Crispy Flatbread Pizzas

I've been trying to find a good recipe for a quick pizza dough without the rise time when working with yeast. I can be patient, but my kids, not so much. So I came up with a two-in-one solution using my home made tortillas. By rubbing a little olive oil over them, it makes the edges crisp up just like a pizza. I like thin cracker-like crust anyway, so this worked PERFECTLY. With the tortillas already made, this recipe takes 30 minutes or less! I usually spend weekends restocking my pantry with our home made staples like the tortillas, granola, crackers, almond milk etc... so I typically have them on hand most of the time. Everyone got to have exactly what they wanted on their pizza which was a big win. Serve it with a salad and you're done!

 I used my cashew cream as a vegan alfredo and it was delicious. I like to make vegetables the star of my pie so I just loaded on sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini, quartered grape tomatoes and a giant pile of arugula. I drizzled the whole thing with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Then I crumbled up some chunks of fresh mozzarella. It's really flavorful and you don't have to load up on the heavy shredded stuff. It makes this pizza light and tasty while still getting that bubbly brown on top.

Bake this at 450 for 10 - 12 minutes, rotating it halfway through the cooking time. You can get super creative with toppings and flavor combinations. Experiment and have fun with it. Let your kids make their own by setting out bowls of toppings. They will love that.

Get the recipe for the whole grain tortillas here and the cashew alfredo here.

ENJOY!

Whole Grain Tortillas

Sometimes I just feel like an old fashioned recipe. You can still have healthy foods without going vegan or gluten free. I think it's important to realize the language of our health depends on the signals we receive from our body. It will always let us know when something isn't right. Listen to the way you feel after you eat. Are you tired or cranky afterwards? Do you get headaches or feel abdominal discomfort? These are the important questions. Though gluten is considered inflammatory even in small amounts, some of us are less sensitive and will tolerate it without much interruption. Moral of the story is: Experiment with foods and combinations. Deepen the dialogue between your mind | body connection and make notes. You are on your way to writing your own food signature.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup unbleached organic white flour
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons filtered water
1|2 teaspoon sea salt

DIRECTIONS
Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle. Pour in the water and olive oil. Mix with a spoon until everything is just combined. Do not over mix this step. Keep a dish of flour on your workspace where you'll be rolling the dough. You'll need a rolling pin and a dough scraper or a metal spatula.

Lightly flour a clean surface. Knead the dough about 15 times until it becomes uniform and stretchy. Keep dusting your hands and the counter with just enough flour to keep it from sticking to everything. Kneading dough is simple if you have never done it before. Make a ball and with the base of your palm, press into it and spread it in all directions. Pull one side over to meet the other and press it into a ball again. You are literally stretching and activating the gluten. It takes a little elbow grease but it isn't hard once you get going. You'll know it's ready when you push on it and it bounces back. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

Take a dough scraper or a knife and cut it into 8 sections. These are your tortillas. Roll each one into a ball and start rolling it out gently in all directions, creating a fairly uniform circle about 1|8 inch thin. Cook them in a lightly oiled pan for 2-3 minutes on both sides. They should start to brown a little. After they have cooled, you can store them in a plastic bag in your refrigerator. I reuse old bread bags. They work perfectly. I have made a million different things with these. Check out the flat bread pizza I did recently here. It was delicious!

ENJOY!

Kombucha Home Brewing Workshop 2 + 3

In September, I taught my second home brewing workshop in Norman at Scissortail School of Art. My good friend Lindsey is the owner there and she allows me access to her studio for shows and classes. She also rents the studio for art - themed birthday parties and private events. It's perfect for kids. Check out her site for a little tour and to contact her for bookings.

We had an intimate gathering of ladies that afternoon for a quaint discussion on the art of home brew and women's health. I was encouraged by the fact that I did not know any of them. We created new friendships and continued the ongoing conversation about creating our tribal intersection through modern culture. We sipped on flavors of my personal elixir and snacked on tasty, healthy treats. It was pretty perfect.

I'm happy to announce that I've been invited to teach another workshop in December at the new Native Roots Market location in downtown OKC. This will be the first workshop for the city. You can get the details and see the event flyer below.

I always bring four different and unique flavors of my personal home brew to sample. You can get a taste of the variations at your direction when you do it yourself. Controlling the flavors, herbs, acidity, carbonation and nutritional profile are all part of perfecting your elixir. Taking ownership of the ways in which we heal ourselves puts us in the driver's seat of optimum wellness. We are creating our personal lifestyle brands and signatures, writing and editing success stories as we go.

We also passed around SPIDER CIDER and discussed the symbiotic benefits to having that and kombucha flowing through our bodies every day. They both regulate PH and keep our digestive and immune systems firing in top form.

Though kombucha is made from green or black tea, I have been experimenting with Hibiscus flowers. They're really beautiful in their dried form and contain a natural bright pink dye that turns the tea and the culture pink.

This is raw kombucha culture. The round one was made with Hibiscus. It is not actually a mushroom though it is commonly referred to as one. Because it ferments, it falls under the science of Mycology, which is the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans. Consider the the implications of penicillin and it's antibiotic properties. The same activity is present in the tea made from kombucha.

The next workshop is scheduled for Sunday, December 1 at Native Roots Market, located at 131 NE 2nd Street in downtown Oklahoma City. I'm bringing some tasty appetizers from my garden to table menu and seasonal flavors of home brew to sip on. Attendants get to take home starter culture and literature with complete brewing, bottling, flavoring and safety guidelines. Starter kits will be available for purchase separately. They include everything you need to start brewing immediately.

Space may be limited. If you would like to pre-register and save your spot, you may do so through Pay Pal by posting your payment to redmagnetic@gmail.com. Cost is $40. You can RSVP, ask questions, get directions and additional details on the Facebook event page here.

Join us and bring a friend!

Photos by Keisha Register and Greer Inez.

Herbed Seed and Nut Crackers

The philosophy behind Urban Homesteading is to find a balance between what we consume and what can make ourselves. We all know that our food is fresher in taste and quality when prepared in our home kitchens. The ritual itself eliminates the need for preservatives and reduces consumer packaging, meaning less waste, more sustainability. Though it's more time consuming than hopping over to the store, I think you'll find that carving out a little time to make something yourself will leave you with a feeling of pride and accomplishment. What have we sacrificed in order to maintain our health? A little television time? Compulsively checking email? I have no doubt that everyone leads a busy life in one way or another so what I'm getting at is, find a time when you can devote an hour or so to creating something delicious and healthy for yourself and your families. It will inspire you to share your success with others which in turn creates a higher consciousness in communities as we inspire, lift up and co-author our lives together. 

 These crackers are really high in plant based protein, omegas and fiber. The addition of fresh herbs greatly enhances their artisan like quality and makes them really good with a cheese plate, fresh tomatoes, other nut cheeses and spreads.

This is yet another recipe where I get to use my almond meal in place of flour for a gluten free pastry like cracker that is light and fragrant. The sesame seeds make it really nutty and the cashews have a creamy note. I use flax and chia meal in just about everything possible, which is really easy to make yourself. You can buy the whole seeds and put them into a coffee bean grinder or small food processor. If you don't have either of those, they are also available in powder form.

Picking fresh herbs for a meal is so satisfying. It's really worth the investment to start a kitchen garden. These herbaceous perennials are my constant companions. Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano and Lavender are evergreen so I get to use them all year long. Other tender herbs like Basil, Cilantro and Parsley only grow as an annual in Oklahoma. These can still be enjoyed in small pots indoors during cold weather, and pinched until spring when they can be transplanted outside again.

You can also preserve the delicate flavor of herbs by chopping them and making herbal vinegars or infused oils which makes a great marinade for vegetables, chicken and fish. Another easy way to keep them over the winter is to fill ice cube trays half full and top with olive oil. Wrap with a few layers of plastic wrap and they can be thawed quickly in a saute pan or soup.

I love this miniature chef's knife. Perfect for herbs and tiny things. Rosemary goes through a secondary flowering in the fall and puts on little purple blooms that make a pretty garnish for your dish when you are plating up.

This dough is made in the food processor, then wrapped in plastic and chilled in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight. It's so beautiful and simple with flecks of green herbs and sesame seeds running through it.

After you take your dough out of the refrigerator, put it between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1|8 inch thin. Thicker than that, the crackers won't be as crispy and thinner than that, they will fall apart and can't retain their cracker shape. I like the irregular edges.

Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut the dough into what ever shape you like. You can do triangles or rectangular bistro style cuts. There is no real science to this part. Do letters or hearts with a cookie cutter - have fun!

The aroma of these cooking is quite heavenly. I love cooking smells in the home. It's always been a source of comfort for me. I come from a long line of green thumbs and homesteaders. These sensory images are something I have always known.

INGREDIENTS
1|2 cup almond meal
1|2 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons flax|chia meal
1|3 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano or a combination of them
1|2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons filtered water

DIRECTIONS
Combine the almond meal, cashews and flax meal in a food processor and pulse until it is evenly ground. Add the sesame seeds, herbs, half of the sea salt, maple syrup and the coconut oil until combined. Add the water a little at a time until everything starts to stick together. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for a minimum of one hour or up to overnight.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and put it between two pieces of parchment paper. Roll it out to 1|8 inch thick. Cut the crackers into a desired shape. Using a sharp edged spatula or pastry knife, gently lift the crackers up and place them 1|4 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the crackers 12-14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cook time. The edges should be toasted, light brown and crispy. Sprinkle the remaining sea salt on top upon removing. Let cool completely.

Serve these with the Lemon Rosemary Cashew Cheese or your favorite hummus. I think they would be good with any kind of creamy addition and of course fresh tomatoes. Add them to a fruit and cheese plate for the holidays or serve with a hearty soup. The possibilities are endless!

ENJOY!!

Choco - Nut Granola Bars

These high protein granola bars are rich in fiber and antioxidants and fall low on the glycemic index. It's basically like making the Maple Almond Granola with a couple of minor adjustments. There is room for many optional embellishments of course. Dried fruit, your favorite nuts and seeds, cacoa nibs, chocolate chips and coconut all work well. Typically, I'm a kitchen sink kind of gal and I want to put some of everything inside, but I have a picky nine year old to contend with so I have to find a happy middle between us. That struggle is getting much easier the older he gets, and for the simple fact that I am consistently having him try new things. The secret behind that is to keep offering. His issue is texture, not taste. He stays acclimated to different things as long as I continue to put it in front of him. We have a two bite rule that satisfies both my need for him to be open to new things, and his need to exercise his personal preferences - all without leaving my ego wounded. Some people just don't like nuts. I get that. So I get crafty and start sneaking in almond meal and chia powder instead, waiting until he says he likes them so that I can reveal my delicious, deceptive success.

These bars are something between chewy and crispy. The top has a little crunch but the inside is kind of like a rice crispy treat. After they cool, you can cut them into whatever sizes you like. Bars and squares both have their place.

The most superior form and origin of chocolate is cacao which refers to the raw, unprocessed bean. You can find them lightly sweetened or slightly bitter. Raw cacao is certainly a SUPERFOOD which you hear me talk about all of the time. The antioxidants are extremely high in this form and the trace minerals are undeniably awesome. Antioxidants are those wonderful anti-aging compounds that preserve the integrity of cell tissues and destroy free radicals. Blood is the purifying fuel of the human body. Contrary to the general notion that it is a liquid, blood is actually a flowing tissue. Raw cacao also contains powerful flavanoids that greatly improve cardiovascular function and decrease the oxidation of LDL, which is the bad cholesterol. The kind that deposits fat into the bloodstream and eventually clogs the arteries of the heart with plaques. Processed, artificially sweetened commercial chocolate is not even the same animal. It contains little to no nutritional benefits and there is hardly any cacao left in it, making it mostly made of sugar which is inflammatory. I'll be honest, it's an acquired taste at first. You can start gradually by substituting dark chocolate for all of the milk in your pantry. Choose an organic one that is responsibly grown and harvested with a minimum of 55% cacao. The flavor is delicious, rich, and intense. It will set you on the course to eliminating processed sweeteners, I'm confident.

I cut a few into small squares for my kids' lunches and afternoon snacks. These are perfect for a day hike or an airplane snack, wrapped in a little parchment or brown paper and tied with string. They make an easy grab and go pick up. I just throw a couple in my purse when we are running errands or spending time in the car. Use plastic wrap if you're going to store them for a few days. This recipe makes eight large bars. Wait until they have cooled before you cut them. They keep at room temperature for a week or two, if they last that long.

                     

INGREDIENTS
1 1|4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup crisp brown rice cereal
3|4 cup dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, cherries or mango
1|2 cup slivered or chopped almonds
1|2 cup coarsely chopped cashews or walnuts
1|4 cup optional slot - cacao or chocolate, sunflower or sesame seeds, pecans or shredded coconut
1|2 cup sweetener such as brown rice syrup or honey or maple syrup
1|2 cup vanilla protein powder or green powder
1 tablespoon filtered water
1 tablespoon flax and|or chia powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1|4 teaspoon sea salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the oats, almonds and cashews on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until just barely toasted, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool. Turn the heat down to 300.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sweetener, water, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Add the toasted oats and nuts, the rice cereal and protein powder, and stir until everything is coated. Stir in the dried fruit and the optional ingredients.

Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal. Scrape the granola mixture into the center. Using a large spoon or your fingers, press everything down compact and spreading it to the edges and corners. Wetting the spoon or your fingers with warm water will help with the stickiness. Bake until the top is toasted, 23 to 25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool completely. Pull up on the parchment to remove the block in one piece and cut into eight bars of equal size or into smaller squares. If you are going to eat them later, wrap with plastic. They will keep about a week or so.

ENJOY!