Homemade Pizza

I found this pizza dough recipe on 100  Days of Real Food.

Take one cup warm water and add 2 tsp active dry yeast.  Let it sit until it bubbles.  Then add 2 tsp salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Mix it all together, then add to 3 cups of whole wheat flour.  Mix into a dough, then knead.  This only takes about 2 minutes.  Place the dough into a bowl and cover for one hour, up to overnight, while storing in the fridge.  This makes enough for two pizzas.  We ate one pizza for dinner, then kept the dough overnight and had the second pizza for dinner the next night. 

We brushed our dough with olive oil, then sprinkled garlic powder, basil, and oregano on top.  Then we added sliced up mozzerella and fresh parmesean, along with some spinach leaves.  My daughter was a great help with sprinkling ingredients!

Bake at 500 F for 8 minutes.

Menu plan (80% plus Daniel Fast approved)

I planned this menu with the goal of striving for at least six servings of veggies/fruit per day.   It seems hard to reach this goal if you don't plan it out in advance.  This week, our protein will mostly come from beans, fish, and nuts.  It isn't 100% DFA, but you could easily modify a few things to reach that goal if you are interested.  If you are thinking about a Daniel Fast, this menu would certainly help prepare you as it is mostly based in plants. You would only need to eliminate the fish, make a few small adjustments on the stir fry recipe (no alcohol or added sugar) and avoid adding cheese to the lentil casserole and baked potato. 

Sunday:  Whole grain cereal with fresh mango
                Baked potato with baby green salad
                Lentil and green bean casserole
                Nectarine

Monday:  Oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins
                 Brown rice tortilla with peanut butter and granny smith apple
                 Grapes
                 Baby carrots
                 Grilled tilapia with squash and zucchini

Tuesday:  Whole grain cereal with banana
                 Brown rice tortilla with peanut butter
                 Clementine
                 Homemade trail mix (dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and grain)
                 Cabbage kale salad with chickpeas and pear (recipe later if this is good)

Wednesday:  Oatmeal with cantaloupe
                      Leftover salad with grapes
                      Veggie tacos

Thursday:  Whole grain cereal and a clementine
                   Leftover veggie tacos
                   Apple
                  Chinese veggie stir fry with rice

Reverse Fondue

Since we don't have a fancy fondue pot, we improvised, following a recipe from Cooking Light.

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Cut up a head of broccolli and a head of cauliflower. 
Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread onto a baking sheet.
Cut up 1-2 slices of bread (we used a leftover homemade baquette) into bite size pieces.
Place the bread on another baking sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put 1 cup dry white wine and 1 teaspoon cornstach into a sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a slow bubble. 

Stir in 8 ounces of cheese.  We used 1/2 Gruyere and 1/2 Emmenthaler.  Stir until it melts and becomes creamy.

When the veggies and bread are finished roasting, drizzle with the cheese and serve while hot.

Mushroom Rigate Bake

This was adapted from Cooking Light

Cook 8 ounces penne rigate pasta, whole wheat. 

While the pasta is cooking you can slice the following:
1/4 cup shallots
8 ounces shiitake mushroom caps
4 ounces sliced baby portebello mushrooms
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 garlic clove-mince

Heat a skillet on medium high heat.
Melt 2 teaspoons butter, then add the shallots and saute for three minutes. 
Add mushrooms, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and garlic.  Stir frequently and  saute about 8 minutes.

Your pasta will likely be finished sometime during this process; drain and set aside.

Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat.
Add 1/4 cup whole wheat flour and gradually add 2 cups 2% milk, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Bring to a boil, cook one minute, constantly stirring.
Remove from heat, add 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese and stir until melted.

Add the mushroom mixture and pasta the the sauce and toss well.
Spoon the mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Asiago cheese (or mix it up and do some parmesean cheese)
Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown.

Apple, Grape, Cranberry Nut Salad

This is easy to prepare and very healthy!

To mix the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 garlic glove minced
1/4 cup fresh squeezed juice of your choice.  I used grapes and squeezed them by hand. 
Whisk this all together and set aside.

For the salad:
Start with some mixed baby greens, organic.  Sam's sells a LARGE container for 3.98.  I probably used 1/4 of the container for this salad for two adults and one small child.
Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup pecans
Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup almonds

Wash 1 cluster of grapes and one apple.  Cut up the apple into bite size pieces and add to the salad.'

Top with some feta cheese. 

This would be Daniel Fast Approved if you leave the feta cheese out. 

Zucchini crust pizza

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook

This will become a regular in our dinner line up!

Heat the oven to 400 F.

To make the crust:

Oil two pie/cake pans and coat with flour.

Grate enough zucchini to make 2 cups, packed full.
Grate 1/2 cup mozzarella
Grate 1/2 parmesean (I buy this type already freshly grated-not the powdery stuff)

Mix together:
Zucchini and grated cheeses
1/4 cup wheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Spread mixture into the two pans, flattening out. 

Bake for about twenty minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven.  After it has cooled ten minutes, use a spatula to loosen the crust from the pan.

Top with whatever you want.

Here is how I made margherita pizza:

Drizzle olive oil onto the crust and brush evenly.
Thinly slice a clove of garlic, then spread evenly.
Sprinkle fresh mozzerella to cover the crush
Thinly slice a fresh tomato and spread evenly.
Sprinkle some basil-I used freeze dried.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. 

I am tellng you, this was delicious!

Lentil, Brown Rice Casserole with Broccoli

This is a variation of the first lentil casserole I had posted.

Heat your oven 375 F.

Measure 2 1/2 cups veggie broth

3/4 cup dried lentils

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

Rinse the rice and lentils, then combine into a 2 quart casserole dish with the veggie broth.

Cover and bake for 55 minutes.

Stir in 1/2 to 1 package of frozen broccoli.

Cover and bake for 15 more minutes.

Meanwhile, shred 1/2 cup Swiss and 1/2 Le Gruyere cheese.

Then, sprinkle on top of your casserole and bake 10 minutes, uncovered until the cheese is melted.

Yum!

Lentil casserole

Heat the oven to 375 F

In a 2 quart casserole dish add:
3/4 cup dried lentils
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
2 1/2 cups veggie broth
Mix them together (but enjoy my pretty picture below before mixing)

Bake, covered, for about 55 minutes.

After 55 minutes add:
One package frozen green beans
3 kale leaves, chopped (excluding the spines)
Stir it all together and put back in the oven for about 15 minutes.

You could eat it at this point or I highly recommend adding the following:
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Bake uncovered for about 10 minutes, or unti cheese is melted

Final result:

This was easy and delicious!  We ate about half the casserole and each had enough for lunch leftovers tomorrow.

Lentil and Walnut Burgers

This recipe comes from Whole Foods website.

Cook 1.5 cups lentils in one pot (or use leftover lentils from last night's meal)
Cook 2 cups brown rice

While you are cooking your lentils and rice, chop up the following into small pieces:
1 small carrot
1/2 cup mushrooms
1/4 cup walnuts
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 Tablespoon parlsey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In a skillet, heat up 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, then cook the chopped ingredients pictured above for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

While cooking the above, go ahead and work on the next step at the same time.

In a food processor, add 1.5 cups cooked lentils, 1 cup of your rice, and 1 partially beaten egg.

Process lentils, rice, and egg until smooth.

Mix your lentil mixture with your cooked ingredients, including your additional cup of rice.  Mix well, then form into patties. 

Add a little oil to your skillet and cook your patties just like you would hamburgers.  Turn once golden brown (takes about 10 minutes total). 

Serve alone, or add cheese and a bun.

 

Sweet potato fries would make a great side dish for these veggie burgers!



Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Boil your whole wheat pasta.
Cook your broccoli (16 ounce package) according to package directions.

In a food processor add:
1 cup veggie broth
Cooked broccoli
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients before processing.

Turn the food processor on for a couple of minutes, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides of the container.

The sauce is finished when it is smooth.

Mix your pasta with your fresh pasta sauce.

Enjoy.

Potato Pancakes and salad with homemade dressing

My friend and neighbor Sarah shared some vegetarian cookbooks with me, which is where I found the following recipes ( I made a few small changes).

Potato Pancakes
Preheat your oven to 250.
Line a cookie sheet with paper towels.

Shred 2-3 potatoes.
Slice 2 green onions.
Beat 2 eggs.

Mix the potatoes, green onions, and eggs.

Add 1 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.

Mix again.

In a skillet, add just enough olive oil to cover the pan and turn the heat on med/high.

Scoop out your potato mixture with a 1/2 cup measuring cup and place the mixture in the hot skillet.  Smash it down with a slotted spatula.

Repeat until your skillet can't hold anymore (two to three pancakes).

Cook each side about 7 minutes.

When a batch finishes, transfer the pancakes onto the cookie sheet and put this in the oven to keep warm.

While cooking your pancakes you can also work on your salad.
Wash your Romaine lettuce and fresh spinach. 
Tear your lettuce into bite size pieces.
Shred a carrot.

Balsamic vinegarette:
Pour about 1/2 cup olive oil into a small bowl
Add 4-5 tsp balsamic vinegar
Add 1 minced garlic clove (I only used 1/2)
Add a dash of salt
Mix this all together.

Toss your greens and carrots with the dressing.