Gluten-Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust

if you have been reading my blog for a while, you know i have been making my way back towards clean eating. i have been making an effort to eat real food, not our of a package and less processed carbs.

that means no sugar or white flour. i have actually been cutting way back on whole wheat too. in fact i did 30 days of completely clean eating. 100% free of sugar, flour, dairy, and alcohol. it wasn't nearly as hard as i thought it would be and truthfully, besides losing five pounds, another positive side affect was feeling great and greatly reducing my migraines!

one thing i realized i could never 100% give up is wine, cheese, and chocolate. i knew that going in but after 30 days, i was sure. other than that, i could give up most carbs. chips, bread, pasta, rice . . . surprisingly, i didn't really miss them. i did miss pizza though.

i have seen this absolutely crazy and purely absurd recipe around pinterest recently for a carb free pizza dough - made out of cauliflower. eople swear up and down its good - and no one knew it was cauliflower. i know, crazy, right?!? no way it doesn't taste like cauliflower!

i actually happen to like cauliflower, but i thought no way would it be the same dough-like consistency. hand over my heart, it was. it was good. it held up like pizza crust. i could pick it up like a piece of pizza. the edges even got crispy like pizza crust. it must be some sort of miracle. even my husband liked it. (i didn't tell him what it was. he hates when i do that. i hope he doesn't hate me now because he is probably reading this. sorry babe. you didn't ask, so i didn't say. i hope you forgive me!)

let me say, i fully understand if you don't believe me. heck i didn't believe anyone either. i fully intended to throw the pizza away after one bite but i loved it and have even made it again since.

i only ask one thing, try it. i'm seriously so glad i did. just try it. if you hate it, you never have to make it again. on the other hand - if, like me, you happen to like it just think about it - guilt-free pizza!

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Cauliflower Pizza Dough

1 head of raw cauliflower (you won't use it all but you can freeze it for the next time a pizza craving strikes)
1 cup shredded parmesan
1 egg
1/2 tsp garlic
1 tsp mrs. dash garlic and herb
pizza sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings

remove stem from head of cauliflower and cut off florets. place in food processor and pulse until it looks like rice or grain. (do not puree!) place 1 cup of riced cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cook on high 2-3 minutes. remove and let cool. (you can cook all the cauliflower and freeze it in 1 cup portions for the next time you make pizza.)

preheat oven to 450 degrees F. line a cookie sheet with foil and spray well with cooking spray.

in a medium bowl combine 1 cup cooked cauliflower with parmesan cheese, egg, garlic, and mrs. dash. transfer mixture to cookie sheet and pat into a large, thin, round. make sure it is pressed together well. it should be about 1/4" thick. bake for about 15 minutes but keep an eye on it. you want it to be browned all over and the edges to be really brown. let it cool for at least 15 minutes (this helps it become more solid).

peel back foil from crust and then place the crust on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. top with sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings and bake just until cheese is bubbly (4-5 minutes).

Lemon Parmesan Quinoa Salad

i am always looking for ways to use quinoa. i figured it would be a great substitute for pasta salad so i tried one of my favorite pasta salad recipes with quinoa. it turned out to be a hit.

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i like to throw whatever vegetables i have on hand into the salad. today it was cherry tomatoes and fresh garden peas. a simple lemon parmesan vinaigrette is a great dressing for this light, chilled salad.

this side dish also doubles as a main dish because it's packed with protein. i would have added some broccoli if i had it on hand.

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Lemon Parmesan Quinoa Salad
serves 4-6

1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 1/2 cups fresh garden peas (raw or cooked)

rinse and strain quinoa and add to medium pot. add chicken stock and bring to a boil. reduce heat to low and cover. simmer 15 minutes. remove from heat and keep covered for 15 minutes.

meanwhile, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, and parmesan cheese. uncover quinoa and let it cool another 15 minutes. stir in tomatoes, peas, and lemon parmesan vinaigrette.

serve at room temperature or chilled.

Dijon Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms over Soba Noodles

i saw this recipe on pinterest a while ago and have already made it for a personal chef client. but tonight, i finally made it for myself. of course i couldn't leave well enough alone and i had to change the recipe a bit.

i couldn't quite see myself pouring 2 cups of whipping cream over a relatively healthy chicken dish. instead i used plain greek yogurt and 1 tbs light cream.

the original recipe calls also calls for regular pasta but i prefer whole wheat or soba noodles for their increased nutritional value. soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour. soba contains all eight essential amino acids, including lysine, which is lacking in wheat and is high in magnesium. studies show diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure and buckwheat is gluten-free! of course, you don't have to use soba noodles. you can use whole wheat or regular pasta too.

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i have to admit i over-did it on the dijon. because i substituted greek yogurt for some of the heavy cream, it ended up being too spicy. while thick, greek yogurt works as a substitute, it doesn't cut the spiciness of things like cream or mayonnaise does. the flavor was good, but it definitely cleared out our sinuses. for that reason, i scaled back the dijon by half in the recipe below.

it's worth noting cupcake vineyards chardonnay pairs well with this dish. i am not a big chardonnay fan but this one is dry enough that it was delightful both in the dish and sipped while eating the dish.

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Dijon Chicken with Artichokes and Mushrooms over Soba Noodles
serves 4
adapted from rock recipes

5 oz soba noodles, cooked
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbs unsalted butter
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered (canned and drained or frozen)
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbs plain greek yogurt
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tbs light cream

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. pat chicken breasts dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. add chicken breasts to skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side - until golden brown. remove from pan and transfer to a greased baking dish and bake for 10-20 minutes until cooked through.

in a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, mustard and light cream. set aside.

wipe skillet leaving roughly 1 tbs oil. add shallots and mushrooms and saute 2-3 minutes. season with salt and pepper (i used approximately 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper and 1/2 tsp kosher salt). add artichoke hearts and cook until slightly browned. remove from pan and set aside. add wine and simmer until reduced by half. add shallots and mushrooms back to the pan. add garlic and continue to cook until mushrooms and artichokes are tender and liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup (mushrooms will give off additional liquid). remove from heat and stir in dijon mixture.

serve chicken breasts over cooked soba noodles and spoon mushroom mixture over chicken breasts. serve immediately.

Plant-Based Protein Powder

i cannot wait for spring! warm, sunny, 60 degree F days make me long for it even more. same with rainy, dark, dreary days like today. the only consolation is we need rain for spring flowers and green grass.

my favorite part of spring is a great pedicure and flip flops! my feet long to peek out and feel the sunshine after 4-5 long months of hiding in my shearling-lined ugg slippers. but little things like seeing plants with buds and daffodil greens peeking up out of the ground give me hope that spring is around the corner and make me crave some of my favorite warm weather treats like ice cream and smoothies.

i love smoothies - especially those with fresh fruit, a healthy dose of spinach (don't knock it till you've tried it - it's even kid approved) and a lacing of protein powder. smoothies are a great breakfast alternative or a replenishing after-workout treat.

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i used to live and die by my whipped vanilla cream dessert protein powder but i didn't really love the ingredient list. i recently found (via Teri from a foodie stays fit) this plant-based, vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, yet actually great tasting protein powder (i know, i was skeptical at first too).

the plant fusion vanilla bean tastes creamy and lends itself well to adding other flavors (like banana, blueberry, or strawberry) without over-powering the smoothie. it gets the whopping 21g of protein per serving from peas, brown rice, and artichokes.

check out the ingredient list:

anyway, just thought you all might be interested in a healthy, wholesome, protein powder. i got mine on amazon. oh, and hurry up spring!

and for the record, i bought plantfusion on my own and the opinions stated are my own. i was not compensated for anything and i'm positive plantfusion has no earthly ideas who i am.

Coconut Black Eyed Pea Soup

black eyed peas are often associated with new years day. they are said to bring good luck and therefore are eaten the first day of the year to bring luck and prosperity to the coming year. black eyed peas have also been recorded as been consumed for good luck on rosh hashana, the jewish new year.

there must be something to this thing so we did one better. we had black eyed pea soup on new years eve. that's right, we ate a bowl full of good luck at least 12 hours before most people do. since then it's been raining four leaf clovers, i find heads-up pennies all over the ground, and seven horseshoes appeared over our door. 

truth be told, i didn't really think i liked black eyed peas. i only remember having them once and they were plain and mealy. this soup blew my low expectations out of the water. our friends made the soup and after my first bowl (i had two), i begged for the recipe. it's surprisingly easy and packed with protein and flavor! i like adding a couple dashes of hot sauce to the top of my bowl to give it a little extra spice but it tastes delicious without it too. the curry just gives it a hint of flavor and doesn't overpower the soup at all.

try whipping up a pot of good luck. 19 days into the new year is fine. it's never too late.

p.s. this soup is gluten-free, vegetarian (if you use vegetable stock), and dairy-free!

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Coconut Black Eyed Pea Soup
serves 4-6

1 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 - 15oz cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 - 15 oz cans coconut milk (i used lite but regular works too)
1 - 15 oz can chicken stock (or vegetable stock to keep it vegetarian)
1 tsp curry
salt
hot sauce (optional)

in a large pot, heat oil to medium high heat. add chopped onion and saute until tender, 2-3 minutes. add reamining ingredients (minus hot sauce) and bring to a boil. lower heat to low and let simmer for 4-5 hours. add salt to taste and serve warm.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten-Free)

last night, after a delicious dinner and a couple glasses of wine, a cookie craving hit. hard. this recipe is perfect for just such a situation because it's crazy easy. like 24-minutes-from-the-craving-hit-until-the-first-bite easy.

there is a 99% chance you have all the ingredients you need - peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, baking soda, and chocolate chips. just mix, bake, cool, and enjoy! seriously the hardest (and longest) part of this recipe is waiting for these cookies to cool. in just 10 minutes they go from fall-apart-crumbly to goey and still warm.

it's hard to believe you can make cookies without flour, but it can be done and it can be delicious! perhaps the best part? they are gluten-free.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes roughly 2 dozen cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

mix first 4 ingredients together with a mixer (or by hand) and add in chocolate chips. press into balls and place on greased cookie sheets.

bake for 10-11 minutes until just light brown on top. remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes or until you can pick the cookies up without them falling apart.