Mostly Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Making your own pizza dough is really fun.  It's inexpensive, healthy and this recipe by Mark Bittman is extremely easy.  I found it to be extra fun because the smells of raised dough brings back many memories.... I have to admit something... my very first job in high school was working at Chucky Cheese's.  Don't laugh.  Of course the girl who used to work at Chucky Cheese, grows up to write a blog called Cheese Please :)  At Chucky Cheese I not only was a birthday party planner, I also made the pizzas in the kitchen!  I absolutely loved it.  Anyways, having fresh dough in the house made me think back to those days and laugh. 

Putting aside my cheesy past, this recipe is for you if you ever felt that making your own pizza dough would be hard.  That's what I always thought, but when Niki from Salt & Pepper choose it for this week's recipe for The Food Matters Project, I put my trepidations aside.

The dough is 2/3 whole wheat flour and 1/3 all purpose flour.  Other than that you just need salt, olive oil and a tiny bit of active yeast.  Side note: Active yeast is sold in a little packet found in the baking aisle of any grocery store.  I tell you this b/c I had no idea where you buy it, this was my first time! I combined all of these ingredients in the morning, and later that evening I made a pizza.  Easy breezy!  Mix, leave alone, roll out, top with ingredients.  That's it!

I decided to top my pizza with fresh mozzarella and my favorite simple ingredients.   (Make sure you buy halfway decent quality mozzarella, the cheap stuff isn't the same).  I probably could of added more veggies, but since it was my first time, I was worried about overloading the pizza and not have the dough cook through.  I also added some fresh basil from a plant that I recently bought.  Simple, yet delicious.

Ingredients
makes 1 large or 2 small pizzas

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour, or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for greasing

marinara sauce (I used a jarred garlic-olive oil marinara)
toppings (I used green peppers, onions, and mushrooms all sliced very thin)
fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
fresh basil
dried oregano

Method

Combine the flours, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water (I used warm water and also added in 1 tbsp olive oil).  The dough should be relatively sticky and wet, like biscuit batter.  If not, add a little more water.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and put it in a warm spot. Let the dough sit for at least 6 or up to 12 hours. (The longer it ferments, the more complex the flavor.)

When you’re ready, heat the oven to 500 degrees. If you have a pizza stone put it in the oven at the same time so it can preheat as well. If not, generously oil a baking sheet or large ovenproof skillet. Dust your hands with a little white flour and fold the dough over in the bowl a few times. It will be sticky, but resist the urge to use too much flour; dust your hands again only when absolutely necessary and use a light, gentle touch. If you’re making small pizzas, divide the dough in half or quarters. Gently press the dough into the skillet or onto the baking sheet; it’s not important that the pizzas be perfectly round.  This dough tastes best when rolled out as thin as possible!!  But be careful not to tear the dough.  Note that pizza dough freezes really well; after dividing it, just wrap it tightly and use it within a couple of months.

Brush or drizzle the top of the pizza or pizzas with 2 tablespoons oil, cover, and let sit while you get your toppings together, but no more than 60 minutes or so.

Top with your favorite toppings and cook for 8-12 minutes.  Have fun and enjoy!

P.S, Kate (of Cookie + Kate, one of my favorite blogs, and one of the founders of The Food Matters Project) has been nominated for Best Cooking Blog in the Saveur Best Food Blog Awards of 2012! You should check her out and give her a vote if you have a moment!

Roasted Red Pepper, Portabella and Smoked Gouda Grilled Cheese

Do you ever go through a period of time where you don't feel like cooking?  I love, love, LOVE to cook, but frankly I haven't been able to pick up a spatula, turn on the oven, or even shop for ingredients.  My husband has also been out of town in LA for work.  When he's away my dinners tend to be, well quite frankly, childish.  Bowl's of cereal, candy and cheese and crackers all of sudden count as meals.  I'm not complaining, but I do find my choices amusing.  After 3 days I found myself hungry and ready to graduate to almost grown-up food.  I started with grilled cheese (the kid part) but added roasted red peppers, portabella mushrooms and smoked gouda (grown-up ingredients). These ingredients taste amazing together!  My advice, roast your own red peppers!  It's pretty easy to do, and much tastier than the store bought ones.  Also try to find a good quality bread, I used a fresh locally made whole wheat loaf which really made a difference!

So in honor of National Grilled Cheese Month, try this combo out!

Ingredients
makes 1 sandwich

1 portabella mushroom, cleaned
2 red bell peppers (you'll have leftovers)
2 slices of whole wheat bread
3 or 4 slices of smoked gouda
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
1-2 tbsp of butter
Sea Salt
Freshly cracked pepper
garlic powder

Method

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Lightly brush each red pepper with a small amount of vegetable oil and season mushroom with salt and pepper.  Place both peppers and the portabella mushroom in the oven for 15 minutes.  Remove portabella mushroom from the oven, and turn the peppers with tongs.  Bake the peppers for another 15 minutes, rotate again, and bake for another final 15 minutes or until fully roasted.

Remove the peppers from the oven and immediately place them in a large ziploc bag.  Let cool for 15-20 minutes.  Remove peppers from bag, you should be able to peel the skin off each pepper with your fingers and a knife.  Slice into thin strips.  Also slice the portabella into thin strips.  Butter one side of each slice of bread.  Assemble sandwich by adding your desired amount of portabella strips and then roasted red pepper strips.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Top with the sliced gouda cheese.  Use a panini press or skillet, and cook until the outside is toasted and the cheese is melted.  Happy National Grilled Cheese Month!

Seared Bean Sprouts with Orange Zest, Chicken and Bok Choy

Bean sprouts are crazy good for you.  Did you know that?  Bean sprouts have all types of vitamins (A, B, C, D, E and K), folic acid, and a good amount of fiber.    In this dish they are complemented with a few of my favorite veggies and a light sauce that comes alive with oj, soy sauce and orange zest.  A pinch of crushed red pepper is added at the end to give it some subtle heat.  (I've been doing that a lot lately, why not?)

Bean sprouts aka mung beans are also a terrific source of vegetable based protein.  Which makes them perfect for the Food Matters Project.  This is my second contribution to the Food Matters Project, and I am really excited about it.  How cool is it to be apart of something like this?  Forgive me, I have turned into a huge healthy food nerd :)  Anyways, this recipe was selected from Mark Bittman's cookbook by Dominca at WineFoodLove.   Check out other food bloggers take on this recipe here!


Ingredients 

2 cups bean sprouts
2 tbsp peanut oil
8 oz chicken breast
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp honey
1 cup baby bok choy
1 cup slicked mushrooms
1 bunch of green onions
1/4 cup thinly sliced carrot sticks
1 cup brown rice
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
few pinches of crushed red pepper

Method

Heat peanut oil in a large saute pan over high heat.  Add chicken breast, season with salt and pepper and saute over medium heat until inside is no longer pink.  Remove fully cooked chicken breast from the pan and place on a cutting board.  I find it easier to now cut the chicken into thin strips.

Add the other tablespoon of peanut oil to the pan and heat on medium high heat.  Add bean sprouts, green onions, bok choy, carrots and mushrooms.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Combine orange juice, honey, chia seeds, soy sauce, ginger and orange zest in a small bowl and add to pan.  Add chicken breast.  Stir together and cook for another 4-5 minutes.  Taste and add a few pinches of crushed red pepper for an extra zing!  Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Lemongrass Chicken Soup

It's been a cold (for Charlotte) and very dreary Saturday.  I hate the days when the sun doesn't shine.  And when it rains.  And not to mention when the rain makes my puppy's paws very muddy.  I now have little puppy paw prints all over my floor.  They're kind of cute though....

Rainy days, however, are good for making soup.  This recipe was inspired by an Asian stand at our farmers market which periodically has fresh lemongrass on sale.  I bought some before and it just sat in my fridge.  But for a dollar, I can't resist purchasing it in hopes I'll make something wonderful.  This time, I decided to use the lemongrass to create a soup, and it's wonderful.  Lemongrass has to be one of the best natural scents in the world.  I'll let you in on a little secret - it makes your entire kitchen smell like a luxurious spa...

This flavorful lemongrass soup gives you a taste of an authentic Thai or Vietnamese recipe, but without using all the hard-to-find ingredients.  If I could get my hands on some kaffir lime leaves... that would be a different story.  So, instead I used ingredients already common to your kitchen. The fresh Asian flavors of lemongrass, lime, fish sauce, and soy sauce pull this dish together.   Chicken stock and coconut milk are the base for shredded chicken breast and brown rice.  Long noodles also could be substituted, but again, I wanted to keep it simple and used what I had on hand.   To learn how to chop lemongrass, check out these tips.  In the end, I added a Thai red chili to the soup, which really gave it some heat (and is great for boosting your metabolism).  My husband says that words don't give justice to the tastiness of this dish.  Overall, this soup is comforting, healthy and packed with flavor... such a treat on a dreary day!

Ingredients

2 stalks of lemon grass, chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
4 cups of chicken broth (I used organic 99% fat free)
1 large chicken breast or two smaller chicken breasts
2 cups of brown rice
1 cup of broccoli florets
1/2 cup of sugar snap peas
1 1/2 cups of mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 can of lite coconut milk
1 red thai chilli
 juice of 1 lime, plus additional lime pieces for garnish
fresh basil for garnish

Method

Prepare rice according to package instructions.  In a food processor, combine lemongrass and ginger and process till finely chopped.  In a large sauce pan, heat chicken broth on high until it boils.  Reduce heat, add lemongrass, ginger and your chicken breast.  Cook for 6-8 minutes on medium heat until chicken is done.  Remove chicken and shred with two forks on a cutting board.  Add shredded chicken back to the pot.

Next, add all of your veggies, including the Thai chili.  Slowly add the coconut milk and reduce heat.  Add the fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice.  Let simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Top with fresh basil and additional lime.  Enjoy!

Spicy Navy Bean and Kale Soup with Turkey Sausage

Ahhhh, Happy New Years!  Chris and I just got back from a Caribbean cruise with his family over Christmas break.  That means after a holiday weekend full of rich dinners and sweat treats, we boarded a fancy boat known for endless around the clock multi-course meals, and unlimited frosty cocktails.  Amazing time, but I don't think my pants fit anymore.

So it's definitely that time of the year where we resolve to eat healthy and exercise every day.  Riiiiiight.  But we do have the best intentions, I know we all do.  With that in mind I made this simple yet extremely healthy soup.  Both ingredients are really good for you.  Navy beans lower your cholesterol and area  good source of protein, folate and other vitamins.  Kale is known to be a big player in the body's detoxification process and is full of antioxidants.  A pinch of cayenne pepper and spicy turkey sausage adds a nice little bit of heat.  Grate some fresh parmesan into the soup and you're ready to kick off all those New Year resolutions ;)

Ingredients
serves 4

1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped white onions
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (I used 99% fat free)
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups chopped kale
2 turkey sausage patties, diced
1 cup white navy beans
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
parmesan rind (optional but I think it really adds to the soup)
salt and pepper to taste


Method

In a heavy bottomed soup pan, saute the garlic, onions and carrots in EVOO until tender.  Add the chicken stock and water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Add the mushrooms, navy beans, turkey sausage, parmesan rind, cayenne pepper and kale.  Let simmer for 20-30 minutes over medium low heat.  Enjoy!

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Mushroom & Goat Cheese Frittata - for the Ta-Ta's

This might be one of the best things I have ever made.  I am in love with this dish!  Who knew a frittata could bring so much deliciousness into your day?  I was inspired to make this because mushrooms prevent breast cancer (see below) and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Throughout October the world comes together and does a great job of bringing awareness to breast cancer.  You see the NFL donning hot pink additions to their uniform, fountains throughout major cities are dyed pink, and sky scrapers proudly light up pink.  In retail shops everywhere you are told to "think pink"by purchasing a variety of pink things.  All of these initiatives do an incredible job raising money and increasing awareness for prevention and the treatement of breast cancer.

Breast cancer prevention is something that is very important to me and is always on my mind.  Most of the women in my family have been diagnosed with breast cancer, all later in their adult life, so I know it is something that I am at risk for.  The disease affects one in nine women at some point in their lives and diet is thought to be a key factor.

I have found it very interesting that BreastCancer.Org and the International Journal of Cancer have both reported that early studies show eating a few ounces of mushrooms daily could prevent breast cancer.  Simply put, mushrooms interfere with the production of an enzyme that helps the body make estrogen which is essential to the disease.  Studies also show that if you drink green tea daily over a couple of years, your risk is decreased even more.

  
Hmmm, good thing I usually add mushrooms to our egg whites every morning and try to squeeze in a cup of green tea when I can.  I also have developed an obsession with mushrooms and frequently cook with them, as seen here, and here.  So in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I am sharing this mushroom frittata for the ta-ta's recipe!  Frit-ta-ta..... get it?  The addition of goat cheese and zucchini really made this stand out.  Now go brew a pot of green tea and make this for yourself or any of the women in your life!

Ingredients
Serves 6-8
Adapted from A Spicy Perspective


8 large eggs
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup white button mushrooms, sliced
1 large shallot, minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 small zucchini, chopped
3 oz soft goat cheese
1/4 cup green onions, for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste


Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Preheat a caste iron skillet to medium-high.   Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and the chopped shallot to the skillet.  Cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic.  Add the mushrooms and saute for 5-10 minutes until cooked thoroughly, and then add the zucchini for another 2-3 minutes.  Transfer veggies to a plate.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk.  Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper.  Pour the egg mixture into the skillet, and then add the veggies.  Crumble or slice the goat cheese and add to the top of the mixture.   

Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.  Serve for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner with a side of greens.  Enjoy! 

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Green Curry & Quinoa

I have been eating a lot of quinoa lately.  It's a powerful grain, high in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals.   Quinoa is nutty with a delicate fluffy grain texture that cooks quickly.   And due to its wild popularity in the last 18 months, there are a zillion recipes out there for it.  But I decided on a whim to replace my usual brown rice with quinoa in my green curry and it turned out to be an ahhhhhmazing combination.

I never used to like things like green curry.  I always thought it was strictly for Indian cuisine, and that it would be crazy spicy.  In actuality it is a term used in many different cuisines, with my favorite being Thai, who's curry is based with creamy coconut milk.

When I lived in Philadelphia, there was a local Thai restaurant in Manayunk that my roommates almost exclusively ate at.  Chabaa is a beautiful and tasty little spot (and byob!).   My go to dish was one of the pad thai's, usually with jumbo lump crab, which was wonderful, but I had no idea what I was missing until three years ago when I had my first green curry! (Chabba pictures courtesy of yelp.com)

My husband and I were lucky enough to spend the summer traveling in Thailand and Cambodia 3 years ago.  I surprisingly became obsessed with the green curry!  In fact, my love of green curry was so strong that while honeymooning in Bali last summer, we made a quick trip up to Koh Lanta, Thailand solely partially because of my green curry obsession. 

Since then Chris and I have been experimenting with our own light and healthy version.  This recipe is pretty basic*, and changes due to what fresh ingredients you have in your fridge, freezer or pantry.   For vegetables, you can use almost anything of your liking- broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, bamboo shoots, asparagus, etc.  This recipe is also extra healthy because I used low-fat coconut milk, brown sugar splenda and quinoa instead of white or brown rice.

Ingredients

1 cup of quinoa
14 oz (1 can) low fat coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons of green curry paste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/3 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons brown sugar splenda
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon Thai basil, thinly chopped plus extra for garnish

Method

It is a really good idea to rinse your quinoa before you cook it.  Quinoa seeds have a unique coating called saponin that will taste bitter if not removed. In a fine mesh strainer, rinse the quinoa grain well under cold running water.

In a sauce pan, bring to a boil 2 cups of water and the rinsed quinoa.  Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.

In a large sauce pan, simmer coconut milk and stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of green curry over medium heat for 5 minutes. 

Add fish sauce, brown sugar, thai basil, mushrooms, red peppers and peas.  Let simmer for 10 minutes uncovered and serve in a bowl over quinoa.  Garnish with extra Thai basil.

*This recipe is actually vegetarian because I was too hungry to wait for chicken to defrost and didn't have any frozen shrimp in the freezer.  But you can add chicken, tofu, pork or shrimp if you like!

Enjoy!  Follow me on Twitter @CheesePlease531

Wild Mushroom and Pesto Crostini

This recipe was inspired by a dish my girlfriends and I shared at Lincoln Restaurant in Washington, DC this spring.  Since all of my closest girlfriends no longer all live in the same city, we re-united in our nation's captial to celebrate our dear friend's upcoming nuptials.  We stumbled onto Lincoln Restaurant by chance, and were glad we did.
 

 
Lincoln Restaurant is know for it's playful dedication to Abraham Lincoln in a chic, upscale way.   The theme "Food of the People, by the People, for the People" is complemented with an unusual floor made entirely from pennies, and with gorgeous back lit walls scripted with the famous Emancipation Proclamation. We were thrilled with its seasonal small plate menu and found everything delicious.

Floor of restaurant, made up of 799,997 pennies

Throughout our meal one dish really stuck out and I had to try to re-create it at home -Lincoln's mushroom bruchetta.  The only difference is Lincoln's dish included pea's and ricotta cheese and I was fresh out of both of those ingredients.  Regardless, this mushroom appetizer still turned out great!

This dish is not only delicious, it is easy to prepare, but also makes me incredibly happy thinking back to a really fun girls weekend.  Also great served as an hor' dourve at dinner parties!

Ingredients
serves 4

1/2 of a whole wheat baguette
1 1/2 cups of wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/4 cup of prepared pesto
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp of garlic, pureed or minced
2 tbsp of freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large skillet.  Add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes until brown over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms and saute for 8-10 minutes until thoroughly cooked.  Remove from heat and add sauteed mushrooms to a small mixing bowl of prepared pesto.  Toss until mushrooms are evenly coated.  Slice whole wheat baguette in half length-wise and then cut into small 1/2 inch slices.   Toast until golden brown and then top with mushrooms and Parmesan.  Enjoy!

Me and my girls @LincolnWDC

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