Tuscan White Bean Pizza

This pizza is vegan, like many of my other recipes.  No cheese here.  Before you cringe, twitch, or become saddened, you HAVE to taste.  My hubby is a HUGE cheese fan and he loved this pizza!

Makes 1 (12 inch) pizza

425 degrees F

For the dough:
2 3/4 c all purpose flour
2 1/4 t instant yeast
1 t sea salt
1 c lukewarm water

For the topping:
1 T EVOO
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 c cooked or 1 (15.5 oz) can of cannellini beans
1/4 t sea salt
1/4 t pepper
1/3 c water or veg stock
3 T fresh basil
2 med Roma tomatoes, sliced

Combine flour, yeast, and salt.  Stir in water.  Knead into a soft dough in the bowl.  Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, adding flour as you go if it sticks.

Shape the dough into a ball and place in an oiled bowl.  Rise for about 1 hour, until doubled.

Tip on rising dough:  I like placing my dough in the oven or microwave with the light on it.  I also like to cover it with plastic wrap.  Warm and draft-free is best for the rise.  Since it's summertime now, you may want to sit it in the passenger seat of your car with the sun shining on it. :)

Punch down the dough and stretch it into a 12-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a floured pan or stone.  Let rise in a draft-free location for 20 minutes.  Now would be a good time to preheat the oven.  Place the oven rack on the bottom of the oven.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the beans, salt, and pepper.  Mash with a fork.  Stir in water and simmer (stirring occasionally) for about 8 minutes.  You can stir in the basil (chopped) at this point or reserve it for the topping later, you decide.

Spread the beans on the dough.  If you reserved the basil, arrange the leaves on top of the bean mixture.  Arrange the tomato slices on top.  Top with salt and pepper.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the crust is browned.

Buon appetito!

Mexican Rice and Bean Bake

Do you like super easy?  Because this recipe is super easy.  Plus the rice and bean combo creates a complete protein!

Makes 4-6 servings

350 degrees F

1T EVOO
1 med onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. long-grain brown rice
1 t chili powder
2 c H2O or veg stock
1/4 t black pepper
1 (16 oz) tomato salsa
3 c. or 2 (15.5 oz) cans pintos, rinsed and drained
1 (4 oz) can green chiles
1 c. fresh or frozen and thawed corn (optional, but this adds a lovely sweetness when corn is in season!)

Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil.  Preheat your oven.

In a large saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion.  Cover and cook until soft.  Add the garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds.  Stir in the rice, chili powder, and water.  Bring to a boil.  Turn off the heat and add pepper and salt to taste.

Transfer the rice mixture into the 9x13 dish.  Stir in the salsa, beans, chiles, and corn (if using).  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed.

Enjoy, my friends :)

Sloppy Col Sandwich

Here's another fresh summertime sandwich for you!

Makes 4+ sandwiches

Hummus (see my recipe here or buy/make your own)
1 loaf focaccia or 4 fresh whole wheat rolls (or even just a yummy, grainy whole wheat bread will work fine)
1 ripe avocado
2 roasted red peppers, sliced (see my recipe here or buy/make your own)
1 bunch alfalfa sprouts
2-3 carrots, shredded
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 c. mixed salad greens (optional, this sandwich gets pretty full!)
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Variations:
Use pesto instead of hummus
Drizzle balsamic vinegar on the veggies
Use egg/less mayo as a spread

YUM!

Avocado & Chickpea Salad Sandwich

If you love guac and you also love humus, you will love this recipe! :)  It tastes very refreshing on a hot summer day!

Makes 3-4 sandwiches

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large, ripe avocado
1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T chopped green onion
Juice from 1 lime
Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste
Bread (I like whole wheat)
Spinach leaves and other toppings

Mash the beans in a bowl with the avocado.  Add cilantro, onion, and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper.

Spread on bread and add your toppings.

This spread can also be used as a dip for veggies, crackers, and pita chips.

Mmmmmm.

Roasted Red Peppers

Are you buying canned roasted red peppers for your recipes?  Well, stop!  It's easy to do yourself.  And healthier too!

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange your peppers on top.  Make sure you have your oven rack placed round-about in the middle of your oven.

Roast the peppers in your oven for about 30 minutes total, rotating throughout the process to ensure your blackening them on all sides.

Remove the peppers from the oven and immediately place in a glass bowl with plastic wrap tightly sealing them in.  This steams them in a way that allows the skins to come off easy in the next step.  Allow your peppers to cool for awhile, until you can handle them easily.

One at a time, place peppers on a cutting board.  Use a pairing knife to lightly cut just the top layer of skin lengthwise.  Use your fingers and the knife to remove this blackened layer of skin.

When the skin is completely removed, cut or pull out the stems from the top of the peppers.  Slice down the length of the pepper and open it like a book.

Cut out any remaining seeds or pulpy material you see still inside the pepper.  Then slice.

You can use these immediately or you can store them in an airtight container, drizzled with olive oil, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Perfecto!

Hummus

Hummus is great for sandwiches, salads, and dipping veggies or pita chips.  It's so easy to make.  I usually make a single batch and then freeze half of it, since it only lasts about a week in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 1/2 c

1 garlic clove
2 c cooked chickpeas (this is 1 can rinsed, drained)
3 T EVOO
2 T tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 t ground cumin
2 T lemon juice
1/4 t sea salt
water

In a running food processor, drop in garlic and run until minced.  Turn off the processor and scrape down the sides.  Add chickpeas, oil, tahini, cumin, lemon juice, and salt.  Restart the processor and slowly add water, making hummus slightly thinner than desired.  It will thicken when refrigerated.

Chill to combine flavors before serving.

For variety, add roasted garlic or roasted red peppers.

Easy peasy!

Strawberry Bread

It's strawberry season!!  So naturally, I went picking... :) Thank you Mom Kauffman and Meyers!

Froze them?  Made strawberry pie?  Strawberry muffins?  Strawberry shortcake?  Well here's another option for your strawberries this season.  I present to you the deliciousness of strawberry bread!  And it's sooooo easy.

Yields 1 loaf

1 c flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c strawberries (mashed)
3/4 c sugar
2/3 c oil
2 eggs
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mash your strawberries.

Mix in the rest of the ingredients until just combined.  Pour into an 8-inch (1.5 L) loaf pan and bake for 1 hour (or until a toothpick comes out clean).

Variations you can use all summer long:  Peeled, finely chopped peaches.  Blueberries.

Enjoy, fellow foodies! :)

Double Dark Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti

Yields ~1 1/2 doz

1 c flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 large egg + 1 large egg yoke
1/2 c sugar
1 t vanilla
1/4 c canola oil
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c chopped dark chocolate (3 oz)
1/4 c finely chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixer, add eggs and sugar, then vanilla and oil.  Add flour mix and mix on low.

Mix in walnuts, chocolate, and ginger with a spoon.  With moist hands, shape dough into 2 logs about 6 1/2 inches long, 1 inch thick, 2 inches wide.

Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 25 minutes until set.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 30-40 minutes.

Reduce heat to 325 degrees.  On a cutting board, cut on diagonal at about a 1/2-inch thickness.  Bake cut side down for 20 minutes (flip/rotate half way thru).  Cool for 5 minutes on sheet, transfer to rack.

Store up to 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container.

Yum!

Spinach-Chickpea Spread

Serves 4

1T EVOO
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas
1T + 1t lemon juice
10 oz spinach
salt
1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
2 t tahini
2 whole wheat 6-inch pitas, halved
1 tomato, sliced

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook garlic for 1 minute.  Add the beans and lemon juice and cook for 1 minute.  Add spinach, crushed red pepper.

Cover and heat to med-high.  Cook for 4 minutes until the spinach is wilted.

Uncover and heat to high.  Cook until lemon juice is evaporated (if not already), about 2 minutes.  Cool.

Pulse the mixture with tahini, 1 t lemon juice, 1/4 t salt - until chunky.

Refrigerate up to 2 days.  When ready to serve, fill pitas with the spread and sliced tomatoes.

Easy, delicious, and fresh for the summer!