Rustic Mediterranean Flatbread Pizza

Someday, I will lounge on the shores of a Mediterranean island, soaking up the sunshine. In the evening, I will make dinner from cheese and eggs produced from my own cows and chickens and vegetables from my small garden, and I will inhale the scent of sea air and millenia of civilization. Hey, a girl can dream, can't she? Dinner last night was a little less than my Mediterranean heaven, but it was still danged good, took 20 minutes, and embodied the flavors that I imagine linger heavy in the air in my dream paradise. This recipe is adaptable in a million ways and can be tailored to suit the individual palates of anyone at your dinner table.

The most amazing part of this dish is the flatbread base. I have made this several ways and it never disappoints. The bread comes together so quickly that it will wow you, cooks in a matter of 3-5 minutes, and has this wonderful earthy flavor from the extra-virgin olive oil. The original recipe (courtesy of Deb from Smitten Kitchen) uses fresh rosemary, and it is divine that way. I wanted more of plain base for a pizza crust and omitted the rosemary, but topped the flatbread with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to add some flavor and complexity before topping them with some great fresh veggies and cheese and spicy Italian sausage. Talk about yummy in the tummy. Hubby and I devoured ours quickly. You could substitute feta for mozzarella, add kalamata olives or sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, oh heck, anything that tickles your fancy. Personally, I loved the heat and slight fennel flavor of the spicy Italian sausage, and highly recommend using that as your topping. 

Spicy Parmesan and Paprika Kale Chips

I don't know about you, but I am a snacky person. In years past, and especially in times of stress, I had a strange affinity for the combination of salt and vinegar chips and chocolate ovaltine...yeah, I'm weird. So in my epic quest to find a snack that was satisfying, sufficiently salty and with the necessary crunch, I have investigated many options. Baked chips, reduced fat, all of the stuff you can buy pre-packaged at the store. I have a new favorite though, and it's homemade, delicious, slightly salty, slightly spicy, a tid bit cheesy, and crunchy crunchy. Oh, and it's made from kale and completely preservative and junk free, so I can eat them as often as I wish! That's my kind of snack. I know, you're thinking, "kale? ew!" Kale is so good. I love it in anything, but as a chip, it has a slightly earthy flavor and an amazing crispy-crunchy property that makes it irresistible. Even my picky hubby likes them! Make some, and revel in the beauty of healthy snacking.

Fire Roasted Tomato Cream Pasta

Imagine eating a rich, velvety sauce, coating al dente whole wheat pasta, your tongue savoring every bite, wishing you could eat this everyday without looking like you ate something as naughty as Fire Roasted Tomato Cream Pasta everyday...man, that's the dream, isn't it? The Fire Roasted Tomatoes lend a smoky sweetness to this sauce that is perfectly complemented by the robust flavor of Parmesan and ricotta. That sounds straight out of Cook's Illustrated, doesn't it?

Apologies for the lack of posts over the past week and a half. I sort of went into a bit of a tailspin and needed a break, but I am back and onto new and more delicious things!

I have been fighting this internal battle over healthy eating and body image lately. I have a lot of thoughts that I will share over the next few weeks in snippets here and there, but my thought for today is this: As long as I try to define who I am and my self-worth by the way I look, I will never truly know and understand my intrinsic value and nature. That doesn't mean I ignore my health or appearance, but that I realize that the only way I can define myself and my worth is by learning to love myself the way my Father in Heaven loves me. So that's where I am focusing now, and in the meantime, on some days, when I feel like indulging, I will eat this heavenly pasta.