Clean Eating Pizza "Dough"

You know those days that you just need pizza? For me, this is an everyday craving… I can’t get enough of the cheesy, oozing, bready, pepperoni-covered goodness! But, as one would expect.. something that tasty sounding isn’t always that good for you.

Lucky for me there are pioneers like Tiffany at the Gracious Pantry who came up with a fabulous dough recipe for moments just like this! It’s delicious! Granted, I would literally eat anything masquerading as pizza, this is a home run! I didn’t feel like grinding up flax seeds so I excluded them in my version and also halved the garlic powder… I want to talk to people tomorrow!!

The cure is a bottomless pit of goat cheese: Spinach and Goat Cheese Risotto

There is little in this silly world that I love more than my family,my friends, my pup, and my wine ;) And then, enter goat cheese. And the world turned upside down. Then! This dish warped my sense of reality all together! If you ever have a little time to cook up some heaven, please do! It reheats wonderfully and is great for those chillier days where you need a nice warm carby-cheesy-flavorful-food-hug. 

I found this from www.seriouseats.com and it has truly become a staple in the Fenton/Kaub cook book. Its a weird risotto recipe since it doesn't require the labor intense, patience wringing, sloooooooow addition of broth to the rice. From beginning to end it will probably take about 45 minutes.

Spinach and Goat Cheese Risotto (45 minutes)

Ingredients

×          1 tablespoon olive oil

×          4 tablespoon butter

×          1 medium onion, finely chopped (the finer, the better)

×          2 cups Arborio rice (Risotto Rice fool!)

×          3/4 cup white wine

×          4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

×          2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

×          5 oz spinach, washed and dried

×          Nutmeg (please use fresh, but if not … that’s … ok… too)

×          2 handfuls Parmesan cheese

×          1/2 lemon

×          4 oz goat cheese

Instructions

Saucepan #1 (small/medium)

1.       Melt a tablespoon of butter plus a splash of olive oil, a good grating of nutmeg, and the second clove of garlic

2.       When the butter has melted, add the spinach and cook until wilted down (about 5 minutes)

3.       Cool and puree in a food processor or chop by hand

Saucepan #2 (large, deeper - all the rice is going in here)

1.       Melt 1 tablespoon butter plus olive oil

2.       Add the onion and a clove of garlic and cook gentle until soft but not browned (~10 minutes)

3.       Add the rice to the onion and raise the heat to medium-high; toast, stirring constantly, until the rice begins to look translucent (5-7 minutes)

4.       Add the wine, stirring, until absorbed 

5.       Add stock to the rice little-by-little, stirring continually. Salt as necessary. (10-15 minutes)

6.       Turn off the heat and add the remaining butter, Parmesan, and the spinach mixture. Stir to incorporate well.

7.       Serve with a goat cheese crumbled on top

In loving memory of Papa Fritz: Figgy Goat-Pig Pizza

Oh what I wouldn't give for some Bertuccis or Papa Gino's... But alas, none to be found. And for a girl from the North, this is a painful transition. But lucky for me there is a quick and simple solution to a) missing delicious pizza, b) being broke, c) being hungry -- homemade pizza! Now since my right hand man was at work (likely excuse I know) and I was incredibly unmotivated (more so the excuse), I made this with a store-bought crust. Blasphemy I know, but we will make this completely from scratch for Version 2.0 and post again!

The great thing about pizza is it tends to take more prep time than cooking time. Maybe 20 minutes tops for cooking these little babies, that is with the right crust J

A Figgy Goat-Pig (20 minutes)

Ingredients

×          Olive Oil (I use grape seed oil)

×          Fig jam or jelly

×          Goat cheese, crumbled

×          1 medium yellow onion, caramelized (this means throw in a pan with a little butter)

×          Prosciutto

×          Arugula 

Instructions

1.       Brown crust on a nonstick, greased, cookie sheet

2.       Remove from oven and brush on oil.

3.       Spread a very thin layer of Fig jam, the crumble on the goat cheese and onions

4.       Return to the oven for ~5 minutes or until browned

5.       Remove from oven and add prosciutto and arugula once the pizza has had time to cool. I usually do it per slice since its cleaner

Presto Change-o its a Figgy Pig! 

Sunny Goat Gnocchi

So, one fateful day, Steve and I were looking for somewhere to eat - a celebratory dinner that is! This was one of those rare occasions where we actually had an excuse, so it had to be good! I googled. I citysearched. I yelped. and then we went to Max's Wine Dive. Holy moley talk about an amazing dinner! 

Long and the short of it is I had this fantastic gnocchi dish with arugula  and goat cheese (my secret main cheese squeeze of the moment) and it stole the show. I clearly needed to try to copy it :) Sadly, once I finally remembered my plan (I foolishly didn't write it down and into the ether it went) I couldn't remember exactly what was in it! So, I just used what I had in the house to make something sliiiiightly similar... but still SO very different I will undoubtedly need to try again soon.. but with more forethought

My little creation isn’t half bad. I think next time I will play with the proportions more, but really, I impressed myself. We will see what Steve thinks when he eats the leftover tomorrow :)

Sunny Goat Gnocchi (20-25 minutes)

Ingredients

• Package of gnocchi (fresh if available)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped or minced
• 10 oz jar of sundried tomatoes, chopped or sliced
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• Fresh tomatoes, preferably cherry, halved or quartered
• Goat cheese
• Mixed greens

 Instructions

1. Cook the dang pasta! Drain and set aside with some extra virgin olive oil .
2. Add the onion and marinade from sundried tomatoes to a medium saute pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and continue to saute for another 2 minutes
3. Add sundried tomatoes and white wine and continue to cook until the mixture starts to thin
4. Right before removing the mixture from heat, add the tomatoes and cook for only 1-2 minutes
5. Add the pasta right into the saute pan and stir to mix
6. Crumble a generous amount of goat cheese onto your plate, then top with pasta mixture. Top with mixed greens and then fall in love!