Pizza Can Be Healthy!

My husband has been out of town this week and my kids and I decided to have a little party. So we made pizza! I love pizza but it's not the best thing for you depending on how it's made. I have a great bread recipe which I will share here and then probably post again at some point, so you can see the bread finished. This bread recipe is something I use every week. Sometimes I substitute different kinds of grain or bean flours in my bread, making sure I use at least 7 cups wheat or spelt for gluten purposes. I also made Monkey Bread. This is a simple recipe that has been around for years. I'm sure most of you already know how to make it..but I will include it as well. Pizza made with whole grain crust and loaded with veggies and good proteins is such a balanced meal! Don't shy away from making your own pizza, the healthy way!

Bread Recipe (adapted from Kitchen Kneads)

5 cups warm water

2 heaping tablespoons SAF yeast

1/3 cup honey or agave

1/3 cup olive oil

11-14 cups whole wheat or spelt flour

2 tablespoons Redmond salt

Combine Water, yeast, honey, and olive oil. Mix gently. Add 11 cups of flour and salt all at once. Mix until combined. Add more flour until the dough cleans the side of the bowl. If the dough is too dry or too wet it will fall while baking. I will only add 1/2 cup flour at a time until the dough isn't sticking to the side of the bowl but will still stick to my finger a little. I prefer it a little on the wet side rather than stiff (too dry). If you ever get the dough too dry add oil while mixing NOT water. Mix for 8 minutes (very important, to develop gluten). The dough will then be soft and pliable. Gently oil hands and shape in to loaves. (makes 5 loaves) Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Pizza

Take a small amount of bread (1 loaf size amount), roll it out until very flat. Place it into a round or square pan. Cut off the excess that falls off the edge with a sharp knife. Immediately bake at 425 for 5 to 10 minutes, until slightly brown. Poke the dough while baking with a fork, if it develops bubbles. Do NOT let the dough rise before baking or your crust will be very thick.

Toppings

Use your favorite sauce, whether it is homemade or not. I prefer Ragu No Sugar Spaghetti Sauce. Spread sauce evening over baked crust. Add toppings you desire...

chicken

ground turkey or beef

ham

sausage

pepperoni

pineapple

green peppers (finely diced is my favorite)

onions (finely diced)

sliced mushrooms

olives

zucchini

cheese (I used a blend)

Bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Monkey Bread

Butter

Sugar and Cinnamon

Take a pinch of dough. Roll into a ball. Dip in butter and then in sugar cinnamon mixture. Place in a greased pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350.

Have fun!

Red Quinoa & Lentil Meatloaf

Okay, don't let the title of this dish scare you! Read on people...

Red Quinoa & Lentil Meatloaf

1 onion diced

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup cooked lentils (I used red lentils)

2 carrots cooked carrots

2 eggs

1 lb Ground Turkey

1 cup Red Quinoa, cooked

1 cup chili sauce or tomato sauce

1-2 teaspoons Redmond Salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1-2 tablespoons basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Saute Onion in butter. Set aside and let cool. Puree lentils and carrots and eggs in a blender. Mix together all ingredients with hands, making sure all ingredients are room temperature and not too hot. Spray an 8x8 baking dish. Spread ketchup or tomato sauce on top. Cook at 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in order for it to set.

Just a few tips: Cooking Quinoa: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add 1 cup Quinoa, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Let cool and store in refrigerator for up to 1 week or in your freezer for 1 month or more.

Cooking Lentils: Place 1 to 2 cups of lentils, cover lentils with water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. DO NOT ADD SALT, it take much longer to cook with salt added, same with tomatoes! If you need to add more water, you may do so. For this dish, I drained the water and put the lentils in baggies in my refrigerator.

My family loved this and I was shocked! The dish was a little crumbly because I didn't let it cool and set but other than that it was yummy! Let me know how yours turns out ;)

Salmon Clam Chowder

This is the stuff! My husband loves this soup...so I'm posting it in his behalf ;)

3-4 tablespoons butter
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1/3 to 1/2 cup spelt, barley, brown rice flour (equal parts of each) or just whole wheat flour
3 cups chicken, vegetable broth
3 large potatoes (red or yellow are my favorite)
2-3 cups half and half
1-2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons basil (dried) or fresh
2 small cans skinnless, boneless salmon with juice
1 can diced clams with juice
1/3 to 1/2 cup white bean flour

Saute onion, garlic, peppers and celery in butter for 2 to 3 minutes, add flour and whisk until it's a thick paste. Slowly add broth, whisk in until blended. Add potatoes. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are soft. Add half and half, spices, salmon and clams and whisk in white bean flour. You do not need to worry about clumping the white bean powder will help the soup thicken. Do not add the white bean powder if your soup is already thick. I like to add this last as it does not clump up like flour and I'm not a fan of cornstarch. Besides, this is a great way to use your beans and it makes the meal much more healthy! You can't taste it at all, I promise! Let the soup simmer on medium low for 10 to 15 minutes. This fully cooks the bean powder and lets the true flavor of the soup develop. This is the most important part! Be careful that your soup doesn't come to a full boil after you've added the half and half. Keep the heat below medium.

(if for any reason your soup is too thick, add water, broth or milk)

Enjoy!!!