Easy Flat Bread Pizza, as Rachel Ray would say "yum-O"

This week is getting of to an interesting start. I have decided to do a "7 day rapid cleanse" and have vowed to stop drinking wine during the week, and I kicked it all off that night by finishing my taxes.


Monday we had flatbread pizza, a new favorite on my weekly "easy-backup" meal plan. "Flat Out" makes a flatbread (go figure) that is carb conscious, packed with good stuff like fiber and omegas, while also coming in cool flavors like spinach, italian, spelt... etc.

Ideas: this is not rocket science y'all! Or as we say here in South Florida- Vosotros!!

Any-hoo.

1. Set the oven for 400 degrees.


2. leftover spaghetti sauce, or pizza sauce or bruschetta topping. (I often make extra sauce and freeze it for easy dinners later).
   
3. Veggies


4. italian sausauge, meat, tofu, chicken or no meat at all!


5. Hard cheese

How I make this kinda healthy is that I pile on the veggies, garlic, etc... Then I shave a hard cheese like parmesan (the kind you buy in a block, not in a jar) or reggiano and put that on as an ample condiment, but not as the main show.
On top of this I throw on some baby arugula with an ample shot of ground pepper and sea salt. TASTY!!

Now, for Scott's recipe version, my Gene-blessed skinny boyfriend (who is such a hottie):

• the base and sauce are the same


• sans the vegetables (unless they are green peppers or onions as one would get on a Domino's)


• AMPLE cheese: mozz, provo, etc- the soft white cheese that are more fattening


• Pepperoni or italian sausage or bacon (a Guy's gotta get his meat on).
  

I have never tried this with beef jerky but I bet Scott, and your guy, would be up for that as an addition.

Bake for 7-9 minutes at 400.

***Great for catching up on tivo-ed Survivor episodes

Grilled Romaine Salad

This salad is the bomb, hence why I am putting it on my blog. When you're grilling meat anyway, why not do you salad too?? Grilled romaine is a best kept secret - it gets better and sweeter on the grill. Here's a new mixed green salad I came up with that is as visually appealing as it is tasty. Enjoy!

**I often do this as a side, but it makes a great mane course with grilled chicken added, seafood, roasted peppers, etc. You can get really creative with this! What is nice is that you can do everything on the grill together which eliminates the need to go back and forth from the kitchen to the grill. I love things that SIMPLIFY!!!

1. 2 romaine hearts, outer leaves removed. split them in half so both sides can get grilled.


2. baby arugula (large container, prewashed as found in produce section


3. olive oil


4. fresh parmesan or reggiano, shaved in large pieces


5. 2 lemon slices


6. sea salt


7. grated pepper

Drizzle olive oil on the romaine. put on preheated gas grill set to medium to medium/low heat. grill on each side 4-5 minutes, just long enough to cook but not charring.

Remove from grill. Chop romaine into bite sized pieces. Add 2-3 cups of baby arugula. Drizzle additional olive oil (1-2 tblsp). into the salad. Add fresh squeezed lemon juice (1 tblsp.) Shave the parmesan onto the salad (add as much as your liking- I added about 1/4 cup). Add salt and pepper to taste.

The multi colored green lettuces make this a very pretty salad. Because of the grilled romaine, there isn't much need for dressing as the grilling gives it so much flavor.

Bon Appetit!!!

Below are pics from when Jonica and Tom were visiting and we did this for dinner one night! Look for Moroccan inspired recipes from them as this is where this couple met! :)

Chipotle Cilantro Coleslaw

This is my own recipe that came about from a few recipes I found online and then I put my own twist on it. At the time, I'm sure the ingredients I had on hand had a lot to do with it. Scott originally said he didn't like coleslaw but the first time I made this he had 3 servings.

This is great as a side or added to fish tacos. This would go great with any fish or pork dish. This would work great paired with Ribs.

Ingredients:

1. half head cabbage (green or red cabbage is fine) (or more, depending on the size)



2. one medium sized apple or pear, grated



3. 3 tblsp. chopped fresh cilantro. (you cannot use dried cilantro.)



4. 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion, (or half of a small onion)



5. 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo (here we go again- can't help it!!), chopped



6. 1/4 c. mayonaise (I prefer light mayo, you can't tell the difference in this recipe)



7. 1/4 c. Sour Cream (again, I choose nonfat SC, you can't tell the difference)



8. 2 tblsp. apple cider vinegar



9. 2 tblsp. lemon or lime juice (+ more to taste if the slaw is too dry)



10. 1 tblsp. sugar or splenda (I use splenda- the lower the calories the better!)
    
11. I mix all the wet ingredients first then add the sugar, grated apple, chilis, cilantro, etc then the cabbage at the end. Let this slaw sit for 30 minutes to marinate first. You will dig this recipe.

Healthy Fried Chicken (super easy recipe!!)

Healthy Fried Chicken. That's an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp or skinny cooks :) (or at least Paula Deen says it is not possible to be skinny and a good cook)....

Anyway, Fried Chicken is a comfort food that is wonderful, especially when other people make it. I personally don't enjoy making my kitchen smell like a deep oil fryer. Not to mention the calories of real Southern Fried Chicken!! You will love this recipe as it satisfies both your need for some crunch, and it quick to make and easy on the conscience. :)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (think Sri-racha (sp?) or something similar) *** this can be found in most international sections at the grocery store

3 tablespoons pineapple juice

4 6 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup PANKO bread crumbs *** see Kitchen Staples blog for info on why Panko is the bomb

kosher salt to tast

3 tablespoons canola oil


1) Heat oven to 450 degrees.
2) in a large bowl, combine the chili-garlic sauce and pineapple juice. Add the chicken and toss to coast
3) in a seperate bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt (NOT TABLESPOON, i have made this mistake before!! :) and the oil
4) using one piece of chicken at a time, coat the chicken in the bread crumb mixture and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining breasts, I mean pieces of chicken (how 3rd grade am I??)

***note, I like to make sure the pieces are really fully covered in the crumbs and even take the remaining bread crumbs and spread them where they are on thinly on the chicken. This makes them turn out extra crunchy. :)

5) bake until cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes.

This recipe is awesome because you cook them at a high heat so they cook quickly and retain their moisture- it is also nice when you get home late from work and you are so friggin starving you could eat anything and everything in the fridge, healthy or not! So there's not much waiting time in this recipe.

This goes well with a nice big salad and my EASY homemade blue cheese dressing

EASY BLUE CHEESE DRESSING (great on wings too!!)

4 oz blue cheese. (I buy the 4 oz. LOW FAT container from publix

8 oz of low or non fat sour cream

kosher salt to taste

cracked black pepper.

Combine all ingredients. If it is too thick for your liking, you can add a few tablespoons of water.

This dressing is awesome with a wedge salad OR as a dip for potato chips. Scott LOVES this dressing and eats it all within a day every time I make it.

TropiCobbler

So, this recipe is sort of my own creation because my mom told me about it over the phone and when I went to the Jamaican grocery store (Bravo) near my house, they happened to be out of cherry pie filling. So, as a result, I ended up making it with canned mango and guava puree (a kitchen staple no doubt here in S. Florida). I've attached the original recipe, as per My Mom (this is super duper easy by the way which is why I wanted to try it). Your friends and family will think you are a rock star when you make this and it is so easy!!!

Mom's Original Easy Cherry/Pinapple Too Good To Be True Cobbler

1 16. 0z can crushed pineapple
1 (160z ?) can cherry pie filling

½ c (more or less depending on how much you want to add) Chopped nuts (optional)

Box of yellow cake mix
1 stick of butter (1 cup)

Or, my TropiCobbler version:

All the same as above, except instead of the cherry pie filling:

1 16 oz can mango (fresh is okay too of course) drained and chopped

1 16 oz can guava puree (found in most ethnic grocery stores), I believe guava jelly could be substituted. Use only half the can of puree (more or less).

Step 1: preheat oven to 350

Step 2: spray 9"X13" pan with Pam

Step 3: layer pineapple in panStep 4: layer fruit filling in pan

Step 5: add nuts

Step 6: add cake mix on top

Step 7: cut up butter in pieces and put on top Bake for 50 minutes until browned and bubbly.

Yummy with ice cream and whipped topping.