vegan Archives - Page 2 of 4 -

Pizza Caprese

on July 12, 2016December 22, 2020 By Kelley

This garlicky Caprese Pizza is loaded with fresh Italian flavors that will keep you coming back for more! This sweet, savory, and salty flavor combo is surely to make your pizza night extra special. In addition, this healthy crispy thin crust is VEGGIE-based (and it’s NOT cauliflower!!!)

My weaknesses are in this order:

Ice Cream
Pizza
French Fries
Chocolate (can vie for the #1 spot at times!)
Cookies (with chocolate of course!)If I could eat a diet entirely consisting of these foods I would and I would love every minute of it! BUT I know I wouldn’t love the aftermath, haha. I’m not one to miss out on life’s pleasures and indulgences which is why I set out to make “secretly” healthy (aka you’l- never-know-it’s-actually-good-for-you) versions of all my favorite junk foods. Heck, it’s why this blog was born!

In fact, Cricket loves her junk food too, just like me. Her list goes a little something like this, and it’s quite different than mine:

In and Out Cheeseburger, no bun
Steak
Chicken

And she would eat burgers for every single meal of her entire life and never get sick of them, really!

She’s not much of a pizza girl, but that’s OK with me because I don’t have to share!

So, back to THIS pizza….. I am in love with my gluten-free NY Style Pizza Crust, which is made from yucca. Have you tried it yet!!??

(FYI: If you can’t find yucca in your produce section, I just discovered my local Aldi carries it already peeled and cut in a bag in the freezer section! That means less work, and yucca at a great low price. Now that’s a win-win! But if you can’t locate yucca you can try this pizza rust recipe as an alternative: Against All Grain Pizza Crust.)

No mushy cauliflower crust here! This crust is thin, crispy, buttery and just so very yummy.

And to make this pizza extra special and amazingly delish, we are topping it off with loads of roasted garlic gloves, sweet cherry tomatoes, fragrant fresh basil, and then giving it a nice drizzle of balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive oil. It’s simply the best. pizza. EVER!

Caprese Pizza

1 large thin pizza crust or see other crust recipes above (recipe HERE)
1/3 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese (omit if paleo or use goat/sheep’s milk cheese if you can tolerate it)
½ roasted garlic
⅓ cup cherry tomatoes (quartered)
¼ cup basil (chopped)
2 tablespoons balsamic reduction
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Wrap a bulb of garlic in aluminum foil and place in the oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes, then remove and let cool.
Prepare your pizza crust according to recipe (or use store bought crust).
Place pizza crust on cookie sheet or pizza stone.
Spread marinara sauce evenly on the crust and then sprinkle on the cheese!
Place the pizza in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes, or until cheese of hot and bubbly.
Once cool enough to handle, peel your roasted garlic cloves from the bulb.
Top the hot pizza with quarter cherry tomatoes, chopped basil, and roasted garlic cloves.
Drizzle with EVOO and balsamic glaze/reduction.
Cut, serve, enjoy!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Covered Banana Pops

on July 6, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley

Looking for a cool and chocolatey treat to cool down your sweet tooth this summer? Well, look no further! These frozen banana pops are smothered in peanut butter and chocolate 'magic' sauce. They are easy and fun to make (get the kids involved!), and best yet they are secretly healthy!

Looking for a cool and chocolatey treat to cool down your sweet tooth this summer? Well, look no further! These frozen banana pops are smothered in peanut butter and chocolate ‘magic’ sauce. They are easy and fun to make (get the kids involved!), and best yet they are secretly healthy!

Cricket and I have been logging a lot of miles lately. She loves to run every morning and by 7 am she is waiting by the door next to her leash. In fact, Cricket knows her daily schedule better than I do, and if I am late she is sure to let me know about it… lol. Breakfast is at 6:30 sharp (even on Sundays) and everyday she not-so-patiently stands by her metal bowl and paws at it to make loud dinging noises so the whole house can hear. After breakfast we get dressed, lace up the sneakers, pop the baby in the stroller and off we go! She usually pulls me most of the way, unless she gets hint of a good smell, and then she’ll stop and use her beagle nose to check it out :). Looking for a cool and chocolatey treat to cool down your sweet tooth this summer? Well, look no further! These frozen banana pops are smothered in peanut butter and chocolate 'magic' sauce. They are easy and fun to make (get the kids involved!), and best yet they are secretly healthy!

Now that Cricket is 11 years young, she still isn’t showing any signs of her age, with the exception of some grey hairs. She still is fast and spry, can out run me on her worst day, and would still have energy at the end of the day to do it all again! I hope I feel and look as good as she does when I am her age! She definitely has good genes, which helps, but I also know that a healthy diet and exercise also help to keep her youthful and in great shape. Often I feed her better than I feed myself. Her only junk food is the occasional In-and-Out burger patty, which she adores! I, on the other hand, have a weakness for treats, especially ice cream and chocolate!

With all the running we have been doing my need for sweets has hit an all time high so I needed to find a healthy, but still really indulgent, alternative.

Enter- Chocolate and PB smothered Banana Pops! They have the perfect combinations of rich dark chocolate and creamy peanut butter (you could also use almond butter), and the frozen banana pop is creamy and sweet, reminiscent of ice cream. They look good, right!?

Enjoy and indulge with no guilt!! 🙂

Chocolate Peanut Butter Covered Banana Pops

3 bananas
1/3 cup chocolcate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand)
1/3 cup peanut butter (or almond butter for paleo)
2-4 tablespoons coconut oil
6 popsicle sticks or straws
optional: 1/4 cup shredded coconut

Cut your bananas in half and insert your popsicle stick into the cut end.
Place the banana pops on a parchment-lines cookie sheet and place them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
After the pops are chilled, heat the 1/3 cup of peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over low-medium heat until melted and combined. If the peanut butter dip is too thick add an additional tablespoon of coconut oil.
Take the pops out of the freezer and deep each one into the peanut butter dip.
Place them back onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet and pop them back into the freezer for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the 1/3 cup chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over low-medium heat until melted and smooth. Add an additional tablespoon of coconut oil if needed to make the chocolate dip thinner.
Remove the peanut butter covered pops from the freezer and dip each one into the chocolate and place back onto the cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with shredded coconut if you’d like.
Freeze for another 10 minutes, or until set, or until you want to eat them!

Chocolate Chip Cookie “Energy” Cups

on June 20, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 1 Comment

These soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are my favorite go to sweet treat when I need a pick-me-up. They are SECRETLY HEALTHY and filled with energy boosting ingredients! But shhh, don’t tell! Feed them to the fam, and nobody will suspect. In fact, they will demand some more! These babies have NO butter, NO flour, NO processed sugar, and NO eggs. Take one bite and go to cookie Heaven, then have another because you can!

You guys aren’t sick of cookie recipes yet are you? I mean who doesn’t LOVE chocolate chip cookies? Right, I thought so. NO ONE. haha.

So this week I set out to make a cookie that called for coconut oil as opposed to butter or palm shortening. I am in love with the health benefits of coconut oil. (Read more about those awesome benefits HERE!!) Did you know coconut oil can help curb your appetite and boost your metabolism? And it provides a nice dose of healthy energy in the form of medium-chain triglycerides.

The other main ingredient in these super moist and melty cookies is almonds. Everybody knows how good almonds are for your healthy. They are full of healthy fats and protein, making them a first rate energy source.

So together almonds and coconut oil are a healthy energy match made in heaven, and they also happen to make a spectacular cookie!

I promise you are going to love these, so I recommend you make a double batch!

Chocolate Chip Cookie “Energy” Cups

1 cup almond flour (I recommend Wellbee’s)
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea or Himalayan salt
3 tablespoons coconut oil (melted)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl combine and mix all the dry ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients and mix to form a dough
Add the chocolate chips and mix.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough into each mini muffin/cupcake tin compartment and press the dough down to compact it. (you also can use a regular muffin tin, but use 2 tablespoons of dough.)
Bake at 350 degrees F for 6-7 minutes.
Remove, let cool, then enjoy. (remove them from the tin by carefully dislodging them with a knife.)

Red, White, and Blue Berry Popsicles

on June 17, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley

These berry-ful popsicles are sweet, flavorful, and will help keep you hydrated this summer. Made with only 3 simple ingredients, they are easy-peasy and fool-proof. Everyone will be loving these at your 4th of July celebration!

Fourth of July is right around the corner, and I am shocked it’s already here! Why is it that once summer begins, it seems to rapidly speed up time, and the warm and sunny months fly by like a blur? Sometimes I just want to pause. Slow things down. Relish in the moment. In the sunny summer breeze. Are you with me?

The reason summer flies by may be because summer is my favorite season, and recollections of the summers of my youth are filled with fun and exciting memories. I used to look forward to sleep away camp, and I got to bring my horse, Missy, along! Not many kids can say that, right!? Another highlight were our family vacations to LBI. We would hang out beachside all day taking in some rays, go for long leisurely bike rides around the island, and go to an ice cream shop where you got served a whole song-a-long performance while you enjoyed your chocolate fudge sunday. Those were the times. Pure joy found in the simple things.

So to celebrate summer, the 4th, and all things simple I came up with some pretty delicious, refreshing, and healthy popsicles. They are perfect for kids and adults alike! They only have 3 simple ingredients so you can spend virtually NO TIME making them, and spend more time enjoying your summer, popsicle-in-hand to cool you down:) Enjoy!

Red, White and Blue Berry Popsicles

Healthy and delicious berry popsicles made with only 3 ingredients!

1/3 cup frozen strawberries (allow them to thaw slightly to cut into quarters)
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
1 1/2 cup coconut water (more of less depending of the size of your popsicle molds)
1/3 cup shredded coconut (optional)
you’ll need a popsicle mold or 6 waxed dixie cups and popsicle sticks (or straws/ chopsticks, etc)

Place a few strawberry pieces into each popsicle mold.
Pour coconut water into each popsicle mold and fill 1/2 way (over the strawberry segments).
Place popsicles into the freezer for about 1 hour.
Remove the popsicles form the freezer.
Add a few blueberries to each mold.
Top off with coconut water until each mold is just about filled.
Insert popsicle mold handle or popsicle stick.
Place popsicles back into the freezer for 2-3 hours.
When you are ready to serve them just remove from freezer, dip in shredded coconut (optional) and serve!

Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad

on June 6, 2016March 11, 2021 By Kelley

This super easy, fresh, zesty and crunchy salad makes the perfect addition to any meal! The fancy-shmancy smashed cucumbers are dressed up in a tangy and subtlety sweet dressing and sprinkled with generous amounts of nutty sesame seeds. Yummy! Bring this easy salad to your next party/picnic/BBQ and you’ll be the star!

I love a fresh and flavorful salad, but sometimes I get stuck in the salad green rut. I mean, I know I SHOULD eat my veggies, and get my GREENs on. Normally I pile a plate high with fancy greens, or baby kale and drizzle a bit of EVOO, a dash of s&p, and viola- salad! This is good and all but I find my self urning for something different… More texture, more flavor, something really delicious.

I came across a salad like this one I am sharing here today at a restaurant. I was so obsessed with the interesting appearance of the “smashed” cucumbers that I googled it asap so I could make my very own. And it’s a fun process too? Ever want to bash veggie with a skillet? Heck ya! Well here’s your chance!

If you are familiar with my blog you know there is no shortage of Asian-inspired dishes! To say I am a hug fan of Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine would be an understatement. I take inspiration from these dishes and put on my own spin.

This salad has a wonderful dressing that is bursting with tang along with a hint of spice and a dash of sweet. It will really get this taste buds going. And better yet- it looks fancy, but is ridiculous easy and quick to make. So with out further ado….

Smashed Asian Cucumber Salad

This fresh and tangy salad looks great and tastes amazing!

6 mini english cucumbers (makes about 3 ½ cups of smashed cukes)
¼ cup red pepper (diced)
¼ cup red onion (diced)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon + Himalayan or sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
better flavor if it marinates

Place your cucumbers on a cutting board.
Place a cast iron skillet (or any heavy flat object) on top of each cucumber and apply pressure with your hand until it cracks and flattens.
Next use a knife to cut the smashed cucumbers into 1″ segments and throw them into a bowl.
Add the red pepper and red onion into the bowl and mix.
Blend the sesame oil, vinegar and maple syrup in a small blender (like the magic bullet).
our the dressing over the salad, then add the salt, pepper and sesame seeds and give it all a good stir.
The salad tastes best if you let the cakes marinate for an hour, but also can be eaten straight away.

Cookie Dough Shots

on May 20, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley 2 Comments

These Cookie Dough Shots are secretly healthy but taste like creamy and rich cookie dough flavored frosting! They are ridiculously easy to make, and too cute 🙂 A special combination of ingredients are used to create an exceptional cookie dough flavor, complete with mini dark chocolate chips. They make a great pick me up, providing energy with healthy fats and protein (optional)! {Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Paleo, Vegan, Pegan}

It’s no secret this gal loves cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies! And what’s better than chocolate chip cookies? Did I hear you say the cookie dough? Yes! I agree completely. Cookie dough is my ultimate weakness, what’s yours?

If you love cookie dough, you are going to LOVE these creamy Cookie Dough Shots. And best of all they are HEALTHY! Yes, you can let out a cheer- Yeah!
They are packed with healthy fat from coconut milk and you can even give them a dose of protein with your favorite vanilla or unflavored protein powder. Now you not only have an indulgent snack, you have a pre or post-workout energy boost and it tastes like cookie dough! The sweetness and cookie dough flavor comes from the combination of maple syrup, coconut sugar and vanilla. The coconut sugar is the perfect healthy substitution for brown sugar, which gives traditional cookie dough that sweet and rich flavor.

I have a hard time keeping these little shots around in my house. I made a batch and within the hour they are gone! And this time it wasn’t Cricket. Haha. Hubby? Busted!

So take 5 minutes today and whip these babies up. You will not be disappointed!

Cookie Dough Shots

2 cans coconut cream (Use only the cream from 2 cans of chilled coconut milk, discard or save coconut water for another use)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 scoop of unflavored collagen peptides or your favorite vanilla or unflavored protein powder) ** If your protein powder is sweetened then reduce the amount of maple syrup and coconut sugar according to your sweet tooth! (I use Vital Proteins)
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips chocolate chips (or chop up regular-sized, I use Enjoy Life)

Combine the maple syrup and brown sugar in a small bowl and mix. It will form a wet sandy paste. Let that sit a few minutes so the sugar partially dissolves.
Combine the coconut cream, vanilla, maple syrup/coconut sugar mixture, and protein or collagen in a bowl and whip well using a hand blender.
Next add the chocolate chip and fold them in using a rubber spatula.
You can use a pipping bag to fill small plastic shot glasses with the frosting for a cute presentation or just eat it straight outta the bowl with a spoon!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup {Pressure Cooker or Slow Cooker}

on April 4, 2016December 22, 2020 By Kelley

This Curry Butternut Squash Soup is hearty and creamy with a touch of sweetness. It’s complex and intriguing flavors will surely delight you! It’s super healthy, easy to make, and can be made in your slow cooker! This soup makes an excellent, super healthy meal that everyone will love!

My mom started a veggie garden a few years ago that has slowly grown to take over most of her backyard. I love getting the “extras;” it’s like being a part of a CSA that I don’t have to pay for 🙂 So this year do you wanna take a guess how many butternut squashes this little backyard garden produced? 5? 10? No , try like 30! My mom had butternut squash coming out of her ears this year! So what to do with a SUPER ABUNDANCE of butternut squash- we make a heck-of-alot of Curried Butternut Squash Soup! It’s so good I actually never get tired or bored of it, really!

If you want to get fancy and impress some dinner guests you can top the soup with some creme fraise and cilantro! Fancy!

You know what else you can do with excess butternut squash? Throw some in your pup’s chow! I often make Cricket’s beef stew with butternut squash. Butternut Squash is absolutely loaded with 4x the daily recommended Vitamin A, tons of potassium (more than a banana!) and it has a healthy dose of vitamin C to boot, so go ahead you and your pup can eat your heart’s out on butternut squash!

Curry Butternut Squash Soup {Slow Cooker}

8 cups peeled butternut squash (1 medium squash, cut in 1 inch cubes)
1 cup onion (chopped)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 cup apple (peeled and cored and chopped)
8 cups broth (chicken or veggie)
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish and 1/4 cup creme fraise (cashew creme: blend 1/4 cup of soaked cashews with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a dash of salt until creamy and smooth)

In a skillet over medium high heat sauté onion, cumin, and curry powder in olive oil until soft and fragrant.
In the pressure cooker or slower cooker add the sautéed onion spice mixture, broth, coconut sugar, salt, pepper, cubed squash, and chopped apple.
If using the pressure cooker, select the soup button, which should be high pressure setting for 15 minutes.
If using the slower cooker, set it to high for 2 hours, then reduce to low for 2 additional hours, or set to low and let it cook all day (6+ hours).
Once the soup is finished cooking you can use a hand blender to puree the soup until desired constancy is reached.
Top with cilantro, or other another herb, and drops of creme fraise.

Peanut Butter Speckled Eggs with Coconut Nests

on March 23, 2016August 13, 2021 By Kelley

Easter is almost here, but do not fear, you can make your own {healthy} candy this year! These Peanut Butter Speckled Eggs are cute and delicious and they even come with their own edible coconut nest. Everyone can partake in Easter candy indulging because they are gluten and grain-free, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, and refined sugar-free.
Easter is just around the corner which means Spring is officially here! Can I getta cheer?? I love Spring. It’s the return of warm weather, chirping birds, long walks outdoors, minus the freezing your toochie off part, and Easter.

When I was young my mom used to make my sisters and I Easter Bonnets. Now, these weren’t just any Easter bonnets, no no… They were huge wide brimmed straw hats that appeared they had been swallowed by a bouquet of silk flowers. Huge. Colorful. Silk. Flowers. EVERYWHERE. Complete with pink ribbons tied in a big bow under our chins. We looked adorable until we passed the age of 5 and then adorable became un-cool and we would no longer stand for it. Looking back I admire my mom putting in so much time dressing us up. Now I know where I get it from….

You know I love to dress my beloved pup, Cricket, up for all the holidays, and sometimes I do it for no reason at all. Well, I made her the official Easter Bunny this year, with EXTRA big ears. Notice the LOOK she gives me in this pic…. “Yeah, yeah, this is ridiculous! Hurry up and take the photo mom!” Haha. She is such a good sport. I just can’t help exploit her because her cuteness is just too much to handle sometimes.

So back to Easter, I mean the candy. Easter’s all about ‘da sugar, right!? These Peanut Butter Speckled Eggs will satisfy all your Easter candy cravings and they just look so darn cute in their little coconut nests. These yummy delights are so easy to make, heck you probably have all the ingredients in your home already!
Happy Bunny Day 🙂

Peanut Butter Speckled Eggs with Coconut Nests

SPECKLED EGGS:

1/2 cup of natural peanut butter (or cashew butter or almond butter)
2 tablespoons cane sugar (coconut sugar will work too)
2-4 tablespoons of almond flour or coconut flour (if using coconut flour use less)
1/3 cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand)
Optional: sprinkles

COCONUT NESTS:

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (I used the large chunky flakes, but regular-sized flakes are fine)
2/3 cup coconut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons of cane sugar (can use coconut sugar but nests will not be as white in color)

To Make the Eggs:
Blend the sugar in a high speed blender for a few seconds to make a fine powder.
Mix the powdered sugar with the peanut butter.
If your peanut butter or nut butter is very sticky and wet add a tablespoon of almond flour or coconut flour so you can form an egg shape with the dough.
If you make 1 tablespoon-sized eggs you will yield 8-10 eggs.
Place them on a parchment-lined plate and then freeze them for one hour.
Melt the chocolate chips over low heat in a small saucepan.
Remove the peanut butter eggs from the freezer and use a spoon to dip them into the melted chocolate, give them a roll to coat, and place them back on the parchment-lined plate and cover with sprinkles.
Place in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to enjoy them!
To Make the Nests:
Melt the coconut butter over low heat in a small saucepan.
Blend the sugar to make a fine powder.
Combine the coconut butter with the coconut flakes and sugar and mix well.
Chill the mixture for about 10-15 minutes in the freezer to allow the coconut butter to solidify somewhat.
Place a small square of parchment paper into 4 small bowls/ramekins.
Press the chilled coconut mixture into each bowl (with the parchment paper between the coconut and the bowl). Use your fingers to firmly compress the coconut mixture into the bowl to make a nest shape.
Freeze the nests for about 1 hour, then remove them from the bowls and store in fridge or freezer until you serve them.
*Note: if you coconut mixture is not sticking together well just add more coconut butter. This is the “glue” that holds it together.

NY Style Thin Crust PIZZA {Easy, 4 Ingredient Veggie-Based Crust}

on March 14, 2016December 22, 2020 By Kelley 31 Comments

I made a pizza yesterday. Like, A REAL Thin Crust PIZZA! With one bite I died and went to pizza heaven. Seriously, it blew away all expectations I had for this pizza. It is that good! And EASY! And VEGGIE-BASED (no cauliflower:))! Only 4 INGREDIENTS! Seriously! Can you tell how excited I am? This pizza is for everyone. Your traditional eaters will LOVE it, I swear. Best of all this thin pizza crust secretly is grain and gluten-free, paleo, vegan, dairy-free and healthy. No eggs. No yeast. You’re gonna love it!

What is your all-time favorite pizza? I originally hail from the NYC area (CT to be exact) and NY pizza was where it’s at. I mean it’s world famous right? But I happen to love a little pizzeria in New Haven, CT the most! I’ll get to that in a sec….

As a child I wasn’t much of a pizza fan. I’ve always had a hot and steamy love affair with fresh bread so at the many pizza parties of my youth you could find me peeling off the cheese and eating the bread and crust alone! My friends, on the other hand, would peel off the cheese, and eat that all alone! Haha. The cheese was always so greasy and when the pizza wasn’t super hot and fresh from the oven, the cheese would be a solid gummy and chewy mess, yuck!

Then one day I discovered New Haven pizza- the famous Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana. Now this was the real deal! The crust is intoxicating. The sauce is flavorful and fresh and topped with just a bit of the perfect kind of cheese for the ultimate flavor. Check out their website and if you happen to be in the New Haven area, do yourself a favor and stop (if you can eat wheat occasionally of course), but if you can’t for dietary reasons that is A-OK because I have the perfect grain and gluten-free alternative for you!!

This crust is just like the authentic Italian thin crust pizza. It’s crispy, light, flaky, and has a nice bit of chewiness. Even Cricket, who isn’t a big fan of baked goods (she prefers her meat served straight-up, no fillers!), likes this crust. She stood at attention in front of the oven while it was baking, the wonderful smells wafting in her direction. Unfortunately it was so good I could only sacrifice a small crumb, which she swallowed without chewing and glared at me as to say “where’s the rest mom!?”

When you make the dough it will be sticky, and that is ok! It should look something like this:

And I’ve added a personal-size crust option too in the recipe!

So the main ingredient in this pizza crust is yuca, aka cassava. It’s a starchy root veggie that happens to be the star of this crust. And it’s also healthy, packed with vitamin C and has a low glycemic index of 46 (a white potato is 85). Best of all, cassava bakes up light and crispy, but still has a wonderful chew. You can even fold your slices just like real pizza!

NY Style Thin Crust PIZZA {Easy, 4 Ingredient Veggie-Base Crust}

This AMAZING crisp, flaky, light and chewy NY Style Thin Crust Pizza is intoxicatingly delcious! And it’s super EASY! And VEGGIE-BASED (no cauliflower:))! Only 4 INGREDIENTS! Seriously! Can you tell how excited I am? This pizza is for everyone. Your traditional eaters will LOVE it, I swear. Best of all this thin pizza crust secretly grain and gluten-free, paleo, vegan, dairy-free and healthy. No eggs. No yeast. You’re gonna love it!

LARGE PIZZA CRUST:

1 cup yuca (cassava, boiled and mashed)
¼ cup light olive oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut flour (sifted)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

PERSONAL PIZZA CRUST:

1/2 cup yuca (cassava, boiled and mashed)
2 tablespoons light olive oil
dash of sea salt (optional)
2 teaspoons coconut flour (sifted)
1/8 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F,
Peel the yuca and cut into chunks.
Boil the yuca for 15-20 minutes, or until very fork tender.**
Mash the yuca in a bowl with the olive oil, use a hand blender or food processor for best consistency (should be smooth and sticky, no lumps).
In a small bowl mix the coconut flour, baking soda and salt.
Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly into the mashed yuca and form a ball (will be sticky!).
Place the ball of dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place another piece of parchment on top.
Use your hands to smooth out the dough until it’s about 1/8″ think or less. (very important to get it very thin to ensure crispiness. Dough should be somewhat transparent when it’s thin enough.)
Remove the top sheet of parchment and place in the oven.
The large crust will cook for 15-20 minutes and the personal-sized crust for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. I baked it on the middle rack then moved it one rack lower the last few minutes.
Remove the crust, add toppings such as tomato sauce, pastured-raised cheese (if you eat dairy), veggies and/or meat.
Place back into the oven for a few minutes until toppings are cooked to desired temperature.
**note: make sure to drain yuca well before mashing to ensure dough isn’t too wet, and mash while it’s hot otherwise dough isn’t easy to work with.

Toasted Sesame Noodles {Under 15 Minutes, Grain-Free/Paleo Option}

on March 6, 2016December 22, 2020 By Kelley 1 Comment

I am so excited to bring this awesome Toasted Sesame Noodle recipe to you guys today AND announce the release of my ASIAN NOODLE BOWLS e-cookbook complete with VIDEOS! The popularity of my noodle recipes have blown away any expectations I had, so thank you all for loving them so much! The ASIAN NOODLE BOWLS e-cookbook is a collection of 12 easy, 15-minute, single-serving, healthy, and delicious recipes that have options for every popular diet restriction (grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan). In fact, the book actually has the potential for over 64+ different variations (given you can top the noodle bowls with various proteins including chicken, pork, beef, tofu, and you can swap out the zoodles/noodles and use rice or cauliflower rice in place.) Really the options are endless! In addition, there is a video for every recipe with complete ingredients so you can cook your noodles right from the video, easy-peasy!

CLICK HERE to ORDER Your ASIAN NOODLE e-Cookbook with VIDEOS for only $2.99!

So these Toasted Sesame Noodles are a little peak inside the book :). These noodles are easy, tasty and addictive! Be sure to eat them with chopsticks to slow you down a bit. Fork= shoveling noodles into my mouth….Haha.

These Toasted Sesame Noodles are a flavor explosion of nutty, buttery, rich goodness! And they are so very, very addictive! The toasted sesame seeds are the highlight of this dish with a rich nutty flavor, and the noodles are saturated with a light flavorful sauce making an amazing flavor combination. Best of all the dish is crazy simple and quick to make. It just takes a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes or less! There is a recipe adaptation for every diet including traditional, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, pegan and vegan! Everyone can partake in noodle joy!!

When I make these noodles, I actually use zoodles most of the time, you know zucchini noodles made using a spiralizer. (You can find one here– it’s a must have!) Zoodles make an awesome super healthy and grain-free stand-in for noodles. They happily take on whatever flavor you subject them to 🙂 (These pictures were taken with quinoa noodles by Ancient Harvest which make an excellent gluten-free option if you don’t want zoodles.)

I’ve been zoodle crazy at my house cooking up all these noodle recipes! I’ve even tried spiraling carrots and cucumbers, which, I must say, are AWESOME as well! This recipe would also be amazing with chilled cucumber noodles. Just let the sauce cool and toss them in with “cucoodles,” you know- cucumber-noodles. Hehe.

Cricket has even gotten in on all the noodle action. She’ll happily slurps them from her bowl, as long at they are coated in some yummy sauce 🙂 Today I served her up some noodles a la chicken broth and she was smitten! Remember that scene in Lady and the Tramp where the lovebird pups slurp the same noodle over a spaghetti supper? Well, I think Cricket would make the perfect “Lady!” Here we are practicing the scene for her someday debut:

And if you love noodles, be sure to check out my other popular noodle recipes:

PEANUT NOODLES STICKY GARLIC NOODLES

Ok, ok, I know your probably very hungry….I won’t make you wait any longer, here it is!

Toasted Sesame Noodles {Under 15 Minutes, Grain-Free/Paleo Option}

These Toasted Sesame Noodles are a flavor explosion of nutty, buttery, rich goodness! And they are so very, very addictive! The toasted sesame seeds are the highlight of this dish with a deep, nutty, and complex flavor, and the noodles are saturated with a buttery, yet light, sauce making an amazing flavor combination. Best of all the dish is crazy simple and quick to make. It just takes a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes or less! There is a recipe adaption for every diet including traditional, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, pegan and vegan! Everyone can partake in noodle joy!!

3 cups of noodles or zoodles (spiralizer for zoodles)
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons broth (veggie or chicken)
1 1/2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce)
2 teaspoons rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
2 teaspoons almond butter (or peanut butter)
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
1 tablespoon green onion (chopped for garnish)

Spiralize your zucchini to make your zoodles and set aside, making about 3 cups. Or boil your gluten-free noodles according to the box’s direction.
Over medium-high heat, dry roast the sesame seeds until golden. (Alternatively you can add 1/4 t of butter, ghee, or oil of choice to add a bit more flavor to them.)
In a saucepan over medium-high heat combine the sesame oil, broth, tamari, rice vinegar, sriracha, almond butter, and coconut sugar. Mix thoroughly and let simmer for 30 seconds. (If using toasted sesame oil add it at the end once you remove the sauce from the heat.)
Toss the noodles with the sauce, plate and garnish with fresh green onions and toasted sesame seeds.