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.

Gingered Summer Squash, Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup {Vegan}

We are experiencing a nasty weather change here in the Salt Lake Valley, and it is really, really making me feel like I want to wrap up in a blanket with some hot herbal tea and just escape into a fabulous novel. Part of that plan definitely includes eating some soup. This soup may seem like more of a fall soup, but it's really well-suited for any season. It is savory and light, with just the right hint of spice and flavoring to make it interesting, but not unpalatable for more skeptical eaters. I whipped this up while my hubby was having movie night with his Dad and sipped spoonfuls slowly as I watched reruns of The Big Bang Theory. It was the perfect ending to a nice day.

This root-vegetable and squash based soup comes together quickly, is made with simple, fresh ingredients, and is packed with nutrition. It feels indulgent because it is so creamy, but it's one of the most nutritious and guilt-free soups I have ever made. It's also vegan friendly. Fresh summer squash combines with carrot and sweet potato, is complemented by celery and onion, and is flavored with ample amounts of fresh ginger, smoky cumin and sweet agave nectar. The creamy consistency comes from using coconut milk and yes, silken tofu.

My thoughts on soy products have evolved over time. During my brief foray into vegetarian eating as a teenager (abandoned when I couldn't live without bacon), I tried a whole mess of meat-substitute products. These products are highly refined, packed with sodium and preservatives, and are honestly junk food as to the same degree that a Twinkie is junk food. With breast cancer running in my family, and the many studies that link soy to breast cancer, I have a special interest in the potential benefits and detriments of soy products. I think Dr. Oz said it best last year on one of his programs, "If it comes from a plant, eat it. If it's made in a plant, don't eat it." A wise man indeed. Studies on soy need to be replicated over the next few decades, but it is obvious that Eastern cultures that utilize whole soy in their diets, such as Tempeh, Miso, Edamame and unrefined Tofu have been doing something right for thousands of years. Small amounts of unrefined soy can be beneficial to your health and have no causal link to cancer, and in fact, may prevent cancer and other diseases. So I say, okay to soy, in small amounts, where it fits in my diet. Try to buy soy as naturally and organically as you can, as many of the large agricultural production companies (Monsanto, for example) spray crazy things on the soybeans (a side of Roundup, anyone?). The super-refined products (some of the milks, soy burgers, dogs and the like) are not your friend. Not one bit. So stick organic and unrefined, and you may look as awesome as any of the beautiful 105-year-old Japanese women that eat soy. Hey, I can dream, can't I? Pretty sure those women could kick my trash any day.

Cilantro Cheddar Burgers with Blackened Corn and Tomato Salsa

Almost two years ago, my best friend in the entire universe/my soul-mate in a Meredith Grey and Christina Yang kind of way, met a handsome man hailing from Mexico City. A year later, they were married and off to wedded bliss. Over the course of their courtship and marriage, I have been the beneficiary of many a delicious Mexican themed meal, including the Blackened Corn Salsa in this recipe. It's something she found on Epicurious and then worked into a number of different meals. Well, the other day I was hankering for a juicy burger and thought, "hmmm....a burger with Blackened Corn Salsa? I think, YES!" So I altered things a little bit to fit available ingredients and crafted this delicious little number. And thus, the Cilantro Cheddar Burger with Blackened Corn and Tomato Salsa was born. A light should be descending from heaven at this moment. This is a killer meal. It's real, whole food, with lots of flavor and room for personal taste.

In a culture obsessed with fad diets, health shortcuts, and a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to eat well, many people dismiss burgers as junk food. Yes, a burger from a fast-food joint or, in all honesty, a majority of restaurants are not good for you. They are made with low-grade meat (or the dreaded "pink slime"), full of fat, drowned in calorie and preservative-laden sauces, and usually three times the size of a standard serving. These burgers are not the same as burgers you will see on my blog, or pretty much any burger you can make at home. Using high-quality beef (or even ground turkey or chicken), keeping the toppings fresh and healthy, using a whole-wheat bun (high-fructose corn syrup free, of course) and limiting any sauces or spreads can leave you with an amazing burger. You won't even miss the taste of whatever junk you are getting at the Golden Arches, or the 2500 calorie burger from Ruby Tuesday. Trust me. A burger can be a great option at home, and it can be healthy! My final word-anyone who tells you that a frozen, preservative-packed microwave "diet meal" is healthier than a lean, homemade burger is severely misinformed. Whole food eating is always superior, and when prepared by you at home, is much more healthy. Get ready to eat some delicious burgers!

Luscious Lemon Bars

So I am blogging this while eating handfuls of chocolate chips. Sad, but true. I have this super healthy week of whole-food eating planned, including an amazing Vegan Summer Squash, Sweet Potato, Carrot and Ginger Soup tonight, and I cannot stop craving chocolate and sugary stuff. Sheesh, hormones, what is your problem today? I think this sugar craving began earlier this week when I was trying to figure out how to use up my gorgeous lemons from my Bountiful Basket this week...and then, inspiration and a whole lot of excitement hit me. LEMON BARS.

Hold on to your hats, kids. These lemon bars are delectable and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. You will never need another lemon bar recipe. Full disclosure: I adore lemon desserts. Lemon bars, lemon tarts, lemon meringue pie, lemon ricotta cookies, lemon-flavored sugar cookies. There is no end to my love for lemon. My wedding cake (yeah, I was that crazy girl who made her own wedding cake. Thank heavens I had a dear friend to take over decorating it for me so I didn't have a meltdown the day before my wedding) was a lemon pound cake with an amazing lemon curd filling. Suffice it to say, I have made a few lemon bar recipes before, but never really committed to one. I continued playing the field, and then discovered my Prince Charming with this beautiful concoction. Full disclosure, part two-my lemon bars are a modification of Deb's over at Smitten Kitchen, and hers is a modification of a recipe from Ina Garten, of Barefoot Contessa fame. These are easy to make, a snap to cut and dust with powdered sugar, and sure to make everyone you share them with smile from ear to ear.

"Skinny" Chicken Francese with Summer Squash and Zucchini

So for two weeks in a row, I have received some massive, fragrant, delicious lemons in my Bountiful Basket. I have been using them in all sorts of yummy dishes this week, but was at a bit of a loss as to how I wanted to incorporate the lemons into a main dish. Then, like a piece of blessed inspiration, I remembered how much I adore Chicken Francese. The real stuff is breaded in white flour and pan-fried in a lot of oil and drenched in a buttery-lemony-white-winey sauce. It's so danged good, but so danged bad for you.

So I set out to make a lighter, less offensive version for more frequent consumption, because I honestly eat the straight-up version of Chicken Francese like, once every two years. The skinnyfied recipe uses a small amount of flour cut with Panko, adhered with egg whites instead of the full egg, a smidge of extra-virgin olive oil, a modest amount of butter, no white wine, and fat-free chicken broth. It's paired with whole-wheat pasta, and topped with some fresh veggies. So the sin level is decidedly lower, and you can feel good about eating this baby for dinner like, once a month. Heck yeah. That's how we roll in my house.