DIY Wednesday: Basil Salad Dressing

September 23, 2015September 23, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 3 Comments

Friends, I’m ready to admit something.

I’m kind of having a love affair with basil. I know, I know. It’s just a summer fling, but I can’t get enough of the stuff. It smells so good, looks so pretty, and tastes phenomenal. Even better, it makes any food I put in my mouth taste phenomenal.

I got into the fresh basil game a little late this summer because for most of the summer we were gone every weekend and I couldn’t get to the farmer’s market and I was not going to pay over $3 for the tiny little packages at the store. But this past month we have made it to the market and one stand there sells fresh herbs of all kind and I can get a whole bunch of basil for $2. Naturally I load up on it and come home and make all the basil things.

Besides the obvious pesto (which I have like 3 jars of right now) I have been making basil and lemon oil, and this dressing. I have swooned about this dressing a few times over on Instagram so I thought that I would share it with you guys.

I’ve talked about making your own salad dressing before and I think it’s the best money and health saving switch you can make. Making your own salad dressing is SO simple and you get to control the ingredients. Store bought dressing is full of preservatives and you’re paying a lot of money to ingest those things.

So why not make your own? This literally comes together in the touch of a blender button and BAM, you have a delicious, basil-filled dressing ready to go on salad, over vegetables, or straight into your mouth with a straw. Which I’ve never done…

Basil Salad Dressing

1 cup loosely packed, whole basil leaves
2 tsp roasted garlic or 2 cloves fresh garlic
2 tbsp tahini
1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk (you could also use almond milk)
juice of half a lime
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Ready for this? Put everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week…. if it lasts that long.

I love one step recipes almost as much as I love basil. See how easy it is to make dressing? You can even switch up the herbs you do and use parsley, dill, or cilantro. Whatever your little heart desires!

Health Feature: Jamika Edwards

September 21, 2015September 21, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 2 Comments

It’s that time of the month on my blog! Time to feature someone who has totally turned their health around. I love these posts because the people in them are real people have done simple things to make themselves better. They have put in the work and deserve to be recognized for the transformation they have undergone. You can read about Jim and Alexander here.
This month it’s all about Jamika. Jamika and I lived in the same dorm back at NIU, good old Neptune North. While we didn’t hang out much, I always remember her with a smile on her face and usually singing! She was just a person who exuded happiness and it usually was contagious. Over the years, we obviously went out separate ways but Facebook meant that I could see what she was up to and boy was she up to a lot!

She really turned her health around and all her hard work was showing. I love that she didn’t do anything crazy, just started to move in ways that she enjoyed and eat food that was better for her health. And her results speak for themselves!

Name and Age:

Jamika Edwards 26

What did you weigh before and how much weight have you lost?

I started at 333 lbs and have lost 125 1lbs

What made you want to turn your health around?

Honestly, it was a spiritual thing. I wanted to strive to be more more like God and I felt that becoming more disciplined in my health was a good start.

What did a typical day look like before you changed?

My days were pretty standard just with a lack of intentionally working out. I also made a lot more unhealthy food choices. I ate chips usually every day.

What was your goal when you first started?

My initial goal was to just get below 300lbs.

What did you do to change your diet and lifestyle?

In college, one of my friends became my personal trainer and accountability for my eating changes. I initially cut all processed sugars and bread out of my diet and I just grew from there.

What does a typical day look like now?

At night, I usually pack/plan my 3 meals for the coming day. I tend to take stairs more than elevators and I work out/dance for about 2hrs 4 times a week.

Who has been your biggest support?

My mom and my friends have been my biggest support.

What was the hardest thing to change?
The hardest thing to change is planning all of my meals and not being able to eat what everyone else does.

Who or what is your motivation?

God is my first motivator and my second is the thought of my family to come: husband (She got engaged over Labor Day weekend!) and children.

How do you stay motivated every day?

Sometimes it is hard to stay motivated but I always go back to my original inspiration, God, and I keep pushing.

What is your biggest struggle now?

My biggest struggle now is not becoming complacent in my progress and not eating sweets lol (cookies are my nemesis)

What are your goals now?
My goals now are to tone up and gain more definition

What is your advice to those who are just starting to lose weight?

My advice is to embrace your personal journey and not base your success off of someone else. I also encourage individuals to have a goal and inspiration that goes beyond outside affirmations. Having at least one person that you can be 100% transparent with is essential because there will be many times of feeling defeated but that person should remind you that you are not.

I love that she told someone her goals and had them keep her accountable. It can be so easy to fall off the wagon if you try to do this alone. I also like that meal prep is a big part of her routine. If you just take a few minutes to plan out your day before hand you have a better chance of succeeding. See? Simple things that lead to big results. Thank you Jamika for sharing your story and keep up the awesome work!

Have you or someone you know turned their health around? Send me an email at lifehealthfullylived@gmail.com and they could be in my next health feature!

Have a great Monday everyone!

DIY Wednesday: Date Sugar

September 16, 2015September 16, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Sugar has been getting a lot of attention lately. Really, it’s always gotten some type of attention. Is it good or bad? Are there better or healthier sugars? Are no calorie sweeteners ruining our health? Will you die immediately if you have one of your grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies?

There are so many opinions, studies, research, and questions swirling around sugar lately as more and more people are trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle. I don’t have all the answers about sugar, but I can share my experience/relationship with sugar.

When I totally changed the way I ate a few years ago, I cut out refined sugar. No more white sugar or brown sugar. I relied mostly on honey as a sweetener, but for a long time I avoided anything sweet other than fruit. That worked for a little while and eventually I didn’t crave sugar like I used to but every now and then I wanted something sweet. At first I thought that was a weakness on my part, but I’ve learned that it’s ok to crave things and to address those cravings in the way that makes me feel best. I still avoid refined sugar, but I use things like honey, molasses, and maple syrup as sweeteners when I’m baking and cooking.

Today’s DIY is all about another type of sweetener, date sugar. I’ve seen it in stores like Whole Foods and usually it’s really expensive for a small amount. When I saw that dates were the only ingredient, I figured I could make my own. A quick search on Google confirmed that it is a thing and you can make your own date sugar. I like this sweetener because it isn’t a liquid sweetener like honey or syrup. It doesn’t dissolve in liquid like white sugar, but it does add a really nice caramel flavor. You can use this in oatmeal in place of brown sugar, in baked goods, or even in coffee or tea if you don’t mind the grainy bits. I also like this sweetener because it offers all the nutritional benefits of dates while adding a sweet flavor.

DIY Date Sugar

20 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced in half

Preheat oven to 250 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Arrange the sliced dates on the sheet and bake in the oven for 2-3 hours checking every so often to make sure the dates don’t burn.
Turn off the oven and let the dates sit in the oven for another few hours or overnight until the are completely hard.
Once the dates are cooled and hardened, put them into a blender or food processor and grind until you have a fairly fine powder.

Keep your date sugar in an airtight container and store it in the fridge or freezer if you aren’t going to be using it right away.

Told you this one was easy! Now remember, the one thing about sugar I can tell you is that sugar is sugar. Your body can’t tell the difference between high fructose corn syrup or date sugar. It’s ok to have a sweet treat now and then but don’t make this the basis of everything you put in your mouth. It’s all about balance people!

Hope you have a great Wednesday and tell me, what’s your favorite sweetener?

5 Things That Have Found Their Way Into My Kitchen

September 14, 2015September 14, 2015 / ktbuchs87

It might come as a shock to you, but sometimes I get stuck in food ruts. I usually make the same thing for dinner during the week so that I can keep Adam and I on track with healthy meals and I can keep our food costs down. But the other reason is that I can get lazy. Sometimes the idea of coming up with something new and delicious just makes me tired. So it’s easy to rely on the same old favorites in the kitchen and not venture into new territory.

While there is nothing wrong with preparing the same food that you know you like and you know is healthy and works for your body, it does get a little boring after awhile. Boredom, as least for me, only leads to bad things in the area of food. Soon I start eating more and more to feel satisfied because the meals I’m eating are the same old same old. When that happens I know it’s time to switch things up and throw some new tricks into my old routine.

Here are some things that I have added to my kitchen and pantry in hopes of shaking things up and keeping my meals healthy and fun!

P.A.N- Pre-cooked White Corn Meal

If you follow me on Instagram (which you should, I’m fun), then you have heard me rave about this. Actually you have heard me rave about arepas which are made from pre-cooked corn meal. I have seen arepas on other bloggers feeds and seen them on shows like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. Every time I see them being made, I’m like, “Those look amazing, I need to try them myself.” So I finally got this flour to make my own arepas. Yes, you have to use pre-cooked corn meal not regular corn meal. This was the brand that was recommended everywhere I looked, and I found it on Amazon for like $2. Expect an arepa recipe soon because not only is it delicious, it is way easier to make than you would think.

Figs

This is another thing that I constantly see on social media and yet I have never tried them. Well, I have never tried fresh figs. I have had dried figs and fig newtons if you can count those as actual figs. But the fresh version was never on my radar. They have a very short season and I just happened to see them on sale at my Jewel so I picked some up on a whim. They are really good! I think I might have to try making some fig jam with them so I can enjoy them just a little bit longer.

Canned Coconut Milk

Ok, this isn’t a new one for me, but I had forgotten about it for awhile. I used to get a couple of cans of coconut milk a week and use them in soups and stews and oatmeal and baked goods. It’s really nice and creamy, so it works great as a substitute for things like heavy cream or whole milk. My favorite thing to do with it lately is make creamy herb dressings/sauces, which I used on my pasta salad recipe last week and which leads me to the next thing….

Fresh Herbs

Another one that isn’t new, but that I had put on the back burner. I usually pick up a bunch of cilantro each week, but one stand at my farmer’s market sells every fresh herb known to man. I have started getting fresh basil, dill, parsley, cilantro, and lemon grass and using them in all the things. Seriously, go get some fresh herbs and put them in your meals. They enhance the flavor and bring a wonderful freshness to boring old dishes. Throw some basil into a frittata or blend in some parsley with meat/lentil loaf. It will up your dinner game and everyone will think you’re a culinary whiz. You can also freeze, turn them into oil, or sauces to have them on hand for the winter months.

Trader Joes

We have a Trader Joes in our neighborhood, but I always forget about it because it isn’t in my usual rotation of grocery stores. That needs to change because I went there on Friday to find shaved brussels sprouts (another Instagram phenom) and remembered why I love Trader Joes. They have good food for a decent price. Plus I found these dark chocolate covered espresso beans for Adam that he has become obsessed with at work. Brussels sprouts and chocolate. Yup, good combo.

Long story short, don’t be afraid to branch out of your food comfort zone. It can get so easy to make the same things over and over and over… but even just a little change can add some pizzazz and flavor back into your meals. Plus there are plenty of healthy options out there to make dinnertime tasty and nutritious.

What are some things that have turned your kitchen game around?

The Last Summer Pasta Salad

September 11, 2015September 11, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Summer is having its last hurrah. Half of this week has been ridiculously hot and humid. I’m talking two showers-a-day hot and humid. But that humidity finally broke a few days ago and now you can feel a touch of fall in the air.

While I absolutely love fall, I’m not quite ready to give up my summer just yet. My farmer’s market still has plenty of end of the summer vegetables like corn and tomatoes and there are still a few 80 degree days in the forecast. Warm days like that beg for a meal that doesn’t require you to turn on the oven.

I came up with this pasta salad last Sunday when even thinking about turning on the oven made me sweat, and I was already sweating buckets. This meal comes together fast and tastes amazing served up cold. It also packs in a lot of vegetables and herbs and can be customized to whatever produce you have lying around.

So if you’re like me and aren’t ready to say goodbye to summer, whip up this salad and enjoy these last few days.

The Last Summer Pasta Salad with Herb Sauce

2 cups cooked pasta, I used brown rice rotini
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 ears of corn, kernels removed (you can also use frozen kernels, thawed)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup bell peppers, I used a mix of yellow, green, and red
1 cup zucchini, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic minced

Herb Sauce

1 small bunch of basil leaves, about 1/2 cup tightly packed
1 small bunch of cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
juice of half a lime
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all sauce ingredients in a blender and set aside.
Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onions until softened and then add in the peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, and corn. Cook until the edges are slightly brown. Add in the garlic at the very end and saute for one more minute.
Remove the vegetables from heat and let them cool. In a large bowl combine the pasta and quinoa and the cooled vegetables. Mix everything well.
Pour the herb sauce over everything and stir to combine so everything is coated. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You can serve it right away or put it in the fridge to cool completely.