Homemade Pizza

Bodhi is quite the little kitchen helper. He has "his" stool that we get out and he will help with cooking. Dough is a kid friendly venture and one that he enjoys, as seen in above photos!

So, go grab your own little kitchen helper and get to it!

Homemade pizza dough recipe:

In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon yeast with 1 1/2 cups warm [120 degree] water and add in a spoonful of sugar to get those little yeast-lings a bubbl'n.

3 c flour (mix whole wheat & white 50:50)

Jazz up your pizza dough by adding herbs & spices to the flour; ones I commonly use are parlsey, oregano, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, flax seeds or flax meal and salt. Dry whisk the flour to incorporate the spices.

Make a well in the center of your flour, pour in the active yeast and 1+ tablespoons olive oil. Work your dough until it comes together to form a nice ball.

Sometimes, it takes a bit more oil to pull the dough together, sometimes 1 tbspn is enough.

Cover & let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Punch down, knead, cut the dough into (2) equal parts and let rest another 15 minutes. Roll out one or both of the dough balls into your pizza crust. If you won't be using both dough balls for dinner tonight, it'll keep in your fridge for a few days (hello homemade cheesy garlic bread with spagehtti?!?) or it freezes well.

If you like crispier crust, bake the crust at 425 for about 10 minutes and then top with sauce, toppings, cheese and bake. If you like softer, fluffier crust; then do not pre-cook your dough. Simply spread out your sauce & choice of toppings and bake away.

Muffins, chocolatey yummy muffins

I have been having a diversion in the grocery store for the gluten-free section. I do not have Celiac disease, thankfully. It's a challenging disease that is popping up more and more in the general population, it affects 1 in every 133 persons. And it's the type of disease that will completely change your life, because wheat is in EVERYTHING. You would probably be surprised how often wheat is used in all kinds of products; from ones we consume to cosmetics. Not to mention, a person with celiac disease cannot eat rye, barley, triticale, and some oats. You might be asking: Lish, why are you on the gluten-free kick? Well, we consume a lot of wheat in America. So, I figure it's a great way to try and round out the intake of wheat versus all of the other wonderful grains that are out there. I am into baked goods this pregnancy, and the Udi's brand gluten-free muffins have been hitting the spot. I have tried them all: Lemon Struessel, Blueberry, and Double Chocolate (as well as their bagels & cinnamon rolls, two thumbs up on all Udi's products). The double chocolate is soo yummy. We've been warming the chocolate muffins, putting vanilla ice cream and sliced strawberries on them and eating them for dessert. Yes, that is how yummy they are. The only problem, they are a bit expensive. They're not outrageous, but I know how much money I could be saving if I'd just make them myself. Thus, this is my first (probably of many) attempts at a gluten-free muffin that tastes as good as my new friend Udi's. I used Bob's Red Mill Quinoa flour and Bob's recipe found on the back of the Quinoa flour package for the "Sour Cream Fudge Muffins".

The verdict: I am not in love with the strong taste of the quinoa flour; but blending a couple of different types of grains is probably the best way to go. So, if you do want to try making these muffins, maybe do a 50/50 mixture with another grain.

If you'd like to give the recipe a try, you can find it here.

Don't worry, I have no plans of completely abandoning you Udi, I am happy to support a local business (Udi's Bakery is located in Denver) and will grow increasing lazy about baking as my belly expands over these last 10+ weeks. But for today, I give myself an "A" for effort!

On a more serious note about Celiac disease, it can be extremely debiliating to a person who has it, but doesn't know it. It is very hard on the body and makes them feel miserable each time they eat, which is a lot of a person's life. If you know someone who has been "perpetually sick", you might be doing them a favor to mention getting tested for a gluten allergy. It goes un-diagnosed in about 97% of people.

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers, really, are one of my all time favorites. It goes back to highschool when my friend Gina introduced me to them, or should I say Gina's mother Leslie introduced me to them. Leslie made them, Gina and I were just good at eating them. I have loved them ever since and always think back fondly on those high school memories of eating stuffed peppers with Gina when I make them. This meal is a "re-do" as I like to call it. I often have these key items hanging out in my fridge from previous meals; leftover beef from tacos and leftover rice from soup. Ba-da-bing! Throw in some vegetables & spices and you've got a new, yummy dinner. Bonus, in the summer, you can grill the peppers instead of baking them which makes them even more enjoyable, in my opinion.

Filling:

2 cups Brown rice

2 cups Ground beef, Ground buffalo, Ground sausage

or a mixture, go crazy here. I dare you.

1/2 of a medium or 1 small zucchini, shredded

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

bit o' parsley

salt & pepper to taste

Sauce: (puree in your food processor or blender)

1/2 red onion

4-5 roma tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

Mix the filling and sauce in a frying pan on medium-low heat until it's thoroughly warmed.

While you are heating up the "stuffing" for the peppers, grill your peppers until they are lightly blistered and soft, about 10-12 minutes. Most chefs/restaurants remove the charred skins before serving, but we crazy Gildeas happen to like the charred skin. So go on personal preference there.

Allow peppers to cool so they are safe to handle & then cut off the stems and de-seed the peppers. Stuff 'em and eat 'em. Enjoy!

Kyocera Ceramic Knives

I am very enthusiastic about my newest kitchen tool, a Kyocera Ceramic Knife! I got it as a birthday gift from my loving husband, and it is amazing. I don't know if anyone out there has ever heard of such thing as a ceramic knife, but they have been around for a long time. They are knives that can cut through anything with ease, and I mean like butta. Truly, I have never used another knife in my life that can even hold a candle to this bad boy. The one drawback is that it's extremely fragile. So, even though this knife potentially can cut through anything, it's best used on fruits and vegetables, and fleshy meats without bones. This knife must be handled with care; that means hand washing and storing it in a safe place where it's not bouncing around a drawer with other utensils. But if those two things are enough to make you turn your nose up at it, let me get back to the "cuts like butta" part. Have you ever marveled at thinly sliced tomatoes you've seen at delis or drempt of being able to cut paperthin kiwi or strawberry slices? I have. And now I can. Maybe Garrett should've videoed my response the very first time I used it to slice tomato and onion for dinner. I'm pretty sure it would have been one of those videos that would make you want the product. Did I mention you never have to sharpen this knife? Hot Dog! I am knife snob. I like my knives sharp, and I happen to be married to the right man for that, but this is one less knife I have to put on the "Honey Do Sharpen List". You might be wondering did I say the word "never" have to sharpen? I did. But if you ever feel your ceramic knife gets to the point where it needs re-sharpening, Kyocera offers complimentary sharpening where they will sharpen your knife on diamonds, you just pay $10 for shipping and handling. There are several companies making ceramic knives these days, but I like to hang with my man Ming Tsai (i LOVE this chef, he is awesome) on this one and stick with the company who has been doing it the longest and it's probably safe to say they are producing the best products.

The Good Stuff

Water. You should drink half of your weight in ounces each day.

Also, any soda, coffee or alcohol you drink should be flushed out of your system with twice as much water. So if you grab a venti latte while you are out and about, plan on downing 40 oz of water just to balance your coffee intake plus "half your weight in ounces". To cut to the chase: Your pee should be "clear & copious" in the words of survival expert Codi Lundin (Lun-deen). Codi is the hard core, primitive survival expert in America today. We like him 'round here. Anyhow, back to the topic at hand - Are you drinking enough water? It's just a simple reminder, most of us aren't and it really does a body good.

Tips for increasing your water intake:

Don't wait until you are thirsty to reach for water, keep a cup or nalgene nearby all day and sip on it regularly.

Cut your juices 50/50 with water; it'll give you more of the good stuff and you'll be consuming less sugar. Once you get used to this, you won't even want to drink juice straight, promise.

If you just really don't like water, get in the habit of drinking herbal teas. The brisk fall weather has arrived, and there's nothing more comforting than a steamy cuppa goodness. We love Mighty Leaf teas, specifically the Citrus Chamomile and the African Nectar teas.

Quiche; Lish style

I used to make my own quiche and pie shells. Then I became a mama. So I happily traded in the glory days of whipping up my own from-scratch shells for the Wholly Wholesome shells (found at King Soopers & Whole Foods). They are moderatly priced and make the whole quiche process such a snap. I am one who bakes my shell before filling it with yummies because I personally abhor a soggy quiche or pie shell. But the directions say it's not necessary. For me, it is!

1)Bake or Don't (I'm wincing even as I type that) Bake your Shell

400 degress for approx. 10 minutes

2)Fill it with yummies

Ideas: Choose at least one of each

Veggie - chopped onion, bell pepper, green onion, leeks, tomato, spinach, asparagus, potatoes

Meat- ham, turkey, bacon, crab

Shredded Cheese -anykind, use 1 cup shredded cheese. If you like a creamier flavor, stick with mozzarella, or mix in some parmesan or romano. Otherwise, go for a sharp flavor with white cheddar or swiss.

Pour the yummies into your cooled pie shell

3)Whip up in a bowl:

5 eggs

1 cup half and half

salt & pepper

Pour the eggs over the yummies and fill that shell to the brim.

Bake @ 375 for approx 40 minutes.

Serve with hashbrown for breakfast or a nice green leafy salad & hearty roll for dinner.

HeartBurn, Baby, Heartburn

I don't know how many of you experience the side affects of heartburn from time to time, but it accompanied me in my last pregnancy and is here once again with full flare after many things I eat this pregnancy!

Two natural ways to cure that heartburn instead of reaching for the Tums/Rolaids:

1) 1/4 tsp baking soda (*aluminum free) in a bit of water

2) papaya enzymes

The baking soda works, like, effective immediately, but it tastes a bit yucky.

However; when you feel like you have fire coming up your throat, it's not so bad afterall....

Make sure that your baking soda (and baking powder for that matter) is aluminum free. This would require a trip to the healthfood store, the major brands at your local King Soopers all have aluminum. The point of avoiding the Tums is to avoid the aluminum content found in the Tums, so that's an important part to this equation. And while we are on the subject of aluminum, here is a little expert info from Dr. Mercola's Healthblog:

Metals like aluminum, which are prevalent in many areas of our environment, can accumulate in soft tissues of the body.

Risks: Cancer, neurological disorders, Alzheimer's disease, foggy head, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels

Major Sources: Drinking water, fish, vaccines, pesticides, preserved wood, antiperspirant, building materials, dental amalgams, chlorine plants

So, keep your eyes peeled for that toxic ingredient and please don't go rubbing it into absorbent pores on your body! There are several wholistic deodorant alternatives to the aluminum containing antiperspirant brands.