SNOW!! We have snow! It finally feels like Christmas is right around the corner and I’m super pumped!
winter
Merry Christmas!!
I’m going to keep it short and sweet today because you should be spending time with the ones you love and celebrating this wonderful holiday.
Merry Christmas to you and your family from me and my family. I hope you have an amazing day and that you may find peace in your life for this Christmas season.
Healthy Holiday Travel Tips
It’s almost here! Christmas is almost here! I am super excited to celebrate Christmas with my family and take some time to just relax and enjoy the season. While this is the most wonderful time of year, it can quickly become the most stressful time of year. Baking, buying and wrapping presents, going to concerts/programs/pageants, watching all the Christmas movies, planning the big dinner…. It can all add up to a pretty hectic month.
On top of all that, you’re probably going to be doing some kind of traveling this week. Whether it’s a few minutes, hours, or a day away, traveling can take a toll. Plus, being out of your normal routine and in a new place can sometimes put your whole body out of whack.
Traveling and Christmas doesn’t mean you have to throw all of your regular healthy habits out the window. In fact, this is the best time to keep up with your normal routine so that you can enjoy your holiday without feeling crummy.
Here are a few things that you can do to make sure you have the happiest, and healthiest, Christmas season!
Plan Your Food
Traveling is not the time to just wing it when it comes to your food. You wouldn’t show up to the airport without a ticket and hope there was a plane with an open seat just happening to go to your destination. Don’t leave your eating up to chance either!
Plan out a few healthy snacks to bring along with you. Things like fruit, nuts, seeds, hard boiled eggs, and cut up vegetables all make really good portable snacks. You never know if you’re going to be stranded somewhere where the best option for food is the local gas station. If you need a few ideas for some good snacks, check out these homemade ones on my recipe page!
Hydrate Like Crazy
This is really a reminder for me because I am horrible at drinking enough water regularly. I just get so busy doing things and then by the time dinner rolls around, I realize that I have had one glass of water all day. Hydration is important no matter what, but traveling really makes it a priority. Get a reusable water bottle before you leave home and make sure that you are always refilling it. You can set reminders on your phone or download an app to let you know that it’s time to have some more water.
Also, remember that things like fruit, vegetables, and hot tea all count towards your water intake. Just don’t let them totally replace glasses of water throughout the day.
Keep Moving
Yes, the place you’re traveling to this Christmas might not have a gym or your favorite Crossfit class, but that doesn’t mean you should totally give up on exercise. I’m not saying that you have to run a marathon every day of your break, but putting some activity in your day will keep your body, and you, at your best.
Take a walk with a family member. Go sledding with the kids in your family. Cross country ski with friends who are also home on break. Heck, go build a snowman or have a snowball fight. All of these will keep your body in motion and help you feel your best
Be Ready For An Emergency
Of course, you don’t want to have to worry about an emergency while you’re celebrating Christmas, but sometimes things happen. Whether you suddenly spike a fever, have an allergic reaction, or injure yourself in that snowball fight I told you to have (you can totally blame me for that one), things happen. If you are away from home and your doctor, it can be difficult to find the best care.
That’s where Amino comes in. They make finding a doctor in your area super easy and convenient. All you have to do is answer a few questions about your condition or what you are looking for, enter your insurance information and they will match you with the right doctors for your needs. This can be really helpful if you don’t know the area and need medical attention. It’s also good for when you get back home and want to find the perfect doctor in your area. Even better? It’s totally free.
Enjoy It All
Above everything else, enjoy your Christmas. It only comes once a year and most of us are so stressed about getting everything done that we don’t even take the time to slow down and enjoy the holiday. The best thing for your health this time of year is to really enjoy this time of year. Laugh with your family and friends, spend time with your loved ones, celebrate the love that was sent down to us this season, and don’t worry about the last present that needs to be wrapped or the batch of cookies you accidently burned. If you follow just one tip on this list, let it be this one! It will do you the most good.
I hope this helps you out as you get ready for your holiday traveling and make sure to check back here on Wednesday because I’m going to have a few last minute recipes for you to whip up!
Happy Monday before Christmas friends!
Butternut Mushroom Risotto
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!
Baked Chickpea Tofu with Creamy Tomato Sauce
While I don’t eat meat, I don’t really eat that many soy products either. I am a huge fan of tempeh and miso because they are fermented soy and have healthy probiotics, but other than that I don’t eat soy. I like to make as much of my food as possible, because then I can control the ingredients and it is a lot cheaper. So when I started seeing things about chickpea tofu, I was intrigued.
I love chickpeas in all their forms and had seen a lot of things made with chickpea flour but I could never find it any stores near me. The other day as I was wandering the aisles of my grocery store (yes, I like to just stroll through the grocery store. I know that’s weird, but I’m weird so it’s all good) I spotted chickpea flour for about $2. I snapped it up and immediately started thinking of things that I could make. This chickpea tofu was one of the easiest and most versatile dishes, so I started there.
Not only is it easy to make it can function in pretty much the exact same way as regular soy tofu. I’m still experimenting with a few different ways to use chickpea tofu, but I wanted to start sharing it with you. I love the flavor of the tofu and you can season it in any way that you want and it will absorb those flavors. It might look like this recipe will take forever to make, but once the tofu is done it’s really just a matter of putting everything together.
Enough talking let’s get onto the food!
Baked Chickpea Tofu with Creamy Tomato Sauce
Chickpea tofu- There are a few methods out there, but this is the one that worked the best for me.
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 3 cups water, divided
- 1-2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
1. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, turmeric, and 1 cup of water. Whisk until smooth.
2. In a medium saucepan bring the remaining two cups of water to a boil. While your water is heating up, lightly oil an 8 x 8 baking dish and set aside
3. Whisk the chickpea mixture into the boiling water making sure there are no lumps. Lower heat and keep whisking the chickpea mixture for about 8 to 10 minutes until it’s thick and glossy.
4. Pour the chickpea mixture into the oiled pan and let cool on the counter. Once cool, keep in the fridge until you are ready to use.
Baked Tofu and Creamy Tomato Sauce
- Chickpea Tofu
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 2 tsp italian seasonings
- pepper to taste
- 1 batch of my tomato sauce, or a jar of your favorite sauce
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
1. Preheat oven to 425 and take your chickpea tofu out of the fridge and remove from baking dish. If you used enough oil it should slide out easily. Blot the bottom of the tofu with a paper towel to absorb some of the excess water. Cut tofu into bite size cubes and place in a bowl
2. Line a baking dish with a Silpat or parchment paper. Drizzle a little olive oil over tofu and sprinkle with the seasonings. Shake the bowl to cover the tofu with the oil and seasonings and then spread in an even layer on baking dish.
3. Bake for 25 minutes. While tofu is baking, heat tomato sauce in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. When it is just simmering, stir in 1 cup of coconut milk. Heat through and then cover and turn off heat.
4. Remove tofu from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Plate the tofu and pour the tomato sauce over and enjoy!
It does seem like there are a lot of steps to this meal, but if you prepare the tofu ahead of time then this meal is a simple fix. I made this on a Monday night and it was a perfect meal on a chilly night. Warm, filling, and tasty!
I’m going to be bringing you some more chickpea tofu/flour recipes over the next few weeks, but with the super bowl next weekend I have a special treat for you! My balsamic cauliflower bites are amazing and sure to be a hit at your party!
Have a great Friday and an awesome weekend everyone!
Life Healthfully Lived 