Put Down The Phone And Step Away: Try Unplugging

July 13, 2015July 13, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Raise your hand if you feel uncomfortable when you can’t check your phone every five minutes? How about if you have to turn it off? If you go a day without checking Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/whatever social media site?

Don’t worry if you raised your hand and kept it up there, you’re in good company. Most of us have a hard time getting away from our TV, phone, or computer screens for longer than a few minutes. I’m just as guilty as the rest of you. As a blogger, I spend an inordinate amount of time writing and researching posts, putting things up on all of my social media accounts and browsing the enormous amount of cat pictures online. Ok, that last one really doesn’t have anything to do with blogging but you get the idea.

As a culture, we are enamored with the instant gratuity that social media provides us. It feels good to post a picture on Instagram and have 20 likes in the first 5 minutes. I love hearing my phone ping with a notification that someone favorited my last tweet. It makes me feel important worthy, like I’m doing my job as a health blogger right.

While that’s somewhat true, if no one liked or read my stuff I would be pretty ineffective, it’s also a little counterintuitive. Being healthy doesn’t mean spending all my time trapped behind a screen and in the online world. We need to get away from the glow of our phones and laptops and televisions and out into the world of people and natural light.

I recently noticed that some of my best work for my blog came when I was actually away from it. Every day I try to take an afternoon walk. It helps break up my day of sitting and gives me a chance to not be working. While out on these walks I don’t have my phone to tell me there is a new notification on Facebook or my laptop refreshing with new emails.

It’s just me and the great outdoors.

It clears my head and I can actually come up with some awesome ideas for the blog. Sometimes I compose whole posts while out on my morning run or solve a problem that I have been struggling with for the past few hours while I’m strolling by the lake.

Technology is great, don’t get me wrong. I love being able to reach a big audience and have my words and thoughts make an impact all while I’m sitting in my pajamas. But don’t forget there is so much more out there than getting more followers or retweets. Try unplugging yourself for just a few minutes each day. Just 20 minutes where you don’t look at any technology.

Go outside

Take a walk

Read a book

Get coffee with a friend

And don’t post one picture of you doing it on Instagram. You’ll be more productive for taking a short media break and the internet and slew of cat memes will be waiting for you when you get back.

There is a whole world waiting for you to find it, all you have to do is put down the phone and look around.

Mexican Shepherd’s Pie & TV Talk

July 10, 2015July 10, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Friday’s have always been for recipes. I like coming up with new and creative ways to make food not only healthy but tasty too. Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring and I have a whole page of recipes to prove it. Friday’s are still going to be for recipes, but they are also going to be for something else.

TV and movies.

Yeah, that one probably came out of the blue. Why would a health blog talk about TV or movies? Because I love them and want to talk about them just like everyone else. Plus it’s something fun to add in with a yummy recipe. Even better. Go make my food and then come back and talk about TV while you’re eating it! Best of both worlds!

I work from home and usually have a show on in the background to pretend like I’m not alone with my cats for the majority of the day. Don’t worry it isn’t as sad as it sounds. I tend to be a solitary person and my cats are awesome. Netflix is amazing because I’ve been able to watch shows that I’ve always wanted to watch but never had the time. And no commercials. It’s a dream.

I’ve just started Orange Is The New Black. I know I’m behind but I had other important things to watch, like every single episode of Doctor Who. Twice. Don’t as questions. I don’t know how I feel about the show yet. I know everyone is crazy about it and I’m only 4 episodes in so I don’t have a strong opinion yet. I always give a show a whole season to find their groove before I pass my judgment. Even though I don’t have an opinion yet, I can already tell I’m gonna like Sophia. Girl is fierce. And Dayonara Diaz. Something about her I like.

Have you watched OITNB yet? Do you have other show recommendations for me? Are you only here for the food?

This meal is another one of my Sunday throw all the leftovers in a dish and hope something good comes out at the end dinners. If you have leftover taco fixin’s then you are all set to make this Mexican Shepherd’s Pie. If not you can still easily throw this together and have dinner on the table fast.

Mexican Shepherd’s Pie

2 cups cooked black beans, about 1 can’s worth
1 cup cooked brown rice
3 corn tortillas, torn into bite-size pieces
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup mashed potatoes (you can also use pumpkin or butternut squash puree)
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tsp taco seasoning
2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425. In a skillet, saute the sliced peppers and onions over medium-high heat until they are slightly softened. About 7 minutes.
While the onions and peppers are cooking, mix the beans, rice, tortillas, and 2 tablespoons of cilantro in a medium bowl. Add the taco seasoning and salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the peppers and onions and stir.
In a separate bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, tomato paste, the rest of cilantro, and chili powder together. Taste and add salt as needed.
Pour the bean and vegetable mix into a deep pie dish or casserole dish. Spread out evenly. Spread the mashed potato mix on top and make sure all the bean mix is covered.
Cook in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Like I said, if you have taco fixings you can just use those and add whatever else you would like. Use ground beef or turkey, shredded pork or chicken, or add shredded cheese if you want. This can be totally customized to your tastes.

Have a happy Friday and an awesome weekend!!

DIY Wednesday: Caramelized Onions

July 8, 2015July 8, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Fun fact time: I have never had caramelized onions. I know what they are, I know people love them, and I’ve listened to many a chef on Food Network talk lovingly about making them just right. Despite all that, I have never eaten them or attempted to make them. I don’t have anything against onions, I use them all the time. I always have some in my kitchen and will throw them into any meal.

The biggest thing stopping me from making my own caramelized onions? Time.

If you have ever made caramelized onions, you know that it takes quite a bit of time. You have to cook them for a long time, at least an hour, over a very low heat. That’s how you get the onions to release their sugar and caramelize. I don’t know about you, but on most days I don’t have over an hour to slowly cook onions no matter how delicious the outcome. Plus, now that it’s summer the idea of standing over a hot stove for an extended period of time doesn’t sound too appealing. Have no fear though, I have the solution to our problem.

The slow cooker.

I always forget about the slow cooker during the summer because I always equate it with soups and chili’s and their ain’t nobody who wants to eat soup when it’s 90 degrees out. But the slow cooker does so much more than cold weather favorites and today it’s going to do all the work for you when it comes to caramelized onions. While this method actually takes much longer than the traditional way, you don’t have to do anything but turn the slow cooker on. Nothing could be simpler than that!

Caramelized Onions

3-4 large yellow onions, I used 3 very big onions each a little over a pound
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Peel the onions and cut each onion in half, longways (cut from the top down to the root) then cut the onions into half moons. Place all of the onions into your slow cooker. You want to leave just a little room at the top.
I actually switched to my bigger slow cooker because I had so many onions!
Drizzle 2 tbsp of the oil over the onions and toss to coat. If you need more add in the last tbsp of oil. Sprinkle the salt over the top and stir to combine.
Cover the slow cooker and cook the onions on LOW for at least 10 hours. If you can stir the onions occasionally, but this isn’t a necessary step.
At the end of 10 hours, turn off the slow cooker and let the onions cool. Drain off any liquid and store in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze the onions in ice cube trays to be used later.
Just freeze and then pop them out whenever you need them!

See wasn’t that simple? Now go put caramelized onions on everything and enjoy the caramelized goodness!

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!

Recipe Re-Do: Even Better BBQ Sauce

July 3, 2015July 3, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I was trying to come up with a good 4th of July recipe to give you guys today. I had some really awesome ideas, but they all involved a grill. Sadly, I don’t own a grill and didn’t have access to one in time to make any of my awesome ideas. That’s ok though, I’ll have some great grilled recipes for you later this summer.

In lieu of a grilled recipe, I thought that I would go back and re-visit some of my other BBQ-worthy recipes. I decided that my Quick BBQ Sauce could use a little make over. And what could be more important to a BBQ than the BBQ sauce? Beer, but that is beside the point.

I didn’t change too much to the ingredient list, but I did change the way you make the sauce. It does take a little longer, but it makes the flavor even better. And because it’s easy to double or triple you can whip up a big batch of this sauce for your 4th of July party and put it on everything. Maybe not the beer…

Even Better BBQ Sauce- adapted from my Quick and Delicious BBQ Sauce Recipe

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce, no salt added
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp liquid aminos or tamari sauce
1 1/2 tsp grainy mustard
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Mix well
Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until it has thickened.
Remove the pan from heat and let it cool completely before moving to a jar or squeeze bottle. Keep the sauce in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.