Rainbow cauliflower crust pizza

I bought purple cauliflower at the farmer’s market!

Purple cauliflower is naturally purple from the unusually high concentration of an antioxidant pigment called anthocyanin in its flesh. This antioxidant is also found in red cabbage. Purple cauliflower has a milder, sweeter taste than regular white cauliflower.

I enjoyed it roasted in olive oil and garlic with broccoli (425 degrees, 30 minutes)

There were a lot of leftovers, so I made a rainbow pizza!

Ingredients:
1/2 – 1 head of purple cauliflower
1 egg
1/3 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
Garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasonings
Pizza toppings of choice

1. Steam the cauliflower florets until tender. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Purée the florets in a food processor or mash with a potato masher.

3. Allow the mash to cool, then squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Add egg, cheese, and seasonings.

4. Spread the mash on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until golden and firm, about 15-20 mins.

5. Top the crust with sauce, cheese, sliced tomatoes, basil, and any other things you like. Broil for 5 mins or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.

Enjoy!! It’s very important to squeeze out lots of the cauliflower moisture before forming the crust, otherwise the pizza will be mushy. You can make this recipe with white cauliflower too!

June 30, 2013breakfast, recipe, starch

Coconut flour pancakes

KarolinaCoconut flour, pancakes Leave a comment

I was really craving pancakes this morning and decided I would formulate a recipe that takes coconut flour pancakes to another level- fluffy, springy, and light.

I succeeded! Now I just need to figure out how to cook them to keep their surface from getting so dark. Try making them without banana and tell me if that does the trick!

Ingredients:
1/3 banana
2 tbs coconut flour
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut oil
Dash of salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2-4 tbs almond milk to thin the batter

1. Combine all ingredients in a magic bullet or mash together in a bowl. Add milk as needed to adjust batter consistency.

2. cook about 2 mins per side on a lightly greased griddle or frying pan.

3. Serve with fruit, maple syrup, and cinnamon!

June 29, 2013protein shakes, recipe, treats

Raspberry Protein Shake

KarolinaProtein shake 1 Comment

We’re facing record setting heat here in Vegas this weekend. Stay cool with this raspberry protein shake! I drank mine after trampoline fitness class this morning.

In a blender, combine:
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup coconut water
1/4 cup almond milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder of choice (I like Dymatize Elite Gourmet Vanilla Whey Protein Isolate All Natural)
Additional ice, if desired

Blend for about 60 seconds on high or until smooth

The sprinkles on top are just for fun. I found all natural sprinkles (no artificial colors or flavors) at Marshall’s. I like that they make my protein shake look like a fun milkshake :)

Enjoy!

June 27, 2013recipe, snacks, treats

Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet

KarolinaFruit Leave a comment

Here’s an easy recipe for a refreshing summer treat! No sugar needed to make this simple sorbet.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup frozen rhubarb
1/2-1 cup coconut water (or plain water)
Sugar or stevia (optional)

1. Blend strawberries and rhubarb with 1/2 c water in a powerful blender. Start on a low setting and increase to high. Push the fruit down if the blender struggles.

2. Adjust the consistency by adding more water as desired. Adjust sweetness to preference. I thought it was perfect with coconut water and no additional sweetener.

This fresh tasting treat is a great way to use rhubarb for something a little different! Enjoy!

June 26, 2013recipe, vegetables

Braised African Kale with Bacon

Karolinakale Leave a comment

This recipe was inspired by the 2 lb bag of baby kale I was slowly using up for smoothies over the past week. Despite putting a big handful in my smoothie every morning, I had barely made a dent and the package says you should use all the kale within 2-3 days of opening… I didn’t know how anyone could eat that much kale… Until today.

Here is my creation! It’s a cross between traditional braised kale and exotic African kale stew. I threw in bacon for good measure, too.

Ingredients:
1 large onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs olive oil
1.5 lbs kale (yes, that’s a ridiculously large amount, but it cooks down)
2 cans diced tomatoes (28 oz total)
For spiciness: 1 tbs sambal olek (chili paste) or 2 tsp red pepper flakes or 1 jalepeno, diced
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 c PB2 powdered peanut butter or 1/4 c natural peanut butter
1 c chicken stock
Stevia or sugar to taste
6-8 slices bacom, cooked and chopped (optional, but recommended)

1. Sauté onion in a large stockpot with 2 tbs olive oil. Once translucent, add garlic. Sauté 2 mins more. Add ground ginger, chicken stock, peanut butter, and spicy seasoning of choice. Stir.

2. Add the kale, chopped bacon, and diced tomatoes. Stir until kale is wilted. Cover the stockpot and reduce to a simmer for approx 20 minutes or until the kale is no longer bitter. Add sweetener of choice until the flavor is adjusted to your preference.

Serve as a main course or side dish!
1/3 of the recipe (with bacon and PB2) contains 400 calories, 17 grams protein, and serves well as a hearty lunch! This recipe is a must-try! The flavor is amazingly rich, savory, spicy, and slightly sweet.

June 25, 2013protein, recipe, vegetables

Shepherd’s pie – tasty, easy, healthy

KarolinaCauliflower, Turkey 1 Comment

A few weeks ago one of my coworkers made a brilliant shepherd’s pie with cauliflower mash. I decided to make my own shortcut version:

Ingredients:
1 lb ground lamb, turkey, chicken, or beef
2 cups frozen diced vegetables
1 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
1 head cauliflower
1/2 c shredded white cheddar
1 egg
1-2 tbs butter (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Break the head of cauliflower into florets and stream in a steamer basket until tender (approx 10 mins).

2. Make the meat filling by sautéing onion in the olive oil. Add garlic. Once fragrant, add the ground meat. Once browned, add the frozen veggies, tomato paste, and seasonings. Spread the mixture in a large casserole dish or a series of small ones.

2. Purée the cauliflower and egg in a food processor or blender. Add salt, pepper, and butter (if desired). Top the meat in the casserole dish with this cauliflower mash. Sprinkle cheese on top.

3. Bake for about 20 minutes and broil for a few mins longer at the very end. Serve with sliced chives on top.

Yum! This recipe is husband approved.

June 23, 2013recipe, vegetables

Thyme Roasted Carrots

Karolinacarrots 2 Comments

I bought a bag of baby carrots intending to snack on them at work during the sugar detox, but I just don’t like raw vegetables very much. Almost 3 weeks later, I decided I should really do something to eat those carrots up. Roasting vegetables transforms their flavor from raw to rich and caramelized. My favorite seasoning to use with carrots is fresh thyme- try this out!

Ingredients:
1 bag of baby carrots, or several large carrots cut into “fries”
1-2 tbs olive oil
Fresh thyme
Salt
Pepper
Garlic

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the carrots with olive oil and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 mins.

2. After 10 mins, mix the carrots around and season with the thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Continue to bake another 10-15 mins or until tender and golden.

Serve these hot as a side dish or cold as a snack.

June 22, 2013recipe, treats

Easy Homemade Nutella and Nutella Cream

Karolinaalmond Leave a comment

It really irritates my that Nutella is marketed as a healthy breakfast food. It’s not! One serving, 2 tbs, has 21 g of sugar! That’s more sugar than you’ll find in two servings of frosted flakes.

(Image source NYtimes.com)

I later discovered an alternative to Nutella- Justin’s Chocolate Almond butter and hazelnut butter. With only 7 g of sugar, it’s a healthier option to reach for when craving a chocolatey nut butter. Unfortunately, as delicious as Justin’s butters are, they’re just too expensive for me. $9.99 per jar is steep when you’re tempted to eat the whole thing at once.

(Image source swansonvitamins.com)

It recently dawned on me that I could make my own healthier version of Nutella using the almond butter I buy at Costco! For $10, you get 26 oz of nut butter instead of just 16 oz. I like that this recipe is easy to make, but it’s just labor intensive enough to discourage you from going back for more.

Here’s how to make your own single serving of homemade Nutella with only 1-2 g of sugar:

Ingredients:
1-2 tbs (or 1 heaping spoonful) creamy almond butter
4 drops of liquid stevia (or just a tiny bit of your favorite sweetener)
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa

Combine the three ingredients in a small bowl and blend thoroughly with a spoon.

For a creamy, frosting-like variation, add 1-2 tbs of True Whip or your favorite whipped topping. You could use homemade whipped cream for this. I chose True Whip (found at Whole Foods) because it’s made from slightly better ingredients than regular Cool Whip and has only 25 calories and 2 g sugar per serving.

Wow, with the addition of whipped topping takes this treat to another level. Tastes like cool and creamy s’mores!

Keep in mind that this is still a dessert, not a health food! You could probably have it with breakfast knowing it’s a better choice than regular Nutella, but always enjoy nut butters in moderation unless you’re looking to bulk up.

Karolina's Kitchen

from the dietitian to your kitchen

Category Archives: recipe

Rainbow cauliflower crust pizza

Coconut flour pancakes

Raspberry Protein Shake

Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet

Braised African Kale with Bacon

Shepherd’s pie – tasty, easy, healthy

Thyme Roasted Carrots

Easy Homemade Nutella and Nutella Cream

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