Cauliflower Crust Pizza

 Ok, so I've been really wanting to try this whole cauliflower crust thing for a LONG time, and just haven't gotten around to it.  I've done the Zucchini crust thing and it was good.  Soft, but good.  So It was make your own pizza night with the kiddos, so I decided, I get to make my own pizza too!  Guiltless, and no grains in my crust!  I could call this Paleo'sh, if I wanted too.  It all depends on if you allow dairy into your paleo lifestyle, which I do.  I try to go light on dairy, so it has to be for a special dish.  And I think Pizza is a special dish that REQUIRES, cheese!  Am I right???

Even after getting the "weirdo" look from my Husband, after it was all said and done, cooked and cut, I got the approval from him saying it was good, and really not that different from a regular crust.  A tad softer, but the taste is not compromised at all!  It tastes awesome!  And I actually had it for lunch the next day with a cut up chicken breast for a tad more protein and it was fulfilling and yummy!

The biggest tip I can give you to get your crust to turn out firm and crusty, is after you "rice" your cauliflower, cook it in the microwave for 4 minutes, dump it onto a Tea Towel, wait for it to cool so you can handle it, then wring the heck out of it until you can't get anymore liquid out of it, and it looks like a ball of dough, like this!

 Grain-Free Cauliflower Crust Pizza

makes one approx. 10-12 inch pizza

1 small to medium sized head of cauliflower - should yield  3 cups once processed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (crush it even more between your fingers)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (crush it even more between you fingers)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
optional a few shakes of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1 egg

Then use your preference on pizza sauce and toppings!  You all know how you like to dress your pizza up!

Place a pizza stone in the oven, or baking sheet if you don't have a pizza stone. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a cutting board, place a large piece of parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking oil. 

Wash and thoroughly dry a small head of cauliflower.  Cut off the florets. Pulse in your food processor for about 30 seconds, until you get powdery snow like cauliflower. You should end up with  3 cups cauliflower "snow". Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cover. Microwave for 4 minutes. Dump cooked cauliflower onto a clean tea towel and allow to cool for a bit before attempting the next step.

Once cauliflower is cool enough to handle, wrap it up in the dish towel and wring the heck out of it. You want to squeeze out as much water as possible. This will ensure you get a chewy pizza like crust instead of a crumbly mess. 

Dump cauliflower into a bowl. Now add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil (crush up the leaves even more between your fingers before adding), 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (crush up the leaves even more between your fingers before adding), 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt), and a dash of red pepper if you want.  Now add your egg and mix away. Hands  or a a fork tend to work best. 

Once mixed together, use your hands to form the dough into a crust on your oiled parchment paper. Pat it down thoroughly, you want it nice and tightly formed together. Don't make it too thick or thin either.

Using a cutting board slide the parchment paper onto your hot pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown. Remove from oven.

Add however much sauce, cheese, and toppings you want.  Slide parchment with topped pizza back in the hot oven and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.

Test your patience and allow it to cool for a minute or two. Probably closer to two. Then using a pizza cutter and a spatula serve up your delicious grain-free cauliflower crust pizza!

*** Oven time may very!  Just make sure you cook the crust long enough that its not a crumbly soft mess.  Also make sure if you don't have a silicone pat, use parchment paper, not wax paper or tin foil!  

*** If you are  don't get enough "cauliflower snow out of your head of cauliflower, you can always add in a tablespoon or 2 of Almond meal to get the thickness you need.  

I got this recipe off of Pinterest from a wonderful blog called THE LUCKY PENNY BLOG

Stromboli

Once again, another fabulous recipe I aquired from Bunco a good 3 years ago!  This meal is a great meal to make when you want to bring a meal to another family and keep some for yourselves because it makes two loaves!!!  So actually that is the only time I make this dinner!!! Or if I want to invite people over for dinner.  This might sound weird to most but this pizza stromboli doesn't actually have pizza sauce in it, which is probably why I love it sooo much.   I've always had a hard time finding a pizza sauce that I liked.  This one is  smothered in egg and oregano!! 

You start by splitting your dough into 2 equal parts, and rolling into large rectangles.

 Then you mix your egg and oregano and smother all over both rectangles.

 Add your pepperoni

 mozzarella cheese

 ham

 provolone cheese

 Roll it up and slit holes in the top.

 Bake until golden brown

 Then slice up and serve!!! Yum

Dough:
5 3/4 to 6 1/4 Flour - I always use 1 cup of Whole Wheat flour
1 Pkg. Dry Yeast
2 1/2 Cup Milk
2 T Sugar
1 T Butter
1 tsp Salt
Stromboli:
2 eggs - seperarted
2 T flake Oregano
70 Pepperoni - 1 Package
1 Med Bag Mozzarell Cheese - shredded
8 Deli Ham Slices
8 Provolone Slices

For the Dough, put 3 C flour in a mixing bowl along with your yeast and sugar.  Scald 2 1/2 C milk (Dont get the milk too hot or it will kill the yeast).  When milk is warm enough add 1 T butter and 1 tsp. salt.  Stir until melted together.  Add to flour mixture & stir until blended. (Mix on low speed for approx 2-3 min)  Then using 1/2 cup at a time slowly add in the remaining flour until you get a tacky texture.  Turn out on floured surface and knead for a min.  Let raise for 30-45 min.
Cut dough into 2 equal parts and roll in a rectangle shape.  Take your egg and oregano and mix together well and brush onto the dough.  Next lay out your pepperoni then cover in mozzarella cheese.  Add your ham slices then your slices of provolone.  Roll up like a cinnamon roll (pictured above).  Close the ends.  Do an egg white wash (using 1 egg white and water and stirring quickly until slightly foamy and brushing over the the entire roll.  Sprinkle with flake oregano.  Cut about 4-5 slices on top of loaf to allow the heat to escape while baking.
Spray or grease cookie sheet.  Place loaves on cookie sheet with seams down.  Bake at 375* for about 40 minutes uncovered..
You can make this ahead and freeze in aluminum foil.  Grease foil before you put loaf on it to prevent sticking.  Prior to cooking take out of freezer and allow to thaw.  Bake Uncovered.

Zucchini Spaghetti Noodles with Roasted Eggplant

Well wouldn't you know it.  Here I am cooking another Paleo meal and loving it, so I had to share!  I guess doing something for 2 weeks DOES make a habit!  Anyways, if your anything like me, you hear the word Eggplant and immediately move on to a different recipe, not because you don't like it, but because it's somewhat foreign to you and you haven't really tried it before.   Well stop here my friend, because this was DANG good, and DANG easy, and I will for sure cook it again, and again.  And see those yummy zucchini noodles in the picture? Just go to Kitchen Kneads and grab yourself a Julienne Peeler for $8.95.  It's WORTH the money, I promise!!!  And I didn't feel like I was missing or wanting the regular spaghetti noodles, the zucchini was awesome!!!

I used this New Marinara sauce from Walmart that I thought was Awesome!  A lot of people like to do "home-made" marinara sauce, but it's really like throwing a can of this, and a can of that and a packet of this in there, so I figure this is just easier!  This Rao's Homemade All natural was sooo good, and nothing bad for you in the ingredients!  So Enjoy!

2-3 Medium Zucchini - Julienne Peeled
3/4 lb of ground pork Sausage
1 Jar Marinara Sauce
1 Med Eggplant   - Sliced
1 Tblsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1 tsp minced Garlic

Preheat Oven to 425*  Cut the tops off your Eggplant and slice into1/2 inch rounds, then in 1/2's.  Put your eggplant in a bowl and toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.  You be the judge of how much olive oil you need.  Place them on a cookie sheet and Roast in the oven for 18-20 min.
In a large saute pan, put your sausage (I do half sausage have beef) in and cook until browned all the way through. Drain Fat.  Add your marinara sauce and simmer for at least 10 min.
Now take your zucchini and just slice away with your julienne peeler, skin and all.  Put it in a microwavable bowl with the lid on and nuke for about 2 min.  You don't want to overcook or they will get soggy, so you be the judge.  When done, drain the excess water and or pat dry.  Add your sauce, and then your Roasted Eggplant, and Wala!!

Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken - Pasta Factory style!

So you see all these healthy recipes I post then I hit you with one of the most fattening recipes out there, you might be a little confused! Tradition! Every year for my brother-in-law's birthday I make him this dish because he really loves it, and I call it his birthday present! Sweet huh! I got this recipe from a gal down in St. George that actually worked at the Pasta factory, so I'm not lying when I say it's good! Just don't count the calories and you will be just fine! Also, see that yummy breadstick in the picture, I'm going to post that recipe next! Sauce:
1 Cup Butter
1 Stick Cream Cheese (don't use whipped)
1 Cup 2% or whole milk
3/4 Cup Heavy Whip Cream
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Melt Butter & Cream cheese in a medium sauce pan at medium heat, stirring often. Add milk and whip cream and whisk often to keep it from burning. After it heats up again add in the parmesan cheese and whisk often. Keep whisking and when your dinner is about 5 min from being done turn heat all the way down and keep whisking, but letting it cool down slightly will let it thicken up.
Chicken:
2-3 Chicken Breasts, cut into bite size
1 tblsp Olive oil
Lemon Pepper seasoning to taste
White cooking whine
Pour olive oil into hot skillet, add chicken and season well with lemon pepper, and cook chicken until white. Once cooked through, add white cooking wine and saute for a few min just to get the taste. (maybe 2 tsp. or so)
Cook your fettuccine noodles to liking, pour sauce on noodles (or toss) add chicken, and I always add steamed veggies like broccoli to make me feel a little healthier!
Enjoy!