DIY Wednesday: Spice Blends

May 20, 2015May 20, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I’m starting a new Wednesday series, a DIY series. Every Wednesday I’m going to show you how to make your own version of usually store-bought staples. Companies want you to think you can’t live without their products, but you totally can. It’s easier than you think, not to mention healthier and cheaper.

Today I’m going to show you how to make your own spice blends. I used to buy these blends at the grocery store and thought nothing of it. Then I started to read labels and noticed there were some funky ingredients in there. Things like MSG and anti-caking agents. Things that I did not want to be sprinkling over my food and ingesting. So I started to make my own and haven’t looked back. Make these when you have some free time and you will have all the seasonings you could ever want ready to go when you cook.

These are four of my favorite and most used blends.

Ranch Seasoning Blend

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp dill

2 tsp parsley

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp celery seed

Onion Soup Blend

1 tbsp dried onion, minced

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried mustard

1 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Pumpkin Pie Blend

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

Taco Seasoning Blend

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

3 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional (if you want a spicier mix)

Measure out all the seasonings, mix together, and then store in an airtight container like a mason or bell jar. You can adjust the seasonings to your taste or remove the salt to make each blend salt free.

Use the ranch or onion mix for dips by adding to plain greek yogurt, sour cream, or plain cashew ricotta.

Use the taco blend in place of store bought packets and add either tapioca starch or cornstarch to help thicken the sauce you pour over your taco filling.

Sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice over oatmeal or cereal for a little taste of fall.

Of course you can use these blends anywhere, on your vegetables, in your marinades and dressings, in desserts or snacks. It really just takes a few minutes to put these mixes together and the flavor and price can’t be beat. So use your DIY skills and get to blending!

Ode To My Body

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Thank you for allowing me to run as many miles as you have. They have made me realize I can endure anything both on the trail and in life.

Thank you for allowing me to try new poses in yoga. They have made me realize I am flexible, both on the mat and in my day to day routine.

Thank you for allowing me to lift heavy weights. They have made me realize I am strong, both under the bar and under pressure.

Thank you for allowing me to walk everywhere. They have made me realize I can use my own to feet to go anywhere, both in my neighborhood and with my goals.

I’m sorry for all the harsh things I have said to you over the years. You were doing the best you could in each situation and I couldn’t see that at the time.

I’m sorry for comparing you to other bodies out there. You aren’t meant to be like any other bodies and to compare made you feel unworthy of all the unique talents you have.

I’m sorry for punishing you when you did nothing wrong. It was my insecurities and skewed views that thought I should fix things that weren’t even wrong.

I’m sorry for the years of hating you and wishing you would change just to fit what I thought was perfect. I missed so much of what was good by focusing only on the bad.

I can’t say that I will always be good to you. There will probably be some times that I struggle to be kind but know that I’m working on it. I’m trying to change my stubborn ways because you deserve that.

I promise to praise you for all that you can do, encourage you to work towards what you are trying to do, and not criticize you for what you can’t do.

You’ve carried me through a lot of tough times and I promise that I will reward you for all the hard work you’ve accomplished.

Thank you.

Butternut Spinach Gnudi

May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Have you ever heard of gnudi? Don’t worry I hadn’t either until a little while ago. It’s kind of like the big brother of gnocchi (also pronounced with a silent “G”) and it’s delicious. I saw a recipe for it in the Clean Eating magazine and at first I dismissed it as too time consuming to make. Then I had a free Saturday and decided to see if I could tackle the gnudi. I changed a few things, put my own spin on it and while it does take a little bit of time to put together, it isn’t as hard to make as I thought it would be.

I love the dumpling-like texture of this dish. It’s filling but not too heavy especially topped with a fresh tomato sauce, plus it gets in all the good nutrients that come with spinach and butternut squash.

If you aren’t like me and don’t have 10 lbs of butternut squash in your freezer you can substitute canned butternut squash or pumpkin instead. Also, make sure to leave enough time for the gnudi to rest in the refrigerator before you cook them or else they will fall apart in the hot water.

Onto the gnudi!

Butternut Spinach Gnudi- adapted from Clean Eating’s Ricotta, Spinach & Sweet Potato Gnudi

1 cup pureed butternut squash (or canned pumpkin)
6 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
1 cup cashew ricotta
2/3 cup almond meal
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped spinach (frozen or fresh, I used frozen and just made sure it was thawed)
4 1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 batch of my tomato sauce or your favorite store bought sauce (make sure to check the label!)

In a large bowl, whisk the 6 tbsp of aquafaba until it’s frothy. Then whisk in the cashew ricotta, almond meal, and all the seasonings.
Once that is all well combined mix in the spinach and fold in the butternut squash. Sprinkle in 1/2 cup of the brown rice flour and stir to combine.
Spread out 2 cups of the brown rice flour onto a large baking sheet. Using your hands, form the butternut mix into medium sized balls, about the size of a golf ball. Place the balls onto the baking sheet and repeat until all the mixture is used up. Cover the balls with the remaining flour and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Warm up your tomato sauce in a medium saucepan. Once the balls have set, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working in batches of 4-5 balls, gently immerse them into the boiling water and cook until they float to the top. Remove from the water and set aside until all the gnudi is cooked.
Plate a few of the gnudi and top with tomato sauce. You can also sprinkle a little parmesan cheese or my vegan version.

Yes it looks like a lot and it looks like it will take forever and you wonder if I think you’re an Italian grandmother who has nothing to do but make gnudi. Trust me you can do this and it isn’t that hard. Plus you’ll be rewarded with a delicious healthy meal that will have everyone coming back for seconds. So give it a try, you might just surprise yourself!

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you have an awesome weekend!

My Shopping Cart: Whole Foods Edition

May 13, 2015May 13, 2015 / ktbuchs87

This is the last part in my 3 part series of where and how I grocery shop. If you haven’t seen them yet, read the Jewel and the Aldi post. Today it’s all about Whole Foods which I am here to prove doesn’t have to be Whole Paycheck as long as you shop smart.

Full disclosure: I obviously do not do all of my grocery shopping at Whole Foods. That isn’t to say it isn’t possible to shop only at Whole Foods, I just find it works best for me and my budget to go to a few different places. You have to decide what is best for you, your budget, and your family.

I go to Whole Foods mostly for their bulk section. They have a huge bulk foods section and buying in bulk is a great way to save money on food that you eat and use often. It’s also great if you want to try something new but don’t want to buy a whole box or package. That way you can see if you like the ingredient and won’t waste money or food if you don’t.

Here is what I usually buy from the bulk section at Whole Foods:

whole wheat flour
almond flour
coconut flour
oatmeal (rolled oats, oat bran, steel cut)
buckwheat groats
cornmeal
brown rice
hazelnuts
almonds
cashews
pistachios
goji berries
prunes
chia seeds
hemp seeds
flax seeds
popcorn

Now, I don’t buy all of this every single time I go to the store, I just refill as needed. But you can see that I do purchase a lot of things in bulk. For me, buying these things in bulk is cheaper. Do your research though because sometimes (not often) it isn’t cheaper to buy things in bulk.

Whole Foods also has a bulk spice section that is awesome! I no longer have to buy a whole bottle of some spice that I am going to only use once and then forget I have. This saves so much money and your spices and herbs won’t go bad (yes spices can go bad) because you aren’t using them. I usually get:

basil
oregano
thyme
rosemary
turmeric
cumin

Because I’m obsessed with spices, I also get a lot of my spices and spice blends at The Spice House in Old Town. They have so many amazing blends and I have a hard time choosing! If you’re in the area you should check them out. Plus it’s Alton Brown recommended so you can’t go wrong!

Other than bulk food, I also get a few other things:

organic sweet potatoes (my one organic splurge because to me they taste much better than conventional)
365 brand peanut butter (the 2 lb jar is only $5.99)
grind your own almond butter
specialty ingredients like coconut cream, Asian/Indian food section things, tahini
bulk coffee (I also sometimes get coffee from Trader Joes)

Again, I don’t get these things every single trip just when I need them.

It is totally possible to shop at Whole Foods and not spend a small fortune. If you do your homework, you can grocery shop here on a budget. If you look for coupons, buy things that are on sale, shop the bulk food section, and purchase the 365 brand products you can save a lot of money. And soon you might be able to shop at a less expensive version of Whole Foods.

This is the last post in this series and I hope it helped show you how to grocery shop as well as how it’s easy to eat healthy on a budget and at a variety of different stores. I would love to write more posts about what I do to stay healthy, so let me know what other roadblocks you face when trying to eat better. What other things would other glimpses into my life would you like to see? Let me know in the comment section!

Dance Parties, Blind Superheros, And Other Things I’m Loving

May 11, 2015May 11, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 2 Comments

Today’s post is gonna be short, sweet, and fun.

I spent most of yesterday at my parent’s house making food and hanging with my momma for Mother’s Day. You guys. My mom? She is the bees knees. I know everyone thinks that about their moms but it’s especially true in my case. She is the most amazing person ever and I am so lucky that I got to be her daughter. Not that I really had any choice in the matter, but you get what I mean. I hope you did something nice for your mom yesterday. I mean she did kind of give birth to you and then put up with you for 18 or so years and you probably still go over there and eat all her food so the least you could do is tell her you love her and maybe get her some flowers or something…. Ok moving on.

Here is a random list of things that are making me happy these days:

Warm weather: It’s still a bit sketchy around here temperature wise, but last week we did have some days that reached the 80’s and it was GLORIOUS. I am waiting for the day when the weatherman says “but cooler along the lakefront”, and it doesn’t mean crying while walking into a 30 mph, 40 degree northwind. Soon….

New shelves/decorations: Adam and I have been upping our apartment decor and I am loving it. We got a new kitchen table, some shelves, a new storage unit for behind our couch, new curtains, and Adam built these awesome yoga mat holders. They were really easy to put together and then I painted them with some chalkboard paint and he mounted them onto the wall. Because our apartment is small it helps to have organization and anything that we can get off the floor helps. We still have a few more things that we would like to get (new lights) but I’m quite pleased with how things are shaping up!

Plantains and tea: For the longest time I was obsessed with my Plantain Porridge. Then one day I was totally done with it. Like didn’t want to look at or eat another plantain at all. Then a few weeks ago I saw them sitting in the grocery store and I picked up a few. They sat on my counter while I thought about what to do with them. On a whim I sliced them up, covered them with a little coconut oil and put them in the waffle maker. They were SO good. Waffle makers are like one of the best appliances because you can make anything in them. I have made eggs, hash browns, sandwiches, waffles (duh), and now maduros (fried sweet plantains). Moral of the story? Make all your meals in a waffle iron. I also found a new tea I’ve been enjoying, Good Earth Tropical Rush. It’s a green tea with all these fruity flavors like mango and lemongrass and it reminds me of summer and makes me happy. Maybe if I drink a lot of it summer will get here faster….

Singing and dancing like a buffoon: This isn’t a new thing for me but I like to have afternoon concerts/dance parties in my apartment. I pretty much turn on Pandora really loud and sing and dance like nobodies business. Except for maybe my neighbors since they have to hear/possibly see me dancing through the window. But they shouldn’t complain because I sing and dance like a pro and they should be thankful for the entertainment. I mean who else is going to blast Barry Manilow’s Somewhere In The Night and dance with their cat? No one that’s who. You’re welcome judgey neighbor across the hall.

Daredevil on Netflix: If you’re not good with violence DO NOT WATCH THIS SHOW. It’s like Game Of Thrones level violence. There were some scenes that I had to close my eyes at but I am really loving this show. My dad is a huge superhero buff and all my life I have grown up watching any and every superhero movie or show and this is one of my favorites. I was a little hesitant at first because it seemed like all it was going to be was fighting porn with no storyline but that changes dramatically in the second half of the series. I think what I love most about it is that the hero and the villain both want the same thing, to improve their city, but they go about it in completely different ways. I like my heroes to have a little bit of a dark side/conflict and Daredevil definitely has that. Plus the dude is blind and kicks serious butt. If you have Netflix go watch it now.