Gluten-Free Pizza Recipe

All this week, I have been experimenting with different types of pizza crusts (whole wheat, flax and chia seeds, cauliflower, eggplant, etc). Mostly good results; however, my favorite one was made with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Whole Grain Mix. It was fairly cheap, $3.29 per 16oz bag, and tasted great! I was going to mix this with cauliflower; however, genius me left it in a brown bag in my kitchen and it went bad :/ I ended up using the recipe on the back of the bag for the crust and it is by far my favorite! I halved the recipe and make gluten-free cinnamon rolls along with it. Another win in the bag. Hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Gluten-Free Pizza 
Yield: two 12-inch pies or one 16-inch pie
Ingredients
1 pkg gluten free pizza crust
1 1/4c warm water
2 eggs
2T olive oil
1 yeast packet (comes in the bag)
Toppings: sauce, meat, cheese, etc

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine water and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Add eggs and oil to mixture and blend.
4. Add GF pizza crust mix and blend for 1 minute.
5. Split the dough in half and leave in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 20 minutes.
6. Place dough on greased pizza pan. Using wet hands (really important), spread out dough to cover the full pan.
7. Bake for 7-9 minutes.
8. Top with desired toppings and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
**I used just a basil pasta sauce, rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, fresh spinach, and shredded cheddar/mozzarella cheese. Quick and tasty!

My finished product!

Flax/Chia Seed Mix Recipe

In my last couple of blog posts, I talked about the health benefits of chia seeds and some easy recipes.   While chia seeds are not the cheapest food on the shelf (about $8.99/bag), I did find another great alternative to plain chia seeds that was about $2 cheaper; a Flax Chia Blend.

This blend is again, a great source of Omega-3s and Fiber. It also has 2g of protein, no sugar, and is only 60 calories per 2T.

On the bag I purchased, brand name "Carrington Farms," I found a pretty simple and tasty recipe on the back: "Minute Muffin Top" (Recipe below). Besides baking this blend into muffins or other goodies, you can also sprinkle it on yogurt, oatmeal, or a pudding for a Omega-3 and Fiber boost! 

Minute Muffin Top (Modified Version)

Ingredients

1/4c Flax Chia blend

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp sugar (I didn't use the sugar with adding the peanut butter)

1/4 tsp baking powder (Original called for 1tsp)

1 egg

1 tsp oil

Handful of cranberries (about 1T)

1T peanut butter (The original recipe didn't call for this, but I used it as a topping after making the muffin)

**You can also try adding nuts!

Directions

(In the original directions, you mix everything in separate bowls, layer ingredients, and do a bunch of steps. I was too lazy to do all of that, so I just followed the steps I made up below and it turned out fine)

1. Spray a soup bowl with non stick spray. 

2. Mix all ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to soup bowl. 

3. Place in microwave for 1 minute and enjoy! 

(After cooking is where you can top with the peanut butter)

Nutrition Facts (with peanut butter, without sugar)

Calories: 380 (Pretty good for a breakfast meal) 

Fat: 26g (5g Polyunsaturated, 6g Monounsaturated, 4.5g Saturated) (I didn't calculate the exact amount of Omega-3s; but, it is about 6,000mg)

Cholesterol: 185mg

Sodium: 270mg (Mostly from the baking powder, original recipe called for 1tsp and bumped up the sodium to 600mg)

Potassium: 138mg

Total CHO: 23g

Fiber: 13g (About half the recommended daily amount! 25-35g is range for daily fiber intake) 

Sugar: 7g (Comes mostly from peanut butter brand I used and the cranberries)

Protein: 16g (Great protein boost for the morning! 1 large egg is about 6g Protein).

Vitamin A: 6.1% 

B-12: 8%

Vitamin C: 5.1%

Vitamin D: 10%

Vitamin E: 7.8%

Calcium: 23.6%

Iron: 23.7%

Manganese: 19.2%

Niacin: 10.1%

Phosphorus: 12.7%

Riboflavin: 10.2%

I used a recipe calculator from Spark People: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

Don't let the calories rock your boat. If you think about all the other good stuff you are getting (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc) and the fact that this is an all-in-one breakfast meal, you have nothing to worry about. I always say to my class participants "It is not just about calories. It is about what else is in the food you are eating." Hope you enjoy!

Easy Chia Seed Recipes

My new adventure this week and last was with Chia seeds. If you are thinking, "Chia seeds, like Chia pet?" You are indeed correct! These are the same seeds featured in the Chia Pet. So, what are Chia seeds? According to WebMD, "Chia is an edible, unprocessed seed (and whole-grain), that can be absorbed by the body (unlike flaxseeds)." You can sprinkle raw Chia seeds on cereal, sauces, vegetables and yogurt. You can also use Chia seeds in baked goods. Chia seeds are a good replacement for eggs (if you have an allergy), just mix with water! Chia seeds are a good source of fiber, protein, calcium, Omega-3s, and antioxidants.

Last week, I made Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding. To be honest, once you get over the weird texture, it is actually pretty good. I found it to be an easy snack with a boost of fiber.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding 
Ingredients
2T Chia Seeds
1/2c Milk (I used almond milk)
1T Cocoa Powder
1tsp Honey

Directions
1. Place all ingredients in a jar or container with a lid. Shake vigorously.
2. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy!

**I made the mistake of trying to stir it all together and it did not go well. Shaking is the way to go!

Today, I ventured to make Chia Seed Crusted Chicken, in a few different forms (recipes below), since I wasn't sure how it would turn out. Again, I was pleasantly surprised with the great flavor. A definite must-try recipe!

Picture taken while I was still cooking, note the raw chicken :)

Chia Seed Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
2T Chia Seeds
2T Coconut Oil
3 Chicken breasts, cut into pieces
2T Unflavored Bread Crumbs or 2T Almond Flour
1T Parmesan Cheese
1 Egg, beaten lightly

Directions
Option 1: Dip chicken in egg then chia seeds. Fry in coconut oil.
Option 2: Dip chicken in egg then bowl with bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and chia seeds (mixed). Fry in coconut oil.
Option 3: Dip chicken in chia seeds. Fry in coconut oil.

**My personal favorite was the chia seeds with parmesan cheese.




http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-chia

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

There's been a lot of hype about chia seeds lately. What are they? What are the health benefits? How the heck do you eat them?!

Let's jump into the research and see what these seeds can do for you!

What are Chia Seeds?
Chia seeds come from the desert plant "Salvia hispanica,"which is grown in Mexico.  They are powerful antioxidants that fight off free radicals in the body.

Fun fact: the word "chia" means strength and these tiny seeds were thought to be great energy boosters.

Health Benefits
Chia seeds are an excellent source of:
 -Omega-3 Fatty Acids (4,915mg per 1oz.); help to improve brain health and decrease inflammation in    the body.
 -Protein (4g per 1oz.); energy source; needed for muscle and blood formation.
 -Fiber (11g per 1oz.); helps improve digestive function; decreases inflammation in the body.
 -Calcium (18% of Daily Value in 1oz.); needed to keep bones healthy and prevent osteoporosis.
 -Phosphorus (27% of Daily Value in 1oz.; ); aids in energy metabolism; also needed for bone health.
 -Zinc (7% of Daily Value in 1oz.); boosts immune function.
 -Manganese (30% of Daily Value in 1oz.); essential mineral needed for bone formation; helps your body use essential B vitamins.

Research has shown chia seeds to help improve blood lipid levels (decreasing LDL and triglyceride levels) and decrease blood sugar spikes by slowing digestion.

How to Eat
There are many ways to eat chia seeds. They can be eaten raw (sprinkled on salads, cereal, sauces, vegetables, yogurt), baked in dishes (breads, muffins, etc), or  mixed with water to form a gel (good as an egg substitute).

To Use As An Egg Substitue
-Mix 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Granola With Chia Seeds
-Combine: 1 cup oats, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spread evenly onto a sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes.


www.webmd.com/diet/features/truth-about-chia
www.eatright.org/public/content.aspx
nutritiondata.self.com/facts/nuts-and-seed-products