Flat Bread Pizza with Arugula, Caramelized Onions, & Goat Cheese

The other night my husband and I were craving pizza.  Not the cheesy, doughy, greasy pizza but the kind of pizza that is light and crispy.  A pizza where the cheese doesn't overtake the ingredients and the toppings consist of something other than sausage.  Unfortunately for us, we have no good take out pizza where we live.  Everything is cheesy, greasy, and salty.  Well greasy, salty pizza that lacks in flavor from the local delivery store was absolutely no match for this stuff!

Inspired by a recipe from The Food Networks healthy eating guru Ellie Krieger this pizza was so simple and so delicious.  For the crust, I purchased a flat bread from Trader Joe's known as Lavash Bread.  It comes in whole wheat and when popped in the oven for about 10 minutes it becomes nice and crisp, almost like a giant cracker.

As I said earlier, we were feeling lazy and I wasn't in the mood to make a salad but I wanted some greens too.  So the pizza was topped with arugula, some caramelized red onions, and goat cheese.  Simple, tangy, and delicious!

Flat Bread Pizza with Arugula, Caramelized Onions, & Goat Cheese
Adapted from Ellie Krieger, The Food Network

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

2 Pieces of Flat Bread (Trader Joe's Lavash Bread)
1 Red Onion, Sliced
4 Cups of Arugula
3 Ounces of Goat Cheese, Crumbled
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Turn the oven to 400 degrees.  Slice the onion and add to a medium size saute pan with the olive oil.  Cook the onions over medium heat until they are soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes.  Once caramelized add the arugula to the pan and stir until arugula begins to wilt slightly.  About 1 minute. Top the Lavash Bread with the onions, arugula, and goat cheese.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Place topped Lavash Bread directly onto the oven rack and cook for 10 minutes.  Serves 4 or 2 very hungry people.

Fig & Arugula Salad

Some things we just can't help inheriting from our parents.  For example, my dad has left me with a love of figs.  Dad has been on a quest to grow and eat the perfect figs for as long as I can remember.  His little fig tree in the back yard has been attacked by birds and battered by frost however it keeps growing under his watchful eye (and stomach).  Alas, I live in an apartment and can't grow my own figs but I can buy them at Whole Foods (for a pretty penny) and make yummy salads like this one with them! 

This salad was so incredible easy to make and so full of flavor and vibrant colors.  It's the perfect accompaniment to a simple meal such as Whole Wheat Pasta with Pepper & Pecorino Romano.  The tang of the arugula and raddicho mixed with the sweetness of the figs and saltiness of the pine nuts is just the right cominbation of flavors.  The salad has so much flavor that the dressing is nothing more than a simple dusting of olive oil and balsalmic vinegar.  I highly recommend you make this tonight!

Fig & Arugula Salad

4 oz of Arugula
1 Head of Radicchio
8 to 10 Fresh Figs 
1/4 Cup of Pine Nuts
2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut the head of radicchio in half, core it, and slice into roughly 1/4 inch pieces.   Cut and quarter the figs.  Add the radicchio, figs, arugula, and pine nuts to a medium size bowl and toss.  Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Pepper & Pecorino Romano Cheese

I truly believe that simple food is oftentimes the best food. This recipe proves that for under $10 you can make a deliciously complex tasting meal that is healthy, budget, friendly, and still elegant.

Being a traditional semolina flour pasta purist, it took me awhile to come around to the idea of whole wheat pasta. Don't get me wrong, I am stickler for anything whole grain and "fibery." In the past however, whole grain pasta always left something to be desired. It was either a little too grainy tasting or I could never achieve the perfect al dente texture.


It turns out a heaping tablespoon of pepper, and a generous portion of Pecorino Romano cheese is exactly what I needed to become a whole wheat pasta fan. While this dish has no more than 3 ingredients, the spiciness of the pepper combined with the tang of Pecorino Romano cheese adds enough depth and interest so that you could really serve this to the most discerning of pasta lovers. Add a little arugula salad on the side (recipe to come in a bit) and you have yourself a easy, budget friendly, flavorful fall dinner.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Pepper & Pecorino Romano Cheese

Adapted from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

Kosher Salt
1 lb of Whole Wheat Spaghetti
1 heaping tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper (or you can cheat and use the ground stuff)
2 cups of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese *
1/2 cup of reserved pasta water

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a tiny pinch of salt. Drop in pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente (about 11 minutes.). Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

Return the still-dripping pasta to the pot and remove from heat source. Stir in the reserved pasta water and toss while sprinkling in about 1 cup of the cheese and the pepper.

Serve immediately in pasta bowls with the remaining 1 cup Pecorino Romano on the side.

*make sure to use freshly grated cheese. Pre-grated cheese tends to clump in the pasta and may not be evenly distributed deliciously throughout the dish!

Oktoberfest Braised Red Cabbage & Apples

All of a sudden fall has come to Southern California and I love it! The air is crisp, Halloween decorations are popping up all over the place, the leaves are turning red...well not really. Unfortunately San Diego doesn't have those kind of trees . . .


Nonetheless, to help ring in fall we had a little mini-oktoberfest this weekend complete with warm German Potato Salad, Bratwursts, and my favorite German inspired fare: Braised Red Cabbage.


Red cabbage is such a versatile vegetable. It's healthy and packed with fiber and antioxidants. It is truly a super food. While most people are familiar with cabbage raw and only in their coleslaw's, I highly recommend this quick cooking and deliciously sweet yet savory dish. Of course, washing it all down will a little this won't hurt either...

Recipe: Braised Red Cabbage & Apples adapted from Epicurious.com

1 garlic clove, smashed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 lb red cabbage, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 Gala or Fuji apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon of all-spice
1 1/2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
1 1/2 white wine vinegar

Cook garlic in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add cabbage, apple, cider, caraway, allspice (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, 15 to 18 minutes.

Add vinegars and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Note: The original recipe calls for just 1 1/2 tablespoons of apple-cider vinegar, however I found adding the additional white wine vinegar really added an extra sweetness to the dish which contrasted nicely with the stronger apple cider vinegar.

From Spain, with Love

This summer my husband and I were lucky enough to visit Spain for a week. For anyone who has ever been to Spain in the middle of June knows it can be a teensy bit on the warm side. Since the weather in California last week brought back memories of hot summer breezes filled with notes of Spanish guitar, I decided to attempt to make one of my favorite Spanish dishes: Gazpacho.

My recipe inspiration was a combination of this lovely Gazpacho from The Pioneer Woman and the culinary genius that can be found in one's How To Manual for a Cuisinart Food Processor.


I have to say, my first Gazpacho definitely did the trick:


For a moment we both felt transported by this cool and subtly spicy soup. Next time you are feeling the urge for something exotic, healthy, and extremely easy I highly recommend this adopted recipe:

2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 diced red onion
1 diced cucumber
5 diced tomatoes
1 diced medium diced green pepper
2 diced celery stalks
4 cups of tomato juice
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Dash of Sugar
Dash of Tabasco (to taste)
Salt and Pepper to taste

To Garnish:

Sliced avocado
Cilantro
Plain Greek Yogurt (it tastes just like sour cream but so much healthier!)

In the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine minced garlic with half the red onion, half the cucumber, half the tomato, half the green pepper, half the celery, half the tomato juice, olive oil, lemon, a dash of sugar, Tabasco, and a dash of salt. Pulse until all ingredients are well blended but you can still see little speckles of veggies. Pour mixture into a large bowl and add the rest of the tomato juice and half of the remaining onion, cucumber, tomato, green pepper, and celery. Use the rest of the left over vegetables as garnish when you are ready to eat. Stir mixture together and season to taste. Chill soup until nice and cool about 2 hours.

Remove the soup from the fridge and stir. Season to taste. Serve with remaining vegetables, cilantro, avocado, and Greek yogurt.