How To Stock Your Kitchen

October 8, 2014 / ktbuchs87

For some of you, eating healthier is a whole new ball game. You’ve never done it before and now you’re wondering what to buy at the grocery store and what to keep on hand in your kitchen. You were used to shopping and eating one way and now that needs to change. You can’t continue buying junk food and expect to lose weight or be healthy. But what do you buy? What are things that “healthy” people fill their pantries and fridges with? I am going to share four simple things that I always keep around and are easy to incorporate into meals for healthy dishes.

Fruits and Vegetables

Let’s just start with the obvious one and get it out of the way. Yes, I always have fruits and vegetables in my kitchen. For the most part I buy what’s in season because it’s cheaper and tastes better, but I also buy carrots, bananas, frozen vegetables, and potatoes year round. If you want to eat better, start adding more of these foods into your meals. Your mother was right, eat your vegetables because they’re good for you!

Grains and Beans

At the moment I have a variety of beans, including chickpeas, pinto, black-eyed peas, and split peas, on my shelf. I also have two kinds of oatmeal, millet, quinoa, brown rice, pasta, popcorn, and polenta. All of these are great add ins to many meals as well as a food foundation to top with sauces, vegetables, meat, and more. Most of the grains that I keep on hand are very easy and quick to cook so they can be made for a tasty week night meal. I like the taste and texture of dried beans better than canned, but they do take longer to prepare because you have to soak them to cook them. If you don’t have the time to do that, there are plenty of good brands of canned beans. Just make sure to read the ingredient list and rinse them well before you use them. The other reason that I like having a plethora of beans and grains on hand is that they are cheap. I buy all of these things from the bulk bins at Whole Foods and most are less than $2 a pound. If you don’t have a store with a bulk section these foods are still cheap. You can get a one pound bag of lentils or brown rice for .99 cents! That is some good and cheap eats.

Canned Goods

I always have at least one can of tomato paste, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes on my pantry shelf. These can be used for stews, soups, sauces, toppings for meatloaf, salsa, or anything else that you can think of for tomatoes. I buy the no sodium added kind and make sure that there is nothing but tomatoes on the ingredient list. These are also pretty cheap because I buy the store brand at Jewel. One other canned good that I usually have on hand is full fat coconut milk and pumpkin. Again these can be used in so many dishes, from sweet to savory and can be found for fairly cheap prices if you look around.

Herbs and Spices

I have a huge herb and spice collection and it is bound to get bigger. I love making my own blends, like taco seasoning, and trying out new flavors in dishes. Herbs and spices are a very important part of my cooking because they help take food to the next level. Many people complain that healthy food is bland and boring, but it doesn’t have to be if you have a handful of spices around. Try classics like oregano and basil, or branch out with spices like curry or garam masala or berbere or harissa. Experiment with different flavors and find ones that you like the best and kick up your meals a notch. I’m fortunate to live in Chicago near The Spice House and buy most of my seasonings there, but Whole Foods sells theirs in bulk as well and many grocery stores have a large and good selection. As with any food though make sure you read the labels because some companies add in chemicals to keep the spices from clumping in transit.

There you have it. Four staples of the Dawson household. I use these things on a daily basis to create healthy meals and they are a good starting point for stocking a healthy kitchen. Of course I have more than just this food in my house, but I would say that most meals that I make are based on or incorporate these foods. Don’t feel overwhelmed if you are just starting out. Build your healthy kitchen slowly and find things that you enjoy and will use regularly. There is no wrong way to create your own healthy stock of food!

How To Rest

October 1, 2014 / ktbuchs87

How many of you feel like you are constantly on the go? From work to deadlines to extracurricular activities to whatever else you have going on in your life, it can sometimes feel like you never stop. All that action without pause can tire you out and start to wear down your body as well as your health. In the fitness realm, rest days are just as important as working out. Rest days allow the muscles you’ve worked to heal and recover so that you can become stronger and better. I think that is a great concept that needs to carry over into regular life. If you never take time to stop and recover, you won’t have as much energy to give to other aspects of your day. It can be tough to slow down if you’re always used to moving fast, so here are a few ways that you can help yourself rest.

Unplug

This is one of the biggest, and toughest, ways to rest. If you’re anything like me, you are constantly plugged into your phone/computer/tablet/whatever electronic at all times. Your email is only a click away, people know they can call you whenever because your phone is always nearby, you’re constantly updating your status/tweets/photo, you even have gotten rid of your alarm clock because it’s all on your phone. While it’s great that you can do all these things from the palm of your hand, it can be draining to always be on. I know we can’t totally give up social media, we can try to lessen time spent on it. I’ve started to limit my phone/computer use on the weekends. At first it was a little tough, but after a few weekends without always being on my iphone, I realized how recharged I felt. Try giving yourself a one hour break from all social media/electronic devices. Enjoy some face to face time with your friends or read a book (a real one, with pages and everything). Your emails, tweets, and Instagram will all be there when you get back.

Pencil It In

Actually schedule some rest time into your day. Maybe you have a few extra minutes in the morning that you can spend alone preparing for your day. Or take some time right before bed to relax and unwind. It doesn’t have to be hours and hours of time, even a 10 minute chunk of time can be enough to help you feel rested. If you make the effort to really schedule some down time into your day, you are more likely to stick to it.

Do What You Like

When you do have a little time to rest, do things that you enjoy and find relaxing. Not everyone wants to sit down and read a good book for a half an hour. You might like to light candles and do yoga while others find it calming to go for a walk around their neighborhood. There is no wrong way to take a break as long as you actually take a break. Try different things like bubble baths, meditation, listening to music, or just sitting by yourself. Find what works for you and helps you to feel recharged.

Don’t Feel Guilty

This was and still is a tough one for me. I always felt guilty whenever I would take a little break. I felt like I needed to be doing something productive or else I was just wasting time and being lazy. I would rather run around all day checking off my to do list than take some me time for just five minutes. Then I started to think of taking a break as being productive rather than lazy. If I took just a little time each day to recharge then I was more able to tackle my to do list. Don’t feel bad for having a little bit of me time each day. In the end it is better to take a little rest than run yourself ragged.

If you find yourself exhausted and ready to drop by the end of each day, try taking just a few minutes to rest. I know it may seem silly and like a waste of time, but trust me, it’s worth it. Giving your body and mind a short break can help your overall health and that is always a good thing!

How To Eat Well, Quickly

September 24, 2014 / ktbuchs87

There seems to be this notion that in order to eat well you have spend a lot of time in the kitchen. People associate healthy food with an elaborately planned and executed meal, but I am here to tell you that doesn’t have to be the case. Sure, you can spend a lot of time preparing a wonderfully delicious and healthy meal and on the weekends I myself like to spend some extra time in the kitchen. But 90% of the time, I want to get a meal on the table in under an hour. Most of you probably have busy lives with jobs, kids, spouses, and a million other activities going on. You don’t really have time to be spending over an hour getting dinner ready every night. Meal prepping can be a huge help in this area and I have talked about it many times before. But sometimes you are left trying to get healthy food on the table in a hurry with no planned or prepped meals at hand. Rather than reach for the take out menu or head to your nearest fast food joint, I have some items that you can keep on hand to whip up a healthy meal in no time.

Pasta

Keep a box of your favorite pasta in your pantry and you will always have a quick meal at hand. I like to keep brown rice pasta or corn pasta well stocked at all times (sidenote: I get my pasta from Aldi. It is under $2, gluten free, and has an ingredient list of one. It’s awesome). You can keep it simple and make your traditional pasta and tomato sauce or you can get creative and try making your own sauce out of pesto or avocado or even salsa. Pasta is a great canvas for adding things like roasted vegetables, beans, or eat and it’s a great thing to help tie together a meal of odds and ends you may have hanging out in the fridge. Make sure to read the label of your pasta and know what’s in it. There are a ton of different kinds out there, so whether you’re gluten free or looking for a heart healthy version you’re bound to find pasta that works for you.

Beans

Beans are just as versatile as pasta and can be even cheaper. I have a variety of dried beans like chickpeas, black beans, and cannellini beans that I keep on hand at all times. You do have to think a little bit ahead with dried beans because they need to be soaked and then cooked. If you don’t have the time for that though, you can stock your shelves with canned beans. Make sure that the only ingredients are beans and water and that you drain and rinse the beans before you use them. Beans can pretty much be added to any dish. Try them in soups or stews, in stir frys, on top of salads or pasta. You can saute them with some leafy greens like collard or kale. Or mash them up and puree them for a dip or spread for breads and crackers. Beans add protein and fiber to any meal and are quick and cheap. All wins in my book.

Eggs

I always have eggs in my fridge because they are delicious and cheap. There are so many different meals that you can make with eggs and they aren’t just for breakfast, although breakfast for dinner is awesome as well as quick. Try a frittata or an omelette for dinner and add in your favorite vegetables and seasonings. Poached eggs are simple and go pretty much on top of anything from pasta to vegetables to salad to soup. Seriously, put eggs on anything and it is an awesome meal.

Frozen Fruit & Vegetables

At any given time I have at least 4 bags of frozen vegetables in my freezer along with a bag of frozen bananas. The bananas get turned into tasty desserts, but the vegetables are great when I need a quick side dish or need to up the vegetable intake of any dish. Some people think that frozen isn’t as healthy as fresh but that just isn’t true and frozen vegetables can save you a lot of time at dinner. They work great in stir fry or added to grains and pasta. I know at my grocery store you can buy big 5 pound bags of vegetables. This saves money and you can just portion out what you need for that meal and put the rest back in the fridge. It’s also a nice way to get a variety of vegetables no matter what season you’re in.

Potatoes

Ah the humble potato. Most of the time people only think of potatoes in the form of french fries, but they are a really versatile food. You can bake them, roast them, boil them, mash them, put them in a stew (Lord of the Rings reference anyone? Yup, I’m a nerd). Try making a baked potato and then loading it up with things like beans or vegetables or salsa or leftover meat. Now you have a quick and delicious dinner in less than 30 minutes. And don’t just limit yourself to russet potatoes, try sweet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or red potatoes. There are so many different kinds and you can put them in anything.

Soup and Salad

Olive Garden has it right with making a meal out of soup and salad (and breadsticks, but we won’t go there). Yes, there are a few good brands of canned soup out there, but most of the time they are loaded with sodium and unpronounceable ingredients. It’s really easy to make your own soup and a lot healthier too. Start with sauteing whatever vegetables you have on hand (onions, garlic, carrots, celery, parsnips, leeks are all good), then add in water or vegetable/chicken broth and seasonings, next try adding things like beans, cooked meat, brown rice/quinoa/millet, or potatoes. Simmer everything for about 15 minutes and if you want stir in some leafy greens, like kale, at the very end. Simple soup and all in one pot. Salads are another great meal, all you need is some cut and washed greens and toppings. Again, beans, meat, more vegetables, nuts/seeds, dried fruit, hard boiled eggs, are all great things to add to your salad. And if you really don’t have time to cut up your own lettuce, just grab a bag of pre-cut lettuce at the store. Just don’t pour a huge amount of store bought dressing all over your delicious, healthy salad. Try making your own with any of these recipes.

Good food doesn’t have to take a long time or a lot of brain power. All the things I listed here are things that I usually have on hand and can be thrown together quickly. So don’t panic if it’s dinner time and you realize you have no idea what to put on the table. If you keep a few of these items in your kitchen, you’re never far away from a tasty and wholesome meal.

How To Start Cooking

September 17, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I am a big supporter of making your own meals. There is no better way to know exactly what you put into your body than to make a meal yourself. The home cook is starting to make a slow comeback. Things like food network and celebrity chefs, have helped make it “cool” to get back in the kitchen. I’m all for this, no matter what your reasoning to cook might be. Some of you though still avoid the kitchen like the plague because you just can’t cook. No matter how many times you try, you just can’t get a meal together. You never learned how to cook or you just never had any interest. But I am here to tell you, if you have decided to eat healthier, you’re going to have to learn how to cook. The good news is that it really isn’t that difficult. I’m going to give you a few tips on how to feel confident in the kitchen and put together some simple, tasty, and healthy meals all on your own.

Start Simple

You don’t have to be able to make elaborate dishes. You don’t have to spend hours performing complicated cooking techniques to put a meal on the table. Start with very basic meals. Things like dried pasta, grains, salads, and baked chicken are all very easy to make and very healthy. Try spaghetti and tomato sauce. All you have to do is boil some water and cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. For the sauce, all you need is a can of tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, and some simple seasonings like oregano, basil, garlic, and salt and pepper. Heat that in a small saucepan until it bubbles and voila, you have a super easy meal that even a beginner cook can handle. The slow cooker is also the new cook’s best friend. It is easy to add the right ingredients and then let your slow cooker do the rest. It’s hard to mess up and you usually end up with a delicious meal. By choosing meals like this, you can start to build your recipe repertoire and start to feel more at ease in the kitchen. Once you get a handle on these simple meals you can start to expand to more complicated ones or start to play with different flavors and ingredients.

Watch Food Network

Watch any cooking show really. Many of the things I have learned how to cook, I have watched on cooking shows. One of my favorite shows is Alton Brown’s Good Eats. Each episode focuses on one ingredient or technique and then goes into simple ways on how to prepare that food. Alton really does a great job teaching the average Joe how to master some really simple dishes. If you don’t have cable, you can find a lot of cooking shows on YouTube or Netflix or Hulu. Find a show that you can watch and take some notes from the pros on how to cook some really delicious food.

Talk To Other Cooks

You don’t have to start going around to restaurants and bugging the chefs for their secret recipes, but start talking to other people who cook a lot. Start with people in your family who tend to be the ones preparing the meals, whether it’s your mom, grandma, uncle, or cousin. Ask them what they like to cook and how they do it. Watch them prepare a meal and ask to give them a hand. Not only will they most likely appreciate the help, you can learn a TON from watching others cook this way. Almost all of the basic cooking skills I have are from watching my mom make dinner for our family. She wasn’t a 5-star restaurant chef, just a mom who wanted to feed her family well. She stuck with simple ingredients and meals that she knew we would like and to this day her food gives me comfort. Being around other people who cook can help you with your own kitchen adventures, so start talking!

Don’t Be Afraid To Mess Up

If you have never really cooked before, chances are you’re going to have a few mishaps in the kitchen. That is totally fine and most home cooks will tell you they have had their fair share of whoops moments. But it’s good to have those mistakes because then you know next time what not to do. Sometimes, you’re just going to make a meal that is totally inedible. That’s ok! Don’t give up after one bad meal. Keep trying and soon you will be able to avoid most of those missteps. Although, every once and awhile you will do something silly like try to steam vegetables without any water and wonder why your pot of broccoli is smoking. I swear I have never done THAT before….

Read Recipes

I know that I am probably a little bit of a weirdo, but I read cookbooks like they are novels. Sometimes there are tips and tricks written in the description of the dish that most of us skim over. By reading the whole thing, you might learn how to better prepare the meal. Take the time to read everything that goes along with the recipe and get everything you can out of it.

Don’t be intimidated by the kitchen, no one is expecting you to be the next Iron Chef. Getting some basic techniques down like cooking grains & meat, or roasting vegetables can be enough to get you started cooking your own healthy meals. Many of the recipes that I post here on the blog are simple enough for a beginner to handle and offer a lot of wiggle room for learning. Give any one of them a try and start getting more confident with your cooking!

How To Stay Hydrated

September 10, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Water is important. Not to be Captain Obvious here, but without water you and your body do not function. Your body needs an adequate supply of water to carry out it’s everyday normal functions. Water helps move your blood through your system, which in turn helps your organs function, which then make you function. Water helps you perform at your best, not just with normal things like breathing but also with tougher things such as exercising. Being dehydrated even just 1% decreases your performance by 5%. Water also helps to keep your metabolism going, your skin glowing, your hair shiny, and your appetite in check. Just to make things even tougher, you’re constantly losing water. Not just through sweat, but even things like exhaling cause you to lose water. So you NEED to make sure you’re replacing all that water loss.

Summer time is usually when we really keep tabs on our hydration. Nothing like 90 degree weather to help remind you to drink water. But as we start to enter into fall and the colder months you still need to keep tabs on your hydration, maybe even more so than in the summer. During the winter (I know, I know, you don’t want to even be thinking about winter, but it’s coming) it is so easy to forget to drink water throughout the day. You’re not sweating profusely, the sun isn’t blazing down on you, and let’s face it, snuggling in front of the fireplace with a big glass of water doesn’t sound too cozy. But the colder months tend to be drier which can suck moisture out of your body. And because your body needs all that water, you have to make sure you replace it.

If you find it hard to get enough water into your day, or you need some ideas on how to make water a little more fun (it can be a little boring sometimes), here are a few tips to help keep you hydrated and healthy!

Carry a refillable water bottle with you all the time. If you have water with you at all times it makes it easier to remember to drink water throughout the day
Find a fun water bottle. It might sound silly, but having a cool or new water bottle might make you drink more water. A while back I bought this camelbak water bottle and the straw was so cool that I found myself downing about three full bottles a day. While I didn’t enjoy running to the bathroom every 2 minutes, I did get adequate water intake!
Add fruit. If you’re one of those people who hates the taste of water or thinks it’s so boring, try adding some fruit. Think beyond lemon or lime and try fresh berries, watermelon, or even things like mint leaves. Having a little natural flavor can help you to drink more water
Try some ice. For me, the idea of a room temperature glass of water is not appealing. Adding ice cubes to your water can help make it more palatable, plus ice cold water may rev up your metabolism and help burn more calories.
Eat high water content foods. While you still need to make sure you are drinking water, you can also eat your water. Foods that have a high water content can help to contribute to your overall water intake. Eat things like celery, lettuce, leafy greens, or melons (especially watermelon!) to help your water.
Set a schedule. If you’re really busy throughout the day and just forget to drink water, set a reminder on your phone to have a glass or so every hour. Or you could do this and make sure that you’re drinking a certain amount by certain times during the day.

Making sure that you get enough water is a really important part of being healthy. The rule for a long time has been eight 8 oz glasses a day, but don’t focus on a certain number of glasses or ounces. As long as you drink water throughout the day, you should be properly hydrated. If you workout, make sure you replace the extra water lost through sweating. Unless you’re an Olympic athlete, just stick with plain water. You don’t need any fancy rehydration drink full of vitamins and electrolytes. A healthy and balanced diet along with enough regular water will help you function just fine! Long story short, go drink some water!