Butternut Mushroom Risotto

February 20, 2015 / ktbuchs87

The first time that I made risotto did not go well. I found a recipe online and did everything that it said. What I was left with was watery and still slightly crunchy. This was not the “creamy” risotto I had heard so much about. I pushed the recipe to the bottom of my stack and went on my merry risotto-less way.

Flash forward a few years and I decided to try it again. This time went much better and I ended up with a tasty and comforting dish. The only problem was that it took quite some time to get the risotto ready. Now I don’t mind recipes that take a lot of time, usually on the weekends I specifically choose meals that will take a few hours because I like cooking. What I don’t like are recipes that take a long time and are kind of boring. If you’ve ever made risotto you know that it takes a lot of stirring. A LOT of stirring. While I liked the taste and texture of risotto I did not like the process of making it.

Join me in the present and I have found a way to make risotto that isn’t totally boring. The slow cooker. How I didn’t think of this idea before I have no idea because I am in love with my slow cooker! This recipe has all the deliciousness of risotto with about half of the stirring. That is a wonderful thing!

Butternut Mushroom Risotto

1 tbsp roasted garlic or 3 to 4 cloves minced
2 leeks, dark green parts trimmed off and white parts sliced thin (save the stalks to make homemade broth!)
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz package of mushrooms, sliced (you can use any variety like button or cremini)
3/4 cup white wine or vegetable broth
2 cups short grain brown rice
1 tsp salt
5 cups vegetable broths
2 tsp marjoram
1 tsp parsley
1 cup pureed butternut squash

1. In a large pan heat a little olive oil and saute the leeks, onions, garlic, and mushrooms. You want the mushrooms to reduce in size and the leeks and onions to have a little brown around the edges. Place all the vegetables into your slow cooker.

2. Using the same pan, add in the 3/4 cup of white wine or broth and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom.

3. Add the 2 cups of brown rice to the pan and cook over medium high heat until all the liquid is absorbed. Constantly stir the rice. This should take about 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Add the rice, 5 cups of broth, marjoram, parsley, and salt to the slow cooker with the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours.

5. The risotto is done once all the liquid has been absorbed. At the end of the cook time stir in the pureed butternut squash. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

I made this last weekend and it was awesome. It’s a really comforting meal and with the ridiculously cold weather coming this weekend this is the perfect dish to warm up with. It also takes minimal effort and yields a creamy rich risotto. This is also a good recipe to make a big batch of so you have leftovers for lunch for the work week.

Have a great weekend and make sure that you stay warm!

Keep It Simple Series: Oatmeal

February 18, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I have another video for you today and it’s all about oatmeal! This is one of my favorite grains and I have started adding it as a part of my breakfast every morning. It is such a versatile grain that you can prepare in so many different ways. I give you two different ways to make oatmeal in the video, so go check it out!

Here are the nutrition profiles of each oatmeal that I talked about in the video:

NOTE: In the video I say you need 2 cups of broth/water for the savory oatmeal when you need 3. Also make sure you lower the heat to low once you cover it. Sorry if there were any oatmeal mishaps because of that!

Cherry Pumpkin Seed Bars

February 13, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Yay Friday! While I like most Friday’s this one is even better because my husband, Adam, is finally coming home after a 4 week business trip. Yeah, that’s a whole month. It has been a long 4 weeks and I can’t wait to see him! Plus I haven’t cooked for one person in a really long time and have a plethora of food stocked up for him to eat. He might be more excited about that….

I have a snack recipe for you this week. Snacking makes up a large portion of a lot of people’s diets and unfortunately those snacks aren’t the healthiest part of the day. It’s so easy to grab chips from the vending machine or down 3 of those 100-calorie packaged snacks. But there is good news! You don’t have to relegate yourself to eating unhealthy snacks. With just a little planning you can make your own healthy and delicious snacks.

When I was traveling a few weekends ago I picked up a Kit’s Organics Fruit + Seed Bar. If I do buy snacks instead of making them (it happens every once in awhile) I like to make sure that there are no weird ingredients. I got the cherry and pumpkin seed bar and it was delicious. I decided to try and make my own version of this bar so I could enjoy it without having to pay almost two dollars per bar. I like the tartness of the cherries and the subtle crunch of the pumpkin seeds. These are quick to put together and will make enough to have for the whole week!

Cherry and Pumpkin Seed Bar

makes 5-6 bars depending how big you cut the bars

1 cup chopped and pitted dates
1/2 cup dried cherries (make sure there is no extra sugar added. It should be just cherries)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp almond meal (you can roughly chop up a few almonds to get the almond meal)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

1. In a blender, blend the chopped dates until a ball forms. Scrape down the sides and add in the cherries. Blend again until the cherries are incorporated.

2. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend until everything is combined.

3. In a small glass baking dish (8×8 or 9×9 works well) press the date/cherry mixture down with a spatula. If it is really sticky you can wet the spatula.

4. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then remove and cut into bars.

There you go! This snack comes together really quickly which is great because now you have delicious snacks on hand when you get hungry! You could also roll these into little balls and then roll them in a little cocoa powder for a chocolate cherry dessert! Either way, enjoy your new healthy snacks!

Have a great Friday and Happy Valentines Day a little early!

Keep It Simple Series: Eat Your Vegetables!

February 11, 2015 / ktbuchs87

How many times have you heard, “Eat your vegetables”? Probably numerous times. Vegetables are some of the best foods you can eat in a healthy diet, but it can seem like a daunting task to get in more servings. In today’s video I show you two simple ways to prepare vegetables to make them taste amazing and to get in more servings. Check it out!

What other ways do you like to eat vegetables? Are there other foods you have a tough time eating enough?

Chai Green Tea Granola

February 6, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I love cereal. When I was younger, it was breakfast every single morning. I loved the crunch of the cereal mixed with icy cold milk. If I was hungry for a snack I would have some cereal. If I was feeling lazy, cereal became an easy lunch or dinner. Saturday mornings were full of cartoons and sugary cereal. And despite the fact that my mom made the rule of only one bowl of “junk” cereal on Saturday’s, my sister and I definitely had more than one. Sorry mom.

Once I started eating better, I dropped boxed cereal. Most cereal is full of sugar and other not so pleasant ingredients, even the so-called “healthy” ones. There are a few good cereals out there, but they are few and far between as well as very expensive. I decided that I could make my own cereal for half the cost and less ingredients.

Mission accomplished. I love this cereal and it hits the spot when I am craving the crunchy goodness of cereal and milk. It is also a great topping for oatmeal or just grab a handful as a snack! It isn’t overly sweet, but the chai seasonings make this granola full of flavor. You probably have most of these ingredients on hand, so make some delicious granola!

Chai Green Tea Granola

2 cups thick rolled oats (gluten free if necessary)
1/4 cup buckwheat groats
1/4 cup quinoa (uncooked)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (you can use raw, I just happened to have roasted on hand)
2 tbsp hemp seeds
3 chai green tea bags
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup maple syrup (you can also use honey)
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

1. Preheat oven to 250. In a large bowl mix all of the dry ingredients, not including the tea and cinnamon.

2. In a smaller bowl mix together all the wet ingredients. Cut open the tea bags and add into the wet mix. Add in the cinnamon and whisk everything together until completely combined.

3. Pour the wet mix over the dry mix and stir everything to coat it well. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Spread the granola out on the baking sheet in a single layer.

4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Take out the granola and stir. Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. If the granola is still a little wet, bake for another 5 minutes.

5. Take out of the oven and place the baking sheet on a wire rack to dry. Once fully cooled place in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

There you go! Granola that isn’t full of a ton of sugar or unpronounceable ingredients or a small fortune. I like to eat this with almond milk as well as sprinkled on top of cooked steel cut oats. It doesn’t last long around here, so make sure that you have plenty to go around!