The Crust Stops Here

Pizza -- A food that needs no introduction.

Perfect at anytime of the day.  Practically gourmet with a bottle of cab.  Definitely craveable at 3am and possibly essential in warding off the lingering demons of last night's innocent overindulgence.

When I'm not making a 3am stop at Ben's or Artichoke, homemade pizza seems to fall on the menu for the end of the week.  The toppings are usually a grab bag of leftovers in my fridge -- and anticipating a late night rendezvous at a participating establishment over the impending weekend, I aim to keep it as guiltless as possible. 

I always buy whole wheat pizza dough.  It's also the last thing I buy at Whole Foods in Union Square since it's conveniently located right near the checkout.  A few weeks ago I was headed to the register about to grab the goods and I noticed they were all out.  I let out a sigh and (and an internal "wtf?!") but decided I was getting my panties in a twist for no reason.  Whole Foods does not run out of whole wheat pizza dough.  It's not possible.  There was definitely a back up stash.

Off to the pizza station I went and wailed to the girl working there that there was no more whole wheat dough on the shelf.  She shook her head and confirmed my suspicion.  I could tell she sympathized with me and was instantly given a sample of their pizza made with whole grain dough.  We did the obligatory "how do you like it?, it's great, right?" -- and she told me she actually prefers it.  It tasted good to me, so I grabbed my dough and headed for "The Line Ends Here" sign at the front of the store.

When I finally made it home, I put some pizzas together and the result was pretty awesome.  Pizza girl was right!  The whole grain dough was lighter, chewier, and crispier than my beloved whole wheat.  I'm officially a convert.

Pizza #1:  Tomato Sauce, Spinach, Roasted Red Peppers, Red Onion, Fresh Mozzarella

Pizza #2:  Goat Cheese, Spinach, Grape Tomatoes, Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Pizza #3:  Tomato Sauce, Basil, Kalamata Olives, Fresh Mozzarella

Bean There, Done That

Beans, beans are good for your heart. They're also one of my favorite foods.  When you think of beans, you probably think of mexican or latin style grub, black or red, pretty cut and dry. Claro que no!  Beans come in tons of varieties (lima, garbanzo, pinto, kidney, fava, lentil, the list goes on!) and are an excellent source of protein.  Studies show that incorporating beans into your regular diet can prevent and lower the risk of developing certain kinds of cancer.

I came across this mouthwatering recipe last week (thank you Giada!) and decided it was one to make pronto. Two of my favorite beans PLUS cheese -- I'd say that's close to perfection.

This protein packed impossibly delicious, undoubtedly healthy dish can be eaten as a meal or as a side dish.  It takes less than five minutes to make, marries well with any meat or fish and it's as pretty as it is tasty.  Definitely a crowd pleaser!