nutrition

Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup

/ ktbuchs87

Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup | Life Healthfully LivedI have been living off of this soup for the past few weeks, it’s that good.  It’s hearty enough to make a good meal but not so heavy that you feel like taking a nap after you’re done.  I feel like that’s a good judge of a meal.  Do you feel like laying in bed for six hours when you’re done?  Nope?  Then you should eat this meal again or try harder next time.

This winter we haven’t had many days where you just want to wrap your body around a bowl of soup and swim in a giant mug of hot chocolate.  I’m not complaining, but I do enjoy those super cold nights where a warm meal is the only way to feel comfortable.  I’m probably the only weirdo like that.

On the nights that it is frigid out, try this super simple soup.  It’s stuffed full of vegetables and then blended to make it creamy and delicious.  No dairy, no cheese, and yet it’s still smooth and wonderful.  That’s my kind of soup.Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup | Life Healthfully Lived

What do you guys have planned for your weekend?  I’m on my own this Saturday and I’ll probably end up running a few errands and catching up on some work.  I know, wild and crazy over here.  But that also means that I’ll spend a good portion of my day in the kitchen coming up with yummy things for you.  Any suggestions?

My suggestion to you?  Make a big batch of this soup on Sunday night and have lunches or dinners set for the rest of the week.  Your future self will thank me!

Creamy Broccoli Spinach SoupCreamy Broccoli Spinach Soup | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup celery, sliced
  • 2/3 cup onion, diced
  • 3 cups broccoli, cut into florets (you can also use frozen, just make sure it’s completely thawed)
  • 1 cup roasted red or orange bell peppers
  •  4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 to 4 cups spinach, tightly packed (I used a whole 8 oz bag for reference)
  • 4 to 5 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  1. To roast your bell peppers: Preheat the oven to 400 and cut the tops off of the peppers.  Remove all seeds and place the whole peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Roast for about 30 minutes, turning the peppers over half-way through.  Take the peppers out of the oven and place them on a cutting board and place a large glass bowl over them so the steam will loosen the skins.  After 15 minutes, remove the bowl, slip off the skins, and dice the peppers. FYI: you can do this a few days ahead of time so you don’t have to do it right before you make your soup.
  2. For the soup: Heat a large dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add a little olive oil and add in the carrots, celery, and onion.  Saute them for about 8 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
  3. Add the minced garlic, roasted bell peppers, and broccoli florets.  Stir everything together and sprinkle with a little salt.  Saute for a few minutes.
  4. Pour in the vegetable broth or water.  You want the broth to cover all the vegetables and about 1/2 inch above.  Turn your heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.  Add all of the seasonings and stir to combine.
  5. Once the soup is boiling, add the spinach and cover the pot.  Turn the heat to low and simmer the soup for 15 minutes, stirring once.
  6. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and using an immersion blender, blend everything until it is smooth and creamy.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can work  in batches with your regular blender.  Just return everything to the pot when you’re done.Creamy Broccoli Spinach Soup | Life Healthfully Lived

The best thing about this soup?  It tastes AMAZING with a healthy dollop (read: massive spoonful) of my cheesy garlic spread. Yum!

DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge

/ ktbuchs87 / 2 Comments

DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully LivedDoesn’t the word porridge always conjure up old-timey meals like in Oliver Twist?  Or at the very least make you think of Goldilocks and the only three bears on the planet that prefer a hot breakfast over raw carcass?

Just me?  Cool.

Porridge is actually any type of oatmeal, grain, or cereal that is cooked with boiling water or milk.  Most people go for oatmeal because it’s the most readily available but you can make porridge out of a lot of different things.  But for the most part it’s usually made out of some kind of grain and if you happen to be following the paleo diet, grains are a no-go.  So does that mean you can never enjoy a warm bowl of porridge on a cold winter morning again?DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

Of course not!  Not when you’ve got me around.

Not only can you make porridge out of cereals or grains, you can also make it out of meals (as in ground up stuff) and that includes nut meals.  Finely ground nuts make a great base for porridge and it is entirely paleo-approved!  I decided to go with almond meal because it can be made savory or sweet and it’s what I had on hand.  Also, almond meal is fairly easy to find so you won’t have to hunt through a specialty store to make your own paleo porridge.

I have a recipe for a sweet porridge and a savory porridge, both are essentially same, but the seasonings and liquid choices are a bit different.  If you’ve been missing your morning bowl of warm, cozy porridge try this easy grain-free version!

Paleo Porridge- Makes two servings

Sweet PorridgeDIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 2/3 + 2 tbsp almond meal (go for meal instead of flour because you don’t want it too finely ground)
  • 1 cup almond milk or any other non-dairy milk you prefer
  • 1 tbsp honey, maple syrup, or coconut nectar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt

Savory PorridgeDIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 2/3 + 2 tbsp almond meal
  • 1 cup vegetable broth or water
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • salt to taste
  1. No matter what version you make, the directions are going to be the same.  In a medium saucepan, bring the liquid to a boil.
  2. Whisk in the almond meal and turn the heat to low.  Keep whisking as the almond meal thickens.  This will take about 5 to 8 minutes.
  3. Add in the sweetener (if making the sweet version) and seasonings as you keep whisking.  Once you’re porridge has reached your desired thickness, pour into a bowl and finish it with your favorite toppings.

If you’re porridge is too thin add more almond meal, one tablespoon at a time.  If it’s too thick add more liquid, one tablespoon at a time. As for topping ideas?  How about:

  • any kind of berry
  • raisins
  • bananas or any fruit
  • cacao nibs
  • pumpkin seeds
  • hemp seeds
  • flax or chia seeds
  • chopped nuts
  • nut or seed butter
  • herbs like parsley or cilantro
  • salsa
  • roasted squash
  • poached egg
  • mushrooms
  • heck, you could even add cooked meat or fish to your savory bowl!DIY Wednesday: Paleo Porridge | Life Healthfully Lived

There you have it!  Porridge two ways for all you grain-free people out there!

Mini BBQ Pizza’s

/ ktbuchs87

 

Mini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully LivedI’m going to tell you a story about pancakes.  Don’t worry it will make sense in the end.

Hopefully.

I can remember one of the first times that I helped my mom make pancakes.  I was very excited because the whole process looked so magical.  We got our mix together, whisked the crap out of it because it was fun, and then started heating up the skillet.  I poured in the right amount and waited until the all-important flip.  After the instructed three minutes, I put the spatula under the pancake and….

Totally destroyed the first pancake.  It stuck to the pan, wasn’t entirely cooked on the bottom, and was just a big mass of half-cooked batter.  I was devastated.  My hopes of being a pancake wizard were dashed.  I started to get a little teary but my mom stepped in and gave some mom advice.Mini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully Lived

“Don’t worry, the first pancake is always like that.  It’s the test pancake.  It lets you test the pan to see if it’s hot enough.  The rest of your pancakes will be better because that first one was messed up.”

And she was right.  The rest of my pancakes turned out just fine.  Now, before you go thinking this was a beautiful teaching moment between mom and daughter, my mom went on to tell me, “Yeah, you’re just like the test pancake.  You were our first baby and we had no clue what we were doing.  We tested everything out on you so when your sister came along we knew what to do.”

I love my mom.

It was all in good fun and it actually was some good advice when it comes to testing out new recipes or new things.  Just because it doesn’t work the very first time doesn’t mean that everything is a total failure.  So what does that have to do with pizza?  I had a bit of trouble making the crust for these tasty treats and my first one (ok, my first like five) turned out like this:

Mini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully Lived

Sad but brave and valiant test pizza crust paving the way for perfection

But I kept at it and was rewarded with this recipe!  I chose to make it with my BBQ sauce and Not Mozzarella, Mozzarella, but you can customize the toppings with what you had on hand!

Thanks mom for teaching me about test pancakes and test babies because without them I couldn’t give the world Mini Pizza’s and that would be a travesty.  Also, you’re welcome for having like the world’s best test baby 😉

Mini BBQ Pizza’sMini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully Lived

 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and make sure you have your sauce, cheese, and toppings ready.  Line a large baking sheet or two with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Place all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together.  Pour this into a blender and add the water.  Blend until you have a batter.  It should be more on the thinner side.
  3. Heat up a small skillet with a little olive oil, I used my tiny cast iron skillet, and pour about 1/4 cup batter into the skillet.  Let it cook for a few minutes and then flip it over and cook for another minute before putting it on the prepared baking sheet.  Don’t worry if your first one isn’t perfect 🙂
  4. Keep doing this until all the batter is used up.  Place the baking sheets in the oven and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove and crank the heat up to 400.  While the oven is getting hotter, put the sauce, cheese, and toppings on each pizza.  Pop them back into the oven for another 10 minutes or until the cheese starts to brown.
  5. Remove and let them cool a few minutes before totally devouring!Mini BBQ Pizza's | Life Healthfully Lived

 

What are your favorite pizza toppings?

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