It's HOT!!! And I am still in the mood for pizza...

Okay, so it is hot and humid in the Philly area. It's so hot I probably could have left this pizza outside and it would have baked and had melted cheese.

Although I still am craving pizza, being in the kitchen long enough to make dough, let it rise, and punch it out just sounds too hot and exhausting. But, my mind can only think of using my tomatoes and basil for a fresh sauce. So I compromised, I used Traders Joe's whole wheat Mediterranean Flat Bread for crust. This only needs to go in oven for about 8 minutes to be crisp and perfect. I put it right on the rack while my Vitamix made the "sauce". I tossed cherry tomatoes, wedge of onion, clove of garlic, a few basil leaves, some olive oil, Himalayan Sea Salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning in the Vitamix and used the variable speed until it was just blended but still chunky. I pulled out the crispy flat bread and topped it with a little bit of Daiya Mozzarella and then the tomato mixture. I baked it just long enough for the cheese to start to melt. My second pizza's (not pictured) were in a little longer so the cheese was completely melted. I just was so hungry I couldn't bear the extra minute.

I served these along side a perfect salad that was 75% from my garden. And to begin and finish out Friday night feast was a cool and refreshing organic Chardonnay spritzer with fresh wedges and lemon and lime.

Vegan Chik'n Salad Sandwich

Trader Joe's High Protein Spouted Bread toasted with a thin spread of Nayonaise piled high with my own garden fresh red and yellow tomatoes, onions, organic spring mix, and my totally chicken free chik'n salad make this lunch a star. If I would have had "Facon" and sprouts I would have had that on here too.

My vegan chik'n salad could definitely fool omni's, it is incredible.

I'm in the mood for... Pizza

Okay, it's summer and pizza is not exactly bathing suit friendly, but sometimes an Italian girl has to have her fix, Gabi-sh?

To keep it healthy and light I try to always make my crust from whole wheat flour and spread it thin. On these two I only had enough left over sauce for 1 pie. So what to do? Oh yeah, I will go to my garden overflowing with Basil and make a creamy pesto sauce instead. Top it with grilled squash from my garden, roasted peppers and olives. My other pizza was a little more traditional with sauce, vegan mozzarella, olives, mushrooms and caramelized onions.

Both baked up crisp on the bottom and perfectly melted on top.

They were so good that I serve them with a huge salad just to not over eat.

Which one's your favorite?

This post is making me hungry for pizza again.....back to the garden......

Vegan Grilled Chick'n and Veggies on Crusty Bread

I know I am way behind on posting. I will catch up over the next few days. It has been a little crazy around here for a few weeks. Anyway, back to the sandwich...

I started with a crusty baguette drizzled with garlic seasoned olive oil and toasted slightly. Then I grilled eggplant, red and green peppers, red onions, and zucchini in a tiny bit of olive oil and seasoned with a pinch of pink Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper. When the veggies were perfect, I cooked Gardein Chick'n in the veggie pan along with some reduced imported balsamic vinegar. I layer all of these on the bread with some halved marinated artichokes, fresh vegan sliced mozzarella, garden ripe tomatoes and fresh picked basil. PERFECTION! My husband also likes chopped Greek olives mixed in. These flavors are wonderful together. Try it, you will not be disappointed.

Happy Father's Day

To celebrate our Father's Day we had a picnic outside on the patio in the hot and humid weather. But we kept cool under the shade canopy and alternating dips in the pool's refreshing water.

Because the weather was so hot I wanted to keep the meal simple to cook yet not sacrifice the type of hearty meal we are used to at gatherings.

Simple Menu:

Vegan Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches in Homemade Gravy

Topping choices of Daiya Mozzarella, Fried Peppers, and Horseradish.

Sides of Homemade Vegan Potato Salad with fresh herbs from the garden.

Grilled sugar sweet Corn on the Cob.

Kettle Cooked Potato Chips.

Homemade Avocado, Grilled Corn, and Cilantro Salsa severed with Brown Rice Chips.




AND DESSERT...My very first time creating... Vegan Lemon Tartlets topped with Vegan Whipped Cream and Mixed Cherry Berries gently sweetened with Agave Nectar.






Dessert was definitely the hit of the meal. Fresh with sweet and tart notes of citrus and berry.

Vegan Philly Cheese Steak for Lunch

As cold as the winters can be and as humid as the summers are, I love the Philadelphia area for is best know Italian Sandwiches. All I have to do is open a menu for inspiration. Nothing beats a Philly roll. Hands down the best, and I am not just saying that because I sell them. You could put anything on these rolls and it makes it taste better. Anyway, back to the cheese steak at hand, I love adding peppers, mushrooms, onions, Daiya mozzarella and cold hot peppers, lettuce and tomato. For the meat I sauté Gardein beefless tips in my own secret marinade. I have fooled many cheese steak lovers into believing these are the real thing!

If you are reading this, I would love to know what you think...

My Garden

I have several gardens around the house. The fist one is my classic Italian garden that includes 5 varieties of tomatoes, 5 varieties of peppers, 2 kinds of parsley and several varieties of basil and to remind me Grandmom, mint.









My second garden is a raised bed with parsley, basil, lemon balm, tarragon, marjoram, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, fennel, radishes, green beans, 2 kinds of cucumbers, and a few tomato plants that came up on their own from last years seeds.





My 3rd garden is new this year, and came about due to my love for eggplant and squash and their love to takeover my gardens. They are huge. About 4' wide and 3' tall with tons of blossoms and four 6" squash already. There is also winter squash on the other side of the fence.








There are flowers abound the whole house, here are some of my creations...