whole wheat pizza & pita dough

{PIZZA}

.

2 1/2 tsp yeast

1 cup warm water

2 cup wheat flour (I have used half wheat, half white as well)

1/4 cup wheat germ (I used flax and bran)

1 tsp salt

1 large tbsp honey

.

-oven 350ish

-dissolve yeast in warm water, let it get foamy for about 10 minutes

-combine dry ingredients and make a well, pour yeasty mixture and honey in the well

-stir it up,and kneed it up. mine came out a little sticky, so just slowly add more flour as you go to get the right consistency

-roll dough on a floured surface, let it rest for a bit and there ya go!

.

.

{PITAS}

same exact thing as the pizza, only roll it out, pick a bowl out that is about the same size as a pita and use it as a cookie cutter.

Place the pitas on a cookie sheet (I sprayed mine before) and poke holes with a fork.

Brush with an olive oil, salt and garlic mixture to keep them yummy and moist.

then bake them, probably 5ish minutes, just watch them, you want them barely barely barely golden brown on the edges.

beyond easy pasta salad

Basically you through whatever veggies you have with some whole pasta and Italian dressing. But here's exactly what I did:

2 zucchinis

1/2 onion

1 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1/2 bell pepper

minced garlic to taste-I did about a Tbsp

{This is just what we had in the fridge, adjust to whatever, add whatever...fool proof really.}

put these veggies in frying pan and saute in olive oil until desired doneness, when onions are transparent is probably good.

.

In large bowl combine sauteed veggies with:

2 sm tomatoes, chopped

1 sm jar of artichoke hearts

whatever else you have (I bet cucumber would be yummy...)

1/2 bag of whole wheat egg noodles (cooked)

squirt a bunch of Italian salad dressing (mine was roasted red pepper Italian) and shake a few solid shakes of Parmesan cheese in there and stir. We demolished it, including the littlest member of the the fam. Eat it warm or cold.

Bean Party

1 can kidney beans
1 can stewed diced tomatoes
1 can vegetable broth
1 cup quick cooking brown rice
1/2 of a 10oz package frozen lima beans
1 can cut green beans
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1 cup spaghetti sauce (meatless, duh)
1/2 cup shredded motzerealla

In a big skillet, combine kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, broth, uncooked rice, lima beans, green beans and seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes-ish until rice is tender.

Stir in spaghetti sauce. Top with cheese. Delicious!

Cals 259 fat 4g 50 carbs 14 protein

Lentil & Veggie tostadas

(also shown with Veggie Quesas)

2 cup water

3/4 cup dry lentils

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tbs cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

4 tostada shells

2 cups chopped veggies (I did zucchini, squash, broccoli and red pepper)

3/4 cup cheese

In a saucepan, stil water, lentils, onion, cilantro, salt, cumin and garlic. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until lentils are tender. Use a fork to mash lentils (I had to use more water eventually because my lentils were too dry).

Spread lentil mixture on tostada shells and top with veggies and cheese. Place on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for about 2 minutes.

Top with salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream.

Veggie Quesas

3/4 cup chopped broccoli
1/4 cup shredded carrot
1/4 green onions
2 tbs water
6 tortillas
2 cups shredded ceese (cheddar or monterey jack)
sour cream
salsa

Steam broccoli, carrots, onion and water in a dish, covered. Microwave 2-4 minutes until veggies are tender.

Arrange steamed veggies and cheese on tortillas.

Bake at 450 for 6 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serve with sour cream and salsa

To. Die. For. Lasagna.

9 lasagna noodles, cooked al dante
8 oz. frozen spinach, thawed
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained
1 1/2 cups motzerella cheese, shredded
1 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
tofu, medium firm, cubed
16 oz cottage cheese

sauce:
1 cup fat free milk
2 tbs flour
1/2 veg bouillon cube
3/4 tsp italian seasoning
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

To make sauce, stir milk, flour, bouillon cube, seasonings and pepper until bubbly and thick. Add yogurt and cheese, stir until cheese is melted. Set to the side.

Layer the goods (including sauce) however you like. This might be kind of weird, but I took the tofu and squeezed it between my fingers so it would be smaller bits so Cory couldn't taste it. But for you braver folks, cubed tofu would work very well.

Cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 4o minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until top is golden and bubbly. Yum!

Black Bean Cakes with Guacamole

Seriously so good, and SO easy! I served with homemade sweet potato fries.

2 slices whole wheat bread, torn
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
I canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (found in mexican aisle in WINCO)
1-2 tsp adobo sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 beaten egg
guacamole
1 small tomato, chopped

Put torn bread in food processor and blend until it makes coarse crumbs. Transfer crumbs to large bowl.
In the food processor again, mix garlic, cilantro, beans, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce and cumin. Pulse until mixture is coarsely chopped and well blended. Add to bread crumbs and add egg. Mix well. Shape into 4-5 patties.
Grill in pan or on grill until heated through, turning halfway through grilling.
Serve with guac and tomatoes.

178 cals, 7g fat, 25g carb, 9g fiber, 11 g protein

swipe-your-high-chair-clean split pea soup

3 cans (14.5 oz) chicken broth (vegetable broth)

1 package (16 oz) dry split peas

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced (2 cupsish)

1 tsp pepper

1/2 dried thyme

1 bay leaf (about 1/2 tsp)

few shakes of garlic powder and Johnny's seasoning

stick it all in the crock pot

low: 6-8 hrs

high: 4-5 hrs

*I added a few kidney beans to Lily's so thats what you see in the picture*

It looks like its not going to turn out, but trust me, it totally works and its totally awesome.

Speaking of cheesecake...

Thanks Gena!

Ingredients:
2 8-oz blocks softened cream cheese
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon, zested
1 dash vanilla
2 graham cracker crusts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place cream cheese in mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until no lumps remain. Add eggs, sugar, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla, mixing well after each ingredient is added. Divide into two graham cracker crusts and bake in oven for 50 minutes. Let cool completely, then chill in the fridge for 3 hours.

(*recipe makes two)

Fruit pancakes with Blueberry sauce

Pancakes:

1 egg

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbs. brown sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup milk (I used soy)

3 tbs. applesauce

1 cup frozen berries (thawed)

In bowl whip egg. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix just until blended. Cook on a skillet at 300ish degrees until they are done. (you know what pancakes should look like!)

Sauce:

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water

1/2 lemon, juiced
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir in water and lemon juice. Add blueberries; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

*sauce would be good over ice cream or cheesecake too! (Maybe I should go make one!)