Pizza Foccacia and The Story of How My Fridge Died

My dear friends. I have wanted to write all week.

Rewind to Monday.

I peeked in the fridge, as we are all apt to do, and found that everything in my freezer was melting. Ice was turning into water, my frozen bananas were no longer white and pretty, but brown and mushy. Something was not right.

The temperature in the fridge was 50 degrees F (supposed to be 38 F) and the temp in the freezer was 38 degrees F (supposed to be 0 degrees F). Everything was much too hot, hot, hot.

Seeing the abnormal temperature, I called our repair-woman to have a look at it, thinking that simply the refrigerator needed to be reset. After an hour or so of working with, taking apart, hot-wiring, and looking at my fridge, the diagnosis was in.

My fridge was dead.

I was shocked. I did not expect a five year old fridge to die. My parents' fridges have all lasted what seemed like 20 years!

My beautiful, $1,800 dream fridge that Paul saved and saved to buy me as a gift five years ago when we first moved into this house. He had been saving that money for other important things...like our future, or our children's future... Instead, he plopped down a lot of money to get me new appliances.

He saw me struggle. No dishwasher. The worst stove on the planet that was 20 years old and had only two settings: simmer, and scorch. A broken trash compactor, and a 20 year old, tiny fridge.

It didn't really sink in at first. Until Paul and I went fridge shopping and saw that the same type of fridge now cost $2,400, plus tax and delivery. Ouch.

Major ouch.

We went home feeling sick. Woke up feeling even worse. How can we possibly feel good about spending that much money on a fridge? Paul pointed out that the amount is the same as the cost of a car! When we bought the fridge in the first place, we thought we would have it for a very long time and therefore had justified the purchase.

And it didn't help that we were now having to throw everything in the fridge away.

It felt like we were camping in our house. Only worse.

My kitchen became dysfunctional.

Fridge food all over the counters, fridge parts strewn everywhere.

It doesn't seem like something as simple as not having a fridge would bring life to a screeching halt. But when you are eating mostly plants? When you thrive on a lot of raw food, and cooked veg?

I boxed up all of our food.

Something I am really grateful for is the cold. Outside. Right now. I am so glad that it is winter time and that our great outdoors can act as a pseudo-fridge until we can figure out what to do.

Paul put it outside.

We went fridge shopping again yesterday and came home hungry and tired. It's been well over a week since I have done any grocery shopping, and so our options seamed meager under the circumstances.

I needed something easy.

At first, I was convinced I would make my easy Calzones that my kids love. Despite how easy the filling is to make (as fast as a green smoothie in the blender) I couldn't bring myself to do it. Not to mention I couldn't find all the ingredients in my messy kitchen.

And so I dreamed. Of something even easier.

Pizza Focaccia.

My bread machine did all the work. I broke all the rules. And used Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

This is the kind of recipe you make if your kitchen is all torn apart.

The kind of recipe you prepare when you can't think straight, and you really don't want to hear any complaints from your kids about food.

The kind of food you eat when you are low on produce and you just need some comfort.

The rosemary, basil, and olive oil took me to The Olive Garden.

Right where I needed to be.



Pizza Focaccia (with a Gluten Free option)
Inspired by, and Adapted from, Eat, Drink and Be Vegan

Makes 4-5 servings as a side bread for a meal.

Note from Dreena: Fresh rosemary really gives this pizza a wonderful taste and aroma. If fresh rosemary is not available, you can substitute with 3/4-1 tsp dried rosemary, coarsely chopped, or crushed between your fingers.

Note from Ashlee: Many fellow moms have mentioned to me that when going plant-based, pizza becomes difficult for kids. I really recommend this easy, tasty option.

You can make whole grain, homemade pizza dough, or purchase it pre-made from the store to make this meal even easier. I was able to serve this with marinara for dipping, (which I did not use with my bread because I savored the taste without it!) with a large salad, oil free dressing, and a lot of cut fruit and pomegranate juice for my kids. They loved the bread. Toppings can easily be tailored to whatever you or your children prefer to eat. Chopped bell peppers, fresh pineapple chunks, black beans, green chile, olives, red onion, spinach, basil, etc.

Just make sure you add the rosemary, basil, salt, pepper and olive oil because that is where the flavor really pops. Be careful not to overload the bread with too much veg, or it will become soggy and the rosemary will taste less pronounced. I recommend you keep it simple the first time around you make it, and really focus on the fresh herbs and seasonings.

TO MAKE THIS GF: Bob's Red Mill brand carries a gluten free pizza crust flour mix that is easy to make by following the directions. Also, I have seen pre-made Gluten Free pizza dough in the freezer section at Whole Foods Market and Sprouts.

Ingredients:

1 whole wheat pizza dough (I used the dough recipe from my Calzones, see below)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (or use 3/4 to 1 tsp. dried rosemary, coarsely chopped)
1/3-1/4 teaspoon sea salt, to taste (I used 1/3 tsp)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used fresh ground Rainbow Peppercorns)
1/2-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned, or chopped
Optional additional toppings we enjoyed:
Black olives, chopped, about 1/3 cup
Red onions, chopped, about 1/3 cup

Chopped green chile, or roasted red pepper flakes sprinkled on top could really add some heat if that's what you like! I have not yet tried the green chile, and it may compete with rosemary too much for flavor, or be soggy. But it is an idea. See my note above for other topping ideas.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, spread 1 tbsp oil over top of shell, then sprinkle on rosemary, salt, and pepper, and lightly sprinkle with any additional toppings of your choice. Bake for 9-13 minutes (mine baked in about 13 minutes), until edges are golden. (If using a frozen pizza shell, you will need to bake for another 3-5 minutes.) Remove from oven and drizzle 1/2-1 tbsp oil over the hot bread, then sprinkle on basil. Cut into slices or wedges.

Serve with a large salad and fresh cut fruit. I also made additional toppings available for my son who loves olives.


Pizza Dough for Bread Makers
(makes 2 lb size)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 and 3/4 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
2 cups white whole wheat flour, or sprouted whole wheat flour (found mine at Whole Foods Market)
3 tsp. sugar
1 tablespoon gluten flour (optional, helps the dough to rise and be fluffier)
2 tsp. yeast

Combine all ingredients in your bread-maker, in the order listed. Set the bread-maker to the "Pizza Dough" setting (about 55 minutes) and push start.




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Robyn Openshaw of Green Smoothie Girl mentions in her healthy book that Foccacia served with a large salad is one of her and her children's favorite meals to have for dinner. Somehow this makes me feel a whole lot more confident in serving this meal.

Other foods we've been enjoying that are easy in this time of chaos:

Rice Pudding
Bok Choy Saute (yes, again!)
Light and Tender Waffles (none of the ingredients need refrigerated!)
Seasoned Quinoa, a modified version that I need to update

Lately, We've Enjoyed...

Often, I make recipes from other blogs online that I either alter very little, or not at all. Rather than blogging each individual recipe, I thought I would share a picture and brief summary about it, and any changes I made to it.

Blogs are such a great way to find other recipes quickly, and, over the last year I think I've gotten better at being able to look at a recipe's details, and determine quickly whether or not it will turn out well. Or, I will brainstorm ways to modify it to ensure that it will turn out well. I want to share what I have found, what we have thoroughly enjoyed, with you!

For those who are transitioning, or new to whole foods, this post might give you a good idea as to the types of foods we are eating on a daily basis. Especially at the bottom where I post foods from my own blog, or mention meals that we are eating that have not yet been posted.

Here we go!

The title of each recipe is linked to the recipe page.

Gingerbread Cookies By Dreena Burton

My kids beg...I mean beg to make these, practically every day. I am sure these could be made into slabs for gingerbread houses, too. Real winner with the whole fam. (I know, it's no longer Holiday time...still, we really love these!)

Tips: roll them out kinda thick (at least 1/4 inch), and be careful not to over-bake them. Because they are made with coconut oil, you may have to refrigerate the dough before cutting it into shapes because it will get too flexible when warm.

It didn't help that my kitchen was very warm when I made these: now that it's winter time, there's most often a fire blazing in the fireplace and my kitchen is really cookin' hot. The dough is easiest to manage when very cold....I actually put the uncooked, rolled dough in my freezer for a few minutes at a time cuz I am really impatient, and I wanted cold dough, right now.

Speaking of gingerbread...


Gingerbread Granola by Dreena Burton

I realize the Holidays are over. Way over. But I really like granola made this way.

Me. Moi. I could eat this every day. When Essie had her first bite, she said, "Mmm, it's like a gingerbread cookie bursting in my mouth!"

Except this version is oil free.

Tips: The pecans in this recipe are fantastic. So good! I recommend measuring out over-flowing amounts of them into the granola. Also, I really don't enjoy the taste of cashew butter sometimes. I like it in ice cream, etc, but here, I really recommend using almond butter. Yum.

Honey Mustard, Broccoli and Apple Salad By Joy the Baker

I had no idea that slightly steamed broccoli could taste so good in a salad.

Paul and I both thoroughly enjoyed it, chilled. I doubled it, and we consumed the entire thing yesterday. Paul declared, "Best salad I've had all winter!" With a declaration like that, I will probably be making it again sometime soon.

Tips: I made the salad dressing oil free. How? Simply by replacing the Extra Virgin Olive Oil with twice the amount of raw cashews, and blending it together very thoroughly until it became creamy and smooth. So, if the recipe called for 2 tbsp oil, I added 4 tbsp raw cashews (or eyeball a little more in to attain the texture you want).

If you don't have whole grain mustard, use prepared mustard, not dried mustard, otherwise it will be too spicy. Cut the amount of mustard in half if it is prepared, and not the whole grain.

I used half apple cider vinegar, and half red wine vinegar.


Also by Joy the Baker

On Juicing, a fantastic post all about juicing.

As I mentioned previously, I finally broke down and bought a juicer. I was going to blog about juicing, but Joy did such a good job, I really can't compete.

My favorite juicing combinations?

*Ginger Apple: 10 large apples // 1-2 inch piece of ginger...sweet and spicy!
*Carrot Celery: 6-10 large organic carrots // 1 large bunch of celery
*Green Lemonade

I sometimes use juicing as my breakfast. It makes me feel fantastic.

However, despite my most earnest efforts...maybe...I really can't seem to go a full day only juicing. I love...love...love chewing my food.

Speaking of chewing my food.

Maple Baked Lentils with Sweet Potato by Angela Liddon

Angela has made me fall in love with lentils. Oh dear. They are so satisfying and hearty. I served this easy recipe on toast. And I really didn't even try to make my kids eat it.

Blanket Stew in a Gravy Broth By Angela Liddon

I'd be lying if I said I made this lately. However, it is something we so thoroughly enjoyed (and even served to dinner guests) that I wanted to mention it.

Tips: Simply omit the oil in the gravy. Doesn't really alter the taste of it at all. And, you really could add any vegetables to this that you have on hand. I would serve this with mashed potatoes. Whole family loves...

And finally.

From my own blog:

Thai Style Noodles

Winner. Ding, ding, ding!

My kids love this stuff. Never any whining when I serve it. Always empty bowls. Happy me.

Happy you if you try it!

Tips: VEGAN FAST FOOD! If you are short on time, simply boil some spaghetti or fettuccine noodles according to their package directions. Shred carrots, green cabbage, and chop scallions. Saute them in a nonstick skillet while you whip together the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Add sauce to the sauteing vegetables, along with some mung bean sprouts if you have them on hand. Add pasta, some teriyaki tofu (optional), toss to combine, heat through, let simmer five or so minutes, and serve. Takes less than 30 minutes! The carrots and cabbage just kind of melt into the background of the sauce, and the kids have no idea they are eating so many vegetables.

Bok Choy Saute with Peanuts and Scallions

I may not be the best food photographer, but I have to say I am a pretty good chef. (Yes, I just tooted my own horn!)

This meal is, by far, Paul's and my favorite right now. Satisfying, well-rounded, delicious, loads of flavor and texture, fast. Very fast.

It may not be the prettiest, but it's a keeper.


And, some recipes we've enjoyed that I haven't posted yet, but I hope to post soon. All of which are oil free.

Sweet Potato Corn Chowder
Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup
Whole Grain & High Protein Crepes
Cashew Apple Balsamic Dressing with Cabbage Salad
Black Bean Burgers with Red Onion Guacamole
Raw Ceasar Salad Dressing Over Romaine, Kalamata, and Red Onion
Mochi, baked and stuffed


Working on my camera situation...thanks all for reading!

And, thank you, especially for your votes on Circle of Moms!!



I told Paul that even If I don't make it to top 25 (I am competing with some really awesome women!), being nominated has totally made my day/month/year!

You can vote every day...once a day.

Thank you again, so much!

Circle of Moms -- Vote for Me!

I am so excited! I have been nominated for the top 25 Vegan and Vegetarian Mom blogs of 2013. I try not to get too excited...

If you have enjoyed any of the recipes here, or have found any of my posts to be helpful, it would be awesome if you could vote for me.



Just click on the above link. You can vote, every day, once a day, until February 7th.

Thanks a bunch! I hope you have a great weekend!



More coming soon... I've somehow managed to lose my camera charge cord, and my camera batteries are dead. Puts my blogging life to a screeching halt. It's killin' me.

I wanna' talk about Mochi, about juicing, Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup, Cabbage salad with Balsamic Cashew dressing...

*Love and Hugs!*

-- Ash

Bok Choy Saute with Scallions and Roasted Peanuts

Yeah, I've sorta' fallen in love with Bok Choy.

Paul has a coworker at his office who has actually named his computer, "Bok Choy." I'm jealous. I wish my computer was named Bok Choy. Th'stuff is so good. (I guess I'm too lazy to type the 'e' in the word, "the?")

I like this sauce much better than my stir fry sauce...it's safe to say it's totally been improved.

Like. Totally.

Paul loves it. I ate it for breakfast the first time I invented it. And felt awesome afterwards.

But, you don't have to eat it for breakfast if that totally wigs you out.

Totally.

We're always looking for stuff that's fast. Easy. Ready in less than 30 minutes. This fits the bill. Totally. I'll stop saying that.

If you make this recipe.

You won't regret it.

Over brown rice. To die for. Well, not really. It's not really death-worthy (does that exist, truly, in food world?). But. I like it. And I hope you do, too.

This saute is super-satiating; the combination of chewiness from the rice and mushrooms, and the crunch of peanuts and bok choy. The flavors come together with the sauce to create deep satisfaction.

People have sometimes asked me. What should they eat for lunch if they don't like eating leftovers from dinner, and they need something quick and healthy?

Ahem.

Make this.

Speaking of quick.

Some quick tips:

* I love buying mushrooms pre-sliced, and pre-washed. Saves me so much time and increases the possibility that I will actually use my mushrooms.

* Peanuts? Buy them already roasted, but with no salt.

* Bok choy?

Ah. Bok choy. A tip? Eat it every day. Yum.

* Flavors are enhanced when you use a cast iron skillet.

* Optionally, you could add some fresh mung bean sprouts. I just didn't have any at the time I made this.

* To make it more kid-friendly using pasta, simply follow the kid instructions (and pictures) found on my stir fry recipe page.

* Oh, and a tip on that, too. After cooking the noodles, rinse them with cold water until they are completely cold. You can even refrigerate them. The trick with sauteing noodles is to have them chilled/cold. It works much better to prevent them from getting gooey or slimy. Once the noodles start sticking to the pan, you know they are done.

Boy Choy Saute with Scallions and Roasted Peanuts
By Ashlee Crozier

Ingredients:

6 cups baby bok choy, sliced (including all the greens on the top!)
1.5 cups cremini mushrooms, washed, and sliced fairly thick
4 large cloves of garlic
1/2 cup scallions, or green onions, sliced, including white parts.
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, no salt
1/3 cup soy sauce, or tamari
1/3 cup brown rice vinegar
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 -2 teaspoons sambal oelek, or other garlic chili paste (less if serving to kids, more if you like heat)
1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (really enhances flavor, but 1 tsp will do the trick)
Optionally, you could add 1 cup of fresh mung bean sprouts (I buy mine from Whole Foods Market)


Instructions:

For optimal flavor, use a large cast iron skillet.

Preheat skillet (cast iron or nonstick) on high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and spread them evenly over the bottom of the pan. Let them saute for at least five minutes while you prepare/chop the other ingredients. Mushrooms contain quite a bit of water so you don't need to cook them in oil; once you see that they are starting to release their water (they will appear wet), stir the mushrooms occasionally, and let them cook an additional 5-10 minutes, but watch them carefully so they don't burn. If at any point the pan is starting to smoke, and the mushrooms are sticking to the pan, you can add water in small amounts (1/4 cup or less) so that the mushrooms continue to saute in water. You don't want the mushrooms to be soggy or water-logged, so take it real easy on adding the water.

When the mushrooms have released all their water and are starting to stick to the pan, add the soy sauce, wait about 30 seconds, and then stir. This will caramelize the mushrooms in the soy sauce to give them flavor, and the soy sauce acts as a nonstick agent. Add the rice vinegar, chopped garlic, agave nectar, red chili paste, and scallions, including white parts. Stir, let saute for about 1 minute, and then add roasted peanuts.

Reduce heat to medium, or medium low. Add chopped bok choy, including the green leafy tops. Saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, but you want the bok choy to remain slightly crisp, so don't overcook it. Remove pan from heat, and stir in the 1-2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil. Toss to incorporate, and serve over warm brown rice.

For kid friendly, see my post on Asian vegetable pasta methods, using the same sauce as above and a fourth of the remaining vegetables.

Oh, and a tip on that, too. After cooking the noodles for your kids, rinse them with cold water until they are completely cold. You can even refrigerate them. The trick with sauteing noodles is to have them chilled/cold. It works much better to prevent them from getting gooey or slimy and sticking to the pan. Once the noodles start sticking to the pan, you know they are done. Remove from heat and serve.

The Perfect Pear; The Perfect Cleanse

I'm pretty sure I've had this green smoothie every day possible over the last two months.

Perhaps you have heard of Natalia Rose?

She is very famous for her raw, juiced green drink, called "Green Lemonade." A few of Paul's and my extended family members are currently doing a 100% raw juicing diet with green lemonade to successfully lose unwanted weight in a short period of time.

While I have also just discovered a new love for juicing lately; grapefruit orange juice, apple juice, carrot celery juice, etc. I have also discovered that kale does not juice very well, and most of it seems wasted.

As kale plays a major role in green lemonade, it seems tragic to see such small yeild of juice from such a power-packed nutrient, and almost heart-breaking to see so much kale thrown away into the trash after it has been juiced. (Even using the very popular and high quality Breville juicer; my personal fave).

I prefer to blend my greens, whole, to enjoy the whole plant, and this green smoothie is the closest "mime" to green lemonade that I have come across (thanks to my sister!).

Over Christmas break, it seemed that Paul, the kids and I were able to dodge a lot of "illness bullets." We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends, but it seemed like everyone was getting hit really hard with some kind of bug. Through it all, we somehow avoided getting the stomach flu, Norovirus, the cold, and other such ailments.

We thought we were out of the woods.

Until I got a sinus infection, which I have been prone to getting since I was little.

Did you suffer illness during the holidays? Or perhaps, you interacted with one too many sweets, and are ready for a cleanse. Maybe your Resolutions for 2013 include weight loss.

This Perfect Pear really is the perfect cleanse.

Because:

*It packs in a lot of greens
*It packs in a lot of cruciferous vegetables...
*...and cruciferous vegetables are known for their high nutrient density

According to Joel Fuhrman, and his book, "Super Immunity," if you want to avoid illness, or do everything you can to speed your recovery, you will consume a lot of cruciferous vegetables.

Examples of Commonly Found Cruciferous Vegetables:

* Kale
* Bok Choy
* Broccoli
* Cauliflower
* Collards
* Cabbage

Joel Fuhrman also says that in order to get the maximum benefit from cruciferous vegetables, it is best to have them lightly steamed, or raw, but pureed or finely chopped so that your body has easy access to the nutrients.

The Perfect Pear Smoothie has both kale, and bok choy, in their raw form! All blended up for a quick infusion of power-packed nutrients.

It's not super-sweet, but packed with greens. Cleansing is the idea, or good for weight loss or for just wanting to feel great. So don't expect it to taste like candy...However, despite the fact that it's not overpoweringly sweet, it is just about the juiciest green smoothie I have ever tasted. Pleasant, energizing, and very satisfying.

You can adjust the sweetness levels easily to your taste by adding more pear, or banana, or both.

The Perfect Pear
Adapted from Diana Stobo

Note from Ashlee: I found the most beautiful and delicious red Bartlett pears at Costco, that I have ever had. They were very large, and very sweet. I can't find them at Costco anymore, and seeing as how pear is the main sweetener/taste in this smoothie, I recommend you use either very ripe Bartlett or very ripe D'anjou pears. If they are small use two pears.

Ingredients

1½ cups water
1 large Bartlett pear, cored and stemmed (or 2 smaller pears, D'anjou pears work well!)
1 baby bok choy
3 celery stalks
3 large romaine lettuce leaves
3 large kale leaves (I add more like 6-8 leaves because I love greens)
1 banana
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup of ice (optional, but I think smoothies taste much better when cold, and ice helps blenders like Blendtec blend more efficiently.)

Directions

Add to your blender in the order shown, starting with water and ending with ice. Blend in high-speed blender for 60 seconds. Serve immediately.


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What I do to get a good picture sometimes!

While I was carrying the cutting board back into the house (through the snow) after this smoothie's photo shoot, the lemon started rolling off the board. I used my elbow to catch the lemon, and down went the green smoothie.

Luckily, I was able to use my torso as a lid for the top of the green smoothie and able to salvage most of it, but not without suffering some loss.

I was trying to get ready for our trip to Utah, so I just quickly wiped down my shirt and pants, and wore them during packing. Seeing a green, round stain, Essie and Paul both asked, "What did you get on your shirt?!"

Family Friendly Calzones...Or Pizza Pockets?

Cheesy. Creamy. Popping with flavor and pizza zang (my new word). Stuffed with healthy ingredients. The flavors meld together with warm pizza crust and marinara sauce.

It's been over three months, I am sure, since you asked me to make perfect these.

I've been thinking of your request, on and off, the whole time.

At first, it didn't seem like a difficult task. I had a basic recipe on hand that I had used for Calzones before.

But then.

I got to work on it.

And I realized I needed to rethink the recipe. The one I had on hand was good, but I felt that it was really not good enough. I wanted my kids to love it. Your kids to love it.

I basically, really, just wanna' see it gobbled up.

You've waited a long time. Never complained. Many times your comments, compliments, and encouragement have kept me going. You are a wonderful friend.

I know the challenges you face with trying to get your kids and hubby to really love eating plant based. Ah. Don't we all face some level of this challenge? Trying to get our families to enjoy eating healthier foods?

So I didn't take your request lightly. These Calzones needed to meet some high standards. I poured over books, brainstormed, consulted with other cooks.

Then I made a list of standards that these little Pizza Pockets had to live up to.

* Made with everyday, recognizable ingredients
* Kid-approved (and LOVED!)
* Nutrient dense (chock-full of healthy stuff)
* And still taste good
* No tofu (really? Tofu in my pizza? No thanks)
* Suitable for guests
* Easy (not an all day experience...or so-called, "labor of love")
* Only 2 or 3 main steps
* Variation-friendly (I provide a list of sauteed veg that would taste great as an add-in, or variation for toppings for the filling)

The standard of "No tofu" turned out to be a big deal. Most of my favorite cookbooks had recipes for Calzones, but inevitably, all of them used tofu as the main ingredient; throwing in a bit of spinach here and there for variety.

I just can't imagine handing an omnivore a tofu stuffed calzone, or even putting one in front of myself, and expecting myself or my lovely omnivore guest to want to eat said calzone. I like variations on tofu...but in my pizza???

And so. I have not forgotten you.

In fact, as soon as the right idea finally came to me yesterday, I was so excited I had all kinds of butterflies in my stomach. I was finally going to deliver what I had promised. I cannot tell you how badly I have wanted this moment to come.

Easy, home-made, pizza pocket goodness.

Have I told you lately? How much I care?

Because you and your friendship are SO. SO. WORTH IT!

The crust can be homemade, made in a bread maker, or store-bought. The marinara, or pizza sauce, likewise can also be homemade or store-bought. I use store-bought for ease and simplicity.

The filling takes as little time as it takes to put together a green smoothie.

With similar steps, and a short baking time. It contains 2 cups of artichoke hearts, and 2 cups of spinach. 3/4 cup of cashews, blended with lemon juice and seasonings make up the cheesy part of the recipe.

I will first show pictures, with detailed instructions and tips, and then show the posted recipe with the same detailed instructions below, for ease of keeping the information all together so that it can be copied, pasted, and printed. (I wish I had printable recipes option!)

The three main steps?

1.) Make pizza dough
2.) Make Creamy Artichoke Spinach Filling/Dip
3.) Put it all together and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, at 500 degrees.

Let's get started!

Assembling your Plant Infused Calzone:

When pizza dough is complete/ready, divide in half evenly. Rolling out only half of it at a time. Make sure to flour the surface so the dough doesn't stick.

After rolling/spreading it out into a smooth circle, I cut mine with a knife, on a smooth surface (my cutting board), into four equal parts.

Spread with marinara (or pizza sauce). I use Prego brand; use your favorite, or home-made.

Keep the sauce toward the center of the crust. You want dry edges so that they will fold and pinch together to seal the pockets/calzones.

Then, put about 3-4 tablespoons of pre-baked spinach artichoke filling on each calzone, again keeping it toward the center so that you have dry edges.

At this point, I would recommend adding in extra vegetables on top of the filling for the veg loving people in your life!

Some VEG Toppings that I think would work well:

* Sauteed, sliced mushrooms
* Sauteed, thinly sliced red onions
* Sauteed, thinly sliced red bell peppers
* Samuel loves black Olives, chopped or sliced
* Essie loves black beans in her pizza
* Roasted Green Chile...maybe? Sprinkled on top?
* Additional steamed, or sauteed, chopped spinach

Fold each calzone in half, bringing the two, straight matching edges together.

Then fold the matched edges; the bottom edge over the top edge, pinching the edges together at the same time, so it looks like this.

Just a tip: pinch really hard. That way it stays together. It's actually okay if it splits open a bit during cooking.

After the pocket is sealed, press gently down on the filling so that it fills up all spaces inside the pocket; evenly distributing the filling for savory, cheesy goodness in every bite.

With a spatula, and your hands, carefully transfer the folded, sealed calzones to a lightly oiled or nonstick baking sheet. You could probably also use parchment paper as a nonstick surface.

Repeat with the other half of the pizza dough.

Bake in a 500 degree pre-heated oven, for 12-15 minutes, until golden in color. Remove from oven, and optionally brush the tops with nondairy butter. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

SERVE, WITH A SIDE OF extra MARINARA SAUCE FOR DIPPING/DUNKING!

Spinach Artichoke Calzones
Modifications by Ashlee Crozier

Don't be frightened by the detailed instructions!

These are really, really easy, and quick to make. Especially if you have pre-made pizza dough, which, I do not frown upon.

Hey, make life easier.

Nor do I frown upon the use of store-bought marinara sauce. (I don't provide a recipe for marinara sauce, but you will need some for this recipe).


Pizza Dough for Bread Makers
(makes 2 lb size)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp. salt
2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
2 cups, scantly measured, white whole wheat flour
3 tsp. sugar
1 tablespoon gluten flour (optional, helps the dough to rise and be fluffier)
2 tsp. yeast

Combine all ingredients in your bread-maker, in the order listed. Set the bread-maker to the "Pizza Dough" setting (about 55 minutes) and push start.


Creamy Artichoke Spinach Dip
By Dreena Burton

A delicious, dairy-free artichoke and spinach dip made without any cream or cheese substitutes, and also without any oil.

Note from Ashlee: My kids love this as their filling for calzones, or as a dip. Either way, they gobble it up.

Ingredients

(serves 5-6)

3/4 cup raw cashews (unsoaked)
3/4 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk (I like almond or soy, but your choice)
2 1/2 - 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 medium-large cloves garlic (use less/more to taste)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp dry (ground) mustard
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups frozen artichoke hearts, partially thawed (helps for pulsing in blender)
2 cups (loosely packed) spinach leaves (I used frozen, heaping 2 cups, to get in more spinach)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425. In a blender, first add cashews, milk, lemon juice (I like the full 3 tbsp for tanginess), garlic, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. Blend until very smooth. (If using Blendtec (purrrrr) or other high-powered blender, this will only take a minute or so. If using a standard blender, keep blending until very smooth. Add artichokes and spinach and just PULSE through. Do not fully blend, keep some chunky texture! Transfer to an oven-proof baking dish, and bake for 17-20 minutes.

Remove and say ‘ahhhh’.

Assembling your Calzones:

Make Pizza Dough. While the dough is rising, prepare and bake Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Filling/Dip.

When dough is complete, divide in half evenly. Rolling out only half of it at a time, be sure to flour the surface so the dough doesn't stick.

I cut mine with a knife, on a smooth surface (my cutting board), into four equal parts. Spread with marinara (or pizza sauce); about 2-3 tablespoons of sauce for each calzone. I use Prego brand; use your favorite, or home-made. Keep the sauce toward the center of the crust. You want dry edges so that they will fold and pinch together to seal the pockets/calzones.

Then, put about 3-4 tablespoons (you can experiment with different amounts, to find what works for you) of pre-baked spinach artichoke filling on each calzone, again keeping it toward the center so that you have dry edges.

At this point, I would recommend adding in extra vegetables on top of the filling for the veg loving people in your life!

Some VEG Toppings that I think would work well:

* Sauteed, sliced mushrooms
* Sauteed, thinly sliced red onions
* Sauteed, thinly sliced red bell peppers
* Samuel loves black Olives, chopped or sliced
* Essie loves black beans in her pizza
* Roasted Green Chile...maybe? Sprinkled on top?
* Additional steamed, or sauteed, chopped spinach

Fold each Calzone in half, bringing the two, straight matching edges together. Then fold the matched edges; the bottom edge over the top edge, pinching the edges together at the same time, kind of how you would seal a double pie crust.

Just a tip: pinch really hard. That way it stays together. It's actually okay if it splits open a bit during cooking.

After the pocket is sealed, press gently down on the filling so that it fills up all spaces inside the pocket; evenly distributing the filling for savory, cheesy goodness in every bite.

With a spatula, and your hands, carefully transfer the folded, sealed calzones to a lightly oiled or nonstick baking sheet. You could probably also use parchment paper as a nonstick surface.

Repeat with the other half of the pizza dough.

Bake in a 500 degree pre-heated oven, for 12-15 minutes, or until golden in color. Remove from oven, and optionally brush the tops with nondairy butter. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

SERVE, WITH A SIDE OF extra MARINARA SAUCE FOR DIPPING/DUNKING!