Frosted Pumpkin “Blondies”

October 31, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I’m really making myself a hypocrite by saying I’m not a baker and then giving you two dessert recipes in a row. Oh well, I think you’ll forgive me once you try these! My biggest struggle with this recipe was what to call it. They have the texture of a fudgy brownie, but don’t have any chocolate. It’s a lot thinner than a brownie or blondie, but it’s not really a bread either. What I do know is that they taste like fall and the frosting adds a nice creamy/salty touch to the sweetness of the blondie. You can also make these into mini muffins which are great to share at your Halloween party or make a batch for me for my birthday!

Frosted Pumpkin “Blondies”

For the blondies

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp ground flaxseed (buy whole flax seeds and grind them at home)
4 tbsp water
3 tbsp brown rice flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

For the frosting

1 can full fat coconut milk, refrigerated (do NOT shake the can, just put it in the fridge)
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp molasses
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix 2 tbsp flaxseed and 4 tbsp water in a little bowl and place in the fridge while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

2. In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together. In a separate bowl, mix the pumpkin, maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla extract.

3. Add the dry to the wet and mix well. Once everything is combined, add in the flaxseed mixture and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased 9×9 pan or mini muffin tin and place in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove and let cool on a rack for at least 5 minutes.

4. While the blondie is baking make your frosting. Take your can of coconut milk and open it from the BOTTOM and scoop out only the solid parts. Add the rest of the frosting ingredients to the coconut cream and either with an immersion or hand blender, blend all the ingredients until smooth and fluffy. It will be a little runny, but just place the frosting in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to firm up.

5. Once the blondies are completely cool spread a decent amount of frosting on top. Cut into slices and enjoy!

Keep the leftovers, if there are any, in the refrigerator. I really like the combination of the salty/sweet frosting and the spicy fall-like flavor of the blondie. It’s a great treat for your Halloween party or even for Thanksgiving. I hope you have a spooktacular Halloween and an excellent weekend. Now I’m going to go enjoy these pumpkin blondies and my birthday!

Date and Almond Sauce

October 10, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I have been testing out a few new recipes for another project that I’m working on (details later), which means that I have 3 batches of different healthy frostings sitting around my kitchen. This has been a good thing for Adam because he gets to eat and try all the things that I have been testing, but I still haven’t totally nailed down what I am looking for. Don’t worry I’m close, and along the way I have made a really great sauce that can be used for a multitude of things. I don’t usually post sweet recipes here, but I want to make sure I have a good variety for whatever culinary mood you’re in. And yes, there is sour cream in this recipe. Trust me on this one. After the recipe, I’ll give you some ways to use this tasty sauce!

Date and Almond Sauce

6 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2 tsp molasses
1 tbsp sour cream*
1 tbsp smooth almond butter

* I use a dairy-free, homemade version of sour cream but you can use whatever you normally have on hand. You can also use greek yogurt if you would prefer.

1. Soak the pitted and chopped dates in warm water for about 15 minutes. Drain the water, reserving a few tablespoons. Add the dates and the rest of the ingredients to a food processor or blender. Process until you have a smooth sauce, adding some of the reserved water to reach the consistency you want.

You can use this sauce right away, but I like it a little better after it has been in the fridge for a few hours. You can use this sauce in oatmeal, smoothies, ice cream, yogurt, spread on bread, muffins, cookies, or if you’re totally wild you can just eat it with a spoon. Get creative and see what else this sauce tastes delicious on! I hope you have a great Friday and an awesome weekend!

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.

Coconut Cashew Sauce

August 22, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I really love sauces. They can take any meal from ho-hum to totally yum. They are also a simple way to add healthy flavor to your dishes. As much as I love sauce, my husband loves noodles. Any dish that has some type of noodle or pasta is a winner with him. So when I made this sauce and decided to use it in a stir fry AND add noodles, he was in heaven. I’m pretty sure his exact words were, “The rest of this is just for me, right?” While he was kind enough to share the rest of the food with me, I don’t know if he’ll let me have any more when I make it again!

Coconut Cashew Sauce

1/3 cup cashew butter
1/4 cup liquid aminos (soy sauce or coconut aminos would work also)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
about 1 to 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 tsp chinese five spice (can be found in most grocery stores in the ethnic food aisle)
1/4 cup full fat canned coconut milk
chopped cashews, optional for garnish/texture

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except coconut milk and chopped cashews. Once everything is well combined add in coconut milk and stir together.

2. Let sauce sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together. Remove from fridge and let it come to room temperature before you use. If using, stir in the chopped cashews right before using the sauce.

Now, you don’t HAVE to let the sauce sit, but it really does help the flavor to develop. I love the creaminess that both the cashew butter and the coconut milk add, plus I love how easy it is to make! My husband will tell you this is amazing with noodles, but it would also work well on top of grilled chicken or pork and it tastes really good over vegetable stir fry. So go get saucy and try this yummy coconut cashew sauce!

How To Repurpose Leftovers

August 20, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I am a big believer in leftovers. I think that they play a big role in eating good, healthy meals all week long, as well as helping keep food costs down. I only cook for two people, but I tend to cook like there are four of us and make extras to have for lunches throughout the week. One thing that I have noticed though is that people tend to get bored of eating the same thing over and over again. If you get bored with having the same food, you might be more likely to switch back to your unhealthy eating habits. Because we don’t want that, I wanted to share just a few ways that you can repurpose your leftovers and make a whole different meal with just a few minor adjustments.

Meats

This might be one of the easiest things to turn into a different meal. Summer time is the perfect time to pull out the grill and BBQ some meat. When you do this, make sure to throw a few extra pieces of whatever you’re making onto the grill. Now you have some extra meat to turn into lunches or dinners for the week.

Shred chicken or pork and make a stir fry by adding it to some vegetables, brown rice, and soy sauce.
Slice up steak or chicken and add to a salad
Use fish to make some simple fish tacos. Just add some salsa or corn, cilantro, and squeeze a little lime juice over everything
Make a chicken salad with shredded chicken, celery, avocado and mustard
Add any kind of meat to a frittata

Vegetables

If you do your meal prep over the weekend, make sure that you cook up some extra vegetables however you like. Grill, roast, or saute them and you can use them for meals throughout the week. Summer time also means the garden is full and your farmers market is in full swing, so you might be loaded up with extra vegetables. Here are some ways you can repurpose your vegetables for leftovers.

Roasted root vegetables, like sweet potatoes or parsnips, can be added to salads or cooked grains for a simple lunch
Root vegetables are also really good pureed into soup or a sauce for pasta. Add almond milk (or whatever milk you like) for an extra creamy texture
Grilled eggplant can be made into a simple baba ganush
Grilled zucchini or summer squash can be added to tomato sauce for extra texture and flavor
Cooked vegetables can be added to stir frys, soups, frittatas, or sandwiches
If you have an overabundance of cooked vegetables, you can also freeze them to be used later

Grains

Grains are a great thing to cook in big batches and then just add to meals throughout the week.

Grains make a really good bed for stir fry, vegetables with sauce, or cooked meat
Add your favorite grain to a leafy salad for a new variation
Leftover pasta? Use it up by making cold pasta salad. Toss your favorite pasta with some olive oil, seasonings, and vegetables like cherry tomatoes or avocados for a delicious summer meal
Try adding cooked grains to your lettuce wrap for extra texture and oomph

Fruit

Fruit is also pretty abundant this time of year and you can make it into a few different meals throughout the week.

Use leftover fruit salad as a cereal, granola, or yogurt topper for breakfast
Freeze leftover fruit and use in smoothies or added to water for extra flavor
Make a quick toast topping by mashing up leftover berries and adding a little honey/cinnamon
Turn frozen leftover fruit into sorbets by blending them in a high powered blender or food processor

There are a ton of ways that you can vary your leftovers so that you don’t eat the exact same meal every single day of the week. With just a little bit of prep work, you can have the makings of a healthy and new meal each day. Get creative and see what you can make out of the meals in your fridge!