Mexican Shepherd’s Pie & TV Talk

July 10, 2015July 10, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Friday’s have always been for recipes. I like coming up with new and creative ways to make food not only healthy but tasty too. Healthy food doesn’t have to be boring and I have a whole page of recipes to prove it. Friday’s are still going to be for recipes, but they are also going to be for something else.

TV and movies.

Yeah, that one probably came out of the blue. Why would a health blog talk about TV or movies? Because I love them and want to talk about them just like everyone else. Plus it’s something fun to add in with a yummy recipe. Even better. Go make my food and then come back and talk about TV while you’re eating it! Best of both worlds!

I work from home and usually have a show on in the background to pretend like I’m not alone with my cats for the majority of the day. Don’t worry it isn’t as sad as it sounds. I tend to be a solitary person and my cats are awesome. Netflix is amazing because I’ve been able to watch shows that I’ve always wanted to watch but never had the time. And no commercials. It’s a dream.

I’ve just started Orange Is The New Black. I know I’m behind but I had other important things to watch, like every single episode of Doctor Who. Twice. Don’t as questions. I don’t know how I feel about the show yet. I know everyone is crazy about it and I’m only 4 episodes in so I don’t have a strong opinion yet. I always give a show a whole season to find their groove before I pass my judgment. Even though I don’t have an opinion yet, I can already tell I’m gonna like Sophia. Girl is fierce. And Dayonara Diaz. Something about her I like.

Have you watched OITNB yet? Do you have other show recommendations for me? Are you only here for the food?

This meal is another one of my Sunday throw all the leftovers in a dish and hope something good comes out at the end dinners. If you have leftover taco fixin’s then you are all set to make this Mexican Shepherd’s Pie. If not you can still easily throw this together and have dinner on the table fast.

Mexican Shepherd’s Pie

2 cups cooked black beans, about 1 can’s worth
1 cup cooked brown rice
3 corn tortillas, torn into bite-size pieces
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup mashed potatoes (you can also use pumpkin or butternut squash puree)
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tsp taco seasoning
2 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 425. In a skillet, saute the sliced peppers and onions over medium-high heat until they are slightly softened. About 7 minutes.
While the onions and peppers are cooking, mix the beans, rice, tortillas, and 2 tablespoons of cilantro in a medium bowl. Add the taco seasoning and salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the peppers and onions and stir.
In a separate bowl, mix the mashed potatoes, tomato paste, the rest of cilantro, and chili powder together. Taste and add salt as needed.
Pour the bean and vegetable mix into a deep pie dish or casserole dish. Spread out evenly. Spread the mashed potato mix on top and make sure all the bean mix is covered.
Cook in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Like I said, if you have taco fixings you can just use those and add whatever else you would like. Use ground beef or turkey, shredded pork or chicken, or add shredded cheese if you want. This can be totally customized to your tastes.

Have a happy Friday and an awesome weekend!!

My Misconceptions About Losing Weight And Being Healthier

July 6, 2015July 6, 2015 / ktbuchs87

When I first decided to get healthier and lose weight, I had a lot of misconceptions about what would happen. I learned through trial and error about what it really means to change your lifestyle. While some lessons took longer to learn than others, all the things I went through helped me get where I am today. I want to share those misconceptions with you so you can learn from my mistakes and maybe not feel so alone on your own journey.

Misconception #1- Losing weight will instantly make me happier

For so long my weight had made me unhappy. I felt uncomfortable in clothes, shy around people, and self-conscious about my appearance. I thought that if I could just lose the weight, I would finally be happy. I was wrong. Yes, losing weight made me feel better and I could wear clothes that I hadn’t been able to before, but my life didn’t instantly become better. That was because I never worked on the mental part of losing weight. I still saw a bigger girl in the mirror and I still felt like I didn’t look the way I should. Just losing weight won’t make your life better or you happier. You have to work through the reasons behind your weight gain and the mental side of losing weight.

Misconception #2- Exercising a lot and eating a little is the only way to lose weight.

You will lose weight if you eat less food and move more, that’s science even if it’s more complex than that. But I went about this the wrong way at the beginning. I was in the mindset that I had to be working out all the time, multiple times a day. I had to eat the bare minimum or else all that hard work would go to waste. This is a horrible way to be healthier because not only is it not a sustainable way of life, you could be hurting your health more than helping it. Exercise isn’t meant to a punishment to your body. It is meant to make it stronger, better, and more capable. It isn’t torture and you shouldn’t hate it. If you do, then maybe you need to find a different form of working out. Food isn’t the enemy. We need it to nourish our bodies and fuel our day. It should taste good and give us pleasure while making us feel amazing. Eating isn’t a necessary evil, it’s a chance to make your health even better. It took me a LONG time to realize these things but once I did, things really turned around.

Misconception #3- My body has to look the same every day to be considered healthy

This was, and sometimes still is, a hard one to get past. My understanding was that those athletes and models that I saw in magazines and online always looked that good. They just walked around with their rippling muscles, taut stomachs, shapely legs, and hair perfectly styled. It seems silly to think about that now, but back then I thought that was true. Your body changes daily. It won’t look the same every single time you look in the mirror. That’s ok and normal. It doesn’t mean you aren’t healthy or that you’re a slob, it means that you’re human. Some days I still struggle with this, but I remind myself that my body is capable of so many things whether I have a six pack or not.

Misconception #4- My cravings for “bad” food will magically disappear

No. Just because you’re eating better doesn’t mean that you won’t crave a big piece of chocolate cake or a huge slice of pizza every now and then. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. Cake and pizza taste good and cravings are a part of life. What has changed for me is that before I just blindly give into my craving I stop and ask myself why. Why do I want that piece of cake? Most often there is something else going on that is making me want that cake. I’ve also learned to satisfy cravings with healthier things.

Losing weight is so much more than just losing weight. Being healthier can come in many different forms and each person has their own unique experience. Even though I had all these misconceptions and issues to work through, my decision to be better was one of the best things I’ve done for myself. I have learned about who I am and what I can accomplish and I have gained a passion for sharing that with others.

So know that if you are just starting this journey, it might be hard and certain things you do might not work, but you’re worth it and you will learn how to make your health better!

Recipe Re-Do: Even Better BBQ Sauce

July 3, 2015July 3, 2015 / ktbuchs87

I was trying to come up with a good 4th of July recipe to give you guys today. I had some really awesome ideas, but they all involved a grill. Sadly, I don’t own a grill and didn’t have access to one in time to make any of my awesome ideas. That’s ok though, I’ll have some great grilled recipes for you later this summer.

In lieu of a grilled recipe, I thought that I would go back and re-visit some of my other BBQ-worthy recipes. I decided that my Quick BBQ Sauce could use a little make over. And what could be more important to a BBQ than the BBQ sauce? Beer, but that is beside the point.

I didn’t change too much to the ingredient list, but I did change the way you make the sauce. It does take a little longer, but it makes the flavor even better. And because it’s easy to double or triple you can whip up a big batch of this sauce for your 4th of July party and put it on everything. Maybe not the beer…

Even Better BBQ Sauce- adapted from my Quick and Delicious BBQ Sauce Recipe

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce, no salt added
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp liquid aminos or tamari sauce
1 1/2 tsp grainy mustard
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Mix well
Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until it has thickened.
Remove the pan from heat and let it cool completely before moving to a jar or squeeze bottle. Keep the sauce in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

DIY Wednesday: Pickles

July 1, 2015July 1, 2015 / ktbuchs87

Let’s talk about pickles for a second. Is there anything more satisfying than the briny crunch of a good dill pickle? Put a pickle on anything and it’s instantly elevated. Sandwiches are good but add a pickle and they become phenomenal. Need a little zip on your burger? Slap on a pickle. You can even make soup out of pickles. It’s better than you would think, trust me. Pickles also come in so many different types. Spicy, sweet, dill, bread and butter, gherkins, kosher…. The list is endless.

I’m sure you know that you can make your own pickles. It’s not that difficult of a process, but for some reason pickling anything causes some people to back away slowly. It seems like a complicated process that can be messed up very easily. It isn’t, but I get it. For the longest time, I shied away from making my own pickles and just bought mine at the store. Unfortunately when I started to read labels, I had the hardest time finding any that didn’t have added sugar, preservatives, or weird ingredients. There were a few out there, but they were few and far between.

So I decided to try and make my own. I looked at a few recipes and came up with my own brine and got to pickling. It was really easy and I was left with some tasty pickles. I’ll share how I made my own brine, but I’m also going to share a little secret. You don’t have to make your own brine to make homemade pickles, you can use a little shortcut. If you have a brand of pickles you usually buy and the ingredients are good, you can just re-use that for your own pickles. All you have to do is cut up your cucumber and add it to the jar. Voila! You have pickles. Easy-peasy!

DIY Pickles

1-2 cucumbers, sliced into spears
3-4 cloves garlic
1 cup vinegar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp dried dill or small bunch of fresh dill
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric

Find a large jar that has a tight seal. Place the cucumber spears and cloves of garlic into the jar and pour in the vinegar.
Add in all the seasonings. Close the jar and then shake to disperse the seasonings throughout. Place the jar into the fridge for about a week to fully pickle the cucumbers.

Isn’t that simple? And it’s even easier if you’re just reusing a store bought jar. You can play with the seasonings and adjust them to your taste. If you want to have a spicy pickle try adding in cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. If you want to try something a little sweeter add in a little honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can also change up which vegetables you use. Try carrots, beets, cauliflower, parsnips, or zucchini. This is a great way to preserve the vegetables you get at the market and it makes for a quick healthy snack.

Have you ever tried making your own pickles?

Health Feature: Meet Jim Kruczinski

June 30, 2015June 30, 2015 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

Hello, everyone! I hope that you had a great weekend and are ready for the week ahead. I got to spend some time with family this past week, helping get ready for a wedding. It was fun and I learned that I am a pasta making master! I’m pretty sure I earned the title Nonna Katie after preparing 70 lbs of pasta. Whew! But it was great to help out and see family and the wedding was beautiful despite the monsoon that was going on outside.

Today I have a new feature for the blog. Each month I am going to be highlighting someone who has totally turned their health around. I talk a lot about being healthier and making good choices here. I think talk is good, but action is the only way you will get the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. I want to show you just what hard work and dedication can get you when you finally make the choice to live healthier. I hope these features will motivate you as well as applaud all the hard work these people have put in!

Our first feature is Jim. Jim and I went to high school together and were in marching band together. We also had chemistry together our sophomore year, but I don’t know if he remembers that! Jim was someone who was always friendly and willing to help. Many a time he bailed me out of a chemistry disaster when he was my lab partner and was always gracious about my science shortfalls. Thanks, Jim!

After high school, we went our separate ways and sort of lost touch, but thanks to Facebook I saw all the things he was up to. Around last year, I was scrolling through my facebook feed and a picture of Jim popped up. I was shocked because he had lost a ton of weight. I started seeing posts of him running numerous races and seeing updates with before and after pictures. It was incredible and I was so impressed with all the hard work he had been doing to turn his life around. Jim was actually the one who inspired me to start this new feature. I contacted him with the idea and he graciously agreed to be the first. I asked him a few questions about how he had turned his health around and his advice to others who were in the same position he was.

What did you weigh before and how much weight have you lost?

When I started my weight loss journey on January 8th, 2014, I weighed 408.5 pounds. In the past year and a half, I have lost approximately 220 pounds.

What made you want to lose weight and be healthier?

I got to a point where I was no longer comfortable in my body. It was getting hard to move around. I had to be careful where I sat especially with stadium or airplane seats.

What also helped me realize I needed help was the constant prodding from my sister. One night she got really angry at me and said “Jim, you don’t care about yourself!” At first I was upset, but eventually I realized that she was right. It was after that confrontation that made me search for the program I got into.

What were the first things you changed when you started out?

I started with being on an all protein shake diet for 10 months while taking nutrition and exercise classes. Please note that this was under supervision by a doctor. I work with a special program at Lutheran General Hospital. It is called Advocate Weight Loss. (http://goo.gl/84EYf6) Also, I got more active by walking more and taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

What did a typical day look like before you started?

I would wake up at 6 am and get ready for work. Next I would head over to a McDonalds on my way to work and order a breakfast burrito meal with a large sweet tea. I would start work, which consists of sitting in front of a computer. I would order lunch at my work’s cafeteria. Then go back to work. After I was done with my day job I would go to McDonalds/Panera for dinner. I would finish my night teaching/tutoring GED students. When I got home I would have a snack and go to bed.

What was your goal when you first started?

I wanted to be under 300 pounds and become more active. I wanted to fit easier into places and be able to shop for clothes at regular retail stores.

How did you change your diet? What does a typical day look like now?

Now I basically pack all my meals at the beginning of the day so I don’t have to go out to eat. I now eat more fruits and vegetables. I eat lean meat such as grilled chicken and turkey. I reduced my consumption of bread and sweets. I don’t drink soda or sweet teas. I primarily drink just water. I try to drink 96-128 oz of water every day.

How did you chart/ follow your progress?

I use the myfitnesspal on my iPhone and I use the FitBit app to track my steps and runs.

What do you do for exercise?

I work on strength training with a personal trainer 1-2 times a week and participate in my gym’s bootcamps, spin classes, and run club every week. I try to run at least a mile every day.

What is your biggest challenge?

At the moment, my biggest challenge is portion control with certain foods such as with cereal.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated?

I look at old photos of myself and think of how far I have come. I also focus on what I need to do to fulfill my current goals.

What are your health goals now?

Increase my muscular strength. Maintain my current weight. I am also currently trying to train up for a half marathon.

Who has been your biggest supporter throughout your weight loss?

My family have been my biggest supporters. They check in on me from time to time and give me encouraging words.

Any advice for those who are just starting out?

Only think about one day at a time. Thinking about how long it will take to get down to your goal weight can be daunting. Also appreciate the little changes, such as losing a pant size or being able to walk an extra 20 minutes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or support. For exercising I suggest getting involved with a workout class. It creates camaraderie with other people and also helps you stay committed to working out.

You can obviously see that Jim has put it in a lot of hard work to get to where he is now. He knew that he didn’t want to stay where he was and started making changes to achieve his goals. I LOVE his advice about taking it one day at a time. Health starts with small simple changes that lead to big results.