The Quickest and Best Pizza (Dough) Ever!

I found this EASY and QUICK homemade pizza crust recipe online and I've been meaning to get on here for forever to share! It came out amazing and the kids loved it!!

My husband had to run out to Earth Fare (not far!) to pick up some Organic Mozzarella cheese. In the time he was gone, I had mixed the ingredients and rolled out the dough and was ready to pop it into the oven! One of the best things about this pizza dough is that you don't have to wait forever for it to rise!

Here is what ya need:

1 (1/4 ounce) package yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 cup water

2 1/2 cups flour *

2 teaspoons olive oil *
1 teaspoon sugar *
1 teaspoon salt


* indicates an organic ingredient was used


Combine yeast and warm water.
Stir until dissolved.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Let rest 5-10 minutes.
Roll out to fit your pizza stone. (I found it easier to place the dough directly onto my round pizza stone and roll it out on there rather than on a mat and having to transfer it over.) You can add a little flour to make rolling easier if you find the dough too sticky.
I prebaked mine for 10 minutes at 450*. Then, I added the sauce and toppings and baked for another 8-10 minutes until the cheese was melted.

Definitely keep an eye on the crust (even during prebaking) as it can brown FAST! I found that I had to poke holes in the crust as it bubbled up during prebaking.
Instead of sugar, you can throw in some Italian Seasoning or even brush some olive oil mixed with some freshly pressed garlic before prebaking--yum! Your house will smell divine!
You can use this recipe for calzones, breadsticks, individual pizzas, or whatever!!!

Here are some photos of the process!

This pizza is seriously healthier and quicker than ordering out for delivery!

YUM YUM YUM!!!!!!!!

Enjoy!

=o)

Jen

You did WHAT with the Olive Oil???

I have struggling for what seems like forever with my skin (on my face). It seems like certain products provide the anti-aging properties I am looking for, but cause me to break out...ugh. Other products I've used take care of my (mild) acne issues, but dry my skin out! Well, I've been doing some research and even considering making some organic "concoctions" for lotions, etc. when I stumbled upon SEVERAL web pages where people were talking about the miracle of Olive Oil! I have honestly NEVER heard of anyone "cleansing" with Olive Oil before, but the stories I read were so amazing--even people with eczema said it worked wonders without making their skin oily or causing breakouts! I had just been to my dermatologist that morning for my yearly "skin check" and was discussing facial products with her coincidentally. Well, after reading these posts, I figured, "Why not?"  I have a huge amount of Organic Olive Oil that I purchased at Earth Fare recently, so why not give it a go? Worst case, I break out and stop using it. Best case, it really is a miracle treatment!
So that night I did what others posted they did. I rubbed some Olive Oil all over my face. Then, I soaked a washcloth in hot water and wrung it out. Next, I placed it over my face and let the steam open my pores (which feels really nice too!). I used the washcloth to wipe away any remaining oil which also made me no longer smell like salad dressing! =o) My skin felt SO soft! So here I am 6 days later, and I have to say, my skin is looking better than it has in a long time! No chemicals needed! I have been cleansing with Olive Oil morning and night (which by the way even takes off the most stubborn waterproof eye makeup!), and only using a fragrance free moisturizer with SPF under my mineral powder makeup in the morning. That's it!  It doesn't leave your skin oily. In fact, my skin tends to be on the dry side, so sometimes I'll pat a small amount of the oil on my face even after wiping away.  (I've read of other people dabbing castor oil on spots that are more acne prone before applying the Olive Oil, as well as splashing on cold water after wiping the oil off to close up their pores as well.)
I just wanted to share this bizarre and helpful tip! Give it a try and let me know how it works for you!
Here is a photo of my "Olive Oil Container" that has a little hole for pouring under the cap. I think I got it for $1 in the trial size travel section at Target.

Enjoy!

=o)
Jen

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with a Healthy Twist!

My kids love eating grilled cheese sandwiches (or "toasted cheese sandwiches" as my husband calls it)!  In fact, these are really the only type of sandwiches they do like.  We use organic cheese, organic margarine--however, my husband is not a fan of organic bread, so we've been buying conventional bread that is free of high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.  I am hoping to try to start making homemade bread to see how that turns out.  If anyone has any tips on doing so or some foolproof recipes, please share!  =o)
Anyway, back to the sandwiches!  I try to make everything as healthy as I can--even if it means sneaking in some "hidden" ingredients!
Here are some of the things that I use to make my grilled cheese sandwiches (all of which can be found at Earth Fare) :

The twist here is that I like to sprinkle flaxseed over the cheese before I put the sandwiches together and grill them!  The kids NEVER know it is there, and flax is a great way to add some extra nutrients and fiber! 

I always serve lunch and dinner with a side of veggies, and my daughter seems to think that carrots taste better when they've been cut into sticks, so that's the route I went!

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Crepes: a small very thin pancake

I have been so excited to try out new recipes and make them my own by using organic ingredients!  I am starting to realize that just about ANY recipe can be altered and made healthier!  I am proud to say that EVERY single ingredient down to the syrup and peanut butter I used on the finished product was organic!  There is something so satisfying about knowing you are making the best choices for your family.

I have NEVER made crepes before!  I just recently finally mastered making pancakes--well, I don't know if mastered is the best choice of words, but I'm getting better.  My husband is still the "master pancake maker" in this house. 

I found this recipe for crepes on one of my new favorite sites, Weelicious. 
Here is the recipe I used from that site:

Crepes (Makes 14 Crepes)

2 Eggs
1 Cup Flour
3/4 Milk
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp Butter, melted
Butter for sauteing

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree.
2. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight (this helps the bubbles to settle and the crepes not to tear).
3. Grease a saute pan or crepe pan with butter. Pour in 2 tbsp of batter and swirl to cover the pan.
4. Cook for 1 minutes, flip and continue to cook another 30 seconds or until just starting to become golden.
5. Remove to a plate and continue to make remaining crepes.
6. Spread with apple butter, almond butter, mashed bananas, fruit preserves or any other favorite filling.
7. Roll into a cigar shape.
8. Serve.

*After step 5, allow to cool, place crepes on a sheet tray, layer a piece of parchment paper between each crepe, place in ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 4 months. When ready, defrost in fridge for 24 hours and heat in a dry pan for 30 seconds on each side and follow steps 5-8.

Now I've got to say, the recipe says it makes 14 crepes, and by golly, it makes 14 crepes! Well, that is if you don't count the first two I totally messed up! =o) There is something about the first pancake (or two) that never comes out right for me! 
I started later than I had planned so the batter only sat in the refrigerator for an hour. I just left it in the blender after I pureed it, and stuck it in there. When I made the actual crepes, I poured the batter from the blender into a Tablespoon (twice!) right into the pan and rolled it around to spread it evenly. I am such a rule follower that I set the microwave for each crepe for 60 seconds for the first side and 30 for the second! Needless to say, the timing was perfect!
My kids ate them all but ONE! They loved them! We had a "breakfast for dinner" meal that night, and I served it with some organic bacon that I purchased at Earth Fare. Alexa had some of her crepes rolled up and dipped in syrup, spread with peanut butter and rolled up, and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and rolled up. Carter preferred his plain.  Either way they were a big hit!
I don't have the best photos of them, just this one, but I think you'll get the idea. They disappeared so fast, I didn't have a chance to take more photos!

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Who says Organic dessert has to be complicated?!

It's funny because I think that the idea of "Organic" conjures up all kinds of different ideas in different people. My family isn't walking around eating twigs or any other crazy stuff. We are eating healthier which means in some ways it is more about what we are NOT eating! We are not eating pesticides and chemicals or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). We are eating food that is more pure like it is supposed to be. Just about ANYTHING you normally eat, you can find an organic version of. (Of course, I prefer to make food from scratch whenever possible, but that's not always feasible.) One of the reasons I LOVE shopping at a store like Earth Fare is that they literally have everything there in organic form!

Here is the quick and easy dessert we had tonight--Organic Ice Cream in Organic Ice Cream Cones! Who knew Organic Ice Cream Cones existed--not me!





















We even stumbled upon organic seaweed while there today for making your own sushi--how cool!
Earth Fare also sells these wonderful organic cookies that are similar to Oreos but organic! I think it would be terrific to use these for a pie crust or just eat with a cold glass of milk! As you can see, we've already dug in!

I guess the point I am making is that eating organic and eating healthier doesn't mean you have to give up everything that you love--you just have to search a little to find the healthier version of it. Cookies are cookies in any form and of course should be eaten in moderation, but I feel a little better about giving my kids cookies that I know do not have pesticides, GMOs, High Fructose Corn Syrup, or Hydrogenated Oils and Trans Fat in them.

Oh, and while we are talking about desserts and ice cream, if you'd prefer to make your own, here is a delicious ice cream recipe for your ice cream maker that I got out of a Cuisinart Recipe Booklet for the Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker that we own. It is YUMMY! Again, this recipe is TOTALLY doable with all organic ingredients! If you'd like to lighten it up a little, you may substitute lower fat creams and milk for heavy creams and whole milk that the recipe calls for.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

1 pint fresh ripe strawberries, stemmed & sliced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup sugar, divided
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

In a small bowl, combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/3 cup of the sugar. Stir gently and allow the strawberries to macerate in the juices for 2 hours.
In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk to combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream plus any accumulated juices from the strawberries and the vanilla.
Pour into ice cream maker and mix until thickened, about 25-30 minutes (in the model that I own).
Add the sliced strawberries during the last 5 minutes of freezing. The ice cream will have a pale pink appearance due to the strawberries.

Enjoy!
=o)
Jen

Flax Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten-free)!

I wanted to bake some cookies today--I have been so enjoying cooking lately! I thought making chocolate chip cookies sounded yummy and have heard of baking with flax seed. Today I found this great recipe for Flax Chocolate Chip Cookies on a web site called Ellie's Whole Grains. I didn't have the 2 cups of chocolate chips it asked for, but instead used about 1 1/2 cups, and they still came out great! Also, instead of using flour, I used Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Mix.
I took pictures of some of the organic ingredients that I used. I really like using the Fair Trade-Organic Wholesome Sweeteners brand of Sugar (and Agave as was in a previous post). Click on this link to learn more about what Fair Trade Certified means. I also have some Organic Brown Sugar that I purchased at Trader Joe's, and some Spectrum Organic Ground Flaxseed which I purchased at Earth Fare. I try to use flaxseed whenever I can, including sprinkling it on salads! I've even sprinkled some on grilled cheese sandwiches before the cheese melts, and the kids never even knew it was there! So needless to say, I was thrilled to be adding 1/2 cup of it to this recipe! Another tip--they say it is best to store flaxseed in an opaque container/bag and to store it in the refrigerator.

Anyway, here is the recipe I used! It says it makes 5 dozen. I used a 1 Tablespoon scoop (like the recipe calls for) and ended up with 45 cookies.

Classic Chocolate Chip Flaxseed Cookies Recipe

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cream together:
1/2 c butter (1 stick)
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c granulated sugar

Add to the creamed mixture:
2 eggs
1 ½ t vanilla

Mix in another bowl:
1 and 1/4 c flour (I substitued gluten-free baking mix)
1/2 c flaxseed
1 t baking powder
1/2 t soda
1 t salt

Blend together the dry and wet ingredients and add 2 c of your favorite kind of Chocolate Chips.

Optional: add grated coconut and/or nuts.

Beat together butter, sugar and brown sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla until creamed.
In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt -be sure that there are no lumps of baking powder or soda! Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and chocolate chips. Mix until well blended.
Using a tablespoon, scoop batter separated ~2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown around edges depending on your oven! Cool on the pan for about 3 mins and then scoop off onto plate to finish cooling. Store in a airtight container. Makes about 5 dozen cookies (depending on the size you make them! :)

Enjoy! We did!

=o)
Jen

Happy Belated Birthday Cake!

So David's birthday was on August 12th, but we were out in California at the time. We agreed to "officially" celebrate when we got back. The kids and I painted him some pictures for him and make a YUMMY organic cake from a Dr. Oetker's cake mix and frosting mix. I prefer to make things from scratch but when you don't have a lot of time, there ARE convenient, quick, easy-to-make organic options!

I have to say, it was quite YUMMY! I purchased these mixes at Earth Fare. LOVE this store!
Dr. Oetker has a lot of organic products that I'm assuming you can buy at your local health food store or even on the Dr. Oetker web site.

I also wanted to add that all the ingredients needed to make this cake and frosting were also organic: milk, oil, eggs, and butter. =o)

Enjoy!

=o)
Jen

Here are some pictures of the "process" and the products we used: