Month: August 2018


Aug
2018

Quinoa Crust Pizza

categories: Meat or Veggie Recipes, Quinoa Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

Quinoa Pizza Cover Page

This 5 ingredient pizza crust made out of quinoa will change your life! It sure has changed mine! I love pizza, but try to only eat it on “special occasions” … AKA the night before a big race! That said, I enjoy this quinoa crust version ALL. THE. TIME.

Despite what you’re thinking, this is actually VERY EASY to make. I was intimidated the first time I tried it out too but all of those preconceived notions flew out the window as soon as I took my first bite.

Quinoa Crust Pizza

The first time I made this I didn’t even tell my husband what the crust was made of. I put it down in front of him and watched him scarf it down. When I asked him what he thought it was, he said “uh…pizza”. He had no clue the crust was made out of quinoa. I swear he asks me to make this at least once every other week. (I told you I eat this all the time!) 

The crust is made with 5 ingredients and 4 steps… well, 6 ingredients if you count the salt & pepper.

  1. Quinoa (uncooked): 3/4 cup soaked overnight and drained
  2. Baking Powder: 1/2 tsp
  3. Water: 1/4 cup
  4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2 TBS
  5. Dried Oregano: 1 TBS
  6. Sea salt and generous amounts of pepper

The crust is vegan friendly, so depending on the toppings you select you have the freedom to make this a vegan, vegetarian, or meat lovers delight! 

STEP 1: Combine all ingredients in food processor and pour into a round, foil lined cake pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Your batter will resemble that of pancakes. Place in oven for 15 minutes. 

Quinoa Crust Pizza

I use a round 9-inch cake pan to give my pizza a traditional, circular pizza shape. A round 9-inch cake pan will result in one personal pizza. I usually cook two at the same time; one for me and one for my husband and place the pans side by side in the oven. If you don’t have a round cake pan, you can use a similar sized square, rectangle, or other shape pan. If you do this, make sure not to use one too big or you will end up with super thin (and most-likely burnt) pizza crust. I’ve never tried doubling the recipe to make a large two person pizza, so if you try this you must tell me how it turns out! 

STEP 2: Remove from oven. Let sit a few minutes, flip, and bake for another 12 – 15 minutes. 

Quinoa Crust Pizza

Your pizza crust should look more like a pizza crust when you open the oven to remove and flip after 15 minutes. After flipping your crust, you can place on a flat cookie sheet or back in the same cake pan. because I usually make two of these at the same time, I prefer to use a cookie sheet. If using a cookie sheet be sure to line with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Most importantly, make sure to let your pizza crust cool for a few minutes before you flip. DO NOT FORGET THIS! This is critical to making sure your pizza crust remains in tact!   

While crust is cooking, this is a great time to chop veggies and prepare your toppings! 

Step 3: Remove from oven. Add sauce, toppings, and cheese. Place back in oven for another 12 – 15 minutes. 

Quinoa Crust Pizza

My pizza (pictured above) is a vegetarian option. Ingredients include:

  • Sauce: My Homemade Basil Pesto  Make this by combining 2 cups of fresh, chopped basil, 5 TBS EVOO, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 TBS pine nuts, 2 tsp minced garlic, and ¼ tsp salt 
  • Toppings: Tuscan Kale, Sweet Onions, Black Olives, Orange Bell Peppers, Sun-dried Tomatoes 
  • Cheese: Shredded Mozzarella 

Not pictured: Two to three dollops of ricotta. I didn’t realize we were out until I made this recipe! 

Greg’s pizza (pictured below) is made with Chicken and veggies. Ingredients include: 

  • Sauce: Fresh Marinara 
  • Toppings: Shredded Chicken, Tuscan Kale, Sweet Onions, Black Olives, Orange Bell Peppers, Homemade Basil Pesto 
  • Cheese: Shredded Mozzarella 

Quinoa Crust Pizza

Step 4: Remove from oven. Let cool a few minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy! 

You’ll know your pizza is ready when the cheese begins to bubble and brown and the edges of your veggies begin to get crispy. 

Quinoa Crust Pizza

Quinoa Crust Pizza

BRB. Drooling over how good this looks. 

Quinoa Crust Pizza

 

See, easy peasy. 5 ingredients. 4 steps. One delicious meal! 


Quinoa Crust Pizza
Serves 1
A 5 ingredient, guilt free pizza crust option made with quinoa. This recipe is perfect for everyone from vegans to meat eaters!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
6 hr 55 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
6 hr 55 min
Ingredients
  1. • 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa (soaked in water overnight or up to 6 hours) drained
  2. • 1/4 cup water
  3. • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  4. • 2 TBS EVOO
  5. • 1 TBS dried oregano
  6. • Sea salt to taste + generous amounts of black pepper
  7. • Pizza toppings & sauce of your choice!
Instructions
  1. • Place uncooked quinoa in a bowl and fill with water. Let sit overnight or up to 6 hours. Use fine mesh strainer to drain water and place soaked quinoa in food processor
  2. • Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9 inch round cake pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray (I prefer olive or coconut oil spray)
  3. • Add water, EVOO, baking powder, oregano, salt and pepper to food processor and combine all ingredients. Batter should be smooth and creamy with a consistency similar to pancake batter. Your batter will contain some whole quinoa kernels, so no need to worry!
  4. • Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 15 minutes.
  5. • After 15 minutes, remove pan from oven and let sit for a few minutes. Flip crust on opposite side and return to oven for 12 - 15 minutes until crust is golden brown and edges are crispy. Chop your veggies now!
  6. • Remove from oven and dress pizza crust with sauce and toppings of your choice. Bake for another 12 - 15 minutes until cheese begins to bubble and brown and the edges of your veggies begin to crisp.
  7. • Remove from oven and let sit to cool for a few minutes. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
  1. • If you're flipping your crust to a new cookie sheet don't forget to spray with non-stick spray!
  2. • Pre-cook any meat options placed on pizza. There is no need to pre-cook veggies.
  3. • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days. Place in microwave to re-heat.
God Save the Quinoa https://www.godsavethequinoa.com/

 

Quinoa Crust Pizza

Even Maggie is drooling over this recipe! 

Recipes for endurance athletes

 

 


Aug
2018

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados

categories: Appetizer Recipes, Dips and Spreads, Snacks, Vegetarian Recipes

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados Title Pic

Step up your guacamole game by making loaded blueberry balsamic avocados instead. Simply swap tomatoes, onions, and lime juice for fresh blueberries, shredded parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinegar, mix together and viola! Thirty seconds later, you have a delicious dish just waiting to be devoured!  

There are many, many things I love in life. With only four simple ingredients, this recipe is at the top of my list! What’s not to love about a super simple, no cook recipe that has some of my favorite food groups (avocados, blueberries, and cheese)? Not to mention, this is a fantastic post workout snack full of vitamins and nutrients to replenish your muscles and prepare your body for its next beating. 

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados Ingredients

Blueberries should be a staple in any endurance athlete’s diet. Thanks to the absence of cholesterol from blueberries, not only can the lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory and are known to aid in muscle recovery and soreness. (AMEN!) 

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados - blueberries

How to pick out and store blueberries 

When scoping out which package of blueberries to add to your shopping cart, look for firm that are not soft or bruised with a deep blue or purplish color. Note: the waxy, whitish-grey coloring on the blueberry is referred to as the “bloom” and is considered a sign of freshness. The “bloom” is mother nature’s natural protection that helps to prevent the berry from spoiling. To prolong their life expectancy,  only wash the blueberries you’re going to eat right before eat them. Do not wash them all at once and store them in the fridge if you want them to last! I also suggest conducting periodic inspections to remove any berries that have turned soft or moldy. You don’t want one bad apple… er, blueberry to spoil the bunch!

When fresh blueberries are out of season frozen blueberries are a great alternative! When selecting frozen blueberries, shake the bag around to make sure the berries are rattling around, similar to a bag of peas. If a bag of blueberries appear to be in a big, frozen clump, keep looking. This is a sign the berries have already thawed and re-frozen. As always, make sure to avoid options with added sugars are sweeteners. Check the ingredients listed on the package. All you should see is “blueberries”. Plain and simple! To unthaw frozen blueberries, simply rinse them under cold running water and let thaw for a few minutes at room temperature. .

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados - parmesean

Do not, I repeat DO NOT skimp on the Parmesan cheese! Its rich in calcium, provides an excellent protein source and is easily digested. Trust me, your bones will thank you.

I prefer to serve this dish with nutrient rich endives(hello vitamin A, K, folate and fiber!) They also provide a nice crunch, you know the kind you get from a big bag of chips. At first bite, endives may taste a tad bitter. I personally did not have this problem but know some who think they take a little getting used to. Rest assured, be sure to thoroughly wash them before eating and store in the refrigerator- this should help eliminate some of the bitterness. If you’re looking for other recipes to enjoy endives with, check out my Avocado Tuna Salad recipe.

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados

I told you this recipe was SUPER simple to make, so here we go.

Step 1: Pick out a very large, soft, ready to eat avocado. Cut it in half lengthwise, otherwise known as “hot dog style”, remove the pit, and scoop the good stuff into a bowl with a large spoon and mash. If you’re looking for a way to impress your friends and up your food presentation game, be careful NOT to break the shell. I’ll tell you why in just a minute. 

Step 2: Rinse, dry, and add your fresh (or frozen and dethawed) blueberries to the bowl. Next, sprinkle in your freshly grated parmesan cheese and gently stir to combine. 

Step 3: Finally, in a slow, stead stream, carefully pour balsamic vinegar over the contents in the bowl. You should pour just enough so that the green color of the avocado becomes slightly darker, but not brown. I suggest starting slow and gradually adding more balsamic as needed. 

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados

Serve by placing contents into a bowl (quick but B O R I N G) or by packing contents tightly back into the avocado shell. Place on a plate and arrange endives as pictured above. 

Use endives to scoop the avocado out of its shell and enjoy! 

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados

 

Loaded Blueberry Balsamic Avocados
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. • 1 large, ready to eat avocado
  2. • 3/4 cup fresh blueberries*
  3. • 1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
  4. • 2 - 3 TBS balsamic vinegar**
  5. • Half of avocado shell for serving
  6. • 2 - 3 Endives for serving
Instructions
  1. • Cut avocado in half, lengthwise and remove pit. Using a large spoon, carefully scoop avocado meat into large bowl and reserve at least one half of avocado shell for serving (optional). Mash avocado to desired consistency.
  2. • Wash and towel dry fresh blueberries*. Place blueberries and Parmesan cheese to bowl with avocado and gently stir to combine. Be careful not to smash blueberries.
  3. • In a slow steady stream, carefully pour balsamic vinegar over contents one Tablespoon at a time. Gently stir to combine, adding more balsamic as needed or desired.
  4. • Scoop, and tightly pack contents into one half of avocado shell.
  5. • Wash, cut, and arrange endives on plate around stuffed avocado shell, serve and enjoy!
Notes
  1. * If using frozen blueberries, quick rinse under cold water and let sit at room temperature for 5 - 10 min to dethaw. Pat dry with paper towel to soak up any excess water before using.
  2. **Add balsamic vinegar in one TBS at a time, starting slow and gradually adding more balsamic as needed or desired.
God Save the Quinoa https://www.godsavethequinoa.com/

I’d love to hear what your think! 

 

 

Recipes for endurance athletes