Quinoa Pizza Crust

Everyone loves pizza, right? Overall pizza is simple, delicious, and you can put just about anything on it. The only problem is that it is not at all healthy. Well, as part of our new “healthier” diet we wanted to find a healthier pizza crust recipe. I found one. It is delicious and healthy. It does however take a bit of planning.

This is my version of Positively Healthy’s Quinoa Pizza Crust Recipe. This makes one pizza.

What You’ll Need…

½ Cup Quinoa (The red does not work as well as the white.)

1 ¼ Cup Water, Divided

Spices (Your choice, I use pizza seasoning.)

Allow the ½ Cup of Quinoa of soak in one cup of water for 4-8 hours.

Once the quinoa has soaked allow it drain in a mesh strainer for at least 10 minutes.  

After all of excess water is out of the quinoa pre-heat your oven to 450 and place a pizza pan into the oven so that it too can pre-heat.

Pour the quinoa into either a blender or food processor along with some of the remaining ¼ cup of water. Sprinkle in the spices and blend. You want the quinoa to break open and have a consistency of thick pancake batter. Add more water as needed. 

Once the quinoa is blended grease the pre-heated pizza pan and spread the mixture.

Bake the mixture for 10 minutes, flip the crust over with a spatula, and bake on the second side for about 7 minutes. Be careful, it cooks quickly. 

Now, add the toppings of your choice. We have used regular tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and vegetables as well as sauce, mozzarella cheese, and peperoni.

Once you have added your toppings bake your pizza for 5 more minutes and then enjoy.

Turkey and Couscous Stuffed Bell Peppers

As you know we’ve been eating healthier for the last two months, and it really is paying off. I’ve gotten pretty creative in the kitchen in the last few months and have come up with some recipes that are both delicious and healthy. This week’s recipe, again, falls into that category. 

Now, to be able to have our kitchen stocked, at least for a week or so, we have been buying a lot of things in bulk. It has proven to be a lot cheaper in the long run and we can get as much as we want of an ingredient. These stuffed peppers feature an ingredient that we now buy in bulk, couscous.

What You’ll Need

1lb Ground Turkey

1 Cup Dry Couscous

2 Cups Water

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Cups Tomato Sauce (We use the Chuck Tomato Ragu that was featured a few weeks ago.)

4-6 Bell Peppers (Whatever color you like.)

Salt (To Taste)

Pepper (To Taste)

Preheat your oven to 350.

As always, we start out with the vegetables, even though peppers are technically fruit. Rinse the peppers, cut the top off, and remove the seeds and ribs. Once the peppers are de-seeded place them on a baking sheet and let them roast in the oven for about 15 minutes so that they begin to soften.

While the peppers are roasting brown the ground turkey in a medium skillet until it is cooked through.

Now, for the couscous. Heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Once the oil is hot add in the couscous and let it cook for 3-5 minutes or until it has browned slightly and is aromatic. Stir the couscous occasionally.

Once the couscous has browned add the water and let it come to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil let it simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.

While the couscous is cooking remove the peppers from the oven and pour out the water that has accumulated.

Once the couscous is done combine it with the browned meat, sauce, salt and pepper. Fill the peppers until the filling reaches the top and place the filled peppers in a greased casserole pan. You may have left over filling; this depends on how many peppers you are making. The filling is delicious by itself.

Bake the peppers at 350 for about 20 minutes. 

Enjoy!

Serve the peppers as they are or add more sauce. Cover the leftovers with foil and store in the refrigerator.

Baked Crab Mac and Cheese

This week’s recipe is a little less healthy, but it makes about eight servings and can easily be paired with a side salad for a complete dinner. Not only is the pasta bake delicious, but it can be used to mix up your Lenten Fridays. Last year during Lent we had pizza for dinner on Friday’s; this year we’re taking a slightly healthier and more varied approach.

As you can tell, I’m not very good at coming up with recipes that can easily be made after work during the week. I am however getting a lot better at planning whole meals that are either at or just over 500 calories!

As always, any questions or comments can be sent to me at Miriya.whitaker@gmail.com.

What You’ll Need…

½ lb. Crab Meat (Chopped)

½ Onion (Chopped)

½ Bell Pepper (Chopped)

1 Large Handful Mushrooms (Chopped)

2 Cups Pasta (Any kind you like, I personally use orzo.)

2 Tablespoons Butter

3 Tablespoons Flour

1 ½ Cups Milk

Salt (Pinch)

Pepper (Pinch)

Nutmeg (Pinch)

2 Cups Grated Cheese (Any kind you like.)
5 Saltine Crackers

Preheat your oven 350 and fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil.

As you wait for the pasta water to come to a boil start working on chopping your vegetables and crab meat. Chop the crab meat and vegetables to whatever size you like. Remember that this is all going to be in pasta so a smaller size would be better for the vegetables. Once the vegetables have been chopped place them into a sauté pan and cook until all of the vegetables are soft.

Before moving onto the béchamel sauce (the white sauce) grate the cheese so that you have it ready when the sauce is done. Also, when the water comes to a boil add the pasta. Let the water come to a boil again and let the pasta cook for about 10 minutes. The time all depends on how you like your pasta cooked. 

Now for the sauce. Heat 1 ½ cups of milk in a sauce pan, do not allow it to boil. In another small sauce pan melt two tablespoons of butter. To the butter add three tablespoons of flour, allow the raw flour flavor to cook out, it is important to whisk the mixture continuously. 

 




















Once the flour butter mixture looks like wet sand full it off the heat to add the milk. Place it back over the heat and whisk continuously until the sauce thickens, scraping the bottom of the pan is important so that the mixture is thoroughly combined. It should take about 6-8 minutes for the sauce to thicken.The sauce is done when you can run your finger down the middle of a spoon and the line stays. 

At this point the pasta should be done. Drain the pasta. If you are using orzo drain it in a mesh strainer. Place the pasta back into the original pot and go back to the sauce.

Add a dash of salt, pepper, and nutmeg to the sauce and stir thoroughly. Now, add the cheese and allow it to melt into the sauce. Again, stir thoroughly. 

Once the sauce has been stirred add it to the pasta. Once the pasta and sauce have been combined add the crab meat and vegetables. After everything is combined pour it into a greased glass rectangle baking dish and smooth it so that the top is level. Take the saltine crackers and either crumble them over the pasta or crush them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag and sprinkle them over the top, it all depends on how you want your "bread crumb" topping.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Enjoy plain for topped with ketchup or honey Dijon sauce. Cover the leftovers with foil and keep in the refrigerator.

Simple Honey Dijon Sauce:

3 Tablespoons Honey

6 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard

Make adjustments as needed.

Warm Snow Pea "Salad"

Recipe number 25! This week we are continuing on with our relatively healthy theme. If you’re wondering, which I’m sure that most of you aren’t, the food that my husband and I are eating in combination with simple in-home workouts really are helping in our effort to lose some weight.

Anyway, this recipe is obviously a side dish. The “salad” is healthy, delicious, and simple to make. This particular recipe serves two, but it can easily be doubled.

As I have mentioned before, if you want any information on calories counts or would like to let me know what you thought of a recipe send me an e-mail. (Miriya.whitaker@gmail.com)

What You’ll Need…

20 Snow Peas [10 per person.] (Whole with both tips cut off.)

¼ Medium-Large Onion (Chopped)

½ Bell Pepper (Diced)

1 Handful Mushrooms (Chopped)

1 ½ Tablespoon Olive Oil

Salt (To taste)

Pepper (To taste)

Garlic Powder (To taste)

As always, start out by chopping your vegetables. Cut the ends off of the snow peas, dice the pepper, and chop the mushrooms and onion.

Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into a medium skillet and let it heat for about 30 seconds. Once the oil has heated add the onions. Allow the onions to sauté over medium heat for about three minutes.

Next, add the peppers and allow them to sauté for an additional two minutes.

Now, add the snow peas and the remaining half tablespoon of olive oil. Allow the peas to sauté until they start to brown on the bottoms. This should take two-to-three minutes. You should be stirring the vegetables every couple of minutes.

Lastly, add the mushrooms and allow them to sauté until cooked. At this point the dish is done. Add spices to taste.

Enjoy!