lifestyle

DIY Wednesday: Chili Cheese Popcorn

/ ktbuchs87

DIY Wednesday: Chili Cheese Popcorn | Life Healthfully LivedPopcorn is one of my favorite snacks because it’s easy to make and you can eat a huge bowl of it without feeling gross.  I’m a huge fan of volume eating because I like food.  Unfortunately, a lot of popcorn that you can buy in the store is NOT so good for you.  Flavored popcorn tends to be full of artificial ingredients, preservatives, oils, and way too much sodium.  That can be a real bummer when you figure that out after you’ve already inhaled a whole bag by yourself.DIY Wednesday: Chili Cheese Popcorn | Life Healthfully Lived

But don’t you worry because I’ve got you covered!  You can make your own flavored popcorn at home with half the bad junk and all the tastiness.  I was surprised by how good these turned out and even Adam who tends to like plain things said these were addictive.  Husband approval means you know it’s good!

You probably have most of these ingredients already and if so you’re only a few minutes away from a healthy snack!

Chili Cheese PopcornDIY Wednesday: Chili Cheese Popcorn | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 3 cups air-popped popcorn (or you can use this method if you don’t have an air-popper)
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried minced onion
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
  1. Mix all the seasonings together and measure out one tablespoon into a small bowl.  Add the melted coconut oil and mix everything together.  You want it to be pourable.  Set this aside.
  2. Pop your popcorn and put it into a large bowl.  Make sure you do this after you get the seasoning mix together.  You want the popcorn to be hot when you mix everything together.
  3. Once the popcorn is popped, pour the spice mix over the popcorn and toss to coat.  It might take a few minutes, but keep tossing and the seasoning will get on all the popcorn.DIY Wednesday: Chili Cheese Popcorn | Life Healthfully Lived

 

Happy snacking friends and see you on Friday!

 

Chocolate Cheesecake Parfait

/ ktbuchs87

Chocolate Cheesecake Parfait | Life Healthfully LivedValentine’s Day needs chocolate.  It’s just a fact of life.  I mean every day needs chocolate, but Valentine’s Day needs the fancy chocolate.  Enter this dessert.

Valentine’s Day is on Sunday this year which is just weird.  I don’t know why, but it is.  If you’ve completely forgotten about Valentine’s, don’t worry because this dessert can be whipped up super fast and it tastes super indulgent.

Can you believe I was actually going to post a pizza recipe today?  I know, what was I thinking?  I mean pizza is good and deserves its time in the spotlight, but not right now.  Today, it’s going to be all about the chocolate.  Even better, it’s going to be about healthy chocolate.  I used an old trick to make the chocolate pudding part of this recipe and while it might seem weird and totally gross, go with me on this one.  Avocados make the chocolate pudding layer rich, thick, creamy, and full of good for you fat and nutrients.Chocolate Cheesecake Parfait | Life Healthfully Lived

What better way to tell that special someone you love them?! I love you, now enjoy some good fat chocolate.  Music to my ears.  Guys, if you want to impress your lady (or yourself, I won’t judge) make this parfait.   You don’t need to do anything fancy, just blend each layer and put it in a glass. Voila! Done.

I hope you have a great weekend and your Valentine’s Day is full of love and chocolate! 🙂

Chocolate Cheesecake Pudding ParfaitChocolate Cheesecake Parfait | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 1 batch of my cream cheese frosting (sub in almond milk for the water)
  • 1 large avocado, very ripe (you want a soft avocado so it blends nice and smooth)
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2-3 tbsp maple syrup, honey, agave or any liquid sweetener
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of sea salt
  • dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs, optional for sprinkling
  1. Blend up the cream cheese frosting and place in the fridge while you make the chocolate pudding
  2. Place the rest of the ingredients into a blender and blend until completely smooth.  Taste to see if you need more sweetener.
  3. Chill the pudding for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Place into a glass in layers and then sprinkle with chocolate chips or cacao nibs right before serving.Chocolate Cheesecake Parfait | Life Healthfully Lived

DIY Wednesday: Turmeric Paste and Golden Milk

/ ktbuchs87

If you have been following my blog for any length of time you know two things.  I like spices and I’m usually talking about the benefits of turmeric.

Any chance that I can slip turmeric into the conversation, I will.  If you’re sore from a really tough lifting session, I’ll probably tell you to use some turmeric in your next meal because it has anti-inflammatory properties.  If you’re at a high risk for heart disease, I might mention that turmeric can help lower your risk.  If you’re feeling depressed, worried about Alzheimers or cancer, I’m going to tell you that turmeric can help with all of those things.

I’m like the annoying friend who goes on a juice cleanse and it fixes everything from her weight to her crippling debt and she just won’t shut up about it.  You’re welcome.

But seriously, turmeric is SO good for you and you should really start including it in your diet.  It isn’t that expensive and you can find it in most grocery stores (if you shop at Whole Foods you can get it in their bulk spice section).  It’s also really easy to use and slip into a bunch of different meals.  But there are a few things you should know to get the most out of your turmeric:

  • Take it with black pepper
  • Take it with a fat

Why do you need to add these two things to your turmeric?  Turmeric’s main component is curcumin (this is what makes it so potent and beneficial) and curcumin is fat soluble.  In simple terms, in order for your body to absorb and use any turmeric you ingest it needs fat to break it down.

Black pepper enhances turmeric’s bioavailability which means it makes it easier for your body to use and distribute.  This is a good thing and what you want your body to do with anything that enters your digestive system.

You can use turmeric in so many different things like soups, curries, stir fry, smoothies, and sprinkled over vegetables or meat.  One of my favorite ways to use it is to toss some broccoli with a little coconut oil (fat), and then sprinkle garlic powder, turmeric, pepper, and a little sea salt over the broccoli and roast at 400 for 20 minutes.

Another great way to enjoy turmeric is to make Golden Milk which sounds expensive and fancy, but it’s really simple and easy to make yourself.  I like to make a turmeric paste and keep it in a jar in my fridge and then scoop out what I need to make the milk.

A few pointers when you’re making your turmeric paste:  Don’t use any utensils, pots, or jars that stain easily.  Turmeric is amazing for your health but can stain plastic bowls, containers, or utensils.  Glass and stainless steel work best and keep your kitchen tools looking nice.  Also, turmeric does have a very earthy smell and taste so it might be off-putting at first.  Use it in ways that you can sort of mask the taste at first and then start to slowly use it more prominently.

Ok, enough talking about turmeric and how good it is for you, time to actually use it!

Turmeric PasteDIY Wednesday: Turmeric Paste and Golden Milk | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 1/2 cup turmeric powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp black pepper (fresh ground if possible)
  • 5 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 cup water
  1. Place everything in a pot and whisk until it is completely combined.  Heat over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until you have a thick paste.  Make sure you keep stirring and don’t let it scald.
  2. Pour your paste into a glass jar or container and let it cool completely.  You can keep it in the fridge for up to two weeks.DIY Wednesday: Turmeric Paste and Golden Milk | Life Healthfully Lived

Golden Milk

  • 1 cup coconut milk (or any other non-dairy milk you like)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric paste
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • honey or maple syrup, optionalDIY Wednesday: Turmeric Paste and Golden Milk | Life Healthfully Lived
  1. Place the coconut milk and turmeric paste into a saucepan and heat over low heat, whisking to combine.
  2. Heat until it is just warm and then remove from oven.  Add the cinnamon and honey or maple syrup if you would like it a little sweeter and whisk to combine.
  3. Pour into a mug and let it cool a little before drinking.

You can also use the turmeric paste in other things like soup or curries.  It adds a nice shot of turmeric along with the fat and pepper it needs so you can get the most out of it.  Along with my jar of roasted garlic, I’ve started keeping this paste on hand for whenever I need it!DIY Wednesday: Turmeric Paste and Golden Milk | Life Healthfully Lived

 

Do This One Thing To Lose Weight and Be Healthier

/ ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Stop looking for one thing to lose weight and be healthier.  There is no one thing.Do This One Thing To Lose Weight and Be Healthier | Life Healthfully Lived

No one diet.

No one exercise.

No one magic pill.

No one superfood.

No one philosophy.

No one anything.Do This One Thing To Lose Weight and Be Healthier | Life Healthfully Lived

The path to being healthier is not a straight and narrow path.  In fact, it’s rarely just one path at all.  There will be twists and turns, changes and modifications, things your body needs now but won’t in a year, and there is never an end point.Do This One Thing To Lose Weight and Be Healthier | Life Healthfully Lived

That’s right.  This doesn’t end.  I don’t tell you this to discourage you but to let you know that making the decision to be healthier is an ongoing process, day in and day out.  You get to wake up each morning and make a choice.  Are your actions going to further your healthy goals or not?  You’re not a horrible person if they don’t nor have you failed.  You just made a decision in the moment and now you get to move on.

Losing weight and your health are going to be a series and combination of things that will ultimately bring you to where you need to be.Do This One Thing To Lose Weight and Be Healthier | Life Healthfully Lived

You’ll experiment with different ways to eat and adjust to what you need.

You’ll try a bunch of different exercises and workouts and fine tune what works for you.

You’ll sample lots of different foods and see what your body wants and uses.

You’ll start making up your OWN healthy life and figure out what it means to be the best version of you.Do This One Thing To Lose Weight and Be Healthier | Life Healthfully Lived

And it will change and grow and develop over time and that’s good!  We all change and grow and develop.  I’m not the same person I was in high school (thank goodness) and I hope twenty years from now I won’t be the same person I am today.  Why should you expect what you do to keep yourself healthy to stay the same?Do This One Thing To Lose Weight and Be Healthier | Life Healthfully Lived

So stop looking for the ONE thing because it isn’t there and you don’t need it.  All you need is what works for you and what makes you shine from within and feel the best you can.

DIY Wednesday: Sports Drink

/ ktbuchs87

DIY Wednesday: Sports Drink | Life Healthfully LivedI would say that sport’s drinks like Gatorade, Propel, and Powerade are some of the most controversial products when it comes to hydration.  You have the people who are firmly in the water-is-the-only-hydration-you-need camp and then you have others who are firmly in the you-need-to-replenish-your-electrolytes-after-activity camp.  Then you have those in the murky middle ground who believe sometimes you need sports drinks and sometimes you don’t.  It can be very confusing.

I am somewhere in the murky middle ground.  It all depends on the activity you’ve been doing and how long you’ve been active for.  The vast majority of us don’t do enough work or exercise that will require anything other than water to rehydrate.  There is no need for a Gatorade after a 20-minute workout or to hand out sports drinks after a kids soccer game.  There are a few instances where you do need to replenish your electrolyte levels with something other than just water.

People who run/train for marathons, triathlons, Ironman competitions, or any other grueling endurance sport are probably going to need something more than just water.  That is because they are asking their bodies to work at full capacity for a long period of time.  Anything more than a 90-minute workout session is going to probably warrant a little extra attention to your hydration levels.DIY Wednesday: Sports Drink | Life Healthfully Lived

Now, here is my other sticking point:  I think that commercially sold sports drinks are NOT the way to replenish your fluids and electrolytes.  They’re full of sugar and other ingredients that actually make you thirstier than you were before.  How else would they sell their product?  If one drink made rehydrated you, you wouldn’t need another.  Plus you’re getting way more calories than you need from a drink.

Lucky for you, it’s easy to make your own sports drink that will rehydrate you as well as replenish your electrolyte levels without the calories, sugar, or any other possible weird ingredients.  You can make these in advance of a tough workout or activity and have them ready to go when you’re done.  You can play with the levels of citrus and natural sweetener to suit your tastes.

You can play with the levels of citrus and natural sweetener to suit your tastes and if you don’t want or can’t find coconut water, regular water works just as well.  And yes, I know there is salt in here and you’re going to tell me that is ridiculous because we all know that salt makes you thirstier.  Yes, BUT, you also need the proper amount of sodium levels in your body to rehydrate and absorb minerals like potassium.  If you’ve been sweating like crazy, then you have been losing a lot of sodium as well and need to replenish those stores.  So don’t skip the salt (and make sure you use sea salt NOT regular table salt), it won’t make you thirstier and you won’t be choking down a salty drink.

Sports DrinkDIY Wednesday: Sports Drink | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 1 cup coconut water or regular water (make sure it’s just plain coconut water, no added sugars)
  • 1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1-2 tsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp honey or maple syrup (less or more to suit your taste)
  • pinch of sea salt
  1. Put everything into a blender and blend for a few seconds.  Taste and adjust things as needed.

Keep this drink stored in the fridge up to 2 days before you need it.  You can also double or triple this recipe to make sure that you have enough on hand for when it’s needed.