foodie: squash "pizzas"

inspired by this recipe and with a gorgeously round summer squash in need of use, i set out to make my very own version of squash "pizza".  the buttery squash made for a delicious (though not so stable) crust, and the fresh marinara, parmigiano reggiano cheese and garden basil, made it all the better!  the result was quite tasty, if i do say so myself.

here's what you'll need for pizza for two...

1 round summer squash
marinara
cheese of your choosing
olive oil
salt
fresh basil

preheat oven to 400

1. cut the squash into 1/2 inch thick rounds, and place on an oiled baking sheet. drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping once, until both sides are lightly browned and the edges begin to curl up.

2. remove from the oven and top as you see fit!  caramelized onions, chopped kalamata olives and homemade pesto could be delicious, too.

3. bake for another 10 min or so, until the cheese begins to melt.

enjoy with a side salad and a glass of wine :-)

foodie: cookie dough dip (and it's healthy!!!)

if you're anything like me, cookie dough has an almost magnetic appeal.  why does the dough taste even better than the cookie?!  well, as you might imagine, i was delighted when my sister shared a recipe for healthy cookie dough dip with me.

the dip has a very special secret ingredient, that perhaps you best not share with your fellow eaters until after they've tasted the delicious dip.  any guesses???...

the secret ingredient is chickpeas.  yes, that's right...beans!

i made two cookie dough dip variations (both inspired by this recipe).  here's what went down...

peanut butter chocolate chip

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1/4 cup no-sugar-added peanut butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp soy milk (skip for a thicker dip)
1/3 cup chocolate chips

put all the ingredients (except the chocolate chips) into your food processor, and pulse until it resembles the texture of cookie dough.  mix in the chocolate and serve with fresh fruit like sliced apples and strawberries or graham cracker dippers.

white chocolate ginger coconut

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (you could also use chickpeas)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
scant tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup shredded coconut (i used sweetened)
1/3 cup white chocolate chips

again, put all the ingredients (except the white chocolate chips) into the mixer and blend.  add in the chips and serve with fruit, graham crackers...or a spoon!

not only is this dip delicious, it's pretty healthy (compared to the real deal), and it's gluten-free, grain-free and vegan.  not too shabby!

foodie: spaghetti squash with spring asparagus

i've been having a cooking love-affair with spaghetti squash.  even before going gluten-free, my husband and i would often enjoy this versatile veggie as the base for our meals.  well, this past week i created a new dish that made use of some of the delicious asparagus that has been available lately.

this is what you'll need for 4 servings...

1 spaghetti squash
1/2-1 bushel of asparagus, cleaned with woody ends off
1 onion, chopped
1 ear corn, cut off the cob
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 oz goat cheese
1-2 oz bleu cheese
olive oil
lemon wedges
salt & pepper

1. pierce the skin of the squash, and roast it in a 400 degree oven for 45min - 1hr, or until it's fork tender.  also, roast your asparagus (after drizzling it with olive oil and sprinkling it with salt) for about 20 min.

2. as squash and asparagus cook, saute the onions in some olive oil until they're lightly browned, and then toss in corn at the last minute.

3. allow the squash to cool, and then cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and then scrap out the stringy flesh into a large bowl.  cut asparagus into 1-2 inch long pieces and add them in.  also mix in the cooked veggies, dill, yogurt, crumbled cheese, and season with salt & pepper to taste.

4. mix everything together, and then serve with wedges of fresh lemon to further brighten the flavor!

if you still haven't tried spaghetti squash, it's time to hop on the bandwagon.  this yummy veggie makes for the perfect foundation for a spring meal : )

bon appetit!

foodie: peanut butter banana sandwich cookies

i made this dessert a few weekends back to take to our friends' house.  i had never made them before -- and kind of made-up the recipe -- so, needless to say, i was pleased when they turned out well.  (i had to hide them from craig so he wouldn't eat them all before the party! lol)  even better...they're gluten-free, and if you use agave nectar instead of honey, they could easily be vegan too!

here's what you'll need for 6 sandwich cookies...

cookie:
1 mashed (over-ripe) banana -- about 3/4 cup
1/2 cup creamy organic peanut butter
2 tbsp honey (or agave nectar or maple syrup)
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

filling:
1/4 cup chocolate morsels
2 tbsp peanut butter

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. mix all the cookie ingredients together until combined.

2. divide mixture into 12 cookies (so that you can make 6 sandwiches), and place them on a non-stick baking tray.

3. bake for 11-13 minutes, until cookies are just slightly browned (you'll see the coconut browning).
4. remove from oven, and allow to cool.

5. while cookies cool, melt chocolate in microwave and combine with 2 tbsp peanut butter.

6. spread filling evenly on 6 of the cookies (you can gently press the cookies flat if you want a more uniform surface to spread the filling on), and then top each with another cookie.

fyi - this is a very, very doughy cookie.  it has the texture and taste of nearly raw dough -- which is exactly how i prefer my baked treats : )

you can store these in the fridge for up to 5 days.  (want to see the recipe that inspired this one?  check it out here.)

enjoy!!!

wheat belly (gluten-free) diet day 23

i hope you enjoyed your loooong weekend!  craig and i attended our good friends' wedding this past sunday, so needless to say, it was a totally enjoyable weekend for us : )

i wanted to share with you all a bit more about my gluten-free experiment now that i'm over 3 weeks in.

thinking about taking the gluten-free plunge?

check out these delicious recipes to inspire you along your journey to health:

apple pie granola

avocado and goat cheese salad

eggplant "lasagna"

cauliflower crust pizza

foodie: gluten-free eggplant "lasagna"

i have been loving baked eggplant dishes lately -- the combo of buttery eggplant with gooey cheese and fresh tomato sauce is something i never tire of.  for this recipe, i used eggplant layers instead of pasta to create a layered "lasagna" that's scrumptious...and gluten-free!  (this is one of my husband's new favorite hearty meals, despite the fact that it's vegetarian :-)

here's what you'll need for lasagna for 4...

1 eggplant, sliced into 1/4-1/3 inch rounds
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 cup ricotta
2 oz mozzarella, thinly sliced
3/4 cup marinara sauce
basil
salt & pepper
olive oil

1. preheat your oven to 400.  on an oiled baking tray, lay out eggplant and season with salt and pepper.  drizzle more olive oil over top and roast for approximately 30 min, flipping the rounds half way through cooking.

2. while the eggplant cooks, saute the onion in a bit of olive oil until caramelized.  season with salt, pepper and garlic.  once onions are done, mix them into the ricotta.

3. when the eggplant is done, allow it to cool slightly and then put a layer in an oiled pie dish or baking dish.  top with 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and 1/3 of the marinara and some basil.  add another layer of eggplant and again top with ricotta mixture, marinara, and some mozzarella and basil.  finally, add on more layer of eggplant and the ricotta mixture, and finish it with mozzarella and basil.

4. put the "lasagna" back in the 400 degree oven for 15-20 min or until the edges are bubbling and the cheese is gooey.

trust me, with this recipe you won't even notice the lasagna noodles are missing!!!

enjoy :-)

foodie: gluten-free chickpea salad

when i started this gluten-free month, the one concern i had was about lunches.  i really like having sandwiches and pitas and wraps, but i don't want to become dependant of gluten-free breads, either.  so, for the sake of health, i've been opting for healthy whole foods...which is really best anyway : )  in search of some yummy lunch options, i developed this chickpea salad recipe that's great by itself or over lettuce.

here's what you'll need for chickpea salad for two...

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 shallot, lightly sauteed if desired to take the "edge" off
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp plain, full-fat yogurt (or sour cream)
1 tbsp horseradish sauce
salt & pepper
herbs - i used chopped basil and chives

1. lightly mash 1/2 of the chickpeas and leave the other 1/2 of the can whole (for texture reasons :-)

2. mix everything together!

serve by itself, with a pickle or over lettuce to make it into a true salad.

i think this could also be great with chopped nuts -- like walnuts or pecans -- and sliced grapes.  i'll let you know if i come up with any other concoctions that are worthwhile.

enjoy!

foodie: apple pie "granola" (gluten-free breakfast)

ever since going gluten-free for my month long wellness experiment, i've been looking for an easy breakfast to replace my usual overnight oats (since commercial oats are often contaminated by wheat exposure).  looking for something that would offer a bit of sweetness, i developed this super simple recipe for apple pie "granola".

here's what you'll need for 2 servings...

1 apple, chopped
1/2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup chopped nuts (i used pecans and walnuts)
cinnamon

preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. mix together apple, butter, vanilla, nuts and cinnamon.  spread evenly on a baking sheet.

2. bake for 20-25 min until apples are golden brown and nuts are toasted.

you can enjoy some immediately, or allow it to cool and save in the fridge for up to 4 days.  the recipe makes 2 servings.

for breakfast, i had some with almond milk and peanut butter one morning, and some with plain yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, and peanut butter (again) another day.  yum!

foodie: my favorite gluten-free lunch (with avocado!)

as you know, i'm going "gluten-free" for a month to see if it clears up my pesky stomach issues and makes me feel overall better.  without gluten (i.e. wheat), my usual lunch of a pita sandwich is a no-go for the time being, but i'm not missing it at all because of my new favorite lunch of avocado topped with sauteed onions and goat cheese.  (is your mouth watering yet?!)

here's what you'll need for lunch for one...

1/2 avocado, in-tact and scooped out of the skin
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 oz goat cheese
1 tomato, sliced
lemon wedge
chives
salt & pepper

1. saute onions in olive oil.  season with salt and pepper.

2. squeeze some lemon on the avocado (if desired) to keep it from browning, and fill it with goat cheese and surround with tomatoes. 

3. top everything with the hot onions as soon as they're done so that they can begin to melt the cheese!

4. garnish with chopped chives, or herb of your choice.

(for a vegan option, replace the goat cheese with chopped kalamata olives to add some richness.  i had that version the other day and it was delish too!)

bon appetit!