Cauliflower Pizza Crust

cauliflower crust pizza

Serves 2; Adapted from this bulletin board.

ingredients:

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)

pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings*

directions:

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.

One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).

Enjoy!

*Note that toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.

NEW RECIPES, please!!!

In the past few days, I've been bombarded by clients and friends begging for some more paleo recipes. Funny thing is, there are many things you are already eating that are paleo... you just have to eliminate some things and you are right on track. However, for those of you looking for some new ideas....

Almond Flour Banana Bread

4 cups Almond flour

2 cups Coconut flour (I've yet to find this... I just used another 2 cups of almond flour)

1 cup DARK chocolate chips

1 tsp. sea salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup coconut oil (Would you believe I found this at Walmart... Trader Joe's doesn't carry it)

6 eggs

2 tbs. vanilla

2 1/2 cups mashed bananas (approx. 5 small bananas)

1. Mix all dry ingredients in mixing bowl.

2. Combine all wet ingredients in a different bowl.

3. Combine them.

4. I use two 8x8 pans... or you can use two loaf pans. 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. If you do muffin tins, the time will be much shorter.

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Brussel Sprouts (shh....don't tell!)

MAKE BEFORE WORK... Dinner is ready when you get home.

4 chicken breasts

1 jar of low-sugar marinara.... just read the label

1 small bag of brussel sprouts

1 spaghetti squash

1. Cook spaghetti squash and use fork to create noodles. (This takes 45 minutes so you may want to do this the night before)

2. Put marinara and brussel sprouts in food processor... helps blend them into the sauce.

3. Combine chicken, marinara and spaghetti squash into crock pot.... cook on low all day.

4. When serving, top with parmesan cheese or feta.

Fox 59... Breakfast for kids on the go?

As some of you saw, I was lucky enough to be part of a panel of moms discussing the top tips for Back to School. Truthfully, it did not seem like school was really happening.... until tonight! Yikes, getting kids bathed and in bed at a reasonable hour... then realizing there were forms to fill out and send in to school... and oh, yes, what to pack for lunch? Anxiety was creeping up... and took it's typical form as a tense neck and a not-so-dull headache. After getting the girls down and leaving Jarrod to get Gavin to sleep, I ventured off to Wally World to get the essentials. What do you pack a picky 7 year old for lunch.... so that she doesn't go hungry, but doesn't waste food either? This is what I came up with...

Small bottled water

Turkey slices

String Cheese

Carrots with dip

Apples

York Peppermint Patty (Snack size)

It is all packed into an adorable Scooby Doo lunch box... with several ice packs to keep it cool and fresh.

Doing the Fox 59 segment has helped my kids see that mommy may know what she is talking about! When I got home that morning after it aired, Alli and Evann were really excited! We talked about it for a few minutes and I asked them if they knew why I was on TV. They both seemed to get it... Mommy was talking to people about giving their kids healthy breakfasts so they could learn better and not be so tired. BINGO! What I wasn't expecting was how it helped them and their choices for meals. Lunch was awesome... no complaints about the fruit and veggies I had put on their plates. That night, my mom was watching them, and she was thrilled! Alli volunteered to help her with dinner, AND she selected only "healthy" items. It's as if they realized that what I have been talking to them about it actually important and not just an annoying thing that mom is making us do!

So, as school begins and you are running around doing 1000 things at once, you will probably say, the last thing I have is time to make breakfast. Well, you are right.. however, you can make some breakfast items ahead of time so all you have to do is pop it in the microwave. Here are a few more suggestions for high protein breakfasts for your kid on the go!

Egg Muffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bulk pork sausage
• 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. In a skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add onion, green pepper, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir in sausage and cheese.
2. Spoon by 1/3 cupfuls into greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Fruit and Nuts

Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts.... paired with any fruit is a great combo

Greek Yogurt Smoothies

Combine Greek yogurt and frozen berries

Almond Meal

Use this to make pancakes or muffins. (Recipes are provided on previous post)

Lara Bars

Found at most grocery stores... nuts and fruit in a bar... several flavors... very simple!

"That Mom"

I'm sure you've all seen her.... "that mom." The one who has her hair just right, her clothes neat and CLEAN, her children all in a row- also clean and smiling... without a care in the world... doing all the right "mommy" things. You see her when you are running to Walmart.... especially when you haven't had a shower in a day or two.... and ESPECIALLY when you realize your shirt that you thought was clean has baby pureed carrots down the front.

I know that I NEVER feel like I have it together.... and I'm not sure that I ever will. The house will never be clean enough, there will always be laundry to do, we will always be out of the one ingredient I need to make the awesome dinner that my children will refuse to eat.... we all feel it. But today, I decided to chuck all the things I "had to do" and decided to finally do what I wanted to do.

Today, I got to spend the whole morning and a little bit of the afternoon with my oldest daughter, Alli. I can't tell you the last time I've spent time with just her. It was the best day I've had in a long time. We had planned it. We knew we were going to do some fun stuff! We went to Dunkin Donuts and got breakfast. Then, we went to see Amber McKinley to get a hair trim--- not a cut! Alli was so pampered. Then, we headed to Target to buy her school supplies. Puppy notebooks and folders and everything else in the perfect shade of greenish-bluish, as well as scissors decorated with cupcakes. She also bought a new Barbie, and a treat for her sister, and her brother. Then, we headed to Applebee's for a late lunch. It was just the two of us. It was wonderful.... but it was also bittersweet. I realize how much older she is this year. Talking to her... really talking... making jokes... remembering that in all of the hulabaloo of the day, I am SO lucky to be her mom.

School is starting soon... I have taken on another part-time gig (if you don't know, I'm the queen of part-time)... time is going to fly by. I am so lucky that I was able to take some time to spend with Alli... without any siblings, phone calls, or emails to worry about.

Alli has grown a lot this summer. She is so excited about school this year! She is also excited about piano, and her friends, and we are REALLY hoping that she becomes excited about swimming!

Today, I was "that mom." The one who had it all together.... so I thought. When I got home, I realized I had missed an important meeting. Ugh! Well, at least for a little while, things went smoothly and I felt like "that mom!" Now, back to reality.
Thanks for a great day, Alli! I love you!

New Recipes

As you can probably imagine, breakfast is probably the hardest thing for our family. Bacon and eggs get boring after several days in a row. I've done some research and come up with two recipes that I've tested on my family. I've taken them from two websites that I really like.

The ingredients are not hard to come by. The only special trip I've had to make is to Trader Joe's to get the almond meal. Almond meal is ground almonds. You can make this yourself in a food processor. Almond meal is wonderful! You can find a lot of great recipes to give you a "carb" fix. You can also substitute it for bread crumbs when making chicken or fish! Flax Meal is easy to come by... just make sure you store it in the refrigerator! (And remember this is a huge source of fiber, so don't go crazy eating a bunch of these in one sitting) Here are the recipes...

Primal Pancakes

If there’s one thing almost every neo-Primalist misses, it’s a heaping stack of pancakes on a cold winter weekend morning. This recipe will sate those deep-seated cravings and make you forget about your extended tryst with Mrs. Buttersworth (as sweet and sinful as it may have been).

Ingredients:
1 cup almond meal
3 large eggs
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix it all together until a batter forms. Pour the batter onto a buttered or greased skillet. Cook over medium heat until both sides are golden brown. Drizzle raw honey or just eat it plain. For kicks, add some blueberries or bananas to the batter.

One word of caution on this recipe: I would suggest keeping the size of these almond pancakes on the small side. Larger pancakes have a tough time sticking together.

FitDay breaks the whole batch down thusly (without any honey or added berries);
Calories: 798
Fat: 65.4 g
Carbs: 20.1 g (11.2 g fiber)
Protein: 42.1 g

Not bad!

Low-Carb "Doughnut" Muffins (I reduce the amt. of Splenda to half, and I throw in some pumpkin spice)

These muffins are meant to taste like doughnuts, and I think they do a good job. There's even a version with buttermilk. This is one of the few recipes for which I use powdered Splenda (for the topping). You don't end up using much per muffin, but you need enough to dip the tops. Save the rest for cinnamon toast made with flax meal bread.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flax meal
• 1 cup almond meal
• 1 T baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 and 1/4 t nutmeg
• 1 t cinnamon
• Artificial sweetener - 1 cup equivalent - zero carb (such as liquid) preferred
• 1/2 cup (I stick) butter, melted
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup plus 2 T water
• Topping:
• 1/2 cup equivalent powdered artificial sweetener
• 2 t cinnamon
• 2 T melted butter

Preparation:

Makes 12 regular-size muffins

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; butter muffin pans.

2. Mix dry ingredients well (exclude those used for topping).

3. Add beaten eggs, melted butter, water, and sweetener to the dry mixture. Mix well.

4. Fill muffin cups a bit more than half way with the mixture.

5. Bake for about 20 minutes, until tops are golden brown. Allow muffins to cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove.

6. Mix the cinnamon and powdered sweetener for the topping in a clean bowl.

7. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, dip the tops in the melted butter you allocated for the topping, followed by the sweetener/cinnamon mixture.

Each muffin has 1.5 gram effective carbohydrate plus 4 grams fiber. (This is assuming half a gram of carb for the topping.)

Buttermilk Version: Switch out 1/2 cup buttermilk for the same amount of water. Substitute 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder for the baking powder in the regular recipe. This variation adds half a gram of carb to each muffin.

Whine=Wine

Today has been a "whiny" day.... which has led to a nice glass of wine at night. It seems that often times when I plan out "great days," there are often small issues that tend to take the "greatness" out of the plan. For example, today, we met some friends at Washington Township Park in Avon. This is the BEST park... Brownsburg, come on, get on board! There is shade, there is rubber mulch, the bathrooms are clean, and there are amazing trails... and now there is a splash pad. What more could you want? We had a great time with great friends... and after 3 hours at the park, with playing, hiking, and lunch- with twizzlers as dessert (yes, it was for a fun day!) ...it began. The WHINING! So whining=naptime for the kiddos.

I got some downtime with my main man, Gavin, which is so fun now. He's into cooing, blowing bubbles, and rolling over if you are lucky! Then, the girls got up and it began, AGAIN! (This is where Jarrod would ask me, did you give them a time out? So for those of you who were wondering the same thing, yes, we did a break and a time out.) But it still didn't change things.

This is when I start to wonder, surely, I didn't do this to my parents. When they broke their backs trying to make a "great day," I'm sure I was very appreciative... and even gave them downtime when we got home because I recognized how tiring such an activity could be for an adult. Insert sarcasm...

These are days when I truly appreciate my parents. I can honestly say that I cannot remember seeing my mom ever roll her eyes at me for ridiculous whining.... she probably got really good at doing it as she turned away from me. I can honestly say that I don't remember my mom losing it on the Wendy's drive-thru guy... who for the 10th time gave me sweetened tea when I clearly ordered unsweetened tea. (Hello? Have they not heard about this food revolution?)I know that my dad always got me a band-aid, even when the scratch that I was screaming about was not band-aid worthy. And because I know my parents did this for me, I know that I can do this for my kids.

I also know that at the end of a whiny day, a nice glass of wine is the perfect reward for me not rolling my eyes, losing in on the Wendy's drive thru guy, and getting the unnecessary bandaid.

Cheers!

(Sidenote: My husband wins the awesomeness award tonight for picking up an unsweetened iced tea at Wendy's tonight on his way home from work after receiving my rant of a text about the fiasco! ;))

Strong enough to resist?

Ugh. I'm sure we've all written or said something that we wish we could take back. "Are you strong enough to resist?" Ridiculous. All too often in the fitness/nutrition industry, there is an emphasis on willpower... and the lack of often leads to the notion that we are weak. I happen to think we are just human. And I am also a big believer in the the mantra, "Life is short!"

Friday night, I was lucky enough to sit across from Mark Sisson at the Weber Grill downtown. We had several Paleo temptations that night, and willpower was being tested! Before I left for dinner, my mom reminded me of the pretzel rolls that Weber serves... Ugh, test #1. But, I passed. With the Paleo guru is sitting across from me, the pressure was on! My husband, was a quick thinker and quickly swallowed one while Mark left the table to take a phone call.(Not sure he tasted it. :))It was quite comical, as I looked around to see most of the other trainers avoiding the pretzel rolls as well... knowing that we were all envious of Jarrod for "sneaking" one! Dinner was easy, but then it came time for dessert.... key lime cheesecake... my favorite! And I went with the mantra, "Life is short!" I asked Mark if he ever did dessert and he said the he does, occasionally, but not in this type of crowd. I get it. He was on display this weekend, he was selling his diet, he was selling the image. We do that all the time.

I have always been really good about eating "healthfully" when we are out and about. However, around 10:00 when it's getting close to bedtime, Jarrod and I would usually have our ice cream. It was our splurge. I always looked forward to this time of the day because it was the few minutes that we had to ourselves, where we could actually have a conversation without interruptions of "Mom, can I?"and "Dad, can you help me?" I had the mentality that I had earned it. But really, was I truly rewarding myself? Possibly... but only short term.

I think it's really important to allow yourself the occasional treats. Mark Sisson operates on an 80/20 rule, where 80% of the time, you eat right... 20% you can go off the "diet." It's something I encourage my clients to do so... because if we are constantly making ourselves resist the temptations, we are setting ourselves up for failure when we are eventually going to cave. (Today, we went to the Strawberry Festival for BREAKFAST and it was wonderful!)