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tuscan white bean gluten-free pizza

16. May 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: Cooking, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian · Tags: , , , , , , ,

When I was trying to figure out pizza toppings, I remembered my recent Tuscan white bean soup soup and decided to go with a Tuscan theme again. I had leftover cannelli beans from my spicy sriracha bean dip, so I turned to Google for inspiration and found a great recipe on Vegan Planet.
tuscan white bean gluten free pizza First I prepped my gluten-free Red Mill pizza crust. I only used half of it, which filled my whole pizza pan.
tuscan white bean gluten free pizza I wrapped up the other half for later use!
tuscan white bean gluten free pizza Pizza toppings laid out and ready to go

  • White cannelli beans
  • Garlic
  • Tomato paste
  • Chopped roasted red pepper
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • A sprinkling of dried red chili peppers
  • Caramelized onions
  • Feta

Roast red pepper in a 400 degree oven. Bake for 20 minutes on each side; remove from oven and wrap in tin foil. After about 30 minutes, peel skin off {it should come off easily}. If you’d like, buy jarred roasted red peppers.

Caramelize onions {mine were already prepared, which cut down on prep time}.

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium. When the oil is hot, add chopped garlic and saute until it becomes aromatic. Add cannelli beans and heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mash with a fork. 

Spread bean mixture and tomato paste onto pre-cooked pizza crust. Layer with other ingredients except feta. Bake for 10 minutes at 425. Sprinkle with feta; bake for 5-8 more minutes.

tuscan white bean gluten free pizza

Enjoy!

balsamic-splashed tuscan bean soup

01. May 2012 · 1 comment · Categories: Cooking, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian · Tags: , , , , , , ,

tuscan white bean soup balsamic splashed tuscan bean soup

Some of my best recipe creations come from cleaning out my fridge and using up leftovers {remember my easy lentil chicken bacon soup?}.

After preparing the kale + escarole + tomato bean casserole that I found on The Bitten Word, I had some cannelli beans and canned tomatoes left over. Inspired by a recipe on Food.com, this Tuscan-inspired soup was born!

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Toss in half a chopped onion, a clove of chopped garlic, and 1 1/2 to 2 peeled and sliced carrots. Saute until tender. Toss in half a can of cannelli white beans and half a large can of diced tomatoes with their juice. Cover with chicken or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Add in sea salt, pepper, and a dash of red pepper flakes to taste. Sprinkle with a big pinch each of chopped fresh parsley and basil. Simmer for 25-35 minutes or until the flavors are well-blended.* Before serving, add a splash {use sparingly} of balsamic vinegar. 

This is a pretty basic bean soup recipe but the splash of balsamic vinegar really kicks up the flavor and adds a unique element for your taste buds!

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*Have you ever tossed soup ingredients into a pot and tried a bite? It most likely tasted a bit…off, like the flavors hadn’t quite blended. Maybe you could taste the basil or the cayenne or other spice, but all together, the soup didn’t seem to suit your taste buds in the right way.

Generally I find that simmering the soup for longer gives it a flavor with more well-blended depth. You may still be able to taste the different flavors, but the soup feels more coherent, for lack of a better word.

Try mixing up your spices too- I love the coriander flavor in this spiced tomato chickpea soup and the light cumin taste in this polychromatic soup. But remember- sometimes you only need salt and pepper, like in this potato leek soup!

lunchbox meal: healthy chicken masala

16. November 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Cooking, Gluten-Free · Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Here is a slightly different {and gluten-free} version of this Indian-inspired lunchbox meal.

I made this super easy dish for lunch today by combining a seemingly random assortment of items.

1) Prepare mung beans {boil 1 1/2 cups of water, add 1/2 cup of beans, turn to low, simmer for 35-50 minutes or until the water is absorbed and beans are tender}

2) Prepare TJ’s Multigrain Pilaf according to package Unfortunately, rice pilaf is not gluten-free, so I’ve started using rice in this recipe instead. The rice gets a nice hint of flavor if you boil it in chicken broth and add a dash each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

3) Pull several large pieces of chicken off a store-bought rotisserie chicken. At about $5-$7 each, these are a great deal and can last for several meals. Best of all, you can adapt them easily with different sauces!

4) Layer the mung beans, rice, and chicken with TJ’s Masala Simmer Sauce and enjoy!

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This Day Last Year: Spicy Sweet Potato Fries and Life Updates {I mention reach out to a group-buying site, which actually wasn’t LivingSocial! I also mention reaching out to my network for help with job searching. For more on that, click here.}

corn quinoa black bean salad

28. July 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Cooking, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian · Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I mentioned earlier this week that I was going to make this corn-rice salad from BHG. I just whipped  up my own version and let me tell you- woww. Might be the best salad I’ve ever had…and it’s perfect for summer. And I bet it would be great if you made it ahead of time too.

My version

In a bowl, combine cooked quinoa (cooled to room temperature), black beans, several pieces of chopped jalapenos, sliced cherry or grape tomatoes, slices of red onion and avocado, several planks of corn (or a handful of canned corn), and a dash each of sea salt, pepper, olive oil, and rice vinegar. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro. Serve at room temperature.

Confession: I put in about 10 dashes of rice vinegar and a dash or two of Crystal hot sauce! Yum.

Note: To cut planks, place an ear on its side on a cutting board. Holding the corn firmly with fingers away from the blade, cut off a side of the corn. Rotate and repeat until all sides are removed. Use a spatula to gently move planks to salad.

*I didn’t list measurements; get inspired and play it by ear (no pun intended…ear of corn? Get it?). Salads are very difficult to mess up!

corn quinoa black bean salad

beginnings of the salad

corn quinoa black bean salad

fiddling with aperture settings icon smile corn quinoa black bean salad

corn quinoa black bean salad

working lunch- twitter, v8 juice, water, and salad!

pixel corn quinoa black bean salad
+Cristina Roman