Cauliflower Pizza Crust

We have all been trying to go grain-free because of my husband and add more vegetables to our meals at our house.  I had really been wanting to try a cauliflower pizza and this gave me the perfect opportunity.  After doing a little research and tweaking this to my own preferences, our recipe for cauliflower crust pizza was born.  This has many steps, but all of them are easy - in other words, this is not fast, but it is simple.  It's also surprisingly filling - must be all the veggies.  My favorite thing is that it is processed free.  Let pizza night begin!

Makes 2 medium pizza crusts

1 large head of cauliflower
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Toppings of your choice: sugar free pizza sauce, cheese, shredded zucchini, olives, bell peppers, mushrooms, pepperoni, ricotta cheese, etc.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and liberally grease it with olive oil.  Chop the cauliflower into small pieces and pulse until finely chopped in a food processor - not pureed though.  Pour into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 8 minutes then let it cool enough to handle. 

Put small batches into a tea towel and twist to remove as much moisture as you can - it has to be dry!  You may have to do this in several batches like I did.

Transfer to a bowl and add the other ingredients.  Shape into two crusts on the oiled parchment and bake for 15 to 17 minutes. 

Should be slightly golden.  Cool a little and add your toppings.  Bake again for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and started to bubble.

Feel free to experiment with your own seasoning and toppings.  I also think this is easier eaten with a fork rather than picked up like a traditional pizza slice.  Give this a try - you may find you like eating more veggies! 

Watermelon Lime and Coconut Snow Cones

 

My friend Lenor, who is an amazingly creative cook, made a coconut watermelon smoothie for me out of frozen watermelon and coconut flavored syrup.  It was so delicious, but I wanted to come up with a sugar-less version for my family that didn't use coconut syrup since it is full of refined white sugar.  Not exactly processed free!  I also wanted to introduce one more flavor - lime.  Have you ever heard of people eating watermelon with a sprinkle of salt?  It may sound odd, but it does tend to add a nice flavor enhancement.  Lime can often take the place of salt in a recipe and add tremendous depth of flavor, as well as a freshness you just can't beat from citrus.  So this was my thinking in adding the lime.  The result was something absolutely wonderful, sweet, and completely processed free.  My kids gobble this up as if  they were being given the most delicious treat in the world. 

 

juice of one lime

1/4 tsp. coconut extract

3-4 drops liquid stevia

2 Tbsp. finely shredded unsweetened coconut

3 1/2 cups frozen watermelon chunks



Cut fresh watermelon into 1 inch squares and freeze in a zip top bag.  This will take hours, if not over night to freeze completely.  Once frozen, you are ready to make the snow cone.  Juice one lime and add the coconut extract and stevia to the juice and stir.  Pour this into the blender or food processor.  Add the shredded coconut and frozen watermelon.  Puree this until it all comes together.  You will have to stop the machine, scrape down the sides, and stir it together a few times.  Once the watermelon is not in chunks anymore and it's all the right consistency, give it one more stir to make sure all the flavors are incorporated evenly before serving.  You will see white bits of coconut throughout the snow cone. 

Another great thing about this recipe is that it doesn't melt as fast or in the same way as a regular snow cone made of water and syrup.  Because the base is watermelon, it stays together quite well - even to the last bite!  And the kids do not get as sticky with sugary syrup since there is none, not to mention stained by artificial food coloring.  I hope you enjoy this as much as our family.  This has become one of our favorite summer treats - with no refined sugar!

Berry Yogurt Parfait

 

I'm about to have a little love fest of photos for my berry yogurt parfait!  It has been my very favorite breakfast of the last few months, and I'd even go as far as calling it a dessert - it's that good!  

 

It's chalked full of yumminess without any refined sugar, which makes it processed free.  This comes together in no time (especially if you use berries that don't need to be cut up) and puts a smile on my face every morning I eat it.  Now that's worth waking up for!

 

plain organic whole milk yogurt (I like goat's milk yogurt)
organic heavy cream
vanilla crème liquid stevia
fresh berries
coconut sugar and cinnamon blend (see mine here)

Put enough yogurt in a bowl for one serving.  Pour a splash of cream in and about 5-6 drops of vanilla crème stevia.  Stir to combine.  Top with fresh berries and sprinkle on your desired amount of coconut sugar and cinnamon. 

 

Here are my favorite brands of yogurt and stevia:

 



 

 

Bean Pasole

Everyone needs a few recipes that can come almost entirely from the pantry.  This is one of those recipes - you can basically have everything on hand you need to make it without a shopping trip.  This is something I keep in my hip pocket for a day when I don't feel like cooking, haven't been to the store, or don't have time to babysit the process.  The basics of this soup came to me from my friend Amanda.  She delivered this to my house one day when I was horribly sick.  My whole family loved it and I asked her for the recipe.  It only took minor changes to make this processed free and now we eat it all the time! 

 

2 - 15 oz. cans hominy (rinsed and drained)

2 - 15 oz. cans of beans (pinto, navy, kidney, etc.) I usually choose 2 different kids to look pretty

32 oz. container (4 1/2 cups) reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth

16 oz. jar of thick and chunky medium salsa (no sugar added)

2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (or 6 Tbsp. milk + 3 Tbsp. butter)

 

optional toppings: cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, chopped cilantro, etc.

 

Put all the ingredients, except the cream, into a crockpot and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.  30 minutes before serving, pour in the cream, stir, and recover.  Serve as is or add some additional toppings. 

 

Truth be told, I almost never add any other toppings because I haven't been to the store to get them.  Sometimes it's just a sprinkle of cheese.  You could also easily add some leftover roast, pork, or chicken to this if you are looking to use up a small amount of cooked meat.  This is very forgiving and ridiculously fast and easy.  

 

Chicken and Quinoa Lettuce Wraps

 

I found the idea for filling lettuce wraps with quinoa on pinterest and thought it was a brilliant idea!  My husband is supposed to go grain free for three months and I've been trying to put together recipes and meal plans that include three criteria: processed free, grain free, and delicious!  These lettuce wraps absolutely qualify.  These are also very kid friendly which is a bonus.

 

3 large chicken breasts

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil or regular sesame oil

4 Tbsp. liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp. freshly grated ginger or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

 

2 heads of lettuce - Boston, bib or butter

3 cups cooked quinoa (here's how I make it in the rice cooker)

shredded carrots

shredded or sliced cucumber - I like English cucumber because they have less seeds

chopped cilantro

peanut sauce

 

Combine the olive oil, sesame oil, liquid aminos, garlic, and ginger in a gallon size zip top bag.  Add the chicken breast and seal it up.  Squish around the marinade ingredients so that the chicken is completely coated and let it sit in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes or longer.  While you wait, cut the veggies, put them on a platter, and make the peanut sauce (here's my easy two ingredient recipe).  Cook the chicken breasts in a couple tablespoons of coconut oil.  Then move to a cutting board and let them rest for a couple minutes before cutting them.  You can cut them in strips or cubes - doesn't matter.  I consider this an assemble yourself dinner, but for the kids, they liked everything separate with no sauce.  Whatever suits your fancy!

 

 

 

Quinoa in the Rice Cooker

 

My life just got even easier the day I learned you could make quinoa in a rice cooker!  I know it's not that complicated on the stove top, but how much better is it to throw everything in and just walk away.  That's my favorite kind of cooking!  Plus, this is ready in about 15 minutes, so I can turn it on, prep the rest of the meal and in no time everything is ready to eat.  Here are the basics, but you can play around with the ratios to make this how you prefer.

 

1 cup rinsed quinoa

2 cups liquid

1/2 tsp. salt

 

Do not skip the step of rinsing the quinoa or it will be kind of bitter.  Just pour it in a fine strainer and rinse in the sink - this will only take you about 30 seconds.  As far as the liquid goes, I use one cup water and one cup chicken stock, but you could use all water, all chicken or vegetable stock, etc.  Dump it all in the rice cooker, put on the lid, and press the button.  Done to perfection!

 

If you are trying to go grain free, this is a fantastic substitute for rice in just about any dish.  It's also good all by itself.  Get creative and add all kinds of chopped veggies, vinaigrettes, seeds, nuts, cheese crumbles, etc.  Plus, quinoa is high in protein - great for my whole family!

2 Ingredient Peanut Sauce

This peanut sauce is ridiculously easy - I mean, my two year old can make this!  Technically it's more than two ingredients, but you only need to add two things to the bowl.  I love that this is processed free, but not taste free and super healthy.  Anyone want peanut sauce last minute?  Coming right up!

Organic Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (just peanuts and salt)
Braggs Ginger and Sesame Salad Dressing

Combine equal parts of both peanut butter and salad dressing.  Stir to combine - that's it! 

You can heat this up if you want it warm or serve it cold.  If you want some texture, you could use chunky peanut butter or add some chopped peanuts after you make it.  If you prefer more peanut taste, add more and visa versa for the ginger sesame dressing.  Serve this with whatever you like.  Here are a few ideas - lettuce wraps, chicken satay, pasta, stir fry, baste salmon etc.  Have fun trying this on whatever sounds good!

Honey Popcorn

A friend of mine shared her family recipe for a sweet popcorn treat.  She told me they have always made a melted butter and honey combination that they pour on popcorn for a special snack or treat.  I loved this idea because who doesn't like a salty-sweet combo?  Plus, this is a processed free snack/treat I don't mind giving my kids in the place of caramel or kettle corn.  My family goes nuts for this!  Thank you Jody for sharing!!!

1/2 cup un-popped popcorn
4 Tbsp. butter (1/2 stick)
3 heaping Tbsp. raw honey
1/4 tsp. salt

I use an air popper to make the popcorn, but you can pop it on the stove if you prefer.  While it's popping, I grab a very small pot and melt the butter.  This will only take about a minute.  Then stir in the honey and salt.  Pour this over the popped popcorn and toss to evenly distribute. 

I have also made this with coconut oil instead of the butter and this resembles much more of a sweet, less salty treat - more caramel corn like.  This is also really good if you swap the honey for pure maple syrup!

Cauliflower Leek Soup

 

I saw the idea of this soup on pinterest, but there were no exact measurements to recreate it.  I love discovering recipes that include more vegetables and can be processed free, so I played around with this until I figured out a soup I liked and could recreate.  This is super fast and easy, but you don't have to admit that if you don't want to!

3 Tbsp. butter or coconut oil
8 oz. bag of clean leeks chopped, or 2 leeks cleaned and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 head of cauliflower, cut into smaller pieces
32 oz. package of chicken or vegetable broth (4 1/2 cups)
salt and pepper

In a pot, saute the leeks in the butter/coconut oil until soft.  Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the cauliflower and chicken broth and cover the pot.  Cook until the cauliflower is soft, about 10 minutes.  Uncover and blend in the pot with an immersion blender or in small batches in a regular blender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  This will need some salt, so don't forget it!

You can add some toppings if you want.  My suggestions would be a drizzle of olive oil, freshly grated parmesan cheese or cheddar cheese, maybe a sprinkle of bacon or freshly chopped parsley.  This soup is good on it's own, but looks fancier with toppings. 

Chicken Saltimbocca

Do you ever want to serve something that seems really fancy, but doesn't take a lot of time or effort?  Well, this is the dish for you!  I absolutely LOVE chicken saltimbocca, but I always thought it was complicated and time consuming to make.  Then I saw Trisha Yearwood make a version on her cooking show and it was so simple that I couldn't resist trying it.  I only made a minor change or two to make it processed free and the result was fabulous!!!   This may be my new favorite dish - I'm serious!!!

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour (use sprouted whole grain or at least whole wheat)
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
juice from 1/2 a lemon
4 thin chicken cutlets - or two chicken breasts filleted to make 4 thin pieces
4 thin slices of prosciutto
ricotta cheese - rough 1/2 cup
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
salt and pepper

Start with the sauce first.  In a small pan, melt the butter and add the flour to make a roux.  After this has cooked for about a minute, add the broth and lemon juice and whisk until it starts to become thick.  Then turn off the heat and set aside.  You may need to add a sprinkle of salt.

Season both sides of the chicken and lay the pieces out flat.  Top each with a piece of prosciutto and a couple spoonfuls of ricotta cheese.  I didn't measure the ricotta, but you could.  Next, sprinkle on the spinach and roll them up.  Secure with a toothpick.  Don't worry about overstuffing or having some of the filling come out in the pan.  It will all taste and look great in the end!

Place them in a separate skillet (one that also has a lid) and sear each side in some coconut oil.  This will only take a couple minutes per side.  Then take the sauce you had set aside and pour it over the top of each roll.  Let it come to a bubble, then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with the lid for 10 minutes. 

 

Now it's ready to serve!  This comes together in less than 30 minutes and seems so fancy-shmancy!!  I love that this is so easy and a good one to keep in mind for company.  This serves 4, but could easily be doubled or tripled.  Remember that there are toothpicks on the outside, so you could either remove them before serving or warn people to watch out for them.  Give this a try, I think you'll love it!

Steak Fingers

 

If you like steak - you have to try these!  This was a gold-star, family favorite growing up (when can you please seven kids?!) and still is for my family too.  Steak fingers are another one of my mom's recipes that I decided to see if I could make processed free.  These are breaded, pan-fried pieces of meat that are SO delicious and make you feel comforted deep down.  But with breading and oil come a lot of problems.  Here's another example of how a few swaps can save the day! 

 

 

1 cut of top round/round/top sirloin/sirloin steak  (my favorite is sirloin - it's the most tender)

2 eggs + 1 Tbsp. water

1 cup flour of your choice (I'll explain below - just not refined white flour!)

coconut oil

salt and pepper

 

Cut the steak into roughly 3/4 inch strips - does not have to be exact!  Lightly season with salt and pepper.  In a large frying pan, melt enough coconut oil over medium heat that it fills the pan about 1/4 inch high. 

 

 

Now you'll want to create a little assembly line on the way to the pan.  Beat the two eggs and water together in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper.  In a separate dish, add the flour of your choosing and also season it with salt and pepper.  Here is the beauty of this recipe - I don't cook with refined white flour anymore.  I have tried every other flour in my pantry with this recipe and they have all tasted great!  I have made these with whole wheat, spelt, coconut, and almond flours and they were all good.  So decide what flour fits your needs when it comes to the type you want to use.  

Dip the steak into the egg wash, then dredge it in the flour.  Shake off the excess flour otherwise it will build up and burn in the pan. Season it again with salt and pepper after you place it in the pan.  It will take only a couple minutes on the one side, then flip and lightly season the other side too.  These cook up really fast.  You'll know when they are done because the coating will turn golden brown.  (Note: I like to use two sets of tongs - one for dipping in the egg and flour, and one for cooking in the pan.  This will save your fingers from becoming a complete mess!)

Drain these on a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels.  Because you are cooking these in batches, I like to loosely place a piece of aluminum foil over the plate to keep them warm.  I find that I have enough to fill the plate then add a second layer of paper towels and continue the process. 

 

When you have cooked them all, they are ready to eat.  My family is split on how to eat them.  Some like them just how they are and some like to lightly dip them in steak sauce, which is not completely clean, but delicious.  You can make a homemade, cleaned-up version of steak sauce, it just takes a little more time, but I think it's worth it if you prefer these with sauce.  If you like them plain, you're good to go!  This will serve about 4 adults.  

Easy Almond Milk

Occasionally, I like to make a recipe that calls for almond milk, such as a smoothie.  If I don't have any on hand, this is what I like to do instead.  I like this because it's easy and allows me to keep the integrity of the recipe intact.  Staying processed free is important to me and there are also times when you wouldn't want to use regular milk.  For example, if you are mixing it with cocoa powder, regular milk interferes with the antioxidants, so using a different milk is preferable.  If you're in a pinch, try this!

1 cup water
1-2 Tbsp. raw almond butter

In a blender, combine these until smooth.  If you're using this in a smoothie or something that would otherwise be blended anyway, just add them to the bender with everything else you're using anyway.  Hope this makes life easier when you run out of almond milk! 

Zuppa Toscana

I think it's because of the winter chill and snow, but warm soup just seems perfect right now.  I love that it feels like it's thawing  you from the inside out.  This soup has always been one of my favorites.  I love the hearty chunks, creamy soup base, and fresh kale!  I did my homework and worked out how to make this as simple as possible and processed free.  Now, it's my new favorite soup!

1 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (to your tastes)
4 slices of bacon, chopped
1 large onion, diced or pureed
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 boxes (32 oz.) chicken broth
2 cups water
3 large russet potatoes, unpeeled and cut into small chunks
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
liberal sprinkling of white pepper
1/2 tsp. or more of salt
3 cups of chopped kale

In a large pot, sauté the Italian sausage and crushed red pepper.  Remove and set aside.  If your bacon is uncooked, add it to the pot then add the onions and garlic, If your bacon is already cooked, add the onions and garlic first and cook down, then add the bacon.  Once everything is cooked, add the chicken broth and water and bring to a boil.  Add the potatoes and cook until soft - this will take between 10 and 20 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes.  Add the heavy cream and sausage and heat through.  Add the white pepper and salt.  Check the seasoning to know if you want to add any more.  Stir in the chopped kale right before serving to keep it nice and bright green and stop it from wilting too much.

This soup is also very forgiving.  For instance, you could leave out the bacon entirely or add twice as much kale.  It will still taste great.  I think that might be my favorite thing about soups all together, almost anything works! 

"Refried" Beans

 

I love refried beans!  I am from the Southwest and this is one of the staples to the region.  I do not, however, like canned refried beans - never have.  They taste stale and too doctored.  Refried beans should be simple and clean in flavor.  Let the beans be the star.  My mama taught me how to make her recipe, and they couldn't be simpler!  Of course, they are processed free and you only need three ingredients.  The best part is there is no frying involved.  Put easy "refried" beans on the menu!

 

2 lbs. dried beans (pinto or pink)

water

2 Tbsp. sea salt

 

Pour the dried beans in a large pot.  Now add about 3 times as much water as the beans.  You need a lot of water because the beans will soak them up.  Bring this to a boil, then turn this down to a simmer with the lid slightly ajar for about an hour and a half.  Occasionally stir it, but don't feel like you have to babysit this at all.  After that time has passed, it should look something like this.  The beans have soaked up a lot of the water and are getting soft.  Now, stir in the salt.  You can't add the salt at the beginning or it will make the beans kind of tough. Put the lid back on, slightly ajar and let this simmer another hour to hour and a half.  

 

The beans will have soaked up even more water and been seasoned by the salt.  Turn off the heat and mash the beans.  You can use a potato masher, a blender, a food processor, whatever you have.  I like to use my immersion blender and puree them right in the pot.  If they seem too dry at any point (during cooking or blending) you can always add a little more water.  That's it!  Told you it was easy.

 

Here are a few ways to use them: make bean burritos, dip or layered dips, Mexican pizzas, tostadas, soft or hard tacos, add them to soup, use them in casseroles, etc.  These are also the perfect side dish for a Mexican feast.  I personally love to smear these on homemade Indian Fry Bread!  Another bonus is that ALL my kids like these beans - that makes this a winner of a recipe.  They also freeze really well, so don't throw our any left overs.  Whether you have a lot of dried beans lying around, want another option besides meat or just love refried beans, I hope you'll give these a try!