Pizza Night! Sausage, Mushroom and Arugula Pizza

I know I haven't written anything in over a month! We went out our belated honeymoon for two weeks in February and we had family staying with us for the past two weeks. I'm finally starting to get back to my regular cooking schedule.

When I was growing up we always had pizza on Friday nights and it was a fun tradition. Pizza is one of the things I miss most being gluten free/grain free. I've finally discovered how to make the best grain free thin crust after trying a lot of different recipes. My friend Patrick created this crust recipe and it is amazing!

Sausage, Mushroom and Arugula Pizza on Grain Free Thin Crust

Crust:
One cup of almond flour
2 Tbs of melted butter (salted)
1 Tbs of unmelted butter (salted)
2 eggs
dash of salt, pepper and garlic powder

Toppings:
1/2 pound of grass fed, organic chorizo sausage (or italian sausage would work well)
6-7  mushrooms of your choice, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
Handful of arugula
Olive oil for drizzling
Blend of cheese-I used Asiago, Romano and Gruyere
1 small can of organic tomato paste
Italian seasoning blend
Sea salt
garlic powder

To make the crust, combine almond flour, melted butter and eggs in a bowl. Stir until combined. Add a dash of garlic powder, sea salt and black pepper. The dough will be very wet and sticky. Scoop the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out between the parchment paper until it is very thin. Carefully peel the top layer of parchment off the crust. Place the pizza crust (on the bottom layer of parchment) onto a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

When the crust comes out of the oven, rub the remaining tablespoon of butter over the crust and sprinkle with garlic powder.

In a medium pan combine the sausage, onion, mushrooms and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and the sausage is cooked through. I added a tiny bit of butter to the pan but the sausage should have a lot of moisture so you don't need a lot. Turn the heat to low and add the red bell pepper and saute for a few minutes.

In a small bowl combine the tomato paste with a few teaspoons of Italian seasoning and a pinch of salt and garlic powder. Add more seasoning if needed.  (Note: regular pizza sauce will not work with the almond flour crust. It will make it very soggy)

Spread the tomato paste over the almond flour crust. Add the sausage mixture to the pizza spreading it out evenly. Cover with your cheese blend.

Put in the oven for another 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly golden. When the pizza comes out of oven top with a few handfuls of arugula and a drizzle of olive oil.

Eat and enjoy!

Breakfast Smoothies

Lately I've been making smoothies before I head to the gym in the morning. They are quick and filling and I like to drink a little before my workout and the rest afterwards. These are a few of my favorite combinations:

Cocoa Berry Smoothie:
1 large banana
3/4 cup of frozen mixed berries
1/2 avocado
1 cup of coconut or almond milk
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 Tbs of unsweetened cocoa powder
Blend!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie:
1 large frozen banana
1 cup of coconut or almond milk
2 Tbs of peanut or almond butter
1 Tbs of coconut oil (great for post-workout!)
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tsp of maple syrup
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg
Blend!

Matt's Favorite Blueberry Smoothie:
1 large frozen banana
1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup of coconut milk
1 Tbs of almond butter
1 tsp of maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla extract
dash of cinnamon
Blend!

What to do with leftover salmon??? Grain Free Salmon Cakes!

A few nights ago I made chili rubbed salmon and I had some salmon leftover so I decided to make delicious salmon cakes. These are great for dinner with some lemon aioli or for brunch topped with a poached egg over greens.

Ingredients:

1-2 fillets of salmon or 2 cans BPA free wild salmon
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, diced
2 tsp of capers
2 Tbs of mayo (homemade or olive oil mayo)
1 Tbs of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of almond flour
2 Tbs of coconut flour
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
dash of cayenne
Coconut oil for cooking

Combine all ingredients and mix well. I pulsed all of the ingredients in the food processor for 30 seconds but you can combine by hand as well.

Heat a few tablespoons of coconut oil in a large frying pan. Roll the salmon mixture into golf ball size balls and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. Enjoy!

Chili Rubbed Salmon with Strawberry Basil Salsa

Ingredients:
2 large salmon fillets
Chili powder
Extra virgin olive oil
1 lime
2 oranges
10 large strawberries, chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 handful of basil, finely chopped
Sea salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place salmon fillets in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and juice from 1 orange. Season generously with sea salt, pepper and chili powder. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

While the salmon is baking combine the chopped strawberries, avocado, cucumber and basil in a medium size bowl. Squeeze the juice of 1/4 of the lime and 1 orange over the salsa. Add a pinch of sea salt and gently combine.

Serve the salsa over the salmon with a squeeze of fresh lime and orange juice and enjoy!

Winter Salad

I'm doing the Whole30 challenge (http://whole9life.com/category/whole-30/)  for the next two weeks which means no dairy, sugar, grains or alcohol. Technically, you're supposed to do it for 30 days (hence the name "Whole30") but I'm leaving on my honeymoon for two weeks and there is no way I am going to refrain from all treats! I made this fresh, healthy salad for lunch today and it was really filling. I had a piece of leftover fillet that I ate with the salad and it was the perfect amount of food for lunch.

Ingredients: (serves 2)
Mix of baby spinach, kale and chard (or any seasonal baby greens)
1 granny smith apple, diced
2 stalks of celery including leaves, diced
(Next time I might add blueberries or orange segments)

Combine

Dressing:
1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Squeeze of fresh orange juice
Pinch of sea salt

Whisk ingredients together until emulsified. I made the dressing and let it sit overnight and it was thick and creamy.

Vegan Artichoke Pesto

This makes a very creamy, dairy free sauce that is great over baked spaghetti squash or brown rice noodles.

Ingredients:
1 cup of basil
1/4 cup of raw cashews
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup of raw spinach leaves
Juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup of artichoke hearts (jarred)
1/2 cup of coconut milk (add more or less to make your sauce thick/thin)
1 splash of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper

Combine basil, cashews, garlic, spinach, lemon juice, artichokes and olive oil in a food processor or blender and blend until the sauce is combined but still has a little texture. Transfer into a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the coconut milk and salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for several minutes to incorporate all of the flavors. Enjoy!

Easy Grilled Zucchini Boats

I studied in Vienna, Austria for a summer during college. My German teacher Karen had our class to her house for a BBQ one night and she made these yummy zucchini boats on the grill. They are so easy to make and so good! I make them in the oven in the winter and on the grill in the summer.

Ingredients:

2 zucchinis
2 oz of goat cheese or feta cheese
olive oil
sea salt and pepper
tin foil

Cut each zucchini in half and scrape out the seeds to create a little hollow. Lay each zucchini half on a square of tin foil and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and fill with 1/2 of the cheese. Wrap up the zucchini in the foil and create a little pouch. Place the zucchini pouches on the grill or under the broiler for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Not Your Grandma's Green Bean Casserole

We all grew up with the traditional goopy green bean casserole. My mom never made green bean casserole for holidays but I remember an abundance of it at church potlucks. This Thanksgiving my sister was visiting from Michigan and we decided to make a nice Thanksgiving dinner. I wanted to recreate the tasty flavors of green bean casserole without the canned green beans, cream soup base and the unhealthy trans-fat laden "onions." This recipe is fresh and tastes very decadent. (It can be adapted for vegans if you use coconut oil and non-diary milk.)

Ingredients:
3 shallots
1/2-1 pound fresh green beans
1 cup of mushrooms (I used shitake and cremini)
2 Tbs of butter or coconut oil
3-4 Tbs of cream or a creamy non-diary milk such as coconut milk
sea salt and pepper to taste

Wash your beans and snap the ends off of each one. Cut the shallots and mushrooms into thin slices. Add 1 Tbs butter or coconut oil to a large sauce pan over medium heat. When the butter or oil are melted and the pan is warm add the shallots and saute for a few minutes until translucent. Add the mushrooms to the pan along with the rest of the butter or oil. You may have to add a little bit more oil if the mushrooms absorb all of the moisture. Saute until the mushrooms are soft and tender. Add the green beans and cream to the pan and continue to saute until the beans are cooked. The beans should be bright green and still a little crispy. Your sauce will thicken slightly as well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting (grain free, gluten free)

There is a small market in our neighborhood in Marde Loop that has a gluten free banana peanut butter bar in their bakery. I'm always tempted to get one when we go into the market but they are sooo sugary I feel sick after the first few bites. I decided to try my hand at my own version of the sinful snack and I must say, it turned out super yummy! It's perfect for a desert or a coffee break treat. The base of this cake recipe is from elanaspantry.com but I substituted a few ingredients to make it SCD friendly and added a few ingredients of my own.

Banana Cake:

3 cups of blanched almond flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of sea salt
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
3 eggs beaten
1/4 cup of coconut oil melted
1/4 cup of raw honey warmed
2 mashed bananas
1Tbs of vanilla extract
1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life vegan chocolate chips)

Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting:

2 Tbs of coconut oil (room temperature)
3 Tbs of organic unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/3 cup of organic, natural peanut butter (I used chunky but smooth would work just as well)
3 Tbs of grade B maple syrup (grade B is slightly lower in sugar and has more nutrients)
1 tsp of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine the almond flour, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, oil, honey, vanilla and bananas. Beat until bananas are completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well. Incorporate the nutmeg and chocolate chips into the batter. Pour into a 9" cake pan (greased if you're not using a non-stick pan) and bake for 30 minutes or until slightly browned and firm. Let cool.

Combine the coconut oil, butter, vanilla, peanut butter and maple syrup in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer or a stand mixer until combined and fluffy. Spread the buttercream over the cooled cake with a spatula. Lick spatula...and beaters and mixing bowl. Cut a piece of cake and enjoy!

Grain Free "Mac and Cheese"

I developed this recipe one night when I was having a major craving for macaroni and cheese. I was on the SCD (specific carbohydrate diet) at the time to heal my digestive system and I was not allowed any grains. While it is not a dairy free recipe, it is grain free. The "mac" is fiber rich spaghetti squash and the cheesy gooey sauce is so good you will forget all about the noodles!

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash
1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese (I buy organic, grassfed cheese whenever possible)
1 cup of smoked gouda cheese
5-6 strips of pancetta or bacon chopped
1 onion diced
Splash of white wine
1 tsp of butter or coconut oil
Optional: 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

Sauce:
1 cup of yogurt (greek or plain)
1 Tbs of dijon mustard
1 tsp of nutmeg
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp of sea salt
1 tsp of black pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the ends off of your squash, cut into quarters and scrape out all of the seeds. Place the squash quarters flesh side down in a large pan with a few inches of water. Cover and simmer until squash is soft and easily comes away from the peel when you pierce it with a fork, usually about 25 minutes. You can also roast the squash in the oven flesh side down drizzled with some olive oil for 40-45 minutes.

While your squash is cooking add the bacon or pancetta to a skillet along with the tsp of butter or coconut oil and cook for a few minutes on medium heat. When the fat starts to render out of the meat add the diced onion. Cook until the bacon or pancetta are crispy and the onion is translucent. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine and saute for two more minutes to cook out the alcohol. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the yogurt, mustard, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper. Add more salt or pepper if necessary. Add half of the cheddar and gouda to the yogurt mixture and combine.

When the squash is cooked drain and let cool for a few minutes. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh out of the peel into a bowl. Add the yogurt mixture, pancetta and onion and tomatoes and mix well. Transfer into a 8x11 baking dish and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is browned and bubbling.

Eat and Enjoy!