DIY Wednesday: Cheesy Garlic Spread

January 20, 2016January 19, 2016 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Cheese and garlic are two words that need to be put together as often as possible. Who doesn’t want something cheesy and garlicky? DIY Wednesday: Cheesy Garlic Spread | Life Healthfully Lived

People who are lactose intolerant, vegan, or a vampire. While I can’t make a cheesy garlic spread that would be suitable for a vampire, I can make one for those people who don’t or can’t do dairy.

This spread could not be easier to put together, especially if you already have roasted garlic on hand (which you should ALWAYS have roasted garlic on hand), and it goes with everything. On top of soup or stew, in tacos, as a salad dressing, on crackers, as a vegetable dip. The possibilities are endless! Heck, eat it with your finger. I won’t judge.

Make sure you have a batch of this on hand for Friday’s recipe because you aren’t going to want to miss that one. It’s pretty awesome if I do say so myself.

Cheesy Garlic Spread

2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked in water overnight or very hot water for 4 hours
1/3 cup full fat coconut milk
2 tbsp roasted garlic
3 to 4 tbsp nutritional yeast, depending on how cheesy you want it
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Drain and rinse the cashews and place everything into a blender or food processor.
Blend for 3 to 4 minutes until everything is completely smooth. It will probably take less time if you have a high-speed blender.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

That’s it! Now go put this on everything and save a little bit for later in the week! DIY Wednesday: Cheesy Garlic Spread | Life Healthfully Lived

What You Shouldn’t Stress About

January 18, 2016January 18, 2016 / ktbuchs87

If you’re human, you probably stress out about things. A big project due at work, giving a speech in class, or dealing with an illness can all be stressful things. If you’re anything like me, you stress about stupid things. Like wondering if the people walking behind you just saw you stumble over your own two feet. Hint: probably, but they don’t really care.

It can feel like stress is a normal part of life and it really doesn’t have to be. There are certain things that a lot of us worry about that we don’t really need to, especially when it comes to your health. If you read health articles or magazines or watch the news, it feels like there is a new health claim every day that we have to worry about. And more than likely over the years, I have worried about it.

But as I’ve gotten older and learned more about my personal health, I have been able to let go of some of the “health” stress and do what works for me. I haven’t died or gained a billion pounds or detrimentally destroyed some part of my health. I’ve figured out what I like and what works best.

So here is a list of a few things that you DON’T need to worry about when it comes to your health:

#1- Eating superfoods

Kale, acai berries, and quinoa are all delicious and deemed superfoods. But you know what else is a superfood? An apple. Some broccoli. Even the humble clove of garlic is a superfood. Focus on eating real food that you actually enjoy and I promise you’ll be just fine.

#2- Sitting down

Yes, I have actually worried about this. There have been reports and research lately that say sitting too much has a negative effect on our health. Even if you workout, if you spend the majority of your day sitting it’s like you haven’t worked out at all. Cue Katie standing constantly for fear of ruining my metabolism and undoing all the hard work I put into my exercises. Sure, if you sit all day you should probably get up and move more. But you shouldn’t stress about sitting down if you’re tired or need a rest. Find a good balance of sitting and standing throughout your day that works for your body and your schedule.

#3- Making sure your body looks the same at all times

I think because we are constantly bombarded with images of perfect bodies and rippling muscles, we feel like we have to look like that too at all times. I know I would get frustrated when I would look in the mirror in the morning and at night and I would be looking at two different bodies. Your body shape changes throughout the day due to things like hydration, the foods you eat, and if you’re a woman, your period. The way your body looks doesn’t determine your worth or even how healthy you are. You’re long-term habits do. And remember those pictures of models are just a snapshot of a moment. They don’t look like that all the time.

#4- Eating at the right time

Eat right when you wake up. Fast for 18 hours. Don’t eat after 7 pm. Eat constantly for 6 hours and then don’t eat again for 12 hours. Who thought when you eat could be so confusing? Each one of these options has plenty of studies and research that supports their claims and probably, even more disputing them. You know what you should do? Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re not. As long as you’re getting adequate fuel throughout the day and can go about your daily tasks with enough energy, it doesn’t really matter when you eat. Do what works best for you.

#5- Thinking only one form of exercise can get you results

This is one that I’m currently working on. If you read my blog regularly, you know that I’m taking a little break from running. It’s mostly because it wasn’t bringing me the same joy that it used too. I was dreading my run instead of being excited. The other part of me taking a break? I had convinced myself that running was the only way I was going to keep weight off. I had it in my mind that if I stopped running I would start gaining weight. My rational brain knew that was silly and wrong, but when do I listen to my rational brain? There are so many ways to move and exercise, no one way is perfect and no one way will get you results. Try new things and do what you love and don’t be afraid if those things change over time.

These are just a few of the things I have stressed about over the years and I’ve learned that they weren’t as big a deal as I was making them out to be. You’re not going to do everything perfectly and that’s ok. The mistakes let you learn what works for you and create habits and a routine that will keep you healthy for the long haul.

I hope you have an awesome Monday and I will see you back here on Wednesday for an all new recipe!

What are some silly health things you have stressed about over the years?

Sweet Potato Hash

January 15, 2016January 15, 2016 / ktbuchs87

Sweet Potato Hash | Life Healthfully Lived The time has come to share the sweet potato hash that won the hearts of my family over Christmas. And they have promised me that they really do like it, not just because it was made by me and they have to pretend to like everything that I make. It’s actually good.

Plus Adam keeps asking for me to make it which is a good indication that he really likes something. Although the boy did use to but corn syrup on his pancakes and didn’t like mac n’ cheese as a kid. Seriously, what kind of psycho doesn’t like cheese and noodles as a child? My husband apparently.

Anyway, back to this sweet potato hash. I was trying to think of something to make for a crowd for Christmas brunch that tasted good but was still a little healthy. Gotta balance out those cookies! I had a bunch of sweet potatoes lying around and instead of just roasting them up like I usually do, I decided to fancy them up a bit. Ok, not that much but I added some bell peppers, onions, and cilantro and was amazed at how just a few ingredients made such a big difference.

So if you’re looking to change up your normal breakfast hash, give this sweet potato version a whirl. Promise you won’t be disappointed!

Sweet Potato Hash

2-3 large sweet potatoes, washed and dried
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 cup onions, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
handful of fresh cilantro, stems removed and chopped

Once your potatoes are washed and dried, dice into small cubes. You want to make sure they are fairly small and uniform inside so they cook properly.
In a large skillet that has a lid, heat a little olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes until a little soft. Add the bell peppers and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sweet potato cubes and half the minced garlic and mix everything together.
Sprinkle everything with the Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and a little salt and then cover with the lid. Let the everything cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so the potatoes don’t stick to the bottom.
Once the potatoes are fork tender remove the lid and add the rest of the garlic and seasonings. Cook for another five minutes. Turn off the heat and add the cilantro and stir to combine.

This hash is awesome served with a poached or fried egg on top. But then again, most dishes are better with an egg on top. Tomorrow is Adam’s birthday so we plan to spend some time eating good food downtown and probably going to see Star Wars again.

What does your weekend look like?

DIY Wednesday: Better For You Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

January 13, 2016January 12, 2016 / ktbuchs87

DIY Wednesday: Better For You Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins I was watching Friends the other day, a normal happening in my house and the two random episodes that I watched mentioned mini muffins. This then made me think of the little packages of Hostess mini muffins that were all the rage in middle school. You were someone if you had mini muffins.

Yeah, it was weird.

I usually did not have mini muffins because they were expensive and my mom wasn’t going to waste money on junk food. Because let’s face it, muffins, even in mini form, are generally not a health food. Especially when they’re made by Hostess. DIY Wednesday: Better For You Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

But boy are they delicious. And something about them being mini made them even better. Little food is always better. That’s just science. I decided to attempt to make a better for you mini muffin that would still taste good but wouldn’t be full of all this stuff. That’s what’s in those little bites of happiness. Yum….

My favorite muffin was always banana walnut but I decided to switch the walnuts for chocolate because duh, chocolate. My version uses dark chocolate, but you can use whatever you have on hand. I also decided to add just a few chips to the top rather than mix them throughout because I thought they would be just a little too big for mini muffins. But you do you. And you should do these mini-muffins.

Banana Chocolate Mini Muffins- gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and egg-free. I promise there is something in there!

1 1/2 cup almond meal
3 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flaxseed and 5 tbsp water mixed together)
1 large banana, very ripe
4 tbsp almond milk
3 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
handful of dark chocolate chips, optional

Preheat your oven to 350 and mix together your flax egg and set aside. Line a mini muffin tin with muffin cups or grease with a little coconut oil.
Put all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together so there are no clumps.
In another bowl, mash the banana so it is fairly smooth. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients, including the flax eggs, and whisk with a fork to combine and smooth.
Pour the wet into the dry and use a spatula to combine everything. Drop about a tablespoon of dough into each well. These won’t rise a ton, so you don’t have to worry about them spilling over. If you’re using chocolate chips, press about 3 or 4 into the top of each muffin.
Bake the muffins for about 10 minutes and pull them out to check. If they are brown around the edges and fairly firm in the middle you’re good. If not, bake for another 2 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes and then place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

These will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week or you can make a bunch and put them in the freezer to pull out whenever you need a mini muffin!

What were some of your favorite middle school snacks?

DIY Wednesday: Gluten-Free Pie Crust

December 16, 2015December 15, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I DIY Wednesday: Gluten-Free Pie Crust | Life Healthfully Lived have another holiday edition of DIY Wednesday for you guys today. Pie is eaten all year round, but I think that it’s most special around the holidays. From pumpkin to pecan to sweet potato pie, there are some pretty delicious options.

Pies are a little difficult though if you have to stay away from gluten. The store bought versions can taste a little (ok, a lot) like cardboard plus they are pretty expensive compared to the regular pie crusts. Homemade gluten-free pie crusts are better, but can sometimes call for ingredients that you might not usually have on hand. DIY Wednesday: Gluten-Free Pie Crust | Life Healthfully Lived

I made this simple one with a pie that my mom made for Thanksgiving. It was a crustless pumpkin pie and while it was really good, it needed some type of crust. The beauty of this crust is that you can use it raw or cooked so if you have a tart or treat that you don’t need to bake but still want a crust, you can use this. It also holds up to baking and adds a nice sweet flavor to any pie.

If you’re looking for a quick crust for your baked goods, try this gluten-free pie crust!

Gluten-Free Pie Crust

10 Medjool dates, soaked in water if needed
1/3 cup almond flour
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

If your dates aren’t, soak them in some hot water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain (save the water) and slice them in half removing the pits.
Pulse the dates in a food processor or blender for a few minutes until they come together in one ball
Add the rest of the ingredients to the processor and pulse until everything comes together. If it is too dry add a tablespoon or two of the date soaking water. If it’s too wet add a little more almond flour or pumpkin seeds/walnuts.
Place the date mixture into the fridge to cool for at least an hour. This makes it easier to handle when you put it into your pie tin.
Once the date mixture is cool, grease your pie tin well. Then, press the date mixture into the bottom of the tin and up the sides. Make sure there are no bare spots.

You can keep it in your fridge if you will be using it later that day, in the freezer if you are going to use it later in the week (just let it thaw a bit before you use it), or pour in your filling and use it right away! DIY Wednesday: Gluten-Free Pie Crust | Life Healthfully Lived