Pizza Dippers

It's a nice idea, but ...

Shown in the photo is my "pizza dippers" toddler meal. I microwave a Trader Joe's whole wheat pita with a slice of mozzarella cheese on top for about 45 seconds, then let it cool slightly and cut it into strips. They can be dipped into a bowl of organic spaghetti sauce. Another bowl of fruits and/or vegetables is served on the side (broccoli and squash, in this case).

The meal has been served four times so far, and every time she has happily devoured most or all of the cheese strips, but left the sauce mostly untouched. So much for the "dip"! Since she loves regular pizza, I don't really understand what's going on. Oh well!

More on Frozens

On my work days, I don't often have time to put together a nice meal unless much of it is prepared in advance. Some days, I don't even have time to prepare in advance. Then the frozen options come in handy.

Two weeks ago, when I had some time, I chopped a double-quantity of pizza toppings (onion, green pepper, and mushroom). I put half on a pizza that evening and the other half in a tupperware in the freezer.

At 5pm today, I took the tupperware out of the freezer, emptied it into a bowl (shown), microwaved the contents for one minute, and then spread them on this evening's pizza. Quick & easy dinner! All I needed to do was press out the Trader Joe's whole wheat crust, grate the cheese, and open a jar of sauce. (Since the oven was already going, I also tossed some frozen green beans in a pie pan with cooking spray and roasted them alongside the pizza for a well-rounded meal.)

Ode to Frozen Vegetables

Frozen vegetables, oh so cold

Frozen vegetables rarely get old

So easy, so simple, throw them in the pot

Quick, nutritious, and delicious, tedious they are not!

Organic? Yes! Diverse? Of course! I really cannot say...

Enough about these vegetables -- so great in every way!

************

As you can see, my freezer is overflowing as usual with a variety of tasty frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables are actually said to have more nutrition than fresh, because they are immediately packed into bags after processing, while fresh vegetables can leak out vitamins and minerals during transport to market. I like them because they are so easy -- no need to spend time chopping! I usually buy them at Trader Joe's, which has great prices for organics.

Some common ways I use them include:

-- add thawed blueberries to oatmeal (Nora eats this nearly every morning, with banana mashed in as well)
-- add thawed strawberries or raspberries to plain yogurt
-- add chopped spinach to spaghetti sauce or Mexican-style casseroles
-- add green beans, sliced bell peppers, or broccoli to stir-fry*
-- add any of these same, plus peas, to Thai-style green or red curries*
-- add peas or peas & carrots to macaroni & cheese
-- add thawed and sliced artichoke hearts to pizzas**
-- Serve as a side dish! I microwave broccoli, asparagus, green beans, or peas for 3-4 minutes if my main dish is cooking on the stove. If I'm already using the oven, I might throw green beans or asparagus in a pie pan with some cooking spray and roast them for 20 minutes or so right alongside the main dish.

* This will result in a slightly mushy stir-fry or curry, which might bother some people, but I still find that the easiness of it outweighs the mushiness.
** Trader Joe's has frozen artichoke hearts!

Birthday Girl

I'm far behind in updating this blog, and my vegetarian baby is no longer a baby! She had her first birthday at the end of March, and is now walking all over. She is an active, busy, social girl!

For her birthday, I made her a broccoli pizza on an English muffin. She will sometimes eat multiple pieces of pizza, and sometimes eat none. That night she loved it!

Because she now eats most of the same food we do, I'm trying to find more meals that all three of us can eat and enjoy together. A few successes have included spicy bean hot pot, split pea soup, Trader Joe's black bean chipotle soup in a box, and anything with curry flavor. I'll try to post some more recipes soon!

Pizza Crust

About six years ago, I started making my own pizza crusts. I started with just white flour, then tried just whole wheat, and then experimented with blends of different amounts. I also started kneading by hand, until I learned how to use the food processor. I think I've finally found what is the perfect recipe!

This dough can be frozen before the rising step if desired. Just put it in a tupperware and stick it in the freezer. On the day you will be using it, put it into the refrigerator in the morning, and it will be thawed enough to take out and rise during the evening. You might have to add a little to the rising time.

I usually bake my pizzas on a pizza stone, as it distributes the heat most evenly. But a regular cookie sheet works as well. If using a pizza stone, it should be put in the oven during the pre-heating time. This means you have to work with it when it's hot. But it makes a big difference in the results!

Ingredients:

1 cup water, slightly warm
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cups white flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 T olive oil

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water, stirring well. Set aside for about ten minutes until foamy on top.
2. In a food processor with the basic metal blade, blend together the flours, salt, and olive oil.
3. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the water-yeast mixture. The dough should form into a solid mass.
4. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. If it seems too wet, add a little more white flour.
5. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large mixing bowl that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a cloth and allow to rise, preferably in a warm place, for about an hour. It is finished when it has doubled in size. (I usually have it sitting near the stove while I am making up sauce and preheating the oven -- this keeps it nice and warm.)
6. When ready, preheat the oven to 425F. If using a pizza stone, put it in the oven during this time.
7. When the oven is ready, sprinkly your pizza stone or baking sheet liberally with cornmeal or flour. Flatten the dough into a large circle on the pan. Add sauce, cheese, and toppings. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes, until the crust edges are firm and the cheese is just starting to brown.

This is a very healthy dough! When I was on Weight Watchers, I made it with half the amount of olive oil and it was worth 2-points per slice (8 slices total) before the toppings.

*The pizza in the photo was made with my homemade sauce, mozzerella cheese, soy pepperoni, green peppers, onions, and mushrooms.