GF LOW-CARB PIZZA MARGHERITA

About a week ago I officially decided to go low carb. Given my allergies and already limited food restrictions this decision turned out to be harder than I originally thought. However, like the other times I've changed my diet drastically I bucked down, did the research, and found how to swing the situation to my advantage. I was doing well until I had a craving for pizza. Ugh-oh. How in the world was I going to be able to do this? Thanks to YouTube, the Internet, and many others who have tried to go low carb before me I was able to come up with an AMAZING low-carb pizza recipe. Its likely the healthiest pizza you'll ever eat.

Ingredients
1 Cauliflower head
1 12 oz bag of Mozzarella Cheese (Shredded)
1 6 oz can of Tomato Paste (you won't use the entire can)
1 bag of fresh Spinach (you won't use the entire bag)
1 Tomato
2 eggs
5 slices of Deli Meat (I used chicken)
McCormick’s Italian Herb Seasoning Grinder (INCLUDING ROSEMARY, BLACK PEPPER, AND RED PEPPER), GARLIC, ONION, SEA SALT, TOMATO, AND PARSLEY.)
Olive Oil
Dried Basil
Salt

Low-Carb Pizza Sauce
In a bowl mix in 6 tsps of tomato paste, 2 TBSP of water, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 McCormick’s Italian Herb Seasoning. (You’ll eyeball this. You can also taste the sauce w/your finger to see if its at your desired season. Add more if you want).

Pizza

1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Boil the cauliflower until soft. Allow drying until the moisture is gone from the cauliflower. Rice the cauliflower. (Rice means to grind into rice like consistency using a grater or food processor. If the cauliflower is soft enough you might be able to “mush” by hand. However, you don’t want any large chunks in the final product.)

2.     2. Once the cauliflower is dry (or mostly dry) place two cups in a large mixing bowl. Add in 2 eggs and 2/3 – 3/4 of shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix well. 

3.     Using a pizza pan, cover with parchment or wax paper, and grease the paper.  Spread and shape the cauliflower mix on the greased parchment paper by hand.

4.     Place the pizza crust into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the edges are crispy.

5.     Remove pizza from the oven and spread low carb pizza sauce over the top.  Then layer as follows:

(1) Deli Meat

(2) Spinach Leaves

(3) Tomato

(4)  Drizzle w/McCormick’s seasoning and olive oil.

6.     Turn down oven heat to 400 degrees. Place back into oven for 10-20 minutes or until the tomatoes sizzle or cook to your desired consistency.

7.     Remove from oven and top with mozzarella cheese and bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Sprinkle dried basil over top.

8.     Allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Applesauce Sweet Potato Fries

SWEET POTATOES!!!!! I love'em. These fries are versatile and are packed with so much natural flavors. Here is another quick and easy seasoning recipe. This one requires some marinating time, so its not a ready-set-eat meal but the wait is definitely worth it. By letting this marinate, the flavors are able to really seep into the sweet potato and instead of having a little bit of seasoning when you bake it, you experience all the flavor of the seasoning. I didn't create or pair a dipping sauce with these fries as I simply didn't see a need for one. They are fully capable of standing on their own.

Applesauce Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients (serves 3-6)
3 sweet potatoes
2/3 cup applesauce
½ TBSP cinnamon
½ TBSP pumpkin spice
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

1. Peel and cut the potatoes into fry length strips.
2. In a large freezer bag, place applesauce, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, salt, and pepper in bottom of the bag. Place the cut potato strips in to the bag and press out all the excess air and seal. Move the potatoes around in the sealed bag making sure ALL the potatoes be covered with sauce, about 3-5 minutes.
3. Place sweet potatoes in refrigerator for at least 3 hours but no longer than 5.

After marinate (refrigeration):

4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
5. Line two cookie sheets with wax paper and spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray. Remove marinated fries from the refrigerator and arrange amongst the two cookie sheets making sure the fries do not touch.
6. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes then remove, flip fries, and bake for a remaining 15- 20 minutes.  (**Note the fries may stick slightly to the wax paper due to the “sticky” applesauce, however, the cooking spray should help eliminate this.)
7. Remove from oven and allow the fries to cool for about a minute then immediately remove from pan. Best served warm but taste great cold. No need for a dipping sauce. Enjoy!

HERSHEY Oatmeal Cake

Okay, the one thing I say time and time again is NOT to be afraid to play around in the kitchen. This cake is one of the best examples of what can happen when you do. I sat down one evening after purchasing a bag of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats and put pen to paper. At this point, I really hadn’t worked with oats much in the past. I think I made quick oatmeal and no bake cookies but that was it. As I wrote this recipe, I was unsure how it would turn out but was willing to take the chance. In reality, I was attempting to make a cookie but created a cake. A very happy accident this turned out to be, this cake has a “not-too-crunchy” crust and a moist chocolate filled center.

Hershey Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1 ½ cup all purpose flour (Bob’s Red Mill GF)
1 cup oat flour (Bob’s Red Mill GF)
1 TSP baking powder
1 TSP salt
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup semi-sweet HERSHEY'S chocolate chips
3 TBSP HERSHEY'S cocoa powder
½ TSP cinnamon
1 TBSP grade A maple syrup
powdered sugar to top

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.     In a medium size bowl, mix flour(s), baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, oatmeal, and chocolate chips.

3.     In a large size bowl, cream together eggs and sugars. Add in maple syrup and vanilla extract. Add in your dry flour mix.

4.     Grease a 9-inch round baking pan and pour batter into it.

5.     Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees this will make the crust (top and bottom) nice and crunchy but not burnt. Bring the heat back to 310 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes. Use to the toothpick trick to test that the center is not gewy.

6.     Remove from oven and top the cake with powdered sugar. Allow to cool for half an hour before serving. Serve as is or with chocolate syrup, extra powdered sugar, or simple icing (recipe listed below). Be your own chef!!!!! Enjoy!

Hershey Oatmeal Cake
w/ Simple Icing

Simple Icing
1 greek yogurt cup (6 oz)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 TSP vanilla extract

1. In a medium size bowl, whisk mix together yogurt, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
2. Cover with saran wrap and place in refrigerator for half an hour (to thicken up) before using.

Apple Oatmeal Twist

Apple oatmeal twist is a slight variation to the classic hot oatmeal cereal. Nothing fills you up faster than a nice warm bowl of oatmeal on a chilly fall day. This dish can be served hot or cold, with or without the topping, ultimately this is the opportunity to be your own chef and decide how you wish to eat it. And it can all be accomplished in under 10 minutes!

Apple Oatmeal Twist

Ingredients


Apple Oatmeal Mix
½ cup rolled oats (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats)
1 cup apple juice
½ TBSP cinnamon
1 TSP sugar
1 granny smith apple

Topping
½ cup cool whip
1 TSP cinnamon

Apple Oatmeal Mix

1.     In a medium/large bowl place ½ cup rolled oats and 1 cup of apple juice. Stir and cover bowl, microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes.

2.     Core and peel the skin from apple and cut into small/medium chunks.

3.     Remove bowl from microwave (be careful it will be hot) and fold in the cinnamon, sugar, and apple chunks, mixing thoroughly.

4.     If you wish to eat warm, immediately continue to the whipped topping portion of this recipe. If you wish to eat cooled, cover with saran wrap and place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Topping

1.     In a small bowl, mix ½ cup cool whip and 1 TSP cinnamon and mix well.

2.     Dollop on top of apple/oatmeal mixture or serve on the side. Enjoy.