Day 266 Tomato and Mushroom Pizza

Tomato and Mushroom Pizza

1 Package Dry Yeast
1 Cup Warm Water
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar
2 Tablespoons Safflower Oil
2 1/2 - 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoon Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Pesto
2 Tablespoons Red Wine
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1 Cup Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 Cup Nicoise Olives
1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds
2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

1.  Preheat the oven with a pizza stone at 450 F for 1 hour.

2.  Add water to yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Add the salt, agave nectar and oil.  With the motor running, add the flour a 1/2 cup at time.  Knead until a sturdy dough is formed. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes in a covered bowl in a warm place.

3.  Mix the tomato paste, wine and pesto in a small bowl.  If the sauce is too thick, use some of the juice from the canned tomatoes to thin the sauce.

4.  Using you hands, spread the dough out on a floured surface.  Place the dough on a pizza peel with a piece of parchment paper on top.

5.  Spread the sauce evenly on the dough.  Drain the tomatoes and spread over the surface of the sauced dough.  Layer the mushrooms, olives and almonds on top of the pizza.  Sprinkle the nutritional yeast on top. Bake on the stone for 20 -30 minutes until the crust is brown.  Let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Pairs well with Cave de Die Jaillance Sparkling Muscat

Soundtrack Spotify's Peaceful Piano Playlist

Day 259 Black Bean, Corn and Avocado Pizza

Black Bean, Corn, and Avocado Pizza

1 Can Black Beans
Corn cut from 1 Ear
2 Avocados Sliced
1 Bunch Cilantro, chopped
1 Clove Garlic, chopped
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Ground Mustard
Salt and Pepper to taste
Tomatillo Sauce (Day 258)
Hummus
4 Whole Wheat Pita Rounds

1.  Mix the black beans, corn, cilantro, garlic, cumin, mustard, salt and pepper in a saucepan.  Cook till heated through,

2.  Spread the Hummus on the pita rounds,  Top with sliced avocado. Place the bean mixture on the pita.

3.  Broil in the oven until browned.  Top with tomatillo sauce.

Goes well with a green salad.

Soundtrack Daya -  Self titled album.

Day 257 Roasted Vegetables and Pesto Pizza

Roasted Vegetables and Pesto Pizza

Pesto

1 Cup Total Parsley, Basil and Rosemary
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
2 Cloves Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 Cup Veggie Stock
1/4 Cup Olive Oil

Pizza
1 Zucchini, diced
1 Yellow Squash, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Cup Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 Cup Veggie Stock
4 - 6 Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Ingredients

1.  Preheat Oven to 400 F.  Mix all the veggies on a baking tray and pour the stock over.

2.  Roast 15 minutes in the oven.

3.  Add all of the pesto ingredients to a food processor.  Process until well blended.

Pesto Sauce

4.  Spread the pesto on the pita rounds.  Top with roasted vegetables.

5.  Broil in the oven until browned.

Soundtrack DGC Rarities Vol. 1 - Various Artists

Day 248 Tofu with Bok Choy Pizza

Tofu with Bok Choy Pizza

2 Ounces Tofu, crumbled
1 Baby Bok Choy
Marinara Sauce
2 Whole Wheat Pita Rounds
1 Tablespoon Cilantro, chopped

Marinara Sauce

7 Ounces Tomato Paste
1 Cup Stock
1 Tablespoon Sirracha
Salt to taste

1.  Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan.  Heat till thickened.

2.  Spread the marinara sauce on the pita.  Crumble the tofu over the sauce.  Arrange the bok choy leaves on the pita.  Cook at 375 for 15 minutes in the oven.

Goes well with green salad.

Soundtrack Insects vs. Robots - Geryl and the Great Homunculus

Day 85 Walnut and Potato Pizza

Walnut and Potato Pizza

1 Cornmeal Dough Pizza Crust, rolled out (Day 84)
1/2 recipe Parsley Pesto (Day 83)
1/2  Cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 Onion, sliced
1/2 Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Russet Potato, baked or microwaved and cubed

Pesto covered and crust crimped

1. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 500F for at least 30 minutes.  Placed rolled dough a pizza peel.  You can use parchment paper for easier transition to the oven.

Ready to bake

2.  Spread the sauce over the dough. Slightly crimp the dough around the border.  Add the toppings.  Cook 15 -20 minutes.  Dough will the browned.  Remove from oven and slice.

Pairs well with Perelada Cava

Soundtrack Lacey Sturm - Life Screams

Day 84 Cornmeal Pizza Crust

Cornmeal Pizza Crust

2 Cups Cornmeal
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup Water

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.  I started with 1 1/2 cups flour.  Mix to combine.  Slowly add the water and oil.  Mix well.  If the dough is too sticky, add additional flour until dough makes a ball while kneading.

2.  Divide the dough in half.  Roll the dough out on a floured surface.  The dough can be very thin and still be able to be lifted onto a pizza peel.  After placing on the peel, add sauce and toppings.  The crust will be very crispy.  Bake at 500F for 15 - 20 minutes,

The dough can also be cooked for crackers.  Bake at 450F for 15 - 20 minutes.

Goes well with a pesto sauce.

Soundtrack We As Human - Self Titled Album

Day 81 Italian Neatball Pizza

Italian Neatball Pizza

Dough for one pizza (Day 62)

Vodka Sauce

1 Sweet Onion, sliced

1 Cup Sweet Pepper, sliced

6 Neatballs (Day 56)

1/2 Cup Black Olives, sliced

1/2 Cup Vegan Feta Cheese

1. Preheat oven to 500F with a pizza stone in the oven.

Ready to cook

2.  Roll out the dough and place on parchment paper on a oven peel.  Top with the vodka sauce. Arrange the onion slice on the dough.  Sprinkle the pepper slices over.  Crumble the neatballs to resemble ground meat and toss onto the pizza.  Sprinkle olive slices, then feta onto the pizza.

3.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is brown.  Removed from oven.  Slice and serve.

Soundtrack Aranda - Not the Same

Day 62 Refrigerator Pizza Dough

Refrigerator Pizza Dough

4 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast
2 Cups Cold Water

My pizza stone is old and ugly, but still works great after 15 years.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl to make a sticky dough. Cover with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days.  About an hour before you are ready to eat, turn the oven on as high as it will go, preferably at least 500 F.  Put your pizza stone in the oven and let it get good and hot.  Prep all your ingredients for the pizza. Right before you are ready to bake, divide the dough into 2 pieces.  Roll out one half on a floured surface and transfer a pizza peel.  Put your sauce and toppings on it and slide onto the stone.  Bake for about 10 minutes.  Repeat with the other half of the dough, or freeze it for another day.

Dough ready to roll out,

Soundtrack ZZ Top - Rhythmeen

Day 11 Pesto Pizza

Pesto Pizza

Dough

1 Cup Rye Flour
1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 Brown Rice Flour
1 Cup warm Water
1 Tablespoon Yeast
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Safflower Seed Oil

1. Pre heat oven to 475 with a baking stone inside.  Sprinkle yeast on top of warm water and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Dough is ready to use

2.  Add rye, brown rice and 1 cup of all purpose flour to a food processor fitted with a plastic dough mixer.  Add salt and mix well.  Add the oil and yeast water.  Process until a ball forms.

3.  Roll dough out on a flat surface with the 1/4 all purpose flour.  Roll to desired thickness for a pizza.  Transfer to a oven peel with a piece of parchment paper covering the surface.  Crimp the edges.

Pizza

1 Cup Pesto
1 Onion, sliced
1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
12 Green Olives, sliced
2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

1.  Spread the pesto over the surface of the dough.

2.  Scatter the onion, tomatoes and lives on top of the pizza.  Sprinkle with nutritional yeast.

Oven ready pizza

3.  Transfer to oven and cook 20 -30 minutes.  Return to peel and slice.

Soundtrack - Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
Wine - 2005 Chassagne Montrachet from Bernard Morey

Haircut Day

Fries with ketchup

My eating schedule was a little off today because I had a noon appointment to finally get my roots colored. Breakfast started out with some Garlic Sweet Potato Fries.  The potatoes were roasted in the oven and coated with pumpkin seeds, basil, oregano, salt and coconut oil.  For serving I created a home made ketchup.

Garlic Sweet Potato Fries

The ketchup was made with tomato, sundried tomato, dates, onion, agave nectar, EFA oil, apple cider vinegar, oregano and salt. The various dressings are starting to look the same in the pictures.

Ketchup

The grabbed a Chocolate Blueberry Energy Bar to eat on the way to my appointment.  These bars were made with soaked dates, almonds, blueberries, cocoa powder, flaxseed, hemp protein, sesame seeds, lemon juice and zest, salt, and buckwheat.  They were meant to be eaten raw, but I baked them on low heat for 30 minutes.  I am not quite ready for a raw diet.  They resembled a very healthy brownie.

Chocolate Blueberry Bars

For a late lunch I had a Adzuki Bean Hemp Seed Salad with Cayenne Dill Tahini Dressing.  The salad was the same as the one a few days ago with buckwheat.  I just substituted the beans.

Adzuki Hemp Seed Salad

Dinner was a Sunflower Seed Beet Pizza.  The crust was made with sunflower seeds, beets, EFA oil, parsley and salt.  Because the other crusts did not crisp up, I cooked this one longer. Of course, part of it burned.  Different ingredients mean different cooking times.  I will get this down one day.  The sauce was the Tomato Basil Dressing.  The toppings were tomato, onion, celery, basil, carrot and green onions,

Sunflower Seed Beet Pizza

I was snacking throughout the day on the Vegetable Crackers,  Some were plain and some I spread with peanut butter.

Vegetable Cracker with Peanut Butter

Headache Day

Banana Pear Cereal

Once a clean eating plan starts, within a few days comes the headache.  It is basically withdrawals from carbs, caffeine, sugar and alcohol.  Thankfully I do not drink coffee so I do not have to deal with the caffeine part.  The Thrive plan is not sugar free, agave nectar is used everyday, just in small amounts.  But the elimination of bread and wine get me.  I woke up with the headache and it lasted all day.  At least it is temporary.  I started out the day with a home made Banana Pear Cereal.  This was a banana, a pear, a date, and some almonds mixed with flasxeed, hemp protein, cocoa powder and ginger.  Almond Coconut Milk was poured over the top.  The banana and chocolate give it a nice savory taste.  It taste much better than the picture looks.

Blackeyed Pea Quinoa Pizza

Lunch was a Blackeyed Pea Quinoa Pizza. The crust was  a blend of blackeyed peas, quinoa, chickpea flour, coconut oil, chili flakes, black pepper, cayenne pepper and salt that was grounded in the food processor.  I cooked the crust for 45 minutes before adding the toppings.  The sauce was a layer of Red Pepper Hemp Pesto. The toppings were red bell pepper, onion, sweet potato, cauliflower and grated beet.  By pre-cooking the crust I was able to make it crispier, but I needed to cook it with the toppings longer.  It still fell apart when serving, but was not mushy.

Pizza after serving

For a post workout snack, I made a Chocolate Almond Smoothie.  This was a blend of banana, dates, cocoa powder, water, almonds, flaxseed, and hemp protein,

Dinner was a repeat of the Cucumber Pesto Salad with Tomato Basil Dressing.  My evening snack was Crunchy Cinnamon Plantains.  They were not very crunchy, but well cooked.  The lemon juice was the dominate flavor over the cinnamon and salt.

Crispy Plantains

The Purge

Apple Cinnamon Cereal

We continue with the healthy food for the New Year, or as I like to call it - The Purge.  Yesterday's breakfast was a Toasted Apple Cinnamon Cereal with almond coconut milk.  The cereal was a granola style mix made with apple, hemp protein, quinoa, almonds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, EFA oil, pomegranate molasses and orange juice.  This was mixed together and slowly toasted in the oven.  The result was dry, but not chunky like granola.

Lunch was a Buckwheat Hemp Salad with Cayenne Dill Dressing.  The salad was simple - mixed greens, buckwheat, hemp seeds, nori and snow peas.  This was more filling that the first salad on Tuesday.

Buckwheat Salad

The dressing was a blend of garlic, balsamic vinegar, EFA oil, water, tahini, dill, cayenne, agave nectar and salt.  I go very light on the cayene because I do not like overly spicy foods.  My post workout snack was the other half of the Ginger Pear Smoothie.

Cayenne Dill Dressing

Dinner was a Adzuki Quinoa Sesame Pizza.  The crust was made in the food processor with adzuki beans, quinoa, sesame seeds. coconut oil and dulse. This was spread in a pan and the Red Pepper Pesto was spread over it.  The cooked toppings were onion, dulse, basil and green onions.  After cooking, I added cucumber and bean sprouts.  The taste was good, but the consistency was not very pizza like.  The outside of the crust hardened, the center did not.  Next time I make one, I will need to cook it longer.

Adzuki Pizza

My evening snack was Vegetable Crackers with a Sunflower Seed Pate.  The crackers were made with flaxseed, celery, tomato, almonds, sunflower seeds, carrot, cumin and salt.  These were nice and crispy.  The vegetables made the taste savory and not too seedy.  These are easy to munch on without a topping.

Vegetable Crackers

Pate

Pate on crackers

The Sunflower Seed Pate was made with sunflower seeds, walnuts, hemp oil, orange juice and sauce.  The result was a flavorful seed spread.  However, spread on the crackers there was just much seed going on.  The spread would be better on some regular whole wheat bread.