Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Most people eat cauliflower in veggie platters, or smothered in cheese and baked in the oven au gratin, or roasted, or steamed with carrots. Ugh, (about the carrots, not the cheese). I aim to inspire  you to think outside of the crisper, and try using cauliflower as the star ingredient in your meal, and not just as a supporting character.

It all starts with cauliflower rice. It really doesn’t get any simpler than this, and it is the foundation for so many cauliflowericious dishes (say that 3 times fast).

Grate one head of cauliflower: you should get about 2 1/2  to 3 cups. Put this into the microwave and nuke for 6-8 minutes. Microwaving cauliflower is a delicate art, be careful not to burn it! Even though grating uncooked cauliflower is messy, I prefer this method because the result is a texture very similar to rice.

If you steam cauliflower florets before grating it, the “rice” will be mushier as the florets will have absorbed a lot of water. When I’m feeling lazy I just steam and chop, but for this recipe I recommend grating.

Cauliflower pizza is a healthy gluten free alternative and great recipe to try out. I know the steps look daunting, but it really is very simple, don’t wuss out on trying something new! Be forewarned, this isn’t the type of pizza you can pick up with your hands, it’s unique and deserves to be savored with a fork and knife.

Cauliflower Pizza

You Will Need:

1 head of cauliflower, riced
1 small potato, grated
1/4 cup grated onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg

Optional: Fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, cilantro or even Italian seasoning can be added if you wish.

Toppings:

This is not your average pizza crust, so step up your pizza game and add some gourmet toppings! I used prosciutto, goat cheese, arugula and whole olives.

This Is What  You Do:

Preheat your oven to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk one egg. Grate  your small potato and onion and wrap them in paper towel or a clean kitchen cloth and squeeze out as much moisture as you can.

Combine cooked riced cauliflower, potato,onion, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese and fresh herbs with whisked egg.

On a large baking sheet, or pizza pan, spread out your cauliflower dough. I made two small pizzas about half an inch thick. I found making smaller pizzas works best for this type of dough.

Brush with olive oil or a bit of egg yolk to ensure a crispy crust, and then bake for 15 -20 minutes, or until firm and golden. Don’t add your toppings yet! The dough needs to firm up before you pile it high with tasty treats.

Dress That Pizza Up

Once the dough has firmed up, remove from oven and add your sauce, cheese, ham, pepperoni, mushrooms – whatever you like. I added homemade red sauce to one, and lightly brushed the other with olive oil . Next came the crumbled goat’s cheese and sliced prosciutto. I put it back in the oven until the cheese was melted and bubbly. Meanwhile I tossed my arugula in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. When the pizzas were ready, I added the arugula and finished it off with some olives. VOILA!

Thai Style Ribs

It’s getting closer and closer to BBQing season, but for those of us unlucky enough not to have a backyard or patio grill, I found a crock pot recipe for fall-off-the-bone ribs that will make your mouth water. And they really do fall off the bone, and then melt in your mouth because they’re that tender. The Thai style marinade incorporates fresh ingredients like cilantro, garlic, and ginger to produce a sweet and tangy sauce. Garnishing the ribs with lime zest rounds out and accentuates the flavours for a finger-licking-good meal. 

Thai Style Ribs, A La Crock Pot

You Will Need:

A crock pot, duh. This recipe is for a 6-quart slow cooker.

2-3 Racks of Pork  back ribs, cut in half or thirds to fit into your crock pot
1 can thawed and undiluted Pinapple-Apple-Orange juice from concentrate (I used Tropicana but Welches is good too)
3/4 cup Light Soy Sauce
1/4 cup Peanut butter
1/4 cup Chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons Fresh ginger, minced
1 Garlic clove, minced
1 Lime, quartered to squirt over the ribs before eating.
optional: 1-2 Thai red chilis if you like to get spicy

What You Do:

1) To make the marinade combine and whisk together the juice, soy sauce, peanut butter, cilantro, ginger, garlic, and Thai chilis if you’re using them. Pour the marinade over your ribs, seal ribs in an air tight container and let stand in the fridge for 8 hours. 8 HOURS?! Yes, 8 hours. I did mine over night. The longer you wait, the better they taste.

2) If you don’t have a crock pot, cook your ribs on the BBQ, or in the oven, or however you want. Whatever.

3) Place ribs into your crock pot and discard remaining marinade. I found that leaning some against the sides of the bowl gives it charred edges, like you cooked it on the BBQ. 

4) Cook on high for 1 hour, then on low for 5. Don’t open the lid, just enjoy the sweet aromas wafting through your house.

5) Garnish your ribs with a few squirts of lime. This really brings together the flavours, and can’t be left out. 

Who needs a BBQ when you have a magical crock pot? Seriously, Happy Eating.

Ghanaian Peanut Soup

So, I’ve been having a love affair with peanut butter. Like Franks Red Hot Sauce, I’ve been putting that S#%@ on everything.

The soup is hearty and filling but not overly rich.The chicken stock and mashed potatoes evened out the peanut butter’s thickness and kept it from being too decadent ( if there is such a thing). I really enjoyed it, especially the hint of ginger! Oh, and the chicken was sooo tender!

Rice was the perfect side dish, it balanced out the spice and thickness, and the naan was good for sopping up the sauce. It wasn’t nearly spicy enough for me or Phil, so we added the chili pepper flakes to our bowls. Next time I make it I’ll add more spice during the cooking process.

There are quiet a few steps for making this but don’t let that scare you off!! It’s actually very easy to make, and once you’ve read over the steps you’ll see this can be made in 30 minutes.

The original recipe is from Kayotic Kitchen, and I encourage you to check out the beautiful photos she’s take. She has a lot of the step-by-step photos which made it easy to figure out what to do next. My kitchen has horrible lighting so I don’t take as many “making of” photos. Happy Eating!

adapted from Kayotic Kitchen

You Will Need:

1 large boneless skinless chicken breast
1 medium onion
1 chili pepper
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp fresh ginger
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup sieved tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbps sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp parsley
1 green onion
salt to taste** ( The original recipe calls for 2 tbsp salt, which seems like a lot.  I used 1/4 tsp but use your own taste preferences)

What You Do:

Chop the onion and finely chop half of the chili pepper ( you’ll use the other half for garnish, so cut the chili pepper in small rings). I like spicy food so I made sure to put all the chili flakes into the sauce.

Chop the chicken breast into cubes and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot. Add onions and sauté on medium until slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chili pepper and crushed garlic (I used a garlic press, Kayotic Kitchen grated it) and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add you ginger and let ingredients cook another few minutes.

Next, add the 1/2 cup peanut butter, stirring it around a little to help it melt. When melted, add the mashed potatoes and sieved tomatoes. Stir until ingredients form a paste.

Slowly add your chicken stock, whisking as you go. Whisk until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Add 2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp chili powder,  1/2 – 1 tbsp fresh parsley, and salt/pepper to taste.

Add chicken cubes and bring the pot to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 -20 minutes or until chicken is tender and fully cooked.

Garnish with chili pepper, green onion, and fresh parsley (cilantro works well too). Voila!

Moving out, Moving back in, and Roasted Garlic

So I’ve been MIA for the past week due to the hectic stress of moving. My cousin was fortunate enough to be offered a house sitting opportunity 10 months ago, which she extended to me and my sisters. This beautiful 1930′s home needed babysitting while the company that owned it searched for buyers. We had an amazing time living here, but unfortunately for us the property sold in March, and we were kicked to the curb.

Farewell sweet Poolhouse

The packing process was simple enough, after moving from Montreal to Vancouver in September I really didn’t have a lot of possessions other than clothes. However cleaning the house and throwing out what we didn’t want was time-consuming and physically draining. No time to blog or photograph all the interesting things I made in order to use up our food.

One thing I did get around to making before we left was roasted garlic. Several recipes I’ve been wanting to make have called for roasted garlic and I was eager to try it out. I used this to season fried rice, for stir fry and mashed potatoes, and a tomato salad. When you roast garlic the harsh garlicky bite is subdued, and you’re left with this flavourful, almost earthy taste. Next time I’ll make it with the elephant garlic.

Elephant Garlic

So Phil and Tyler have already gotten an apartment together (Bromance is a beautiful thing), while Em and I relocated back to our Mom’s house. Augh, to be living at home again…I never planned to move back into the family abode, and though the rent-free environment is something to be grateful for, that’s not the only reason I moved back home.

Come July, my family is packing up our home of 18 years and  moving to Nova Scotia, without me. Dramatics aside, the Moms have decided it’s time for change and a new adventure. Before settling in a currently undecided upon Nova Scotia town, they’ve planned an elaborate road trip across Canada, leaving me with just three months to soak up all the family time I can get.

 

Home Sweet Home

There was never any questions as to whether I would move back east with them; after living in Vancouver my whole life save 5 years spent in Montreal for school, I’m excited to be living here at this stage in my life. My education, career, and personal aspirations are just starting to gain traction, and I want to explore where they take me.

At times I’m overwhelmed by moving home  and surrendering my freedom, personal space, and independence. But as hectic as this accommodation can be, I don’t want to miss out on these last months of us all being together.

A while ago Phil’s Mom told me an old Chinese saying, “It’s not what’s on the table, it’s what’s on the chairs that matter”, the point of which is well suited for my current situation: It’s not about where you are, but who you’re with. Right now, I’m happy to be home with my family.

Roasted Garlic

1 garlic bulb

olive oil

Season the garlic as you please, or leave it plain and enjoy its natural flavours. I sprinkled mine with a little Rainbow Pepper and salt.

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice of the top of the garlic clove, revealing the individual cloves.

Place the garlic inside aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Season to your liking.

Wrap up the clove and bake it in your oven for 30-40 minutes. When its cooked the garlic cloves is easily squeezed out.

Use in any recipe, especially good in bruschetta and humus. Happy Eating