Pizza Dough

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast (1 package)
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups bread flour, (455g to 520g)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

• Place a pizza stone in the oven if you have one. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (or 475 if that's as high as your oven will go) while preparing the pizza dough so it can be completely hot when you are ready to bake the pizzas.
• Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. If using active dry yeast, let it proof for 5 minutes until foamy. If using instant yeast, there is no need to wait for the yeast to proof.
• Add flour, olive oil, and salt and stir well with a wooden spoon or mix in a stand mixer with a dough hook until combined.
• Knead for 5 minutes using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment or 6-7 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic. The dough will be tacky and slightly sticky, but should still be manageable to work with.
• Drizzle a clean bowl with a little olive oil, then place the ball of dough in the bowl and turn it to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let rise for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 ½ hours) until doubled in size.
• Divide the dough into 2 or 3 balls (or more if you want to make personal-size pizzas).
• Roll, pat, or stretch the dough out until it is roughly ¼" thick, then top with ¼-1/2 cup of pizza sauce, freshly grated mozzarella cheese, and other toppings.
• Bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown and crispy around the edges.
• Cool slightly before cutting and serving.

Notes

• After rising, the dough can be divided into smaller balls, then frozen for up to 3 months. Rub each ball with a little olive oil first, then place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag before freezing. To thaw, set the dough in the fridge overnight for at least 12 hours, then let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before using.
• This pizza dough recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance. Just transfer it to the fridge before letting it rise. Remove from the fridge and let it rise for 1-2 hours before using.

Granola Bars

 3 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup peanut butter or other seed or nut butter

1/3 cup maple syrup or honey

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

2 eggs

optional add ins- walnuts, pecans, almonds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds or dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Transfer to a 9X9 greased dish. Firmly press mixture into a pan in an even layer. (line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal)

Bake for 15-17 minutes or until center is baked through- start checking at 12 minutes. Let the bars cool completely then cut into squares.

Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

 2 cups cauliflower

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup mozzarella or nutritional yeast- optional

Put all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. Pulverize with a blender or immersion blender. Serve over pasta.

Southwest Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Skillet

 1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1 pound lean ground beef

5 teaspoons chili powder, divided

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 teaspoon grated garlic

2 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes

14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes

4 ounces canned diced green chiles

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the ground beef and diced onion and crumble the beef with a wooden spoon. Add in 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and season with salt and pepper. When the beef is nearly cooked through add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour it out onto a plate and wipe out the skillet. Add the diced sweet potato, fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles, water, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt and pepper to the skillet. Stir everything together and cover it with a lid. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Add the ground beef mixture in with the sweet potatoes and stir everything together. Top with shredded cheese and cover with the lid again for another minute or until the cheese is melted. Top with chopped cilantro and serve over rice or on taco shells.

Black Bean Burgers

Burgers

3 T olive oil, divided

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 diced green chilies

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and well rinsed

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

1/2 c breadcrumbs

1 large egg

1T chili powder

1 T cumin

salt to taste

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados

1 T cherry tomatoes minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c cilatro, minced

1 lime, juiced

salt to taste

Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Add scallions, green chilies and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook to soften about 5-7 minutes over medium. Transfer to food processor. Add the beans and pulse 3-4 times to chop the ingredients. ( Be careful not to turn the mixture into much by over processing.)

Transfer the black bean mixture to a large bowl and mix in the cilantro, bread crumbs, egg, spices and salt. Shape into 4-6 burger patties. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 30 minutes. Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Cook burgers until browned on both sides. To prepare the guacamole, mash the avocado. Then add all ingredients and continue mashing together. Adjust flavors to your liking.

Turkey and Black Bean Chili

 3 cans black beans, drained

1 (4 oz) can mild green chilies

2/3 cup chopped red onion

2/3 cup chopped celery

2/3 cup chopped red pepper

2/3 cup chopped leek ( white part only)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. oregano

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour (arrow root powder)

4 cups shredded turkey

5 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 1/2 cup thawed frozen corn

1 tablespoon chili powder ( or leave it out)

2 Tablespoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar or leave it out

In a pot, saute chilies, onion, celery, peppers, leek, garlic and oregano in butter until tender. Blend flour or arrowroot powder into cold chicken broth and stir into sauteed vegetables. Add corn, meat, beans, and spices. Heat thoroughly.

Chocolate quinoa cake- original recipe

 

Ingredients 

• ▢Cake Ingredients:
• ▢2 cups cooked quinoa loosely packed
• ▢1/3 cup milk
• ▢4 eggs
• ▢1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢3/4 cup butter melted and slightly cooled
• ▢1 1/2 cups white sugar
• ▢1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢Frosting Ingredients:
• ▢2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ▢1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two round cake pans (or a 9x13 pan) and then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment. (Do not skip the parchment if you want to be able to flip the cake out of the pan.)

Combine the milk, eggs and vanilla in the blender or food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the cooked quinoa and the butter and puree until completely smooth. Stop the machine as needed to scrape the sides and make sure everything is well mixed. This will be a thick and creamy consistency once the quinoa is pureed. (You should not see any little beads of quinoa in the pureed mixture.) Whisk together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the contents from the blender. Stir until well combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans and bake on a center oven rack for 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire cooling rack. Peel off the parchment and let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Place the chocolate chips in a medium size glass bowl. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan until is gently simmers. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or so and then whisk to combine until it is smooth and glossy. Refrigerate and let cool completely. (2-3 hours in the refrigerator or about an hour in the freezer.) When fully chilled. use a mixer to whip the chocolate cream into soft peaks.

Place one cake layer upside down on a plate. Scoop half the frosting onto that layer and gently spread it across almost to the edge. Place the other layer on top of the frosting and top with the remaining frosting. You can frost the sides if you like, I chose to leave mine simple. Chill 2-3 hours before serving to allow the frosting to set. Enjoy!

Chocolate quinoa cake

 

Best-Ever Chocolate Quinoa Cake

Best-Ever Chocolate Quinoa Cake- super moist with the most incredible texture, this decadent chocolate cake is made easy in a blender. No one would ever guess it's made from cooked quinoa. It's seriously the best! (gluten-free and dairy-free)

Ingredients

For the Quinoa Cake

• 2 cups cooked quinoa see notes
• ⅓ cup almond milk or milk of choice
• 4 pasture-raised eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup melted and cooled vegan butter Miyokos is my favorite
• ¼ cup melted and cooled coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut sugar or cane sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Whipped Chocolate Coconut Cream Frosting

• 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 10-ounce bag dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Prepare the Frosting

• I recommend preparing the frosting the day before to assure it has enough time to firm up properly. In a saucepan, add the entire bag of dark chocolate chips and the full can of coconut milk. *If using dairy chocolate chips please see notes in the body of the post.* Warm the saucepan over medium-low heat, until the coconut milk and chocolate melt together. Be careful not to cook at too high of heat or your chocolate will burn! Whisk until smooth and transfer to a large bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature on the counter then cover and refrigerate until firm, usually at least 6-hours, ideally overnight.
• Once it is firm, remove from the refrigerator and beat on high for thirty seconds to one minute, until a fluffy icing has formed. You can taste test to see if you would like to add a little vanilla extract or pure maple syrup for flavor. Be careful not to add too much or it will make the frosting runny.

Prepare the Quinoa Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and then line two round cake pans (I used 6-inch but 8-inch pans will also work) with parchment paper. You can also make a single layer cake in a 9x13-inch pan.
• In a large bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. 
• In a blender, combine the cooked (and cooled) quinoa, eggs, almond milk (or preferred milk), vanilla extract, melted and cooled butter and melted and cooled coconut oil. Blend on high until smooth, scraping down the sides and blending again, if necessary.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry and fold together until well-combined. Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Carefully transfer the cakes to a surface for icing with the bottom side up. Depending on the type of blender and cake pan size you use, I recommend that you only transfer the cakes once as they can be fragile and difficult to hold together. If you made a 9x13-inch cake, I recommend frosting and serving it from the pan.
• Frost the cake and refrigerate until ready to serve. The icing will melt in really warm conditions but should be fine for a few hours in cooler settings. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Approximately 3/4 cup dry quinoa will yield 2 cups cooked quinoa. I like to soak it overnight, rinse and then cook it in 1.5 cup water by bringing the water to a boil, adding the quinoa and then reducing to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and cover with a lid to allow the quinoa to steam a little longer. The quinoa should be soft and fluffy when cooked. You don't want any hard/crunchy pieces in your batter!Nutrition Facts are for 1/12th of the recipe (or 1 slice, if you slice the cake into 12 pieces). Exact numbers will vary depending on the brands you use. This cake is meant to be enjoyed as a decadent dessert that offers more nutrients than a standard white flour cake (think protein, iron, potassium, etc.). It was not developed as a recipe for weight loss. Quinoa cake adapted from the cookbook Quinoa 365: The Everyday Superfood by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming

Scalloped Potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock

2 cups milk (I recommend 2% or whole milk)

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

4 pounds Potatoes, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds

2 cups freshly-grated cheddar cheese*, divided (feel free to add more cheese if you’d like)

1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.

Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the flour until it is evenly combined, and cook for 1 more minute. Gradually pour in the stock, and whisk until combined. Add in the milk, salt and whisk until combined. Continue cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes until the sauce just barely begins to simmer around the edges of the pan (avoid letting it come to a boil) and thickens. Then remove from heat and set aside.

Spread half of the sliced potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Top evenly with half of the cream sauce. (I usually strain out all of the onions and add them here too.) Then sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese, and all of the Parmesan cheese. Top evenly with the remaining sliced potatoes, the other half of the 

cream sauce, and the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. The sauce should be nice and bubbly around the edges. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through.

Transfer the pan to a cooling rack, and sprinkle with extra Parmesan. Serve warm.