Raw Pistachio Pesto with Zucchini Pasta

If you are looking for a delicious, satisfying, and healthy dinner this is it!! All healthy, vegan, gluten- free, and happens to be raw ingredients. This meal is packed with fiber, healthy fats from the pistachios and extra virgin olive oil, and many vitamins and minerals from both the zucchini and spinach. But do not worry it, tastes so good. This might sound a little weird the "noodles" made out of zucchini but gives a very nice, almost crunchy texture. This is super quick and easy and can be eaten as leftovers for days:) 

The Recipe: 

4 zucchinis

Pesto Sauce: 

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups pistachios

4 cups basil leaves, lightly packed

Juice of 2 limes, about 4 tablespoons

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Process garlic, salt, and pistachios into powder in food processor. Set Aside.

Pulse lime and basil in food processor. Add pistachio meal back into processor with olive oil. Process until mixed well. This pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

To make the noodles, cut off the tops and bottoms of each squash. I used a cheese grater function on my food processor but if you have a spiralizer that will work as well. 

Put noodles in a large bowl. Mix pesto and zucchini very well. The squash will release water and your pesto will mix become less thick and mix well with the noodles. Mix spinach with olive oil, and any citrus juice to taste. 

The Recipe:

Process garlic, salt, and pistachios into powder in food processor. Set Aside.

Pulse lime and basil in food processor. Add pistachio meal back into processor with olive oil. Process until mixed well. This pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

To make the noodles, cut off the tops and bottoms of each squash. I used a cheese grater function on my food processor but if you have a spiralizer that will work as well.
Put noodles in a large bowl. Mix pesto and zucchini very well. The squash will release water and your pesto will mix become less thick and mix well with the noodles. Mix spinach with olive oil, and any citrus juice to taste. Recipe adapted from Ani's Raw food kitchen cookbook (which has many good raw food recipes!)

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Caesar Pizza

In Seattle we are lucky to get sunny, "summer" days this time of year. So when the sun is out and it is nice enough to grill and eat outside we have to take advantage. We had to take advantage of this 70 degree day but wanted a light refreshing meal. This recipe is very simple and you can change the toppings to your liking, or if your having a party for everyone individually.  

I put tomatoes on one and chicken on the other. The pizza dough recipe was adapted from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook. They tasted excellent and we used the leftover crusts the next day as a type pita bread and dipped it in hummus.

The Recipe:

Dough

1 cup water, room temperature 

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for oiling the bowl

2 cups (11oz) bread flour, plus extra for the work surface- (I used all purpose but the bread flour has a higher gluten content so your dough will stretch better, which is what I recommend if you have it) 

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour (optional)

1 1/4 teaspoons table salt

1 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast

Toppings

(Like I said this is very very flexible depending on what you prefer) 

4 cups Romaine lettuce 

1 tomato 

1/2 red onion

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons caesar dressing (I use a yogurt based dressing- much better for you with less fat and calories but tastes the same!) 

1. For the dough: Combine the water and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a liquid measuring cup. Process      1 3/4 cup of the bread flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, salt and yeast in food processor (fitted with dough blade if possible) until combined, about 5 seconds. With the machine running, pour the oil and water mixture through the feed tube and process until the dough forms a ball, about 1 1/2 minutes. If after 1 1/2 minutes the dough is sticky and clings to the blade, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Lightly coat a medium bowl with oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in a warm spot until doubled in volume, 1 1/2-2 hours. 

2. When the dough has doubled, press down gently to deflate, turn the dough out into a work surface and divide into four equal pieces. With cupped palms, form each piece into a smooth, tight ball. Set the dough balls on a well-floured work surface. Press the dough rounds by hand to flatten; cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.  

3. Gently stretch the dough rounds into disks about 1/2 inch thick and 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Working with one piece at a time and keeping the rest covered, roll out each disk to a 1/8-inch thickness, 9 to 10 inches in diameter, on a well-floured sheet of parchment paper, dusting with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. (If the dough shrinks when rolled out, cover with plastic wrap and let rest until relaxed, 10 to 15 minutes.) Dust the surface of the rolled dough with flour and set aside. Repeat with the remaining dough, stacking the sheets of rolled dough on top of each other (with parchment in between) and covering the stack with plastic wrap; set aside until the grill is ready. 

4. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Dip a wad a paper towel into vegetable oil; holding the paper towel with tongs, oil the grill grates. Lightly flour a pizza peel; invert one dough round onto the peel, gently stretching is as needed to retain its shape (do not stretch too thin; thin spots will burn quickly). I did not have a pizza peel so I just inverted the pizza straight to the grill, hence the not perfectly round shape. Peel off and discard the parchment; carefully slide the round onto the hotter side of the grill. Immediately repeat with another dough round. Cook until the tops are covered with bubbles (pierce larger bubbles with a knife) and the bottoms have grill marks and charred spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the crusts to a cutting board, browned sides up. Repeat with the other two rounds. 

5. Brush the two crusts generously with the garlic oil. Return to the grill and cook until the bottoms are browned on the other side. 

6. The toppings: Chop the lettuce, tomatoes, red onion. Add vegetables, parmesan cheese and dressing to a bowl and mix well. Top each pizza with the salad and enjoy!