Cauliflower Crust “Pizzas”

I love cauliflower and I am always looking for new ways to cook with it. I’ve seen cauliflower used as a potato substitute in recipes like cauliflower mashed potatoes, but I’d never seen it used as a flour substitute. Many people these days are trying to cut down on the processed grains in their diets. This recipe not only cuts out the processed flour in pizza crust, but it packs a double whammy with the added nutrition of cauliflower. According to Wikipedia, one medium head of cauliflower has 4 times the recommended daily value of vitamin C, 50% of the recommended vitamin B-6, and 12% of the recommended calcium.

These no flour treats are a tasty alternative to traditional pizza. If you are truly having a pizza craving though, these may not suffice.  Cook these with the knowledge that they taste more like a cauliflower fritter base with savory tomato and basil on top.  They are yummy enough that my husband has approved them as a suitable flour-less Passover meal.

Sensory Celery Soup

 

I made the most delicious celery soup the other day. We had it on Sunday, ate leftovers on Monday, and it was so good, I made a whole new batch on Wednesday.

This broth is essentially made of the same ingredients you would use for homemade chicken soup.  I had no idea that by pureeing them you could create such a creamy flavorful broth. The recipe below is a slightly modified version of Bon Appetite’s Celery Soup, and can easily be made vegan with just a few simple substitutions.

Veggie Spring Rolls

We order veggie spring rolls more and more often when we go out to a restaurant because they are a refreshing and tasty appetizer that we can feel good about eating. With such simple ingredients and no cooking required, I set out to make these fresh rolls at home.

Tofu Tacos

What is really the difference between a taco and a fajita? Well, technically the term fajita refers to a specific cut of beef from the skirt steak of a cow. It has nothing to do with the tortilla or peppers and onions that go on top (HomesickTexan).  So, then, what I will present today is definitely a taco, since it is made with tofu… no steak in sight.

Brown Butter Gnocchi With Zucchini Ribbons

According to Wikipedia, “Gnocchi are various thick, soft dough dumplings that may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, egg, cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, or similar ingredients.” Premade gnocchi are pretty easy to find these days and are even available at Trader Joe’s. What really makes a gnocchi dish special are the ingredients you mix into it.

Can You Cannelloni?

Making your own pasta is an inexpensive and simple way to create a restaurant caliber meal. You do need a special kitchen gadget to facilitate the process, but the cost of a pasta maker is quickly recouped with all the great pasta meals you will make at home. I have a pasta making attachment for my Kitchen Aid Mixer; however there are many pasta maker options out there that are either motorized or hand powered.

The recipes I’ll be presenting here for homemade pasta and sauce can be used for all sorts of pasta dishes, not just cannelloni. Ravioli, linguine, and lasagna are just a few that come to mind.

Homemade Ice Cream

Does it get any better than homemade ice cream on a hot summer evening? Well, I guess that depends on how good your homemade ice cream is.

I have been wanting the ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen Aid mixer for at least two years. A couple of weeks ago I was walking past a Williams Sonoma and noticed they were having a summertime sale that included Kitchen Aid….that NEVER happens.

I had to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity and act fast. I am so glad I did. In the past two weeks I’ve made six mixer bowls full of ice cream, and my waistline seems to think I’m getting the hang of it.

Fresh Fruity Fourth

Happy Fourth Of July! Alright, so this post is a little late. I’ve been working on my photo taking skills for DaraDoesDinner so this post took me a little longer than usual. Let me know what you think! We were invited to my friend Jen’s house for a great 4th of July celebration. She always makes amazing main and side dishes for all of her get togethers, so I decided to bring something refreshing and light as my additions. Fruit was my main focus, and specifically watermelon. I made a salad and a fun fruity drink.

Easy Elegant Egg Dinner #2

“Strata or stratta is a family of layered casserole dishes in American cuisine. The most common modern variant is a brunch dish, similar to a quiche or frittata, made from a mixture which mainly consists of bread, eggs and cheese.” Thank you Wikipedia.

My definition would have been something like – “a very simple casserole to make, that ends up looking very fluffy and pretty and tasting something like creamy savory bread pudding.” Ok, so maybe I’m not quite as eloquent as Wikipedia, but you saw the parts about simple, pretty, creamy, and bread pudding, right?

Bub’s/Aunt Amy’s Carrots

I have very fond memories of the carrots that my Aunt Amy used to make for our family dinners, Passover and Thanksgiving.
I always thought of them as “Aunt Amy’s Carrot Dish.”