Spicy Cranberry Sauce

December 12, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I think cranberry sauce might be one of the most debated dishes at holiday meals. Do you make it from scratch or get in the can? Leave it tart or add copious amounts of sugar? Eat it on it’s own or use it as a turkey topping? Each family has their own preference and it’s usually steeped in tradition. We’ve always done it this way so we’re going to keep doing it this way.

Delicious canned cranberries. Look at those rings!

Well my cranberry palate has changed over the years. When I was younger, I was all about the canned cranberries. Nothing was better than opening the can and shaking it back and forth until the glob of cranberries, shaped exactly like the can rings and all, slid out onto the plate. I loved slicing rings off of that glob and gobbling them up. I’m sure the crazy amounts of high fructose syrup had nothing to do with that… Then as I got older I really started to like the cranberry relish that my mom made every year. It was a mix of cranberries, apples, oranges, and spices. I liked the tartness of the cranberries with the sweet of the apple and I liked the simplicity of the dish.

Then my mother in law brought a new cranberry sauce to Thanksgiving this year and it was amazing. It was a Guy Fieri recipe and it was a sweet and spicy sauce that was just awesome. I had to control myself so I didn’t eat the whole container! Luckily, I was able to snag some leftovers and got to enjoy the cranberries for a little longer. But once they were gone, I knew that I needed to make some more. So I looked up the recipe and realized that I had none of the ingredients other than the cranberries. Since I didn’t want to make a trip to the store just to get the ingredients for one dish, I decided to see if I could make my own version.

With a minimal amount of ingredients, I was able to recreate the sweet and spicy sauce that I had fallen in love with. This is a really easy dish to make and you can use this sauce for numerous other dishes. I’ve mixed it into oatmeal, used it as a topping for fish, tried it on some cookies, and even just eaten it with a spoon. It’s that versatile. Ok, enough talking about cranberry sauce time to go make some!

Spicy Cranberry Sauce

*adapted from Guy Fieri’s Red Devil Cranberries

1 cup whole cranberries
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (less if you don’t want it as spicy)
1/4 tsp salt

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water and 2 tbsp honey to a boil and then immediately lower to a simmer. Add in the cranberries and stir occasionally. Keep stirring until the cranberries start to burst.

2. Add in all the seasonings and stir to combine. Keep the heat on low and cook until the sauce has reduced and started to thicken.

3. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your taste. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool. As it cools it will thicken even more. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

That’s it! It’s a fairly simple process and the sauce keeps for awhile in the fridge. Because cranberries are so abundant and cheap right now, you can make big batches and then freeze so you can have a delicious sauce for weeks to come. I hope that you enjoy your weekend and I’ll see you on Monday!

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Dip

December 5, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Necessity is the mother of invention right? Well that’s how this simple recipe came to be. I decided that I wanted a snack of celery and hummus and I was absolutely positive that I had some homemade hummus sitting in my fridge. Sadly, I was mistaken and there was no delicious hummus for me to eat my celery. So was left with two choices. I could eat my celery plain, but what kind of crazy person eats plain celery? Or I could find some substitute for my non-existent hummus. I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand to make a new batch of hummus but I did have a few things that I was able to throw together in less than 5 minutes and make a tasty dip. I bet that you probably have most of these things on hand now, so if you have some plain celery you have a hankering for go make this super easy dip!

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Dip

1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tbsp tahini
1-2 tsp mustard (I used hot mustard, but you can use whatever you have on hand)

1. Ready? Mix this all together in a bowl and eat. That’s it!

You can adjust the amounts to your taste and the amount of dip that you need to make. This was a single snack size serving for me. This would be a really great dip for a crudite plate for a holiday gathering. I also used it as a topping for my lentil loaf last night and it added a really great flavor. So whip this up and enjoy!

How To Use Up Your Leftovers

December 3, 2014 / ktbuchs87

It’s almost a week after Thanksgiving and I’m sure some of you still have mounds of leftovers that you’re trying to get through. Thanksgiving leftovers are one of the best parts of the holiday but there are only so many turkey sandwiches you can eat before you never want to see a slice of turkey again. I thought that I would share some different ways that you can use up the various leftovers that you might have lurking around your kitchen.

Turkey/Ham/Whatever other meat you may have made

Obviously you can make a plain old sandwich, but why not jazz it up my making a turkey salad sandwich? Shred up the turkey and mix together with some mashed up avocado, a little lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Or use hummus or spicy mustard instead of avocado, whatever you have a hankering for.
Add shredded meat to any variety of dishes like soup, tacos, frittatas, quesadillas, or casseroles.
Make chili with leftover meat and any other vegetables you may have lying around.

Potatoes

Use leftover mashed potatoes as a topping for shepherds pie or meatloaf. You can even try it as a topping for my lentil loaf
Sweet potatoes can be used in many baked goods from bread to muffins. Just mash them up into a smooth puree and add into the batter.
Roasted potatoes (regular or sweet) make a great breakfast hash or can be added to scrambled eggs, stews, and casseroles.
Scalloped potatoes can be used as a crust for frittatas or quiche.

Stuffing/Dressing

Let some of your stuffing sit out on the counter overnight to dry out a little and you can use it as bread crumbs
Make stuffing dumplings by mixing stuffing together with 2 eggs, turkey, and some shredded cheese if desired. Form into balls and add into soup and cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes. You can also bake them in the oven at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes
You can also make a breakfast casserole with stuffing. In a casserole dish, place a layer of stuffing along the bottom. Add in green or red peppers, cooked sausage, or sauteed onions and garlic. In a separate bowl whisk 6 to 8 eggs and a little almond milk and then pour over the stuffing. Top with shredded cheese if you would like and bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit on the counter for 5 minutes before you cut into pieces and eat.

Cranberry Sauce/Relish

Stir cranberry sauce into oatmeal and top with nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans for a seasonal breakfast
Use relish or sauce as a sandwich topping for a nice tart flavor
Make a winter salad by combining cooked quinoa/millet/farro/brown rice, diced sweet potatoes or butternut squash, cranberry relish or sauce, and seasonings like parsley or cilantro. Drizzle a little of olive oil and stir the salad all together.

Vegetables

Leftover vegetables often get put in the fridge and then forgotten. Add them into any dish like stir fry’s, soups, stews, or add into salads.
They are also good on sandwiches or if you’re having a taco night use as fillers for burritos.

These are just a few things that you can do with that pile of food you still have to get through. Get creative and see where you can add in leftovers to all of your meals. You can also freeze some of your leftovers to be used at a later time. This works well with meat and bread like dishes. As for all those desserts that are staring you down? I’m sure your neighbor or the office would enjoy having a treat!

Stuffing Casserole

November 28, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I don’t know if you remember, but a few weeks back I mentioned that I was going to start writing a health column for a magazine. Well my first article was published in the Nov/Dec issue that came out at the beginning of the month. It’s pretty exciting to see my name in the byline and see my recipes in a magazine. One of my recipes was even made the cover shot, so that was pretty awesome! The other recipe that I put out was this one. I wanted to make a dish that would be easy to make and bring to holiday gatherings. This is dairy, soy, meat, and gluten-free so it is a good dish to serve if you have guests over who have and food issues. It’s also a great dish to make ahead and then just warm up in the oven before you serve. I brought it to Thanksgiving in Indiana yesterday and I’ll be bringing it to my second Thanksgiving on Saturday. I hope that you all had a great day and if you are just getting back from black Friday shopping, I hope you get a nice big nap!

Stuffing Casserole

Polenta Layer

1 cup cornmeal
3 cups water
1-2 tsp salt
3 tsp Italian seasoning

Cashew Cream Layer

1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 30 minutes
1/2 cup water
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt

Stuffing Layer

1 cup walnuts (can also use cashews or pecans but walnuts work best)
8 oz package of mushrooms
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 tsp parsley
salt and pepper to taste.

1. Start with your polenta. Bring 3 cups of water and salt to a boil. Whisk in the 1 cup of cornmeal and cook on low until the polenta is nice and thick and starting to pull away from the sides of the pot. Stir in the Italian seasonings and pour into an oiled casserole dish. Place in the fridge while you make the rest of your layers

2. Place your soaked and rinsed cashews into a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside.

3. Place walnuts and mushrooms into a food processor and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and saute onions, celery, and garlic for 5 to 7 minutes until soft. Add in the mushroom walnut mixture and seasonings and cook for about 10 minutes until the mixture starts to brown a little.

4. Get your casserole dish out of the fridge and make sure the polenta is set. Spread a thick layer of the cashew cream over the polenta, making sure it’s covered. Then spread the mushroom.walnut mixture over the cream. If you’re going to eat it right away, cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Otherwise when you’re ready to eat, place in oven at 350 for 25 minutes uncovered. Slice and enjoy!

Look at those yummy layers!

This also makes a really good breakfast dish if you have to feed a crowd. Whenever you eat it, it’s sure to please! I hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend and see you on Monday!

Don’t Do That, It’ll Kill You

November 24, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I don’t know if many of you read as many health related articles and studies as I do, but let me tell you: we are doomed. At least that is the feeling I get sometimes. The titles can read all doom and gloom and it would seem that we can do nothing right. From eating the wrong foods, breathing in the wrong chemicals, and even not standing enough, every aspect of our health is in danger. It can be overwhelming and cause you to feel like it is a hopeless cause because no matter what there is going to be something that you do that is going to kill you or compromise your health.

I started feeling this way when I really started to dig into making myself healthier. I wanted to make sure that I was doing everything right so that I could be the best and healthiest. I wanted to be eating all the right foods, doing all the right exercises, and so I turned to health research. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate and value all research. It is what helps us learn more about ourselves and the world around us. Research helps us do better, but it can also be a double-edged sword. Any study that you find proving one thing, you will undoubtedly find a conflicting study proving something else. This is especially true with health research. So when I started in on finding the healthiest life possible, I got confused and overwhelmed. I was doing everything wrong it felt like and if I kept this up it would lead to a morbid end.

I began to worry about everything I did when it came to my health. Was I eating at the right time to get the optimal nutrition from my food? Was I exercising enough or too much? Did I sit down too often? Should I ever sit again? Were the cleaners I used in my house going to undo all the healthy eating I had been reading about? I second-guessed every choice I made, and fretted over if I would ever be able to do it right. Ironically enough, all that worrying about doing everything perfect is what led to me not being as healthy as possible.

Stress is one of the biggest health busters and it can wreak havoc over all areas of your life. It can affect sleep, which can then affect your hormones that help make food choices, which then affect your body, which in turn affects your physical activity. By stressing over all the research that I was taking in, I was doing the exactly the opposite of what I wanted.

I’ll tell you something I needed someone to tell me: you aren’t going to do it all perfectly. There is no way that you can eat every super food out there, perform all the most challenging exercises, eliminate every bad habit that is going to be the demise of your health. It is impossible and it is also ok. You can’t be perfectly healthy and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be. Rather than stress over all the things you have to do or suffer the consequences, focus on doing the best you can. Remember when your parents told you even if you got a bad grade on something as long as you gave it your all and did your best that was what mattered? The same applies to your health. Eat as best as you can, whether that is organic or conventional. Exercise in the way that works for you, whether that is doing CrossFit or yoga. Make as many healthy choices as you can, whether that is using all natural cleaners or walking more throughout the day. The little things will add up and you’ll live a healthier life by doing the best you can.

I’m not perfect, you’re not perfect, and we aren’t meant to be. Don’t let all those studies and research get you down and make you hopeless. Don’t give up or worse, not start, just because it appears to be a lost cause. Making today better than yesterday is a healthy goal, and research says that’s a good thing!