Hummus and Roasted Vegetable Pizza

I consider this recipe my specialty.  My husband always goes back for seconds and thirds when I make this particular pizza.  I can't exactly explain, but what the hummus does in the oven is complete magic, especially coupled with all of the roasted vegetables.  Mushrooms replace the need for meat, so it is a vegetarian recipe, though I have added shrimp before and it tasted great.  Enjoy this one... it is a treat.

Hummus and Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Ingredients:
Your favorite pizza dough (can be store bought or made with Bisquick and cornmeal)
1 small container hummus (I have sampled all flavors with this recipe, but our favorite was the Roasted Red Pepper)
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 small zucchini, sliced thin
1 small yellow squash, sliced thin
1 container sliced mushrooms
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/3 of a 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1.)  Prepare and knead the pizza dough. Place the ball of dough in a bowl, loosely covered, in a warm place to rise for one hour.

2.)  Wash the vegetables. Slice the squash and onion into half inch thick pieces. Place the squash in a bowl and drizzle with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Preheat a skillet and then saute the squash for about 5 minutes. Wipe excess oil out of the bowl the portabello cap and onion pieces. Cook them in the same manner as the squash. After the vegetables are cooked, cut into bite sized pieces. Also, cut one of the roasted red peppers from the jar into strips.

3.)  Once the dough has risen to about double its original size (about one hour), begin to preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a pizza pan with non-stick spray and a generous sprinkle of cornmeal.

4.)  Punch the dough down and, using floured hands, stretch it into a 16 inch circle. Using the back of a spoon, spread about half of the batch of hummus over top of the dough and 1/2 cup of the Mozzarella cheese. Top with the grilled vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

5.) Bake the pizza for 20-25 minutes or until the outside edges of the crust are golden brown. Cut into 8 pieces and enjoy!

Broccoli Sriracha Chicken

A little fun fact about my husband and I... We are obsessed with Sriracha and add it to practically everything.  So, naturally Sriracha plays a huge role in this recipe.  This one has some heat to it, so it is perfect for those of you who enjoy spicy dishes.

Broccoli Sriracha Chicken


Ingredients: 
1 cup instant brown rice  
2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces  
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoonblack pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil 
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil (Do not omit, this is a key ingredient here)
2 cups broccoli florets  
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped  
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin 
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1 tablespoon rice vinegar 
3 tablespoons Agave nectar
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce 
1 1/2 tablespoons Sriracha

Directions:
1.)  Cook rice according to package directions.

2.)  Combine chicken and next 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss to coat.

3.)  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola and sesame oils. Add chicken mixture, and sauté for 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Increase heat to high, and add broccoli and the next 4 ingredients (through red bell pepper). Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in peanuts.

4.)  Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add vinegar mixture to chicken mixture; toss to coat. Serve over a bed of brown rice.

BLT Wrap with Avocado

This recipe takes the tradition BLT and shakes things up a big by exchanging normal bread to a Mission Carb Balance Tortilla and adding in avocado and Ranch dressing.  These make a delicious lunch, dinner, or even a nice option for tailgating before a baseball game.

BLT Wrap with Avocado

Ingredients:
8 strips of bacon
1 cup of raw spinach leaves
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
½ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. pepper
Ranch dressing ( I used Ken's)
4 whole wheat tortillas (I used Mission Carb Balance)

Directions:
1.)  Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy, soaking up any extra grease with paper towels.  

2.)  Dice the tomatoes and slice the avocados, sprinkling garlic salt and pepper over them.  

3.)  Make a bed of spinach leaves on a tortilla, topping with bacon pieces, tomato, avocado, and Ranch dressing.  Roll tightly and enjoy!

Open Faced Tuna Salad Melt

One of my favorite items to pack in my lunches for work is tuna.  This recipe is a great way to change up the traditional tuna sandwich and by being an open faced sandwich, you'll save calories from an additional piece of bread.

Open Faced Tuna Salad Melt

Ingredients:
1 cup spinach leaves
12 slices of tomato
6 slices swiss cheese
6 slices of multi-grain bread
1 garlic clove, minced
1 package – 12 oz. tuna
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup red onion, chopped finely

Directions:
1.)  Preheat the broiler to high.  

2.)  In a bowl, combine the red onion, mayonnaise, mustard, red wine vinegar, Tabasco sauce, salt, pepper, tuna, and garlic.  Stir to make sure all ingredients are coated.  

3.)  Top the slices of bread with cheese, broiling until bubbly.  

4.)  Arrange two tomato slices and 1/3 cup of the tuna mixture on top of each slice of bread.  Place the spinach leaves on top of each bread slice.

Lemon Spinach and Shrimp Florentine with Baked Cheesy Cherry Tomatoes

These two recipes compliment one another so well that they can share a post.  I used Dreamfield's Pasta and highly recommend it if you have never tried their line of products.  Dreamfield's only has 5 digestible carbs per serving.  It is a great option for those on low carb diets or diabetics and tastes terrific.  Any pasta can be substituted in this recipe though.

Lemon Spinach and Shrimp Florentine

Ingredients:
8 ounces of angel hair pasta
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 package spinach

Directions:
1.)  Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain well, set, aside, and keep warm.

2.)  In a large skillet, melt the butter. Then add the shrimp, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. Add the cooked pasta, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and spinach. Cook until the spinach begins to wilt. Stir well to combine all the ingredients and serve immediately. This recipe serves 4 people.

Baked Cheesy Cherry Tomatoes with Herbs

Ingredients:
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil

Directions:
1.)  Chop the tomatoes into halves and arrange them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and salt and pepper the tomatoes to your liking.

2.)  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top then with the thyme, oregano, and basil.

3.)  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

This is one of my husband's favorite things that I have made.  It has many different variations and while I usually put bacon on them, it could easily be turned vegetarian by omitting the bacon.

Portobello Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients:
2 Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ jar of pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 onion, diced
4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:
1.)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.)  With a damp cloth, wipe the Portobello mushrooms clean and remove the stems. Brush both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

3.)  While the mushrooms are baking, cook the bacon and sauté the garlic and onions.

4.)  Remove mushrooms from the oven and top with pizza sauce, sautéed toppings, bacon, and cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly. This recipe serves two.

Balsamic Garlic Chicken

Using the partnership of Balsamic vinegar and garlic, chicken is given an amazing flavor.  By using the slow cooker, you not only have a meal ready after a long day, but the chicken is incredibly tender.  I served it with a side of Dreamfield's Penne, but I've also served it with brown rice.  Both are delicious.

Balsamic Garlic Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves
½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. rosemary
½ tsp. thyme
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1.)  Pour the olive oil on the bottom of the slow cooker. 

2.)  Add the chicken breasts, then salt and pepper each side of the chicken. 

3.)  Put the sliced onions on top of the chicken, along with all of the herbs and garlic cloves. Pour the balsamic vinegar over everything and top with the canned tomatoes. 

4.)  Cook on high for 4 hours. This dish is great served with brown rice.