Pizza In Under An Hour Recipe

 
This is my "go to" for quick pizza. And all for under an hour; you really don't lose much on taste. This recipe is very versatile, whether you use homemade organic sprouted flour or just the regular store bought stuff; this recipe should work magic in your kitchen. I usually use the crazy homemade stuff, raw honey, pink salt, etc. So if you're into that, go for it! :)

Makes 1 Pizza

Ingredients

1.8 teaspoons rapid rise yeast
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
4 tablespoons Italian seasonings mix (I use store bought, pre-mixed)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, and some extra for brushing
Sauce, Cheese, and Toppings of Your Choice

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve the honey in 1/4 cup of the warm water. Whisk it, to dissolve the honey evenly.
In a separate larger mixing bowl; combine the flour, yeast, italian seasonings mix, and salt. Whisk to distribute the ingredients evenly.
Add the oil, remaining water, and honey water to the flour mixture; stir to combine.
Stir until dough has even consistency, takes form of a ball, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Use extra teaspoons of warm water a little at a time, if needed.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured, clean surface.
Knead by hand until dough is smooth and firm (should take only a few minutes).
Cover with a clean, damp cloth; let rise for 30 minutes.
I have let it rise up to 40-50 minutes, on accident; and it still came out fine (in case, you are forgetful like me). When it's ready the dough should pull like elastic.
Lightly flour the dough ball, and the surface.
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a circle.
Use your fingers to press on both sides of the edges to make the crust.
Brush crust with a little olive oil or you can use butter. I also like to sprinkle on some grated parmesan cheese when I have it handy.
Use a scraper if necessary to place the crust onto the pizza pan.
Cover with your choice sauce, cheese, and toppings.
Bake at 500 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned.

Enjoy!

Cancer Conquering Pancakes

Crazy Title??? Let me Explain.

These aren't your ordinary pancakes, these pancakes are made with sprouted buckwheat.

Sprouting buckwheat neutralizes the phytic acid. Phytic acid binds with vital nutrients and steals them through the digestive process. Even more so, phytic acid is also an irritant to the digestive system. But when it's sprouted and therefore neutralized, you can digest your meal with ease; and keep all your nutrients.

Buckwheat, I feel is highly underrated. Yes, I know it has a carb content; but we are not "anti-carb" people. We are "back up your food with hard science" people. Before I eliminate any food source from my family's diet, I do a thorough food science "background check." And I found that carbs and starches are in fact not evil, but many offer wonderful nutrition when prepared properly. It's a freeing discovery. I love science. Okay, let's get down to the facts of why buckwheat is so awesome.

Flavonoids: Quercetin and Rutin. These two compounds can fight cancer by preventing cancer ridden cells from latching onto healthy cells. Even in the event of attachment, they can help reduce genetic material. If that is not enough; buckwheat also helps reduce heart disease, acts as a source of protien, helps control diabetes, and is loaded with antioxidants.

So now that we have cleared buckwheat's name, let's talk about these pancakes!

Buckwheat has an earthy taste, with nutty undertones. It makes a fairly dense flour, which I am loving. The pancakes are dense, yet fluffy. Best of all, they are very satisfying! I can only eat three, and I love to eat pancakes. Just don't tell your kids they're "healthy," no sense in ruining a typically "unhealthy" breakfast entree. :)

Sprouted Buckwheat Pancakes

Ingredients List:

1 1/4 cups of sprouted buckwheat flour

1 tsp. organic baking powder

1 tsp. organic baking soda

pinch of pink himalayan salt

1 pasture raised egg

1 1/4 cups of buttermilk

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup of coconut palm sugar

Preparation Instructions:

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the egg into the buttermilk and then pour it into the flour mixture, mixing only until smooth. Add the melted butter and sugar. Fry on a griddle, only greasing if needed.

Makes 4 servings.

Places I like to Party:
http://realfoodforager.com/fat-tuesday-february-26-2013/

http://kellythekitchenkop.com/category/real-food-wednesdays
http://www.realfoodwholehealth.com/2013/01/fresh-bites-friday-february-1-2013/

http://butterbeliever.com/sunday-school-real-food-link-love-blog-carnival-7/
http://thischickcooks.net/

Travel Tactics, Foodie Style

Our first road trip in years. Little G doesn't normally do well on long drives, so we keep the travel minimal. But sometimes travel is necessary, and this is one of those times. Now comes the predicament of real food. I cringe at the thought of gas station snacks and "chili's" type restaurant chains.

Reality check, we are going to have to eat some foods that normally we wouldn't. We are road tripping, it can't be completely avoided. So now the question is what can we do to reduce toxins, insulin sugar spikes, and keep regular eliminations, etc.? After putting in some good research I put together the kit pictured above. It is a compilation of our current regiment with a few new goodies!

We have some old faithfuls joining us, like our fermented cod liver oil.

Which is like the "nectar of the gods" for your body.

We are also bringing my all time favorite wildflower honey, for my morning coffee and J's Water ACV solution.

Another "regular" in our house is Kombucha; we are bringing about half a dozen of them to drink throughout the trip. I could go into a very long explanation of all the benefits they give, but that would take up the entire post. Google it, and be amazed.

In the event we get a case of the munchies/breakfast, I am packing our *new* favorite organic, sprouted cereals; the cinnamon raisin is for me!

Also part of our usual regimen, Activator X! We get ours from raw Gouda. Love me some K2! I am bringing a small brick of it in the ice chest. It will be nibbled on throughout the trip.

Since we will be eating a lot of acidic (restaurant) foods, I would normally want to bring a juicer; and pump out lots of green veggie drinks to help balance out our pH levels and mitigate the toxins. But J said I can't bring this with us.

He says it's too big and bulky. Psssshhhhh. SO, I am bringing these.

And this.

And fresh organic lemons and grapefruits (not all are pictured).

Our Green Variance travel packets will sub for our "green drinks" since we can't haul the juicer and produce. We just empty them into water and drink. Bye-bye toxins!

We will also be doing our lemon water cleanse every morning with a touch of cayenne pepper for an metabolic boost. We don't want any travel food sitting in our digestive organs longer than absolutely necessary. I am so thankful for my stainless steel lemon "juicer." It travels so easily. I love helping our livers help us!

Last, but not least; we have packed a few grapefruits. I will be juicing them by hand with my small citrus juicer (pictured above). After any meal that is sure to spike our insulin levels, we will be having a glass of it freshly squeezed. Grapefruit juice will bring the insulin levels down and settle them.

I am really excited about these additions to our excursion, getting some quality family time away from distractions, and a little road time. While "Real Food" is a significant part of our life, it isn't the focus of this trip. I will still be diligent with our "travel kit," make the best choices I can when we are eating out, and squeeze in some cardio when I can. But, I am also going to enjoy my meal (regardless where it came from), enjoy the fact that I did not have to cook it, and above all else; enjoy the company I am eating it with. :)

Buckwheat Scalloped Potatoes

Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, and  Easy on the Digestive System.

Ingredients List:
4 cups of thinly sliced organic potatoes
4 tablespoons of pasture raised butter
4 tablespoons of sprouted organic buckwheat flour
1 3/4 cups of pasture raised milk
1 teaspoon of pink himalayan salt
2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons of your favorite cajun seasoning mix
1 1/2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cups of grated raw cheddar cheese, to sprinkle on top
1 tsp of paprika

One bite and your hubby will love you forever.

Preparation Instructions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the buckwheat flour until smooth.
Let it sit for a minute off the heat.
Add all the milk, stirring with a whisk.
Whisk in the salt and cayenne pepper.
Whisk in the cajun seasoning mix.Cook sauce on medium low until smooth, and lightly boiling. Stir occasionally.
Reduce heat and stir in the cheese.
Place half of the potatoes in a six cup casserole dish.
Pour half the cheese sauce over the potatoes.
Repeat with second layer of potatoes with cheese sauce.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Sprinkle on the paprika for color.
Bake uncovered for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Eat Anchovies???

They look SO Gross when cooked haha!!

This Happened.

Honest to goodness, happened.

I lived to tell the tale.

I am even going to serve them to my husband.

**Gasp!**

What?! "I'm off my rocker?!?!"

Hate to break it you, but you are way past fashionably late to that party. ;)

Now, you ask; "Why would I eat that.." Or recommend anyone else do so??

Two Words: CONTAMINATION & COST

Contamination: Being lower on the food chain, gives the anchovy the benefit of fewer toxins; since it mostly feeds on plankton. So while I love to cook up a gourmet meal with some of our bigger fish favorites... anchovies are something I can serve, with something even greater, peace of mind.

Cost: I get a lot of the same nutrients (and some different ones, like Choline) as I would from their bigger fish counterparts, for a fraction of the price. With the price of our grocery bill these days, this is beyond good news. SO, yes, you can feed your family well; even on a budget! :) Not to mention, all that wonderful unsaturated fat anchovies come with!! Hooray for heart health!

This was my first taste of anchovies. Jonathan (my wonderful hubby) sat and watched with chagrin as I ate my way through my first slice of Anchovy Pizza (I thought a familiar food might be the way to go with something WAY outside of my comfort zone). The experience was enlightening. AND I learned a few things.

Here's my Do's & Dont's of Anchovies:

#1. Turns out anchovies are realllllyyyy salty, don't add pepperonis; true story.

#2. For your first time, eat them alone. In a dark room. Or else, that really cute guy eating with you (albeit, he's eating something totally different) will describe those little anchovies in the most terrifying way.

"There is HAIR growing out of IT!! YOU ARE EATING HAIR!!!!"

This is not helpful. Granted, very humorous for said cute guy, but not helpful for the first few bites (don't worry, you can't even tell it has bones when you're chewing, I know that now). But since you heard the "hair" story, I suggest a dark/dim room for the first time around, sometimes it's just easier not to see them.

#3. They taste fishy. Yes, I know that's a given; but I kind of expected something different. So, I was shocked when it tasted like I bit into a fresh fish market; you know like the one on Free Willy. If there was a taste for the fresh fishy smell, this would be it.

#4. After you adjusted to the anchovy taste and finished off your dinner; give that stinker of a cutie one BIG fishy kiss, and sweetly remind him that the "hairy" fish will be popping up on the dinner menu in the very near future. ;) *goodtimes* :)

Overall, it was a good experience. And I look forward to the day that we look back and laugh at what anchovy novice's we were. :)

This is the jar of fun I have, packaged in Olive Oil; much better for you.

Organic Chipotle Shrimp Tacos!!!

This is possibly my husband's FAVORITE dish! And it's nothing fancy, at all. It's just shrimp tacos. But according to him, they are almost "other-worldly" haha! Well apparently my husband LOVES them SO much that I feel bad not sharing them with you all! Since we are a real-food family, this recipe is too, but I promise it tastes SO much better! 

I suggest making the sauce, slaw, and tortillas ahead of time; for saving time and letting flavors marinate. :)

MOUTH WATERING!

To Assemble: Fill tortillas with shrimp, cover liberally with sauce, and then toss on the slaw. Enjoy!

Basic Tortilla Recipe

• 4 cups of sprouted organic flour
• 1 teaspoon of organic salt
• 2 teaspoons of organic baking powder
• 2 tablespoons of grass-fed, homemade rendered lard
• 1 1/2 cups of water

Preparation Instructions:
Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a mixing bowl. Mix in the lard with your fingers until the flour resembles cornmeal. Add the water and mix until the dough comes together; place on a lightly floured surface and knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Use a well-floured rolling pin to roll a dough ball into a thin, round tortilla. Place into the hot skillet, and cook until bubbly and golden; flip and continue cooking until golden on the other side. Place the cooked tortilla in a tortilla warmer; continue rolling and cooking the remaining dough.

Organic Chipotle Shrimp

• 2 lbs. Wild Caught Fresh Shrimp
• 2 C. Pasture Raised Butter
• 1/2 c.Organic Worcestershrire Sauce
• 2 Tbl. Ogranic Minced Garlic
• 10 slices of Pasture-Raised Bacon, diced and cooked
• 1 White Organic Onion, diced
• Organic Cayenne Pepper
• Organic Mexican Seasoning Mix

Preparation Instructions:
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. Add the worcestershire sauce, and then add the minced garlic. Stir the mixture, letting it warm up over low heat. Peel and de-vein your shrimp while stirring intermittently. Lay the shrimp out flat in a shallow baking dish and cover both sides liberally with the seasonings. After they are well coated to your taste pour the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Let the shrimp "marinate" while the bacon cooks.

In a large, deep skillet fry the diced bacon over medium-high heat until done. Remove the bacon to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the shrimp and chipotle chiles; cook 4 minutes or until done (this may take a few batches so distribute the chipotle chiles evenly among the batches). Remove and place the shrimp into the same bowl as the bacon.

Now add the diced onion and saute it in the pan before placing it in the mixing bowl also. Then toss the mixture until it is evenly distributed.

Organic Cole Slaw

• 1/2 head Organic Cabbage, sliced thin
• 1/2 head Organic Purple Cabbage, sliced thin
• 1 whole organic jalepeno, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup organic or raw milk
• 1/2 cup Organic Mayonnaise or Fermented Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Organic White Vinegar
• 1 T Raw Cane Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1/4 tsp Organic Cayenne Pepper
• 1 bunch of Organic Cilantro, roughly chopped

Preparation Instructions:
Combine shredded cabbage and sliced jalepenos in a bowl. In a seperate bowl mix milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Pour over cabbage.  Add Cilantro. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
*By Ree Drummond

Organic Chipotle Sauce

• 1 organic chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 organic teaspoon cumin
• 4 teaspoons raw organic honey
• 1 cup organic plain greek yogurt 
• 4 tablespoons organic mayonnaise 
• 1 teaspoon organic salt

Preparation Instructions:
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend on high, until sauce is no longer lumpy. Store in a air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

The NEW Way The Wheats' Eat

SO.... On Facebook, I shared a little while back that we would be updating with a post on our "NEW" take on the way we eat. I know this post may seem a tad scatter-brained HA! But there is SO much information to share, and I wanted to try to condense it as much as possible. :) So please, bear with me. :)

Our Food Story

"THE" Change has probably been in the works for about 2 years now and we are excited to announce that we are finally making the transition! We are EXCITED to share with you all what we're doing, and hope that we can motivate others to make the change too! :)

A Bit of History

November 2009

Shortly after we had Grace I began baking almost all the bread we ate, we at that point were anti-preservatives. With Grace's undiagnosed WS (way to go BCS medical professionals. Yes, still a tad peeved about that lol.), it made eating the way we wanted near impossible. However, as things gradually improved, so did my time in kitchen.

June 2010

Once I quit working Grace finally started sleeping for 7 hours at one time, notice I did not say through the night lol. Grace's crazy night owl sleep schedule was going to bed around 5am and waking up around 1pm. What did I do to pass the time? I spent A LOT of time in the kitchen learning. I learned SOOO much logging in all those hours, and for that, I am thankful. :)

2009

Since we were about half way through the pregnancy with Grace, we have been dreaming of owning a 20 acre spread complete with my mid-size garden, a Jersey milking cow, chicken coop, pigs, beef cows, and a nice crew of ranch dogs. We know this is how we want to feed our family, but we also know this dream becoming reality won't happen tomorrow. I felt stuck shopping at the grocery store, drinking processed milk (they kill the good cultures), eating corn-fed beef, GMO fruit, GMO Vegetables, GMO Yogurt, and probably 5 million other GMO products the supermarket puts on the shelves.

June 2010-Present Day :)

I tried in little ways to cut out some of the processed food and baked all our bread needs; but it still wasn't enough. Since we moved back to DFW (and SO thankful we did, they have TONS of foodie options) I started researching the new food options in our area; that's when I came across eatwild.com. BEST. SITE. EVER. Seriously, check it out, you will be so glad you did. This site connected us to all the local farmers and ranchers in our area, so instead of buying GMO products from the local supermarket, we can buy from and support our local farmers/ranchers. We were really excited about this find, but still hadn't made the switch. We still needed a huge deep freeze and with the holidays underfoot, it was put on the back burner.

Well, this past weekend while I was cruising to find something to watch on Netflix I decided to check out the documentary section (don't make fun lol); and thought we should watch a film that explored our view point on food. Out of the handful they offered, I remembered some talk about "Food, Inc." a few years back; so I thought we'd give it a go. OH MY GOSH, I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it sooner!!!! So many times during this film, I wanted to run to the bathroom and throw up everything I have eaten over the past 26 years. What we eat at restaurants, fast food, and the super-market is seriously DISTURBING! This was the last straw for us, deep freeze or not, Jonathan and I decided to jump in immediately. Thankfully, our Gracie has yet to have a GMO product or any processed foods outside of her specialized formula (I made all her babyfood at home and organic).

The NEW Way We Eat

Grass Fed Beef, NOT Corn.

NO GMO products. All Veggies and Fruits must be Fresh and Organic.

If we buy a boxed product, it also cannot be GMO of any nature.

Raw Milk, better for digestion and more nutritious! Plus we can make our own butter!

All Seafood must be wild caught.

Chicken and Eggs, cage free (organic) and local.

Organic Flour and some different grains for baking!

We have found a great local farm that's in our neighborhood that will provide us with fresh raw milk, produce, beef, pork, chicken, and fresh eggs. Living on the outskirts of town definitely has its advantages. :) I can't say enough about the variety of The Cowtown Farmer's Market, great for filling in the gaps when we can't get all our produce needs at the farm. And if that's not amazing enough, my friend Ashlie told me about Whole Foods. It is almost the perfect marriage between convenience and our new food values. Great selection!!! However, after my recent trip to Central Market; it is safe to say I am not so much a fan anymore. They barely had any fresh organic produce, and even though they had the words "grass fed beef" plastered everywhere, they didn't have a single pound of it in the meat market.... UN-Impressed. Besides that place is always crowded. In the next two weeks we hope to purchase our first deep freeze and pick out our first cow! Not to bring home as a pet, but ready for the deep freeze LOL. These changes are super exciting and already we can feel the difference!

We are not just doing this for the personal well being of the three of us, but for the future Wheat babies also. One of the thoughts that keeps creeping up on me these days is, "what if the way we eat is somehow a contributor to genetical mutations in pregnancies?" I bet I can find a million Dr.s who will swear up and down that eating Genetically Modified (GMO) Fruits, Veggies, Chickens, Eggs, Beef, Seafood (essentially EVERYTHING you eat) has no effect on your health or your pregnancies. But I don't buy that one bit. It's simple logic ya'll. GMO in, GMO out. And it's not like we eat an occasional GMO, but that's ALL we eat. Anybody else see the sudden spike in the special needs numbers in the last 30 years, or is it just me? This concept completely freaks me out!!!

There are so many reasons for us to make this change, and we know it won't always be easy. But you can't put a price on peace of mind, so we are happy to welcome the new challenges! We seriously encourage everybody to research your food; or if time is an issue, just sit down and spend some time watching "Food, Inc." It will change your life, lol, or at least the way you look at food. :)

Blessings,