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.

25 Week Photo

I am actually 27 weeks now, but this was the last good photo taken of me. I have gained about four pounds since then! I'll put up a newer one when I have a chance.

Spicy Bean Hot Pot

It's not chili... it's not soup... what is it? Spicy Bean Hot Pot!

This recipe comes from a cookbook my mom gave me several years ago called 30 Minute Vegetarian Recipes. All the recipes, while maybe taking a little longer than 30 minutes, are really very easy and don't require complex ingredients. This bean dish is surprisingly good, and has it's own unique taste. It's that type of favorite dish that I often don't remember to make, and then one day I make it, and think, "Why don't I eat this more often?"

I've pretty much stuck to the recipe in the book, but increased the amounts and changed the serving suggestions.

Ingredients:

1 medium or large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T canola oil
1 T ground cumin
1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup tomato paste
several tablespoons of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce, to taste
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can white (cannelini) beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheddar cheese for serving

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Saute the onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Stir in the cumin and saute another 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and hot pepper sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the beans. Add a little bit of water if necessary, but not much. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
4. Season with salt, pepper, and additional hot pepper sauce to taste.
5. Serve with grated cheddar cheese. I like to have baked potatoes or fresh bread on the side.

Here is the cookbook -- I don't know why it's sideways.

Shepherds' Pie

On a cold, rainy night, of the sort we've had here in the Pacific Northwest recently, it's very nice to have a simple meal cooked in the oven. I first made a vegetarian shepherds' pie just over three years ago, but we liked it so much that I made it several times more before we left for Thailand. Though my original recipe -- a modification from The Joy of Cooking -- is currently buried in storage, I put together an attempt this evening. It turned out quite nicely.

Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes
1 T canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced, with leaves
3/4 cup fresh or frozen thawed green peas
equivalent of 1 lb. meat, in meat substitute form (I prefer White Wave traditional flavor seitan, but have also used Gimme Lean beef style), chopped or crumbled
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable broth
1 T fresh or dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
butter or margarine

1. Boil or bake the potatoes until soft. Remove skins and mash, with a little milk and butter if you like, or just plain is fine too.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions and carrots until the onions are softened.
3. Stir in the meat substitute. If necessary, brown it. (I usually brown Gimme Lean products, but not seitan.)
4. Stir in the celery, rosemary, thyme, and vegetable broth. Continue cooking until broth is absorbed.
5. Stir in the peas. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
6. Spread the mixture in a 9x9 pan. Cover with the mashed potatoes. Dot with butter or margarine.
7. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes, uncovered.

On Eating Soy

Soy is a bit of a controversial food. For several years, it was promoted as a superfood. More recently, some have raised concerns about its estrogen-ic qualities, and there was some speculation that it could mess with the hormones of a pregnant woman or her unborn child.

I was very hesitant to eat much soy during the first part of this pregnancy, so I avoided it for the most part. At my 19-week appointment, though, my OB (who I like very much) said that while she understood my concerns, she feels that soy is just fine to eat, and that you'd have to eat very large quantities of it to even come close to its purported estrogen-ic properties. So since then, while still being moderate, I've enjoyed its use more frequently. It is a very nice way to get protein.

Fava Bean Snack

There are days when I have a hard time getting my protein in. And there are days when I don't have much time to cook. I recently discovered this tasty snack, and now I can't get enough!

I buy the frozen fava beans at Whole Foods. They aren't too expensive. I throw some in a bowl and microwave them for one minute. Then I take it out, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and a few shakes of salt, stir it up, and put it back in for another 40-45 seconds. YUM! Warm, salty, and fairly nutritious. I eat them with a spoon.

My Favorite Salad Dressing

I got a version of this salad dressing from a Weight Watchers message board several years ago, and instantly was a fan. Since then I have completely forgotten the correct proportions and usually just throw it together as fast as I can. It's supposed to be a vegetarian caesar salad dressing, but I don't know if it tastes much like caesar or not. I like to use it as a dip with carrots as well (pictured).

Nutritional yeast is one of those ingredients that I avoided for years because it seemed too "odd." But I first used it in this dressing, and I became an immediate fan. It's a yellow powder that's very high in B vitamins -- especially B12, which is difficult to get if you don't eat animal products. I usually buy it in the bulk section at Whole Foods.


1/2 cup olive oil, or more if needed
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 T Dijon mustard (regular yellow mustard works, too)
1/4 cup tahini paste (sesame)
juice of 1 lemon, and a bit of pulp if you like
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. Mix all ingredients together until well-blended.
2. Serve with salad or fresh-cut vegetables.
-- Can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one week.

Moroccan Couscous

Tonight I made this recipe -- one of my favorite dinners. It's very easy and full of flavor. It's also got tons of nutrition, including the healing powers of turmeric!

The recipe is adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas. I've omitted a couple of ingredients, adjusted the spice levels, and added garbanzo beans for protein. I like to serve it with plain yogurt on top. Don't be put off by the long list of spices. I usually just line them up in order on the counter right before I start cooking, and move down the line with my measuring spoons.

Sauce ingredients:

2 T canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
6-7 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
2 cups vegetable broth
1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes
2 - 15 oz cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1. Saute the onion and garlic in the oil over medium heat until the onion is translucent.
2. Stir in the spices and continue sauteing for 2-3 more minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes and the broth, bring to a gentle boil.
4. Add the garbanzo beans, return to a simmer, and cook 10-15 more minutes until heated through.
5. Serve over couscous (recipe below) with yogurt on the side.

Couscous ingredients:

2 cups vegetable broth
1 3/4 cups water
1 T butter or margarine
2 cups regular or whole wheat couscous

1. Combine the first three ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil.
2. Lower the heat to its minimum level and stir in the couscous.
3. Cover for five minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Let sit for two minutes before fluffing and serving.

My Favorite Sodabread

I'm not much of a baker, but I do enjoy quick and easy breads. I also enjoy playing around with recipe ingredients to try to make them healthier. This sodabread is based on a combination of recipes from The Joy of Cooking and an American Heart Association cookbook, with a few twists of my own. It's very easy, and perfect for a weekend morning when you have a little time to wait for your breakfast to cook.


Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups white flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 T caraway seeds
1/2 cup butter or margarine (I like to use either real butter or canola oil margarine)
1 1/4 cups plain non-fat yogurt
1 T orange flavoring (optional)
1/3 cup dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray a pie pan with cooking spray.
2. Mix together the first six ingredients.
3. Cut in the butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture is the consistency of cornmeal.
4. Stir in the yogurt and orange flavoring (if using) until it is all a solid blob.
5. Stir in the cranberries so that they are more or less evenly dispersed.
6. Shape into a lump on the prepared pan. Cut an "X" into the top with a knife. Bake 40-50 minutes, until a knife comes out clean. The inside will still seem moist because of the yogurt, but it should be fully cooked.

A Recipe at Last

I've made it to the 2nd trimester, and today my 18-week ultrasound showed a healthy baby. It was a huge relief! My diet hasn't been the greatest lately. I have a huge appetite, it seems, and though as is usual for me I tend to focus more on savory carbohydrates, I also have been eating more sugar than I did before I was pregnant. Oh well. Halloween is over, so maybe the sweets will disappear for a while.

In the meantime, here's a recipe I recently made. I started making risotto in 2004 with my pressure cooker. After more than a two-year hiatus from that appliance while we were in Thailand, I finally dug it out of storage last month and started practicing my risotto again. It's surprisingly easy to make, and wonderfully comforting to eat. This version, based on a recipe from The Roasted Vegetable, uses butternut squash -- perfect for a cold fall day.



Butternut Squash Risotto:

1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 red pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 T olive oil
2 tsp thyme or rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion
4 cups vegetable broth + 1 cup water, heated
1/2 cup white wine (don't worry, the alcohol will cook out)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for the table

1. Mix together the squash, red pepper, and garlic with 2 T of the olive oil and the spices. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast at 425^F for 20-25 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

2. In a pressure cooker over medium heat, saute the onion in the remaining olive oil until translucent. Stir in the rice, making sure to coat each grain with some of the oil, for about 3 minutes.

3. Add the white wine to the rice and stir until the liquid is evaporated.

4. Add the broth and water, close the pressure cooker, and bring to high pressure for ten minutes. Release the pressure with the burner on low heat.

5. Test the rice for doneness. There may still be a little bit of liquid, but it will soak up quickly, so only continue cooking if absolutely necessary.

6. Stir in 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve with additional parmesan on the side.

** If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can make this recipe in a regular pot by adding about a half-cup of the liquid at a time and stirring until it is soaked into the rice before adding the next half-cup.