Margherita Cauliflower Pizza

I love pizza, but I know that it is not healthy at all. I haven't attempted to make my own gluten free version at home yet, but when I saw this recipe for margherita cauliflower pizza from NatureBox I got really excited! I figured that this was a much healthier alternative and a great way to enjoy one of my favorite foods. After tasting it, I think that I may not go back to the wheat version of the pizza! It was healthy and delicious with lots of flavor. Honestly, I didn't miss the crust (which isn't my favorite anyways) and it tasted exactly like pizza. If you are looking for a pizza recipe that you won't feel guilty about this is it. Plus you can play with the toppings and customize them to whatever your heart desires.

Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1egg

Topping:
1/2 cup of marinara sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tomato, thinly sliced and quartered
1/4 cup torn basil leaves

Directions:
To make the crust, cut up the cauliflower florets into chunks and put in the food processor until it resembles couscous, about 2 minutes. Add the cauliflower to a mixing bowl and stir in oregano, salt, mozzarella cheese, and egg. Once the mixture becomes soft and easy to shape, place it on a silicon-lined baking sheet. Press into a circle shape, about 1/4" thick, and bake for 15 minutes at 375 and then an additional 10 minutes at 425. Once the crust is golden brown, add the marinara sauce and cheese. Top with tomatoes and basil and bake 5 minutes at 425 just to melt cheese. Then slice and enjoy!  

Notes: I made my crust into a rectangular shape instead of a circle, so I don't think you have to form it into a traditional circle crust. Also, I used egg white instead of an egg. My crust was super moist and sort of came apart, even after baking so I am not sure if that could have affected the way the crust baked. After adding my toppings, I didn't bake the pizza after adding the toppings because it was pretty melted by the time I finished adding the toppings and the crust was on the verge of burning. I am sure that probably had something to do with my crust not firming up, but I am not sure. I used sun dried tomatoes and dried basil as my toppings because that's what I happened to have on hand. I guess that means that I just need to try this delicious and simple recipe again to see if I can perfect the cauliflower pizza.

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers

There are nights when I just want a fresh, healthy, light but fulfilling dinner, but I can't say that I have tons of recipes for those. So I got really excited when I found this recipe for quinoa stuffed bell peppers from Nature Box. I can't say that I frequently have stuffed bell peppers, but I think this may become a go to dinner for me. You can do so much with it and they are beyond simple to make. This vegetarian version is made with quinoa, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, feta cheese, cilantro, cheddar cheese, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.
There are two directions to this recipe: mixing all the filling ingredients together and then fill and bake the peppers for 25-30 minutes at 350 in a parchment lined baking dish. The best part was how simple it was to make. The recipe calls for 6 bell peppers, but I only made 3 and froze the leftover filling. That way I can make more stuffed peppers or just eat the filling itself. If you are preparing and want to have some kind of protein in it, you can throw in some chicken, ground turkey or ground beef. These are easy to entertain with and are perfect for a summer dinner.

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup canned black, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
6 bell peppers, stemmed and seeded

Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients (except bell peppers) in a large bowl. Spoon filling into bell peppers and bake for 25-30 minutes.