to like a little bit more vinegar than oil in my dressing. Now there are a variety of different oils that you can use to make your dressing beyond the obvious olive oil. I also like avocado oil, flaxseed oil, and I have even tried walnut oil which was pretty tasty. You want to stick with lighter tasting oils since you won’t be cooking the oil. Oils like peanut, coconut, or palm oil will have a little bit stronger taste and could overpower the other flavors of the dressing. Once you pick the type of oil you want to use you can pick a vinegar to go with it. The three that I use the most are apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and white wine vinegar. I’ve also made some dressings with rice vinegar. There are many types of vinegars out there, so pick ones that you like the most. Once you’ve chosen an oil and a vinegar, it’s time to add some seasonings. The sky is the limit here so use your favorites or whatever you have on hand.

Ok, that is the bare bones of a homemade salad dressing. Tasty for sure, but a little boring. Good thing it is easy to come up with a variety of different dressings to top your salad. The easiest way to make most of these dressings is to place all the ingredients in a jar and shake them up. That way they are easy to store and you can add to them whenever you need to. Some of the dressings I’m going to share need a blender or food processor, but I’ll make a note if they do. Here are a few dressings that I have made myself:

1/4 cup olive oil – 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar – 1 tsp oregano – 1 tsp basil – pepper to taste
1/4 cup avocado oil – 1/3 cup rice vinegar – 2 tbsp lime juice – 1 tsp cilantro – 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup flaxseed oil – 1/3 cup white wine vinegar – 2 tsp italian seasonings – pepper to taste

These are quick and easy to make and will keep in your fridge for a few weeks. Now, perhaps you are more a fan of creamy dressings (ranch lovers unite!) and these oil and vinegar combos are not doing it for you. Not to worry, there are plenty of options when it comes to homemade creamy dressings. These dressings will need to be made in a blender or food processor to get the right consistency.

1/2 avocado, diced – 1/4 cup tahini – 3-4 tbsp lime juice – 1 tsp cilantro – 1 tsp chili powder – salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup smooth almond butter – 1/4 cup soy sauce or liquid aminos – 2 cloves garlic, minced – 1 tsp chinese five spice
1/2 cup cashew cream – 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter – 2 cloves garlic – 1-2 tsp smoked paprika – salt and pepper to taste

You can also do a very simple herb and oil dressing. Using 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil of your choice, blend in a few handfuls of your favorite herbs, and a few tbsp of mustard (I like spicy brown) until you have a pourable consistency.

There are so many options when it comes to homemade salad dressings. Get creative and try making some of your own concoctions. Use pureed beans to get a creamy, hummus like dressing or go super simple with just a little oil and vinegar. Find flavors that you enjoy and will have you devouring salads by the plateful! Remember, healthy doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. More often than not, it’s better to just keep it simple!

Avocado and Corn Gazpacho

July 11, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I’m going to be honest with you, I haven’t been the biggest fan of gazpacho in the past. The idea of cold soup isn’t super appealing to me but this gazpacho has made me rethink my tastes. The avocado adds a really nice creaminess and this dish is super refreshing on a hot summer night. If you don’t like gazpacho, try this one out before you swear them off forever.

Avocado and Corn Gazpacho

1 ripe avocado
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup corn kernels (if using frozen let them thaw first)
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch scallions chopped
1 3/4 vegetable broth or water
2/3 cup almond milk
salt and pepper

1. Peel and mash avocado with the lime juice, set aside

2. Saute the corn, garlic, and half the chopped scallions for about 5 minutes. The corn should have a little bit of char on it.

3. Place the corn saute, and avocado into a blender and blend until smooth. Add in the broth or water and almond milk and blend together. Top with rest of scallions and salsa if desired.

You can serve this at room temperature or let it chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving. The gazpacho improves with time so the next day it will taste even better! Just a word of warning though, this soup will only last about a week before the avocado starts to turn brown. So eat it as fast as possible, which shouldn’t be a problem!

Healthy and Helpful Kitchen Tips

July 9, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I am a huge advocate for getting into the kitchen and preparing the majority of your meals yourself. I think that one of the reasons so many people today are struggling with their health is that they have no clue how to make or prepare their own food so they rely on others (mainly restaurants and packaged food products) to do it for them. Maybe you weren’t taught how to cook and the kitchen intimidates you or you do know how to cook you just think it’s boring and tedious. Whatever the case may be, I have a few kitchen tips for you today that can help you in journey to be healthy. Some of these were taught, some I’ve figured out along the way, and some I’ve picked up from places like the Food Network (thanks Alton Brown!). Hopefully these tips will help you get over your fear of the kitchen or cut down the time that you spend prepping food so that you can get on with your day!

Kitchen Gear

Ever heard of a Silpat? I hadn’t either until I was watching Iron Chef on Food Network. It’s basically a thin silicon mat that you can use instead of aluminum foil or parchment paper. The nice thing about the Silpat is that it’s non-stick and can handle fairly high heat, which makes it ideal for baking and roasting vegetables. With the Silpat you can use less oil because you don’t have to worry about your food sticking to the pan, plus it’s reusable so you don’t have to keep replacing it. I use mine almost every day. It’s a great time and money saver!

My (slightly dirty) Silpat. Told you I use it every day!

Invest in a variety of sizes of glass storage containers. I have a few different sizes of the pyrex brand and I use them all the time. These are really helpful in terms of food prep as well as leftovers. If you buy a bunch of fruit and vegetables at the store (which I highly encourage), you can come home and wash and cut them right away, then store them in your containers. I like the glass kind because they last longer and are much sturdier than the plastic containers. Also, storing your food in see through containers helps remind you of all the healthy prepared food you have in the fridge!

While we’re on the subject of glass containers, try storing your spices and grains in mason jars or other recycled glass jars. If you buy this stuff in bulk it’s much easier (and prettier) store them in jars instead of the bags you use at the grocery store. Plus once again, if you store your food in see through containers you’ll be much more likely to use them more often!

My numerous glass jars. Great for storing grains and spices!

Silicone spatulas are a great thing to have in the kitchen. They are good for making scrambled eggs, scooping batter out of the bowl, and scraping up the last of the cookie dough. I have a variety of shapes and sizes that I use all the time. They are great because they are non stick, won’t scratch your pots or pans, and can function in a variety of situations. Plus they’re fairly cheap, so stock up on a few.

Have a few different cutting boards instead of just one. Once you start having a food prep day, you’ll be cutting, chopping, and dicing a variety of foods. It’s nice to have a few cutting boards that you can rotate instead of having to wash the same one over and over again. This makes food prep go faster and makes your cutting boards last longer. I’m a fan of wooden cutting boards, but plastic or even silicone ones work just as well.

Cooking

One of my favorite ways to prepare vegetables is to roast them in the oven. Upside: this makes the vegetables taste amazing. Downside: the vegetables have a tendency to stick to the pan (even using a Silpat). At least mine did until I started preheating the roasting pan in the oven. Think about it, whenever you cook something on the stovetop you heat the pan/oil up BEFORE you put the food in the pan. Why not do the same thing with your roasting pan in the oven? A few minutes before you plan to put your vegetables or whatever else your roasting in the oven, place the pan in the preheated oven. Then prep your food with whatever oil/spices you’re using. Pull out the preheated pan and carefully spread your food out onto the pan. You should hear that satisfying sizzle as the food hits the warm pan, just like on the stovetop! This little trick (plus my Silpat) has helped cut down the amount of stuck vegetables on my pans!

I love dark leafy greens like collard greens or kale, but sometimes they can have a very bitter taste to them. I can’t remember where I learned this but by soaking leafy greens in ice water for about an hour before cooking/eating them can cut down on the bitter taste. Wash and cut your greens like normal then place them in a large bowl, cover with water, and add a few ice cubes. Store this bowl in the fridge for an hour. After the hour is up drain the greens and dry in a salad spinner or with some paper towels. Prepare your greens however you like, sans the bitter taste!

For the longest time, I was afraid to use too much salt in my cooking. The thing I was most worried about was consuming too much sodium like most of the U.S. This resulted in under salting all my dishes, leaving them with a bland taste. The problem with salt is that we’re consuming too much added sodium, mostly from packaged foods. Once I got over my salt phobia and started adding the right amount to my dishes, everything started to taste a lot better. Now I’m not saying go salt crazy and add heaps of it to every single piece of food, but salt naturally enhances the flavors of most dishes. Using it properly can actually help you feel more satisfied.

Other Kitchen Tips

If one of the problems you have is overeating, try using smaller bowls or plates when you eat. You can trick your brain into thinking that it is eating more food when in fact you are eating less. When you have a big plate, the tendency is to fill that plate to the brim. This means that portions are generally much bigger than they need to be. Try eating off a smaller plate and you can cut down your portion sizes without feeling like you are depriving yourself.

Too big of a plate = too big portions. Try a smaller plate!

I just learned about this tip and it’s awesome. Try using a condiment dispenser for your olive oil instead of just pouring it right out of the bottle. This will cut down on the amount of oil that you use because you have better control of how much oil comes out. Plus it will keep the bottle and your hands from getting oily because there won’t be any oil dripping down the side of the bottle! You can find the condiment dispensers at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $2.

Best discovery ever! Plus it’s fun to squirt the oil into fun designs!

When using your cutting board on a slippery surface, like a granite counter, place a dish towel underneath it. This will help keep the cutting board in place as you cut your food so you have less risk of cutting your finger off in the process. Now that’s a good what I call a win-win!

These are a few tips that make my time in the kitchen a little easier and healthier. What are some kitchen tips that you have learned along the way? Have a great day and I’ll see you Friday with another recipe!