Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

If you're like most people, you probably love pizza. And like some people, you may feel guilty for indulging - not any more! When using cauliflower as the base for your crust rather than white flour, you add nutrition and subtract calories without sacrificing taste.  I adapted this recipe from an awesome foodie blog called Eat.Drink.Smile. 

The recipe was very easy to make and can be tweaked to suit your own personal tastes!  Most of the calories comes from the cheese, so feel free to substitute low fat/light cheese to lower the calories even more. This recipe is also low-carb and naturally gluten-free! 

Ingredients

2 cups of riced cauliflower

1 cup of part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 egg, beaten

2 cloves garlic, chopped

.5 teaspoon oregano

.25 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions

Ricing the cauliflower:  remove leaves and cut cauliflower into small florets. Pulse in a food processor until the cauliflower resembles grains - be careful not to pulse too long or you will puree the cauliflower! (Eat. Drink. Smile suggests using a cheese grater if you don't have a food processor.)  Place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 6-8 minutes.  This will soften and somewhat cook the cauliflower.  While the cauliflower is in the microwave, pre-heat the oven to 450.

After removing the cauliflower from the microwave, add the remaining ingredients and mix.  The heat from the cauliflower will help to melt the cheese.  

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Spread the cauliflower mixture onto the cookie sheet and pat down with the back of a spoon.  Cook the "crust" for 15 minutes.

Top with whatever you like and pop it back in the oven under the broiler for 3-4 minutes! So easy!

Nutrition (serves 2, information is for 1 serving; does not include sauce or other toppings)

Calories: 205

Fat: 12 g

Carbs: 6.2g

Fiber: 3g

Protein: 19g

Stay healthy!

Spelt Tortillas - Simple!

Homemade Spelt Tortillas

  Tonight's venture was to try making tortillas from scratch - success! This recipe was super easy and turned out really well with extras for the freezer.

Ingredients

2 cups of spelt flour

1 tsp salt

1.5 tsp baking soda

1 T olive oil

.75 cup of hot water

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Cover bowl and put in a warm place for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, separate the dough into 8 or 16 pieces depending on the size of tortillas you want. I separated the dough into 12 pieces to have some large (~7") and some small (~5").  Let set for another 20 minutes.

Roll the dough out very thin (I didn't need any extra flour - the dough didn't stick to the rolling pin or the cutting board).  Heat a skillet on medium and place tortilla into the pan (no cooking spray necessary).  The tortilla will begin to bubble - flip it and heat it for an additional 30-60 seconds.  Place tortillas on a plate, separated by damp paper towels to preserve the softness.  

They were fantastic fresh; I put my leftovers in the freezer (minus the paper towels) for another time!

Nutrition (per 1 tortilla when you make 8 from the dough)

Calories: 135

Fat: 2.8g

Carbs: 22g

Fiber: 4g

Protein: 4g

Stay healthy!

Whole Grain Banana Muffins

Whole Grain Banana Muffins

  What better to do on a cold, overcast day than to bake some healthy, comfort food? Today's project: hearty, healthy, whole grain banana muffins! I spent some time scouring the web for recipes and combined ideas and ingredients from several to come up with my own recipe.  Here's the recipe!

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 ripe bananas

1 large egg white

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 cup organic sucanat

1/2 T maple or table syrup (next time I make these, I think I will eliminate this but it depends on your preference for sweetness)

1 1/2 T sour cream

Dry Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 T ground flax

1/2 t pumpkin pie spice

(Next time, I'll add some extra ginger and cinnamon)

Topping

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 T organic sucanat

1-2 T chopped walnuts

thinly sliced bananas

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350; spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray (do not use wrappers).  Combine all wet ingredients until well-blended; combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until moistened. Fill muffin pan about 2/3 full (makes about 12 muffins).  Combine topping ingredients (except bananas) in a small bowl & sprinkle over top of each muffin.  Add a few pieces of thinly sliced bananas on top.  Bake for about 22-25 minutes.

If you like, you can add extra walnuts to the batter; you could also try adding chocolate chips, coconut, or carob chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 134

Fat: 1.5g

Carbs: 30.6g

Fiber: 3.3g

Protein: 3.2

Stay healthy!

Whole Wheat Spinach Pasta from Scratch

Whole Wheat Spinach Pasta 

  Making homemade pasta with a pasta machine is something we've always talked about doing but never done. Well, today the talking stopped and the pasta making began! We've been successful at making homemade whole wheat gnocchi and pierogies, so we decided to try flavored pasta.  The taste ended up being delicious  though the noodles weren't exactly picture perfect. Next time, I'm going to sub in other flours like spelt or tapioca. 

Ingredients

.25 cup all-purpose flour

1.5 cups 100% stone ground whole wheat flour (like Bob's Red Mill organic)

2 eggs

1.5 t olive oil

5 oz. fresh, organic spinach

Directions

Start with 1 cup whole wheat flour and .25 cup all-purpose. Make a well on a clean, dry surface (I used a cutting board). Chop rinsed and drained spinach in a food processor with olive oil until finely minced.

Place chopped spinach and 2 eggs into the well.  Using a fork, scramble the eggs with the spinach, slowly incorporating the flour from the sides.  

The mixture will be crumbly at first; now's the time to add in the extra .5 cup of wheat flour. You may need more or less depending on the weather, moisture in your spinach, etc. I ended up having to add close to .75 cup.

After the flour is incorporated as best as you can with a fork, use your hands to knead the dough. It should be slightly tacky.  When you start to put it through the pasta machine, you'll be able to tell whether or not you need to add more flour.

Add your fresh pasta to boiling water for about 4-5 minutes and enjoy!

Nutrition (a rough estimate based on 4 servings from the dough):

Calories: 228

Fat: 5 g

Carbs: 37 g

Fiber: 6 g

Protein: 10 g

Toss with veggies, lean meat, & olive oil or your favorite red sauce! 

Stay healthy!

Fueling up for long runs!

   

    Since I started this blog, I've been posting healthy recipes I've made but have said nothing about fitness! A big part of the equation of being healthy has to do with regular physical activity.  In order to stick with an exercise routine, it has to be something you like to do.  While running may not be for everyone, it's something I have come to love; I cherish the time I spend on the open road in my favorite pair of Sauconys! I plan to write more entries on running and exercise in general, but I thought I would start with this entry inspired by a fantastic 9-miler I enjoyed yesterday.  

    If you ever dive into the amazing world of running, one of the most important things to consider is how you're going to fuel your body before, during, and after a run.  The following advice is based on my own experience (I've been into long distance running for about 2 1/2 years now) and should be customized based on your own preferences and experiences.  For the purpose of this blog, I define a "long distance" run as one that lasts longer than an hour or is at least 6 miles - of course, this is an extremely contextually-based definition :-)

   Before a run:   It's extremely important to give your body some fuel to start your run - in this case, you want a balance of complex carbs, healthy fat, and protein.  This combo is going to keep your blood sugar steady while providing your muscles with a steady stream of nutrients.  My recommendation is a slice of Ezekiel bread with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and a few sips of water (Ezekiel bread is the cleanest choice, but you can sub whole grain/whole wheat as well.)  It's important to eat about 30-45 minutes before your run so that you have some time to digest. Another good choice is oats. I'd steer clear of dairy or eggs though - save them for your post-run meal.

   During a run:  For runs in the one hour range, you don't really need to take in calories while running - the exception is in extreme heat.  If you're planning to run for more than an hour, you should think about what you'll eat and drink during the run.  Unless it's hot outside, I don't need anything until I get into the 90 minute running range, but everyone is different.  Consider carrying water or a low-sugar sports drink to stay hydrated; I always found sports drinks to be too concentrated so I diluted them with half water.  I carry mine in a fuel belt but others prefer handheld bottles.  At this stage of the run, your body craves quick carbs and sugar to keep moving.  Many runners swear by energy gels like Gu, Clif Shots, or PowerBar, but I couldn't stomach the sweetness or the texture. I found that energy chews worked best for me: I'd recommend Sharkies (Organic!), PowerBar Energy Blasts, JellyBelly Sports Beans, or HoneyStinger Natural (Organic!).  I'd chew one after about 7 miles, then one every 15-20 minutes after that or as needed.

   After a run:  When you finish your run, it's really important that you refuel your muscles even if you're not hungry. Otherwise, you're going to end up sore and fatigued.  If you can't imagine eating a balanced meal within 30-45 minutes of finishing, the next best thing is a protein shake - ready to drink like EAS Carb Control or homemade (I like 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/4 cup water,  and 1 scoop of GNC Vanilla Whey Isolate blended with a handful of ice cubes).  No matter what you prefer, you've got to be mindful to replace the carbs and protein your muscles burned.  So, drink your shake as soon as you get back (no more than 45 minutes later), and try to eat a balanced meal within an hour after that (you will be hungry by then!). 

   As I said, all of my advice is based on my own experience, but I hope it provides some helpful ideas!

Stay fit!