recipes

DIY Wednesday: Date Sugar

/ ktbuchs87

SugarDIY Wednesday: Date Sugar | Life Healthfully Lived 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.DIY Wednesday: Date Sugar | Life Healthfully Lived

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 SugarDIY Wednesday: Date Sugar | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 20 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced in half
  1. Preheat oven to 250 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
  2. 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.
  3. Turn off the oven and let the dates sit in the oven for another few hours or overnight until the are completely hard.
  4. 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.DIY Wednesday: Date Sugar | Life Healthfully Lived

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?DIY Wednesday: Date Sugar | Life Healthfully Lived

Quick BBQ Dishes

/ ktbuchs87

Happy Labor Day everyone!  As we all enjoy this last long weekend of summer, I thought I would bring you a quick post highlighting some of my recipes that are easy to make and great to bring along to a party.

Maybe you totally forgot that you said you would bring something for the BBQ you’re headed to later today, don’t worry I’ve got you covered.  These recipes come together quick and are a big hit with the masses.  Plus they’re healthy, what more could you ask for?!

Even Better BBQ Sauce– Quick, delicious, and great for meat or vegetables!BBQ

Quinoa Cornbread Bites– Tasty little bites that are quick and gluten free! 

Tomato Cucumber Salad– One of my favorites, and perfect on a hot dayDSC_1760

Avocado Chicken Salad– A fun and tasty spin on the classic chicken salad

Tahini BBQ Summer Vegetable Bake– This one is great because it can be served hot or coldDSC_1843

Penne Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes– Who doesn’t love pasta, pesto, & tomatoes?DSC_1172

Key Lime Popsicles– Make these immediately.  You and other party-goers will thank me. DSC_1818

Healthy Brownie Bites– A healthy version of brownies and a crowd pleaser! 

Hope these help you out and you enjoy your Labor Day!  See you on Wednesday!

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas

/ ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

LastButternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas | Life Healthfully Lived Friday, I posted a picture of these enchiladas on Instagram and people went nuts.  Ok, maybe not nuts.  BUT this picture did get 55 likes which is like way more than I ever get.  Plus 9 people commented on it.  Watch out folks.  I’m gonna be an Instagram star!

I get it though.  These enchiladas are fabulous and they are really easy to make.  When I posted these pictures, one of the things that I said was that I loved that I could make them ahead of time and then just throw them in the oven at dinner time.  Meals like that make me happy.

Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas | Life Healthfully Lived

Little side story about why I went with the butternut squash filling.  A few weeks ago, Adam went on an Alaskan fishing trip.  It was a boys trip with his stepdad and other boys in the family and they spent two days out on a boat in Homer, Alaska fishing for halibut, rockfish, and salmon.  They all caught a ridiculous amount of fish and Adam came home with about 35 pounds of frozen fish.  Now, I have a VERY tiny freezer and it is well stocked.  So when he came back with all that fish I had no idea how it was going to fit.  Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas | Life Healthfully Lived

It turns out, my husband can Macgyver about 20 lbs of fish into an already full freezer.  When I opened my freezer, I was met with a wall of frozen fish.  Literally.  Just one wall of fish.  So in order to create a little space, I started going through the freezer to see what I could use up.  I found some cubed frozen butternut squash from last fall and decided it was time to put it to good use.  Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas | Life Healthfully Lived

Long story short:  Alaska + fishing + tiny freezer = delicious enchiladas.

Butternut Squash & Black Bean EnchiladasButternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas | Life Healthfully Lived

  • 6 to 8 corn tortillas
  • 2 to 3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup water
  • juice of 1/2 a lime
  • 2 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 2 tsp roasted garlic or 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
  1. Preheat oven to 400 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
  2. Place the cubed squash into a bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp chili powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.  Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet.  Roast in the oven for 10 minutes and then flip and roast for 10 more minutes.
  3. While the squash is roasting, make the enchilada sauce.  Place the fire roasted tomatoes and 3/4 cup water into a blender.  Pulse a few times and then add in lime, garlic, and rest of the seasonings.  Blend everything until you have a smooth sauce.
  4. Once the squash is done put it back into the large bowl, add in the drained and rinsed beans, and mash things up a bit.  You want a few chunks left in the filling.  Stir in the fresh cilantro.
  5. Get a 9 x 13 casserole dish and pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom.  Warm the corn tortillas a little so they are pliable and then fill with 1/4 cup of the filling.  Roll the tortillas and place into the casserole dish, seam side done.  Complete until the filling is gone and dish is full.
  6. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the tortillas and then cover with aluminum foil.  At this point, you can keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.  When you’re ready to cook them, preheat oven to 350 and cook for 25 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and take off the aluminum foil.  Let the enchiladas cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.  Top with more fresh cilantro if you want. Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas | Life Healthfully Lived

Ok, it might look like there are a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps but I promise you this meal is not complicated.  You can also make substitutions to fit your dietary needs.  You can use sweet potatoes or pumpkin instead of the squash or you can use shredded chicken, pork, or beef if you want to have meat.  You can top it with cheese if you want and serve it with sour cream, guacamole, or cashew sour cream.  These also make phenomenal leftovers and once they are cooled completely, freeze really well.  So go make some enchiladas and love life!  Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas | Life Healthfully Lived

What is your favorite make-ahead meal?

P.S. Did you know you can follow all my healthy cooking adventures on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook?  I know.  Life is good again 🙂

Friday Recipe Round-Up

/ ktbuchs87

Yay Friday!  This week has been a doozy for me.  A ton of projects were suddenly due all at once and I have been working to get all of those done.  On top of that, this weekend is my sister’s bachelorette party so I have been getting things ready for that!  Seriously, how is it possible that my baby sister is getting married?!  We were literally just playing with our Barbies and Polly Pockets.  Like yesterday.  For reals.

Anyway!  Because it’s been a crazy week in the Dawson house I don’t have a new recipe for you today BUT do not start sobbing yet!  I do have a round-up of all the delicious recipes I have found on all the blogs I follow.

I will have new stuff for you next week, but in the meantime enjoy these recipes as well as all the ones I have over on my recipe page!

Key Lime Pistachio Truffles from The Clean DishKey Lime Pistachio Truffles

I am really having a thing with key lime lately.  It is the perfect summer treat and there are so many ways to make it.  These truffles look amazing!

Grain-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread from Predominantly PaleoGrain-Free Chocolate Zucchini Bread

About this time of year, we’re pretty much drowning in zucchini.  It’s delicious but the same old zucchini bread can get a little tiresome.  I love this chocolate twist!

Avocado Lemon Basil Pesto from Kathy HesterAvocado Lemon Pesto

Along with key lime, I have been having a love affair with pesto this summer.   My fridge has not been without a jar of the stuff for more than 2 hours.  The lemon basil in this is amazing, but if you can’t find any regular basil still makes a tasty pesto!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Magic Shell from The Lemon BowlChocolate PB Magic Shell 

Be prepared for me to cover everything in this delectable concoction.  If you’re smart you should do the same.

Have an awesome weekend and make one of these glorious dishes!

Tahini BBQ Summer Vegetable Bake

/ ktbuchs87

ITahini BBQ Summer Vegetable Bake | Life Healthfully Lived have been all about the tahini lately.  I have been finding ways to put it on everything and I have not been disappointed.  Most of us only know tahini as an ingredient in hummus.  It helps give it that nice creamy, earthy flavor.  While hummus is delicious, tahini deserves to be more than just an ingredient in a popular dip.

It is awesome in baked goods, drizzled over pancakes or roasted plantains, and it turns any homemade dressing into creamy delicious lick the bottom of the bowl good.  The fact that it turns things creamy is one of my favorite things.

I like creamy, creamy is good, but sadly people only associate creamy with cheese or other dairy products.    I’m going to change your mind one tahini filled recipe at a time. Tahini BBQ Summer Vegetable Bake | Life Healthfully Lived

This one is really easy to make and is a great way to use up the surplus of zucchini and other summer vegetables I’m sure are crowding your fridge.  I also like this one because it can be made the night before and then just popped into the oven and it’s done.  That’s actually what I did when I made this last weekend and it worked beautifully.

The sauce I made for this vegetable bake would also be awesome as a dip or slathered on wings or ribs or burgers or a spoon…. You get the idea.  Go grab all the summer vegetables you have, whip up this sauce, and throw together this yummy dish!

Tahini BBQ Summer Vegetable Bake

Tahini BBQ Summer Vegetable Bake | Life Healthfully Lived

Tahini BBQ Sauce-

  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2 tbsp homemade ketchup (or the best you can find/afford at the store)
  • 1 tsp molasses
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika (make sure it’s smoked)
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth and well combined

Vegetable Bake-

  • 1 batch of tahini BBQ sauce
  • 1 zucchini, sliced and diced
  • 1 summer squash, sliced and diced
  • 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1 cup red onion, diced
  • 1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans (or whatever bean you have on hand)
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper
  1. If you want/have the time, roast the zucchini and summer squash.  You don’t have to, but it adds a nice flavor to the dish.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and salt and pepper and roast at 400 for 15 minutes.
  2. Remove the zucchini and squash, turn the oven to 375 and place the roasted vegetables into a large bowl.
  3. Add the corn, onion, garbanzo beans, and stir everything to combine.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and salt and pepper and stir again.
  4. Add in all the tahini BBQ sauce and stir everything making sure the sauce is coating all of the vegetables and beans.
  5. Transfer everything to a large casserole dish.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Take off the aluminum foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and let it cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Tahini BBQ Summer Vegetable Bake | Life Healthfully Lived