Kelley's Best Bread Machine Pizza Crust

Makes 2 medium pizza crusts...enough to serve four adults.

1 cup lukewarm water.
1 package rapid rise yeast (2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast will also work)
2-3 Tbs white sugar or honey
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tbs olive oil, plus more to grease parchment paper

Place water, yeast and sugar/honey in bread machine and stir lightly; allow to sit for 3 minutes, so the yeast can get started. Add flour, salt, and olive oil. Set-up the machine for "dough" and press "start." The cycle time should take about 1 hour.

When the cycle is finished, lay out two generous pieces of parchment paper (18" wide).  Drizzle about 1 Tbs olive oil on each piece, and use your hands to spread out into a large disk, about 16" wide.

With your hands still lightly oiled, remove the finished dough from the bread maker and place on one piece of the parchment paper.  Using scissors, cut the dough into two even pieces (do not cut through the parchment).  Lightly shape each piece into a round disk, and place one half each piece of parchment.

Let the dough rest for 2-3 minutes, so it can relax...then begin shaping with lightly oiled fingers.  Bounce your fingers on the dough, pressing it outwards in an even circle.  When the dough starts to pull back and won't easily stretch further, stop and allow it to rest for another 2-4 minute (this lets the gluen relax), then begin to press it again.  I usually have to stop and let it relax twice before I can get it stretched out into a thin, approximately 14" round circle.  If you notice any holes or areas that become too thin, simply pinch the dough back together.

Immediately add desired toppings and then use a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet to transfer pizza (parchment and all) to your heated baking steel (or stone; I personally prefer to use a baking steel - bakingsteel.com - as I feel it delivers superior results).

Notes about baking times/temps:

If I have a lot of "raw" veggies that need to cook (like broccoli) on top of the pizza, I generally prefer a lower oven temperature (425 degrees) and will bake the pizza 13-15 minutes, rotating the pizza half way through.

If the pizza toppings are not thick or are somewhat pre-cooked, I typically prefer to bake my pizza at 475 for 9-11 minutes; the higher temperature produces a darker, crispier crust!

Your ideal oven temperature may vary from mine, the best way to determine the best temperature will be to experiment...you may be able to take your oven to 500 without any problem, or 500 may be too hot.  I would suggest starting at 450 and adjusting as needed from there.

Sweet Potatoes with Roasted Peppers, Greens and Cashew Sauce

From the Engine 2 Diet cookbook

Ingredients:
4 large sweet potatoes scrubbed with ends sliced off
3 red, yellow or orange bell peppers halved and seeded
1 large bunch fresh mustard greens, rinsed and coarsely chopped
4 tbsp orange juice
1/2 c home toasted cashews
2 tbsp tamari
2 cloves garlic
water for thinning the cashew sauce to desired consistency

Directions:

For Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place potatoes in a casserole dish, and bake for 45 minutes, until they indent easily with finger pressure. Set aside to cool. Slice in half and serve with the skins on.

For Bell Peppers

If you have a gas stovetop, turn the flame to medium low and place peppers directly on top of the burner; turn using tongs until the pepper is completely blackened.  Remove from heat and place in a bowl until cool enough to handle with bare hands.  Under running water, gently rub away the charred skin.  Using a knife, gently remove the top of the pepper, which should contain most of the seeds.  Rinse away any remaining seeds and slice into strips.

For Mustard Greens

Place coarsely chopped mustard greens and juice (you can also substitute water) in a large covered pot over medium heat. Cook the greens for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender.

For Cashew Sauce

Using a Cuisinart with a metal blade, pulse the toasted cashews until pulverized; add garlic and pulse some more until finely chopped.  Finish by adding tamari and a few table spoons of water (pulsing to combine); add water until the sauce has a "smoothie" consistency and is runny, but still thick.  Note: sauce can also made with toasted walnuts (instead of cashews).

To serve, split open each potato with a knife and gently mash the soft insides with a fork.  Layer greens and then bell peppers on top.  Finish by spooning a generous amount of cashew sauce on top.

Big Cereal Bowl Breakfast!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raw old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup Grape Nuts
1/4 cup bite-size shredded wheat
1/4 cup Uncle Sam cereal
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons walnuts
1 banana, sliced
¾ cup Very Vanilla Soy Milk or other milk substitute

Instructions:

Toss all dry ingredients, add banana, and finish by adding milk substitute into a bowl.

Vegan Millet Butter

Makes a generous 1 cup!  This stuff is GREAT on toast with honey!

To cook raw millet, place the following in a small pot:

• 1/2 cup raw millet
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 piece of peeled raw carrot cut into chucks or 2 pieces of baby carrots
• generous pinch salt

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then turn heat to low and cover.  Cook 25 minutes or until millet and carrot are soft; remove from heat.

To make butter, you will also need:

• 1 tbs agar-agar
• 1/4 cup raw (unsalted) cashews
• additional water and salt, to taste

Place hot millet mixture in a food processor with a blade (you can also use a blender).  Add additional 1/4-1/2 cup room temperature water and agar-agar; pulse once and leave for a minute to let agar-agar melt.  Add 1/4 cashews, and process until smooth. Mixture should be thick and creamy (similar to peanut butter); taste and adjust salt (and water) if needed.

Store refrigerated in a covered container up to a week; alternatively, may be frozen and re-heated in a microwave for an even smoother texture.

Variations:  Add garlic powder or fresh garlic to make "garlic butter."  Add orange zest and honey to make "orange honey butter."

Layered Tex-Mex Lasagna

Recipe from Mary McDougall; this is one of the favorite recipes during the McDougall 10-day live-in program. It is easy to prepare and keeps well in the refrigerator for any leftovers.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6-8

Sauce:
2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
3 cups water
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons chili powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Place all ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan. Mix well with a whisk until well combined. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more chili powder if desired. Set aside.

10-12 corn tortillas

4 cups mashed pinto beans
1 cup chopped green onions
1 ½ cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 2.25 ounce can sliced ripe olives, drained
1-2 tablespoons chopped green chilies (optional)

To assemble casserole:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the beans in a large bowl. Add the onions, corn, olives and green chilies (if you wish). Mix gently until well combined.

Place 1½ cups of the sauce in the bottom of a non-stick oblong baking dish. Place 3-4 corn tortillas over the bottom of the baking dish. Spread half of the bean mixture over the tortillas. Place another 3-4 tortillas over the bean mixture and then spread the remaining bean mixture on top of those tortillas. Cover with 3-4 more tortillas and then pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas. Cover with parchment paper, then cover with aluminum foil, crimping the edges over the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for about 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with salsa and tofu sour cream, if desired.

Hints: The amount of corn tortillas that you need will depend on the size of your baking dish. Just cover the bottom as well as you can with the tortillas (on top of the first amount of enchilada sauce) and then use that same amount for the 2nd and 3rd layer.

Spicy Horseradish Mustard

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 cup dry mustard, preferably imported
1 cup hot tap water
1 cup white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons bottled hot grated horseradish
2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
a little dry white wine, or additional white wine vinegar if needed

Instructions:

In a small bowl, whisk together dry mustard and hot water until smooth. Let sit, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring twice as it sits.

Place reconstituted mustard, vinegar, salt, horseradish, sugar, in a food processor and process until smooth.

Pour into a small pot and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until mixture starts to become thick.

Taste and adjust seasonings; you may need more horseradish, vinegar, and/or salt.

Seal horseradish mustard in an airtight jar and refrigerate.

Note:  This mustard will keep for months; the longer it sits, however, the more the heat will mellow out.

Mushroom Stroganoff with Spicy Horseradish Mustard Cream Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons white wine or vermouth

1 onion, small dice
1 lb sliced mushrooms
10 ounce package silken tofu

1/2 cup spicy horseradish mustard

2-3 tbs fresh parsley, chopped

salt and black pepper to taste

2/3 box of pasta - your choice (I used campanelle pasta; if you are gluten-free, use brown rice pasta).

Instructions:

Fill a pot with water, put a lid on it, and bring it to a boil.  While the water is coming up to temperature, start the sauce.

Place tofu on a food processor with 1 tablespoon wine; process until smooth.

Please 3 tablespoons wine to a large non-stick skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; add onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add mushrooms and 2 more tablespoons wine; cook until mushrooms are done; add more water if mixture begins to stick to the plan; a little browning, however, will add flavor!  Add creamed tofu to the pan and turn heat to low.

Cook pasta according to the manufacturers directions.  Add drained pasta to the skillet with the mushroom sauce.  Stir in the mustard, and turn the heat up to medium.  Cook until heated through.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Note:  Feel free to use jarred spicy horseradish mustard (I like the Martha's Pantry one from JCPenney) or make the recipe for spicy horseradish mustard on this blog!