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!

Ending The Mommy War

Hi, I'm Erica; and I have some of the most inspiring friends ever.

I have some that have a ridiculous eye for design, you should see what they create! Some even sell their creations, and seriously; that is amazing!

I have quite a few friends that are ridiculous behind the camera. They capture moments that speak volumes. I LOVE it when they upload new photos!!

I have a lot of friends who are hard working mommies. And when they get their dream jobs, or big promotions; I rejoice for them. They sacrificed and worked crazy hard to get there, it's a big deal. Not every mom can do that.

Some of my friends are phenomenal in the kitchen. They are constantly making me hungry when I scroll through their feed; but I can't stop looking. ;)

And I could go on and on, but I think you get my drift; I have a lot of talented and inspiring friends.

What I love about social media is that it gives me more than one way to stay connected to those friends.

As a mom who is still fairly chained to her house, this is an absolutely priceless gift! Even if I can't leave my house for more than an hour to two hours at a time; I still can "keep" up with precious friends I wouldn't be able to otherwise.

Not to mention that many of my mom friends that I love, live ALL over the country (some of them I have never met in person!). But because of social media we get to do life together (maybe that's weird) in a very unique way.

BUT....

The Mommy Wars happened. Fueled largely by pinterest, and I have actually seen some of my friends that I adore back away from social media and are make fewer "posts."

Because now if you post something you worked hard on making, or saved hard and bought, or studied hard and finally passed, or etc., or etc.; it could now be considered show boating. And you will be judged, condemned, and then shunned via social media.

Instead of seeing all the fun stuff my friends have been up to, I am reading article after article about all the pressures moms are under, how we all are secretly against one another; and how we should be against "being against eachother."

Is this making anybody else's head hurt?

So over the course of last week, I decided I am done being against "being against eachother." It's much easier, less confusing, and more enriching to be for something...

So instead of grazing through my feed(s) and thinking to myself; how neat, incredible, inspiring, how exciting, etc. I am going to voice all those thoughts instead; in writing, in your comments section. :)

I am going to be FOR you, my mommy friends.

So to my Mommy Friends,

Please post every thing you work hard on. Crafts, food, design; I want to see it.

You saved and saved, and bought a really neat toy; post away, I want to admire it too.

You had a really cool accomplishment, please share; I want to rejoice with you too.

You are going through a rough patch and are genuinely emotionally exhausted, you can post that too. I don't expect you to be bright and positive 24/7; I love that you are real, genuine, and honest.

I want to connect with you and celebrate you. This is how we win. The Mommy War becomes non-existent when there is no one to war with. Encouragement is our cure.

So please keep posting, sharing, and letting your friends (like me) who don't get to see you everyday, be a part of your unique world; and celebrate your uniqueness, friendship, and the beauty that is a shared life.

Thanks Bunches! Can't wait to flood your feed! ;)

"The Odd Life of Grace Wheat"

   

"If you came to me and said there are two people in the world that want you more than anything; they'll do their best, make some mistakes, and you will only get them for a short time... But they will love you more than you could imagine. Well, when that's true... I'd say, so much is possible." -Timothy Green 

 
Yesterday while feeling a little under the weather, I scooped up my daughter, some of her toys, and snuggled up with her on the sofa. I rarely get time to relax and channel surf, but I "managed" to find a movie I hadn't seen; "The Odd Life of Timothy Green."
 
I vaguely remember seeing previews for this movie over a year ago, and thought if nothing else; it would be a good time filler/veg out film. It was anything, but that. In fact, it took me entirely by surprise. I previously thought the film was only about infertility/adoption, and I totally missed the entire under riding metaphor of raising a child with "differences." It turned out to be one of the most beautiful films I have seen about differences.
 
At the beginning of the film Timothy's mother (played by Jennifer Garner) buries a list of everything they want in a child in her garden. And in that spot Timothy is "born." In many ways Jonathan and I had our list as well. During the pregnancy we dreamed and hoped for our little one. That he/she would be incredibly gifted intellectually, musically, athletically, and with an incredibly good heart.
 
Our intentions came from a good place, but were ill placed. Grace taught us that. Our lists were centered on what is upheld as "success" in today's society. Is there anything wrong with being considered intellectually and athletically gifted, by society's standards? No. But using that as an expectation for our unborn child was. Each child is unique, not all will make straight A's in the public school system; or letter Varsity in every sport; but all are born with their own unique set of gifts.
 
When Grace was born, we realized we got everything on our list; just not in the way we originally thought. Even if it took us a couple of years to really see it. We had to go through the, "Why isn't she hitting any of the developmental milestones that babycenter kept emailing me every week?" And the "She's almost two; still not walking, talking, and on the bottle..." It has to be us, we must be the world's worst  parents. Lies. Battlefield of the Mind. It can drive a parent crazy. Overworrying is a real thing. 
 

"If he is on the bench now, he will be on the bench for life..." -Timothy's Father

As parents we worry, because of our child's "differentness" will life give them less; are they doomed to a life that's "less"? It's a real fear. One that new parents of a "different" child have to wrestle with early on. And it never helps when they interact with people who say things like:
 
 
(Timothy's mother and aunt discussing Timothy)
 
Timothy's Mother: "He always finds a bright side, never gives up, and has a good heart."
Timothy's Aunt: "That'll get you into college."
 
 
We've had our own experiences (I could write a book with them all) with this type of interaction, when we were incredibly insecure as parents. Like trying to share the victory of Grace learning to use a sippy cup with people close to us; and their response being, "Oh, so-and-so's baby (who is much younger) has been doing that for months." Oh okay, thank you for the conversation ender. It's these interactions that taught us because Grace has differences not everybody is going to stay Team Grace; like they might have if she was born without them.
 

"I decided that our son would not be seen as different or weird, but would be treated like a normal kid; because that's what he is." -Timothy's Mother

 
Tough realization for new parents. But you do what you have to do as a parent. You bring in those on their "team" tightly, so their love will outshine that of those whose words/actions are unkind.
 
BUT...
 
There is this HUGE benefit to being Team Grace that many do not know about. Grace has a very unique gift. It is the gift of love, in it's purest form. One thing I continue to hear from people who get to spend any amount of quality time with her, is that they walk away feeling renewed. Her joy is contagious, refreshing, and uplifting. Her missing chromosome that makes her "different," was replaced with something much more valuable; unconditional love. When she smiles, it radiates from her face. My mom calls her, her little angel; when she interacts with someone who is in pain, she tends to bring them a small piece of healing. She is a reminder of all that is good in the world, and why we should keep striving for it.
 
This is what I loved most about the movie. Part of what made Timothy different was his "Pollyanna" personality mixed with understanding, and deep compassion. This is practically the definition of Williams Syndrome. Seeing something so familiar to me, yet just as unfamiliar to the rest of the world; on the silver screen.... I was speechless. It got me.
 
Even when his aunt singled him out, to embarrass him and his mother, for not being "gifted." Timothy moved forward with good humor. Which ultimately resulted in him, his mother, and father performing/improving a hysterical version of "Low Rider" to end her stuffy, snobby, family concert. The joke was on her. This CRACKED me up, not just because of how funny it was; but because I do a very similar thing with Grace at Whole Foods. Grace loves to sing and talk LOUDLY, but she really hasn't got the pronunciation thing down correctly. And almost every time we go to the grocery store (which for us is whole foods), Grace tends to draw quite a few eyes. Not in the "oh, how cute" way; but the "can you make her be quiet, it's making me uncomfortable" way. Oh the uppity uppiters of Whole Foods, how I love it when you give me that look. Because without fail, I move my cart as close as I can to yours, and if I wasn't already engaged in loud talking/singing with my child; I am now. And we are getting louder and louder. Mainly because my kid gets all kinds of giggly when we're loud, but also because you look so desperate to disappear. And that kind of makes my day. So don't be rude, ya jerk. ;) But I gotta hand it to most of the cashiers there, more than one have jumped in and joined her in song, and that made this mama's heart warm all over. So we still go there, often. :)
 
Finally at the end; the time comes for his parents to tell their family, friends, and community why Timothy is different. Timothy has leaves on his legs.
 

"Our son Timothy has leaves on his legs. We didn't tell you guys because we were afraid, kind of ashamed; I even tried to cut his leaves off." -Timothy's Mother

 
What special parent can't identify to that statement? The explosion of emotions, guilt, and an attempt to fix/cure. The wading through the lies, to find the truth.
 
Then something beautiful happens. Their family, friends, and community rally around Timothy; and his leaves.
 

"I've seen his leaves, they're spectacular! And it's okay to be different, a little weird even." -Friend of the Family (Botanist)

"If this boy can have a leaf on his ankle; then we can make pencils out of leaves! Let's go to work!"  -Trustee of the factory where Timothy's dad worked

 
 
It's moving. Just as much as we've seen people fall off from Team Grace, we've seen others jump on board with enthusiasm. They love her leaves.
 
As the movie wraps up they touch on that one painful, emotional detail...
 

"It's nothing you did, it's how it's supposed to be. There is only so much time. Other kids grow up and move away, I lose my leaves; and move on." -Timothy Green

These special, beautiful, gifted children; parade into our lives. We never know how long they are going to be here, wrapped in our love. But while they are; we need to cherish them just for who they are, leaves and all.

Thank you Disney, just when I thought you couldn't surprise me anymore.

Our Swheat Girl is Four!

Shortly after our move, this little girl turned four! We spent her birthday weekend river hopping, one of her favorite things; I guess that's a perk of being surrounded by rivers.

I think that's been one of our favorite things about living here, plenty of water time! 

When it came time to planning Grace's 4th birthday party, I really wanted to draw off the uniqueness of this new chapter in her life. When we moved to here, I was taken aback by the amount of cotton fields that surrounded our little town; it was a new experience for us to see random pieces of cotton blowing around in the streets. And then there was our peach house, the whole house (interior) is painted peach! It's not every day you live in a peach paradise, ha! 

I really wanted Grace's party to not just be aesthetically pleasing, but symbolize this new chapter in her life. This house and this town are going to forever be a part of her childhood; we wanted this party to mark the beginning of a beautiful, fun, and enriching year for her.

Inspired by the lovely texture of cotton, I wanted to create something that had unique texture... With a hint of femininity. So I came up with a backdrop that I hope captures the essence of fields of cotton on a cool summer evening.

With accents of peach to tie in our new abode, and plenty of gold sparkle to represent the birthday girl's sparkly personality... The party came into it's own. 

Our guest list was short, we really wanted to keep the party intimate; we wanted Grace to know her guests, and for our guests to already have a rich history with her. Granted my family is massive, and Fort Worth isn't exactly close, so we were thrilled by the fact so many drove down for her day! Nonetheless, we still wanted to send out invites; because they're fun and proper. ;)

I don't know why it looks so heavily pink here, but it's actually a lovely peach shade in real life. ;)

One of the things I enjoyed planning her party this year was getting to branch out and try new vendors! And ya'll, they really made this party come together! :)

We used a bakery in New Braunfels for her cake, 2tarts, they are awesome! If you're local, use them, you won't be disappointed. The cake was exactly what I wanted, and it was delicious! Once home all I had to do was make the toppers for the cake! I bought the florals at Blumen-Meisters right before picking up the cake, it's also in New Braunfels. Each stem you buy is perfectly packaged with a little water bottle to keep it fresh for the ride home. I couldn't have been happier with the service and selection. It made arranging them stress-free, after getting home, yay for no sad blooms!

I really wanted to add a little platter of french macarons to dress up the table, and since our guest list was all adults, I thought it would be fun to be adventurous with the flavors. Suprisingly, green tea wasn't a real crowd pleaser. ;) However, the quality was phenominal on these little souffles. Hello! Macaron in Austin is your girl, if you need a fix! :) In keeping with the theme of hearts jumping out of the desserts, I went ahead and made the macarons into minature stacks and added some home-made glitzy hearts to hold them together.

The four for the table was actually cut by hand by my incredibly talented and loving husband! All I did was cover it in sparkle. I don't think I can bear to part with it or throw it away.... I am a sucker for things made with love, but really... Who isn't? :)

The invitation was made by Oklahoma Ginger, I gave her my vision for the invites, and she made it happen! Also note the lovely peach color. ;)

Since this could potentially be one of her last parties with a mostly adult guest list (she's starting to show a little interest in kids near her age), we decided we should probably take advantage of it and trade in the kid finger-foods for a wine and cheese tasting! It was actually really fun branching out our taste-buds and seeing who liked stinky cheese and who didn't. ;)

What she enjoyed more than all the presents, were "her" people. That and the half-hour serenade she got (because if you're going to be sang to, happy birthday is just not a long enough song)! ;)

I tried getting a regular smiling pic, but my family doesn't know how to do that... And I love it!!!

When I think of her 5th birthday, I hope it is as full of love as this one was. And has lots of water, yes, plenty of that. 

I pray that year four is one for the books. Happy Birthday my Littlest Love, Mommy loves you so very much!

San Antonio, Round Two: House Huntin'!

 

Recently we had to make an impromptu trip to San Antonio for some house hunting. While we walked away from the week without a new place; we didn't leave without a few memories (and a lot of pictures).

 

We ended up staying at The Eilan Hotel Resort & Spa, it's still relatively new; so I was nervous. But OH MY GOSH, I really shouldn't have been; our stay was incredible! The rooms were luxurious, the food was UNBELIVABLE (not to mention organic), and the service impeccable! They will definitely receive our business in the future!

 

Five Stars, we highly recommend it!

  

Their lobby is very comfy! Grace loved sitting on all their furniture while we waited for the car. This massive ottoman was one of her favorites.

 

The chandeliers there are inspiring! She's all girl, she loves all things sparkle!

 

And the mirrors, Oh she LOVED these!

 

But out of everything, THIS is what she LOVED the most.

 

They have this fantastic splash pool, that Grace loved! I'm not sure if love is even a strong enough word, you'll see, just keep scrolling.

 

 Our very own Cabana (very handy).

At first sight. She cracks a smile.

 The happiness begins.

 She gets SO excited, she starts breaking out dance moves (sans music).

 This is shrieking.

This is screeching (there is a difference).
 

This is hand flailing, with a little screeching (but not as loud, because we have hand motions going too).
 

 This is amazement, so naturally we are chatting it up with the water.

We hang out here for a long time, because this fountain dances. And what is cooler than dancing water? Nothing. You can tell, because Jonathan is concerned about whether or not he is burning. The kid LOVES water, SO she leaves against her will screaming all the way up to the room. I didn't photograph that though, apologies, I was to busy deflecting the weirdo stares (with a pretty sweet one of my own HA!).
 

The next morning before heading out, Grace was just hanging out and I had to grab my camera. It was just her, being perfectly her. I couldn't miss out.

She had a hold of one of her favorite shoes, it was the first pair she ever squealed with joy over. I think her smile says it all.

She knows where her shoe goes, her foot!! Such a smart girl!

"Ooooooooo."

Shoe Cuddling!

Shoe Happiness!

 This is Day 2 of water play! While it's not new it is definitely still EXCITING!

 She was getting very brave, she did not like us shadowing her so closely. She wanted to strike out on her own. It made me a little proud to see her assert independence.

 This is her "look what I can do" face!

 Then we moved over to the "BIG" pool! She loved this waterfall, utterly fascinating for her!

 

It turned out that she actually seemed to enjoy this pool more than the splash pool, and if you saw the previous photos; you know we are talking some serious happiness.

 

 And then there was the swimming. She tried so desperately to take off swimming on her own. She figured out how to move her arms, legs, and shoved her face in the water a few times. Then she wanted Jonathan to let her go, so she could take off. We both agreed no. It was a little crazy that she was basically teaching herself to swim, since we lack the verbal communication and all. But still, I won't be surprised if she does teach herself how to swim by the end of the summer, that little water baby of mine! :)

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. :)