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?

Balsamic Cauliflower Bites

February 1, 2015March 19, 2015 / ktbuchs87

There are a ton of different cauliflower “wings” recipes online. From buffalo wings to spicy wings, there are plenty of choices. I wanted to try my hand at these wings and decided to go with a little bit of a sweeter flavor. I ended up with a new favorite meal, especially for Adam!

These are also a GREAT party food, especially for the Super Bowl this weekend. They are a healthier choice than some of the traditional football party foods but no less delicious. I would say these are more reminiscent of Chinese takeout than chicken wings, but that is not a bad thing! Whatever they remind you of, they are really delicious and if you’re anything like my husband you’ll inhale these and ask for more!

Balsamic Cauliflower Bites

Sauce

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp liquid aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
scant 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp salt and pepper

Cauliflower

1 large head of cauliflower
1/2 cup brown rice flour (I tried chickpea flour but it didn’t turn out as crisp)
1/2 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
1 tsp chinese 5 spice powder

1. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and set aside. Preheat oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

2. Cut the cauliflower into bite size florets, removing stems and leaves. Whisk together the brwon rice flour, chinese 5 spice, and almond milk.

3. Place cauliflower in a large bowl and pour batter over them. Toss to make sure all florets are covered.

4. Arrange the cauliflower on the baking sheet in a single layer. Make sure they aren’t too crowded or they will not get crispy. Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are starting to get brown.

5. Remove the cauliflower and place back into the large bowl. Pour balsamic sauce and toss to coat. Pour back onto baking sheet and arrange in a single layer again. It will seem really watery, but that’s fine it will thicken up as it cooks.

6. Bake for another 10 minutes flipping halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before digging in!

I have served these over brown rice noodles as well as brown rice. I have to say I liked it over the rice much better than the noodles. You can serve it over whatever you would like and even sprinkle some sesame seeds over them for a crunchy garnish! Serve these at your Super Bowl party and you will be the talk of the town. Unless of course we have another deflate gate….

Hope you enjoy the game… and the commercials!

Tomato Sauce

January 22, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 2 Comments

This is my go to sauce. I make it large batches so that I have some on hand when I need a tasty and healthy tomato sauce!

Tomato Sauce

1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp basil
1-2 tsp fennel seeds
1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (I use no salt added)
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
vegetable broth or water
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat saute onions until soft and translucent. Add in half your minced garlic and saute another minute.

2. Add in oregano, basil, and fennel and stir to combine. Then add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and stir to combine. Using a potato masher, mash the sauce a little to crush the diced tomato chunks. Depending on how thick or thin you want your sauce add in a little or a lot of broth or water. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your taste

3. Bring the sauce to a boil and lower to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You can either use this right away or cool completely and store in clean jars in your fridge. Enjoy!

Keep It Simple Series: Building Your Healthy Pantry

January 14, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Hello and welcome to the first part in my keep it simple series! Also welcome to my very first video. I won’t lie and say that I’m not nervous about this whole endeavor, but I am excited to add a new dimension to my blog. I hope that is able to connect me better with my readers.

Today’s video is about building up your healthy pantry/freezer. I’ve talked about this before, but I wanted to give everyone a little reminder as well as inform any new readers that I might have. This video is going to be a little longer than the rest of my videos in this series, but I wanted to make sure that I hit all the important parts.

So without further adieu, here is the debut of the Keep It Simple series!

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!