Mi Nueva Vida & Bok Choy Margherita Pizza

As most of you know, I recently relocated from New York, New York to Buenos Aires, Argentina. After a very bumpy flight, we arrived safely in the afternoon of April 21.

Since then it has been a whirlwind. We spent the previous week prior to my move, packing, cleaning, and clearing out, and then we spent the better part of our first week in Buenos Aires doing the same in our new apartment - cleaning, unpacking, organising, and what seemed like an unlimited amount of laundry! It’s been exhausting.

But things are finally starting to settle down (We literally fueled ourselves for the first few days with lots of mate.) 

Life here is fantastic. Argentina is entering fall, but from what I hear it’s been far more pleasant and warm here than it has been back in New York. I start my immersion Spanish courses later this week (5 days a week – 4 hours each day!) If I can’t learn Spanish under these conditions, well… then I guess I'm hopeless! Next month I'll be starting a new online program from Cornell University, and I plan on teaching English part-time as well. I am also continuing to see clients for BYOL Nutrition & Wellness counseling.

But with all the changes, I haven’t forgotten about dinner! I made this Bok choy and Basil Margherita Pizza on one of our first nights here. It’s pretty simple especially if you use a pre-made pizza crust or make a slightly altered version of my protein packed, gluten-free lentil bread ahead of time.

Bok Choy & Basil Margherita Pizza (Gluten-Free)

Serves 2

Gluten-Free Crust:

½ cup green lentils

½ cup brown rice

¼ cup amaranth

2 tablespoons flaxseed (optional)

salt to taste

Two generous pinches of dried Italian seasoning (basil, rosemary, thyme, tarragon) 

water

I recommend making the crust ahead of time so it can fully set and dry out, making for a crispier pizza crust. If you make the crust ahead of time, this pizza only takes about 25 minutes.

To keep the crust from becoming fluffy, don't add the yeast or baking soda found in the original recipe. Start by soaking the lentils, rice, and amaranth together in a large bowl with warm water. I like to let this soak for around five hours, but one hour at least (tip, if you are soaking for a shorter time, add either a vinegar or hydrogen peroxide to the water to breakdown the acids found in these cereals more quickly. Personally, I like to soak these cereals before heading to bed or off to work, they’ll be ready when you wake up or come back home). 

After soaking, rinse the ingredients well, and transfer to a blender or food processor – a hand-held immersion blender works well too. Blend with just enough water so the cereals are nearly but not completely immersed in water. Blend until smooth.

Now bake the “dough” at 350 for 25 minutes or until completely browned and firm. Now let the crust cool.

Toppings:

1-2 large tomatoes - sliced

1 small bunch bok choy – chopped, greens only

Small head of garlic - oven-roasted and diced

1 handful fresh basil

1 jar of your favorite tomato sauce (or make your own*)

Red and Black pepper to taste

Pre-heat the oven to 300. While you are preparing everything else, peel and crush 5 to 6 cloves of garlic and wrap them in tinfoil and place them in the oven for about 10 – 15 minutes.

*Because a Margherita pizza is all about the sauce, I like to make my own whenever I have the time. Using a jarred or canned sauce is fine too, but making your own only takes a few extra minutes and really increases the flavor! If you have the time and inclination, try this sauce and let me know what you think!

1 large can of chopped tomatoes (I like to get salt-free)

4-5 sundried tomatoes (if they are hard, try soaking them in warm water for a few minutes)  

2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 large handful of fresh basil

1 small handful of cashews (roughly 8-12 cashews)

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

cayenne pepper to taste

a pinch of date sugar or your favorite sweetener

salt and black pepper to taste

Blend all of the sauce ingredients together until smooth. 

Now spread the sauce onto the crust and begin to add your remaining toppings. Start by placing the sliced tomatoes around the pizza. Get the roasted garlic out of the oven, dice it, and scatter it on top. Then add the washed and chopped bok choy greens. Place the pizza in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Take the pizza out and add the handful of basil on top of the other ingredients. Return the pizza to the oven for a final 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve hot with a fresh salad and roasted veggies. Enjoy!

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.

Thrive Pizza... Oh So Good

It’s been a while since I’ve shared a recipe, so I am making up for it with an especially delicious one! This pizza is unique in that its crust is made from legumes and vegetables as opposed to flour; therefore, the crust is a complete protein and packed with nutrients, which makes you feel as good as it tastes!

This Buckwheat Sunflower Seed Carrot Pizza comes from the creative-mind of former professional Ironman, Brendan Brazier, and is found in his new book, Thrive Foods. In Brazier’s third book, he turns his attention toward explaining how nutrient-dense, plant-based foods are the best form of proactive health care as well as more environmental sustainability than the standard western diet. Boasting over 200 recipes (all of which avoid common allergens such as wheat, yeast, gluten, soy, dairy, and corn) this book is a must have if you are moving towards a plant strong diet.

The recipe is pretty easy, but takes a bit of prep work (I have made this pizza a few times and each time I make it faster than the last). In total, I’d say the pizza takes about 15 - 20 minutes of prep (including time for a homemade sauce) and then 35 - 40 minutes in the oven depending on how crispy you like the crust.

Homemade Marinara Sauce (raw)

This is a light but sweet tasting sauce that I created by blending a few other recipes together. Makes around 4 cups.

3 or 4 sundried tomatoes (soaked)

2 medium size heirloom tomatoes

¼ cup hemp, flax or olive oil (I typically mix all three)

2 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon oregano

1 handful fresh basil (dried works as well, but fresh is best)

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 date

1 large clove of garlic

Sea salt

Reconstitute the sun-dried tomatoes by soaking them in warm water for 15 minutes or until tender. While the sun-dried tomatoes are soaking, blend the rest of the ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Then add the soaked, sun-dried tomatoes and blend again. Pour into a bowl or container and set aside. (if you do not have a high-powered blender, cut the dates and sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces and use a food processor for a slightly chunkier consistency.)

Buckwheat Sunflower Seed Carrot Pizza 

This pizza is highly nutritious and can satisfy any craving for pizza you may be having. I also really enjoyed a few slices after a long ride last weekend. It keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days, but the real question is why wait to enjoy something so good?

The Goods for the Crust

Crust:

1 cup ground sunflower seeds

1 cup raw buckwheat (soaked for 15 minutes in warm water)

1 cup shredded carrot

¼ cup coconut oil (I use less than this)

Parsley, pizza seasoning and crushed red pepper, to taste

Sea salt, to taste

Topping:

1 tomato, sliced

1 cup lightly sautéed dinosaur kale

½ cup raw arugula

½ cup raw shredded beats

2 chopped green onions

1 clove diced fresh garlic

The Goods for the Toppings

First, preheat oven to 300˚. In a food processor, process all the crust ingredients. Similar to making a smoothie (see comments section) you want to put the ingredients in from densest to lightest to ensure best results. So start with the sunflower seeds then the carrot and buckwheat. Follow with herbs and salt and finally the oil. Blend until the mixture starts to ball up.

While the mixture is processing, oil a cooking pan with coconut oil (I like to use a cast iron, no chemicals and it gives the food an extra boost of iron!). Remove the mixture out of the processor, and spread into the pan so it is about ¼- ½ thick depending on personal preference.

 Now pour your sauce onto the flattened crust and then spread your choice of ingredients evenly on the crust. I typically add a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast to the top of the sauce before putting on the other toppings. This gives it a light and cheesy taste as well as much needed vitamin, B-12!

Ready for the oven!

Bake your beautiful pizza for 35 or 40 minutes at 300˚. Check the pizza around 30 minutes for desired crispness.

Fresh and piping hot!

Take your pie out of the oven, sprinkle crushed red pepper and garlic salt over the pizza. Add a handful of hemp seeds to add an extra source of complete protein and enjoy!

Bone appétit!