Tomato and Onion Flatbread

I love. Pizza, and therefore I love cheese. It isn't hard to make healthier pizza, but in almost all cases that means limiting your cheese consumption.  So what if instead of eating a pizza without all the gooey cheese you want, you just take cheese out of the equation? 

It's a completely different kind of experience, one that doesn't feel quite so much like a sacrifice, because it's supposed to be that way. Oh yeah, and there's no real sauce either. This is not what I intended to make. I wanted a classic pizza, just on flatbread instead of crust. I forgot to get mozzarella at the store though and cheddar felt too bold against the subtle tomatoes. Also just wasn't feeling saucy that day. 

The secret to this recipe? Olive oil. It brings out a richness in the tomatoes that was beyond anything I had expected out of a 10 minute dinner. And while I love using canned tomatoes, this recipe demands fresh. 

Tomato and Onion Flatbread - 1 serving

1/2 tomato, sliced

1/4 onion, sliced thin or diced small

1 flatbread (homemade or good quality, not a cheap tortilla)

olive oil

Italian seasoning

Salt

Pepper

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees. Toast your flatbread for a few minutes on the stove. Pat your tomatoes dry. Place your tomato and onion on the flatbread. Add your seasonings and drizzle with olive oil (not much, maybe half a tablespoon). Bake for 10-15 minutes. 

Banana Sunshine Smoothie

This smoothie is not rocket science. It doesn't have ten ingredients. It is not a stroke of genius. But the instant it touched my lips I couldn't help but smile. That's a good enough smoothie for me.

Banana Sunshine Smoothie - 1 large smoothie

1 banana, frozen
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup of orange juice

Blend all.

178 calories per smoothie

Peanut Butter Applesauce

I can't regale you with sophisticated methods, classic techniques, or the highest quality produce. I make what I can, on a budget and after working a physically tiring job. This is simple. And that's all it needs to be.

Some applesauce. Some peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Applesauce - 1 serving

1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce (=1 snack container)
1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter
Optional: cinnamon, vanilla

Put your peanut butter into a bowl and microwave for about 10 seconds. Add everything else and stir. Enjoy.

Frozen Entrees

So yesterday I was a bit down in the dumps after about 9pm. I had no energy to make dinner or my lunch for the next day. So I grabbed a 200 calorie frozen lunch I had downstairs. While I don't eat them often on occasion they really help me to eat healthy when I'm lazy.

But they are a bit expensive so suddenly I had the thought, why not freeze my own individually portioned lunches for days when I'm too lazy, sick, or down to cook without decking my calorie intake. So from now on I will recreate convenience frozen meals and make my own.

I'll make lunch size meals primarily, under 300 calories. And like the store versions, simple instructions will be the rule. No microwaving components separately, or needing to add bread or whatever.Just microwave and stir.

You can look forward to a marinara pasta dish in the next week or so.

Lentil Quesadillas

Lentils are ugly. Especially brown ones. And their taste? As earthy as anything that's ever graced my lips. Lentils and I have had a hard relationship. They cook fast and are cheap, but I prefer beans really and truly. Yet, I always keep lentils stocked. Because they can taste good, but they need some help first.

For replicating the texture of meat without a whole bunch of weird stuff, lentils are second to none. That isn't what I'm trying to do with this lentil dish, but that firm texture even when smashed is what makes these quesadillas feel like a hearty meal, not a snack or something to eat with a heavy side dish.

Lentils should be loved more. I should love them more. I feel like I'm on a mission of sorts to prove that ugly brown lentils belong in more than just soup, that they are deserving of love too.

Lentil Quesadillas - 4 servings

1 cup of dry brown lentils
2 small or medium onion, chopped
1/2-1 cup of salsa
2 tablespoons of taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 cup of cheese
8 small or 4 large flour tortilla

Boil and them simmer the lentils in some water for 30-40 minutes. While that is happening, saute your onions until soft in cooking spray or a small bit of oil. Set aside. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Drain your lentils and roughly mash with a fork. Stir in the onions and taco seasoning. Place tortillas on a baking sheet and place lentil-onion mix on one-half of each tortilla. Top with salsa and cheese. Fold over and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Technical Difficulties

I'm having issues with my phone not uploading my posts (since I usually write them there since I'm often inspired away from home) so I'm going to have to figure it out and/or manually upload everything to my computer. Should have new posts this weekend.

Chocolate-PB&J Smoothie

Sorry for the lack of posts. About a week ago I had a knife accident and it has taken the affected finger a while to recover. It is better now though. Now back to your regular programming.

Over the summer I saw this smoothie pop up all over, and I thought it was great others had figured out peanut butter goes great in about everything. This is a nice way to incorporate peanut butter flavor for those who don't much care for the texture of stickiness of peanut butter. Though I like to use crunchy peanut butter in this for some added texture in every bite.

Chocolate-PB&J Smoothie - 1 serving

1/2 banana, frozen
1/2 cup of strawberries, preferably frozen
1/2 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder

Blend all ingredients.

233 calories per smoothie

Elvis Frozen Treat

I didn't like peanut butter growing up. It was sticky and stuck to the roof of my mouth. I don't remember ever taking peanut butter & jelly sandwiches to school.

Then one day I decided to get healthy and so I decided to eat some one day when not much else was around. That was the start of my new life. Peanut butter and I have been the best of friends ever since.

I like it in my oatmeal, on my cereal, in milkshakes, licked off a measuring spoon, and I will even throw down a PB&J from time to time. Crunchy and creamy are both my lovers. I don't even care how cliche it all is.

And that beautiful union with banana? That is as close a place to heaven on Earth as I've ever known. And let's throw in some bacon, because trios are better than duos.

Elvis Frozen Treat - 2 servings

3 bananas, sliced and frozen for at least a few hours
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
1 slice of bacon, chopped (turkey or pork)

Spray a small pan with cooking spray over medium. Throw the bacon in when it gets crispy remove. Put your banana and peanut butter in a food processor until it reaches a smooth consistency. Put in a bowl and add your bacon.

1 bowl - 220 calories

Sweet Potato Smoothie

I tried out a sweet potato smoothie a few weeks ago, and unfortunately it was really missing something. So I decided to do my own thing. The orange juice really makes this smoothie, it brightens up the flavor. I oftentimes make this when I have some leftover baked sweet potato and I need to get rid of it, basically, but in a delicious way.

Sweet Potato Smoothie - 2 servings

1 cup of mashed or baked sweet potato (about 1 medium weighing 5-6 ounces)
1 banana
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of orange juice
1/2 cup of plain yogurt (greek or regular)
pinch of salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg
sweetener, to taste
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla

Blend all ingredients.

231 calories per smoothie

Spaghetti Taco Salad

I think one of the most valuable skills in the kitchen is being able to re-purpose leftovers so they actually get eaten and don't just sit in your fridge until they get thrown around. Spaghetti sauce has to be one of the most common leftovers and you don't always want pasta two or three times a week, at least not in my house. 

This recipe is simple and can be thrown together in minutes.And no matter how deep my love for cooking is, sometimes I don't want to do it and I need a nice simple meal that requires very little thought.

Spaghetti Taco Salad - 4 servings

2 to 2-1/2 cups of leftover spaghetti sauce
8 cups of lettuce, chopped
1 cup of cheese

optional: chips

Layer ingredients. That's it. I used a lean turkey homemade spaghetti sauce but you can use whatever you have on hand.

A Note on December

Several things happened to me in December, none of which were particularly good (though I did have a nice Christmas). I will be back to posting recipes soon. I have several I've made in the past couple of days that I'm excited to share. I am committed to posting here, though of course, it is hard to manage this and a full-time, tiring job.

But back to the food for 2013!