Pizza with a Socca Crust

Socca bread is a flatbread made from garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas), traditionally cut into cracker-sized pieces and used as an appetizer. It can be dipped into salsa or dip, topped with veggies and cheese, or served plain. As it turns out, socca also works as a really great gluten-free pizza crust!

Remember the quinoa pizza crust recipe? This one is equally simple and uses just four ingredients: garbanzo bean flour, cold water, olive oil, and salt. These two recipes are very similar; one uses quinoa and the other garbanzo bean flour. But in both recipes, you essentially throw the ingredients in the blender to mix, then pour the batter into a preheated cast iron skillet and you end up with some pretty spectacular pizza.

It's a toss up on which crust I like best... the quinoa crust or the socca. They are both really good. I have just been making pizzas based on whichever ingredient I happen to have more of at the time!

The recipe for socca pizza can be found in the Simply Sugar and Gluten Free cookbook. For my pizza sauce recipe and topping ideas, see my original pizza recipe. (Remember not to overload the socca crust with toppings so it doesn't turn soggy!)

Slaw Salad

Forget about boring old coleslaw. You're gonna want to make this instead. Why?

It has bacon in it.

Okay, now that I have your attention... (bacon... bacon... BACON BACON BACON...)

Here's what ya do. :)

Mix this dressing at least one hour ahead of time and refrigerate:

1 1/2 c mayonnaise
dash of pepper
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1/3 c palm sugar

Mix these salad ingredients in a large bowl:

1 bag slaw mix
1 bunch broccoli florets
1/4 c chopped onion
1/2 lb bacon, chopped and fried
1 c frozen peas

Toss the salad with the dressing and chill.

I got this recipe from my mom and tweaked it a little. It's a good one to take to a barbecue or picnic. But if we're just making it for ourselves, we eat it as the main dish. :)

Sesame Chicken Stir Fry

When I make this stir fry I think of our friends' garden.

We love spending time with our friends "Farmer Justin" and Katie and their kiddos! Z especially enjoys going to their farm. There are tractors and a four-wheeler, and strawberries you can eat right out of the garden, and goats, and rows of corn to harvest!

A couple years ago they sent us home with some fresh veggies from their garden, so I decided to throw all the veggies into a sesame chicken stir fry. It turned out very tasty. The few pictures I have are pitiful, so hopefully I'll remember to take better ones next time I make it! Lack of pictures won't stop me from sharing this recipe, though. We love this stuff. Use fresh veggies and herbs whenever possible!

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into one-inch pieces
3 c uncooked brown Minute Rice, cooked
olive oil
1 1/2 c string beans OR sliced green peppers
3 c chopped carrots
1/2 c chopped onion
1 1/2 c broccoli, chopped
1 1/2 c frozen peas
4 big garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp summer savory
1 tsp salt
1/4 c sesame oil
1 1/2 c spinach leaves

In a large wok, stir fry the chicken in a little olive oil over medium heat, until no longer pink in the middle. Remove chicken from the wok and set aside in a covered container. Add a little more olive oil to the wok, and stir fry the string beans, carrots, onion, broccoli, and peas over medium heat until tendercrisp. Stir in the chicken, garlic, all the seasonings, and the sesame oil. Cover to heat through. Add the spinach and stir fry another 3-5 minutes. Serve over cooked brown rice.