Afternoon Delight: No-Guilt Pizza

I made the most amazing lunch today that I just had to share. As you can tell by this picture of our pizza stone, we make homemade pizza A LOT in our house.

However, the delicious crust made by my wonderful boyfriend is a little too carb heavy and makes me feel full and a little guilty (because it's so delicious you can't stop at just a little!). So, I've been limiting the amount of pizza allowed in our house. Sometimes it's okay to indulge. But today, I discovered a simple way to make a personal pizza that is just as yummy and a lot better for you, so you can eat it more often! 

You'll need a pizza stone. There is probably another way to make it, if you don't have a pizza stone, but I can't tell you exactly how. Feel free to experiment with different techniques! But if you would like to purchase a pizza stone, I got mine for $10 at Big Lots. It might be worth it to just go on out and buy one. Trust me, you'll want to make this personal pizza again and again. At least I know I will.

Then, you'll need your pizza ingredients. Whatever you would like to put on your pizza. I chose to make a caprese style (my favorite!). 

Ingredients:

Olive oil

Tomato

Spinach

Mushrooms

Fresh Mozzarella

Basil

Ancient Grains Tortilla (Any whole grain wrap would work! I just love these. They are made with a blend of whole grain wheat, spelt, kamut, amaranth, quinoa, millet, and flaxseed. I bought them at Giant Eagle!)

 First, you need to preheat your oven to 450 with the pizza stone on the bottom rack while the oven heats up. Meanwhile, you can prepare your ingredients. If you have a flat baking sheet, that is perfect to prepare your pizza on so that you can just slide it onto the pizza stone. I don't have a flat baking sheet, so I just prepared the pizza right on the pizza stone after it heats up. If you do it this way, you just have to be careful because the stone will be very hot so the tortilla will start cooking immediately. It's not a problem, you just have to be quick in putting on your ingredients and be careful not to burn yourself. I did it this way, and it turned out just fine.   

Once the oven is preheated, pull out the stone. If you have a baking sheet, carefully slide the constructed pizza onto the stone and place back in the oven. If you are constructing on the pizza stone like I did, carefully place the tortilla on the pizza stone and begin construction. First, drizzle olive oil (or sauce of your choice) onto the tortilla. Use a brush or your fingers to evenly spread the oil across the tortilla. Just be careful because the tortilla will start to heat up at this point. Also, make sure to not put too much olive oil; you don't want your crust to be soggy. After the olive oil, add the rest of your ingredients. I laid down the spinach first, then tomatoes and mushrooms, and lastly I spread the fresh mozzarella chunks sporadically across the tortilla so that when it melts, it will cover most of my pizza. You don't want to put the basil on until after the pizza is done cooking.

Once the pizza is constructed and on the pizza stone, you put it in the oven for 3-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the tortilla starts to brown around the edges. Take out of the oven and immediately move the pizza to a cool pan or plate. You can use your flat baking sheet to move it off by lifting an edge of the pizza and sliding the baking sheet under it. Or you can use two large spatulas, like I did, to transfer it to a plate. Then you can add your basil, maybe sprinkle it with parmesan cheese or whatever else you would like, and you're done!

Look how beautiful?!

All that's left to do is cut and enjoy. Easy, right? And I promise, it was delicious.

It's a beautiful day here in Ohio, so I took my pizza outside to eat in the sunshine. I enjoyed mine with a big glass of ice water and some grapes on the side.  I can't wait to make this again and again. I hope you guys try it out and enjoy it as much as I did!!!

Color Your Morning: Breakfast Art

I LOVE breakfast. It's the last thing I think about before falling asleep and the first thing I think of when I wake up. There's just something about this meal. With that said, it's crucial to EAT breakfast (and a healthy one) in order to set a positive tone for the rest of the day. I'm sure you've heard over and over how important breakfast is. But I am gonna say this, at the risk of sounding redundant (and a little like your mother): DON'T EVER SKIP BREAKFAST. Just don't do it. Your day will go a lot better when you start it off with a nourishing meal.

Looks like I'm not the only one who loves mornings! :)

I wouldn't consider myself a morning person, at least not early. I really love to sleep. But once I am awake, mornings are my favorite. I'm still in school (almost done with my masters in Library and Information Science), so I'm lucky enough that I don't have to work early in the morning. My mornings are for ME. This morning, I started off with a nice big glass of water. That should be the first thing you do every morning. After sleeping for however many hours, your body needs rehydrated. So make it a habit, every morning, to drink at least one full glass of water first thing. Before you even eat. I like to accompany my water with some Fish Oil supplements to make sure I'm getting my omega-3s. After my glass of water, I always feel refreshed and ready to start my day. And what's the first task of the day? BREAKFAST.

Breakfast is a wonderful time for me. Not just the taste and nourishment, but the calm, relaxing feel of it. Today, I put on the Michelle Branch Pandora playlist (I'm a 90s girl, can you tell?) and started off with a few Sun Salutations followed by a little kitchen dancing. (All you yogis out there know what I'm talking about. If you don't, look it up on YouTube. Sun Salutations are a yoga sequence that is the perfect way to wake up your body. Here's a great video with one of my favorite yoga instructors that teaches you how to do Sun Salutations. Give it a try!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zifE71Pd2Pc&list=TLdEVHbhKc7b2wbrMAzlQyyvc4eLEZCMSG)



Now, time to get back to the food. I like to make a nice big breakfast to start my day off right and to assure that I won't be hungry again too soon. Today, I opted for a toasted whole wheat English muffin with natural peanut butter (no salt added), topped with blueberry flax granola, some shredded coconut, a drizzle of agave nectar, and a few blueberries. Heavenly! This is one of my favorite breakfast foods. I mix up the toppings using different fruits and nuts. So satisfying!!!


Sometimes, I just stick with the English muffin with some fresh fruit on the side. Today I was craving a delicious breakfast smoothie. Here is a recipe for one of my favorites:

Simple Breakfast Smoothie:

1 banana

1 handful of baby spinach

1 cup (approximate) unsweetened almond milk

1/2 handful of old-fashioned oats (adds texture)

1 squirt of agave nectar (optional)

(Feel free to add in whatever else you like to make the smoothie perfect for YOU.)

And blend! This one I poured over strawberries (cut up strawberries in the bottom of my glass) and topped with flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, and a single blueberry. Have fun with it!

Such a quick, simple, and unbelievably delicious breakfast that is good for you and will get your day off to a great start! Now, time for some green tea, then it's off to the gym for me. Have a good day everyone! Make healthy choices in the morning, and it's more likely that the rest of the day will follow suit. A good guideline to follow: color your morning with lots of fruits of veggies and you can't go wrong <3

Green Smoothie Heaven: Dinner or Dessert?

I have been on a huge smoothie kick lately. They are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and I have so much fun coming up with different combinations. Sometimes, it's hard for me to believe that there is practically a whole salad in this smoothie. Not that salads aren't also delicious, but this smoothie tastes like a dessert!

I never make the same smoothie twice, because I don't measure the ingredients. I just throw things in, blend, and then add various items until the smoothie tastes just how I like it.

Here is the one I made tonight!

I started off with:

large handful of kale
1/2 avocado
3 cucumber slices
5 celery sticks
1 handful of broccoli
1 kiwi 
1 small handful of almonds
1 handful of grapes
1 spoonful of coconut oil
1 teaspoon of chia seeds 
1 pour of almond milk
1 squirt of agave nectar
few dashes of cinnamon

(These are all estimates. I never actually measure any of the ingredients. If it doesn't turn out right, it's never too late to add something else to alter the taste.)

Now, it's time to blend. I just use a regular old blender that I found at a yard sale. It takes a little while to blend completely, but after stirring it around with a spoon a few times and blending again, it will create a nice smooth texture. If your smoothie is not smooth enough or thin enough, you can always add more almond milk (or coconut milk) or water. The use of avocado and bananas give a smoother texture. Also, if not using either of these fruits, I often add oats when I want a smoother texture. For sweeteners, I always start with fruit. However, you can only add so much fruit before the calories go through the roof. So, when I want a little more sweetness, a little bit of agave nectar or raw honey goes a long way.

This one needed a little sweetness, so I added two strawberries and four raspberries and one more squirt of agave nectar.

After blending, pour it into your favorite glass and ENJOY. I like to garnish the top with a few things as well. Not only does it make it pretty, but it also gives it a nice crunch, which I kind of enjoy. This one is topped with cinnamon, flax seeds, shredded coconut, pecans, and raspberries. And it was DELICIOUS.

Give a green smoothie a try. My boyfriend always wrinkles up his nose in disgust as I throw the veggies in the blender, but when I make him try a sip, he is always pleasantly surprised. It's a great way to enjoy a nice, smooth, dessert-like dinner while getting all the nutrients of a salad... Not to mention the extra goodness you get from the added ingredients like coconut oil, chia seeds, and flax seeds. Be creative, and have fun with it.  What ingredients do you add to your favorite smoothie?

Welcome Note, Cookies, & Sweet Potato Sliders

During the last few months, I have discovered a new passion for cooking and baking. This discovery happened during the same time I was in the process of transitioning into a healthy, wholesome lifestyle. I don't believe this was a coincidence, either. I've been having so much fun learning about my body, how it works and what foods are best for me. It's even more fun finding recipes and creating yummy treats in the kitchen that are good for my body. 

I've learned so much about myself along the way. I never thought of myself as someone who could cook, but that's only because I didn't try. Nothing I do is complicated. But it's healthy, wholesome, and beautiful. And after sharing photos on social media, I've had countless people ask me for recipes and request that I be their personal chef. I'm telling you: if I can do it, so can you. It's just a matter of learning what food your body wants and needs, trying different combinations and finding what you like, and having fun with it! Don't make cooking into a chore. Make it fun! This goes the same for fitness and working out. Find ways to move that feel good to you, and do more of it! It's that simple. I do a lot of yoga. It's great for my body and it tones my muscles, but I do it because I think it's fun and feels good. If you hate running, don't run. Fitness is about finding ways to stay active, get your heart rate up and work your muscles. But I think it's just as important for these activities to be enjoyable to you. This way you will look forward to your workouts. So, get out there and find your thing! I will throw in any fitness inspiration I find to share with you along my journey in finding what feels good to me. I've been feeling so good with my new found wellness, and I want you to, also!

I created this blog to share some recipes that I've stumbled across or created myself (along with pretty photos, of course). I will also share any other inspiration or obstacles I experience on my way to a healthy, wholesome life. I hope you enjoy! And please let me know if you have any questions or requests. I'm looking forward to using this blog to enhance my learning experience. If you have any recipes to share that you would like me to try, please do! I want to demonstrate that any normal girl or guy can become a gourmet chef and fitness guru of their own life just by exploring and experimenting. I learn by trial and error and focus on simple, quick, and healthy meals that anyone can prepare. I hope I inspire some of you to spend some time on yourself: feeding your soul, moving your body, and finding what feels and tastes good to you. That is the start to becoming a healthier, happier person. 

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Sundays are usually my prep days. I go grocery shopping, clean and chop up veggies for simple snacking, and cook food for lunches during the upcoming week. It's inevitable that spending all this time in the kitchen will lead to an intense need to bake. So, yesterday, after craving something sweet and delicious, I decided to make these Dark Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. 

They are simple & quick, and they are made without refined white flour, refined sugar, or butter. Here is the recipe:

1 cup instant oats (make sure to measure these carefully; too many oats will make dry cookies. It's best to measure the oats one spoonful at a time into the measuring cup, leveling as you go, instead of just scooping.)
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (measure these carefully also to not dry out cookies)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1 egg (best if used at room temperature; you can warm it up by placing in warm water for a few minutes)
2 Tbsp. melted coconut oil (you can sub unsalted butter if you prefer)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup of honey
Handful of dark chocolate chips (you could also use dried blueberries! yum!)

Whisk together oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together egg, coconut oil, and vanilla. Stir in honey until combined. Add the dry flour mix to honey mix. Stir until well blended, adding in chocolate chips. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for half an hour.

To bake: preheat over to 325. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and drop cookie dough onto sheet in little balls. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing from sheet, and ENJOY! :) 

While these were cooling, my belly started to rumble. It was nearly dinner time. I was never a fan of sweet potatoes, but after reading about all the wonderful benefits they provide, I decided to give them a second chance. Since Sunday was such a beautiful day, the grill was my appliance of choice. Grilled sweet potatoes actually sounded kinda yummy to me. 

After washing and peeling the potato, I sliced it into 1/2 inch pieces. I threw them in a pot of water and brought it to a boil. I let the potato slices cook for about 3-5 minutes. 

Then using a slotted spoon, I moved the slices from the pot to a bowl of cold water. I let them sit for about ten minutes to cool them before grilling. I patted them dry using a paper towel, then I wanted to season them. I decided on using cinnamon and sea salt, but you can use whatever spices you like. Spice one side, then place the spiced side down on the grill, and then spice the other side. Cook the potato slices on medium heat until tender. It should only take a few minutes per side. 

When they were finished cooking, I had an idea to make sweet potato sliders, using the potato slices as buns! My chosen toppings were spinach, egg, and tomato. I quickly fried an egg in olive oil. I chose over-medium so the sliders weren't too sloppy, but you can cook the egg however you like it. This is YOUR dinner after all!

So, finally, I constructed my sliders. Sweet potato buns, with a few spinach leaves, a slice of tomato, and an egg! Ta da! Something new, fun, delicious, and HEALTHY. Perfect for a summer day, and a great low carb barbecue option. I see a lot more sweet potatoes in my future. Enjoy! :)