prosciutto and cherry pizza

This is a simple pizza made with some of my favorite ingredients. The salty, bitter and sweet flavors really work together!

Start with a basic pizza crust, homemade or store bought.

Drizzle some olive oil & garlic on the crust.
Top with:
Smoked Gouda Cheese
Arugula
Prosciutto
Cherry Chutney (can be found at whole foods, or specialty stores)
Bake until cheese melts, enjoy!

Thai Pita Pizza

Even though I feel like there is three mixed cultures in this dish, it's super yummy and easy.

I used chicken but you can use tofu, etc.
Cook chicken in a peanut sauce slow to keep it tender. Place aside. Heat up pitas in oven until crispy.

Top warm pita with peanut chicken, shredded carrots, smoked mozzarella, and cilantro. Place in oven until cheese melts, take out and top with avocados and a squeeze of lime.

Super Fresh Spring Salad

For this salad you can use whatever is in season. I used avacados, pineapple, cilantro, tomatoes (ok, not really in season), and garden fresh spinach. Toss this with a simple dressing of:
olive oil, lemon juice, splash orange juice, salt and pepper.

Polenta with Fresh Marinara

Start by cooking the polenta:
Chop 1 onion and garlic, saute until translucent. Add 3 cups stock and 1 cup milk or cream. Add 1 cup polenta and bring to boil while constantly stirring. Add shredded parmesan, salt and pepper. Place polenta in a lined pan and set in fridge to cool and form.

Marinara:
Cook olive oil, garlic, and onion. Add fresh chopped tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, fresh basil, salt and pepper. Serve atop warm polenta with parmesan.

Whole Wheat Crepes with Mushrooms and Asparagus

Start by cooking down chopped mushrooms in a pan, add small amount of butter, garlic and white wine. Let cook slowly until tender.

To make the crepes blend together:

• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 additional egg white

Heat up a pan with small amount of olive oil and place one ladle of crepe batter in pan and spread around , cook through, set aside.

Bechamel Sauce:

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In pot stir melt butter, add flour, then milk, etc. Stiring until boil and let thicken, can add favorite cheese to give it a great consistency and flavor.

Place mushrooms in crepe and top with sauce, serve with grilled asparagus.

Chicken Dumpling and Kale Soup

This is a pretty healthy soup that is quite easy to make. I started by mixing in a food processor the following:
• raw chicken
• onion
• garlic
• ginger
• carrots
• salt/pepper
Blend all together into a paste. Use small circle dumpling wrappers. Wet the edges of the wrapper and place the mixture inside. Press around the edges to seal. Place dumplings in a steamer and cook thoroughly.
For the stock:
• saute garlic, onion with olive oil
• add 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 tbs dark soy sauce
• chopped kale
let it all cook together.
When ready to serve place dumplings in bowl and spoon over stock and kale. Enjoy!

Roasted Squash and Vegetable Soup

This is a recipe my friend Anna came up with. Start by roasting two winter squash. In saucepan add:
Olive oil, chopped garlic and onion and saute.

Add chicken or vegetable stock, 1 can tomatoes, 1 can white beans, scrape out the squash. Add cumin and parsley. Add 1 tbsp butter to finish it off. Let simmer. Blend the soup to any consistency.