Polenta Pizza

Happy Friday! Today I decided that I'd share my go to gluten free pizza recipe with you, rather than a baked good. Growing up in my house (and in most of my hometown) Friday night was always pizza night! We've found an amazing gluten free pizza option at Stone Hearth, but ordering out every Friday gets expensive pretty quickly. Thus, I've developed an easy gluten free option. We've made standard pizza crusts using gluten free flour, but unless you buy the perfect flour, these can get really frustrating to roll out. So instead, I developed a recipe that omitted the rolling step because after a stressful, busy week, the last thing I want on a Friday night is to be frustrated by a pizza crust.

As an added bonus, I'll be profiling polenta as a Great Grain! Polenta is a corn-based gluten free grain. Polenta, cornmeal, grits... these are all the same grain, just ground slightly differently and marketed under a different name! I've found that "polenta" is the most expensive, followed by "grits," with "cornmeal" being the cheapest option. So this is what I've started using almost exclusively. Cornmeal can be found at most grocery stores, whereas polenta can be a bit trickier to find. For every 100 calories, this grain contains 2g of protein and 2g of fiber, providing the lowest amounts of these nutrients of any grain that's been profiled thus far. It offers modest amounts of iron, thiamin, and niacin. Cornmeal is lacking in the essential amino acid lysine. (Which is curious, because corn is supposedly rich in lysine. I'll have to look into this further.) To combat this inadequacy, I add nutritional yeast, which is a complete protein, to my polenta. Additionally, if you make your polenta pizza with real cheese, most cheese is rich in lysine so you'll be getting your essential amino acids anyways!

Polenta Pizza

For the Polenta 

3/4c cornmeal, polenta or grits
2 or 3T nutritional yeast
1t garlic
1T dried basil
2c water 

Toppings  
(These are suggestions, you can put whatever you'd like on your pizza!)

3 large tomatoes, sliced
2 sprigs of basil, leaves only
1 ball of fresh mozarella (or if you do not eat dairy, Daiya is the tastiest vegan cheese & is found at Whole Foods)

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2.  Combine all polenta ingredients in a saucepan on the stove. Heat over high, stirring constantly. Once the mixture starts to stick together, turn off the heat. 
3. Spread the polenta mixture evenly in the bottom of a greased 9" pie pan.
4. Add your toppings, the above is a suggestion for a margherita pizza, but you can go crazy!
5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
6. Let cool for 30 minutes to let the polenta crust set. (I am usually impatient so I cut it right away and it comes out more like a lasagne... if you want a slice that you can lift, you have to wait!)

Recovery Tips from the Pros

I've been wanting to write this post for a while, but for some reason, I procrastinated the actual writing part. To be honest, I was searching patent literature rather than writing this... I think probably it's because my expertise in the matter of recovery stems from a magical period of my life that thinking about sometimes still feels a little like salt in a fresh wound. For those of you who don't know, I spent most of the summer of 2009 at the Caspersen Olympic Training Site in Princeton, training and making the senior national rowing team. I represented the USA in the women's lightweight quad and won a bronze medal at the World Championships. This was all right after I passed my qualifying exams to become a PhD candidate at MIT. I was truly living the dream. A few months later, I got badly injured and was never able to return to that level of competition. It still hurts.

Anyways, when you are at the training center, it is absolutely critical that you are at your best every day, for every practice, and that you never show any weakness. If you're not at your best, someone else will be and that someone else will take your place on the team. From my time "living the dream", I learned that you have to take your recovery just as seriously as your training, and I learned a ton of tricks to make sure that my legs felt fresh every day! This isn't a super scientific post, it's what I think (from experience) are the most effective means to make sure that you're at your best for your next training session or race.

Contrast Showers: I used these half-heartedly during the world championships since no tub was available, but really fell in love with them this year. Now they are my favorite recovery trick for the summer time. Basically, it's what it sounds like: You alternate between 1 minute of hot water (as hot as you can stand it) and 1 minute of cold water (as cold as you can stand it). I do this for the duration of my shower, so that it's very efficient multi-tasking. The idea here is that during the cold bouts, your blood (which is full of the waste compounds from your hard workout) rushes out of your limbs and to your core, to support life. Fresh blood travels back to the limbs during the warm bouts. (This is better for summer or indoor workouts, as it helps bring your core temperature down. Once the temperature dropped below 60F, I got too cold for this to be effective.)

Compression Socks: They sell a lot of fancy, expensive compression socks and tights for recovery, and this is because they definitely help! Compression socks are my favorite trick for recovering during the colder months, or for keeping your legs fresh while driving to a race. I've tried more expensive versions, but my favorites are these $5 socks that you can get at your local drug store. Basically, the idea here is that you're compressing your lower legs to prevent the blood (with waste products from your workout) from pooling and to help your legs recirculate the blood.

Legs up the Wall: This literally drains the blood out of your legs, which takes the built up toxins with it so that when you stand up, fresh blood rushes in. I stay like this for 30 minutes, but some of my friends can get the effect in less time.

Ice Baths: We all know that icing an injury helps bring down inflammation, right? The idea here is the same, with the added benefit that all of your blood will rush out of your legs and into your core for survival. Thus it will be replaced by fresh blood once you warm up. Professional athletes use extreme versions of cryotherapy but we can get a similar effect by filling our bathtubs with cold water, adding 2 bags of ice, and sitting there for 20 minutes. Make sure to put on a warm fleece or jacket and hat while your sitting in the tub to prevent actual hypothermia. If your body temperature still hasn't returned to normal an hour after you get out of the tub, you may want to take a warm shower to get things flowing again. I always have to do this because I get really cold!

Sleep: This seems obvious, but it needs to be said. Everyone's needs are different, but you'll perform better if you're getting 8 hours of sleep. Or more if you're trying to recover from a really tough race or training session! I took a nap every afternoon while I was at the training center, and still take naps every day of multi-day races. 

Proper Nutrition: There is a "magic window" in the hour after you work out, where your body utilizes the food you give it to actively rebuild the damage that you've inflicted. After that time, the calories are used less effectively. During your magic hour, it's best to consume both carbohydrates and protein, preferably in a 2.5 to 1 ratio. There are also many papers that suggest that cherry juice can help with the recovery process.

Anyways, those are the tricks that I think help the most. Lately, I've been making smoothies right when I get back from my rides, to jump start my recovery with a tasty elixir containing carbohydrates and protein in a 2.5 to 1 ratio. I keep it simple and I think the antioxidants in the blueberries help!

Super-Simple Recovery Smoothie

1c frozen blueberries 

1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder (should be ~12g protein. I like using a mixture of hemp/ pea/ rice protein, but I'm still working on figuring out my preferred brand)

1c almond milk (or coconut milk for the medium chain triglycerides)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add additional milk or water if you like a thinner smoothie. Enjoy and recover well!

Kale Chips

Guys, today I need your help! The Virtual Vegan Potluck is approaching and I have no idea what I should send in! I need to create a new recipe for it, and I'm stuck as far as which course I'm best at... I was thinking I'd create either an entree or dessert. Thus far, I feel like my most creative recipes were my Savory Squash Pie and my White Bean Gingerbread Blondies. To that end, I was thinking I might create another supper pie? Or maybe another bean dessert? I was even thinking to keep it classic and make a soy-free pumpkin pie (bean based) but I think that recipe would be overlooked in its simplicity. And should I use the featured ingredient, beets? What recipes have you liked best and would like to see more of? I'd love your input!

While you're thinking about that for me, I'll give you some food for thought... kale chips. Kale is a real superfood, delivering a ton of fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamins A, C and K. Kale also contains a ton of polyphenols and carotenoids, which are potent antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals. The best part is, kale chips are wildly simple to make in your oven, no dehydrator necessary! The chip form is a great way to enjoy this superfood, especially if you're craving a crispy, salty snack. The only problem with the oven-made version is that it doesn't stay crispy in storage, so you'll just have to eat them all at once. I promise that won't be a problem with these chips! More often than not, we have to make a second batch because the first batch disappears so quickly.

Kale Chips

1 bag kale

splash olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350F. Throw the kale in a bowl, splash some olive oil on top and add some salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Transfer to a greased baking sheet  and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5. Remove from the oven when crispy, and watch carefully because they are not as delicious when they are burnt!

As you can see, kale chips are even hammy approved! My hamster, Bijou, ate the chips with such enthusiasm that I couldn't even steal a picture of her stuffing her cheeks with them. The raw kale took her longer to deal with.

Pumpkin Curry

It's finally documented... my love for pumpkin is getting a little bit out of control! Today I'm sharing a super-easy pumpkin curry recipe. This is a great weeknight dinner, and leftovers store really well, so if you're cooking for a family, you can double the recipe and take leftovers with you for lunch for a few days. (If you're only cooking for one or two... you'll have plenty of leftovers as is.) I love this recipe because it tastes very authentic, using only a few spices that you can buy at a regular grocery store. Usually, when I try to make Indian, I can tell that I've made the sauce since the spice balance isn't quite right. Now all I need to find is a recipe for naan... don't worry, I will share when I do.

I choose to use chickpeas as the protein source in this recipe (I imagine that lentils would work well too, if you don't have chickpeas) and for that reason, I'll take the time to highlight them as a Laudable Legume. In 1/4c dry, you'll find 6g of fiber and 8g of complete protein. Chickpeas are also a great source of manganese, folate, and iron. Additionally, they are probably the most universally loved legume: I don't know anyone who doesn't like hummus and falafels!

Pumpkin Curry

1 can pumpkin puree
1 can light coconut milk
1 can chickpeas, washed & drained
1 package frozen spinach (or 1 package frozen peas also works very well)
1 potato, peeled and cubed (this can be omitted if you're really trying to get dinner on the table quickly!)
1/4c raisins
1/4c walnuts (can be omitted if you're allergic to nuts)
1T (yellow) curry powder
1T turmeric
1T cinnamon
1t crushed red pepper flakes
1t garlic

Peel potato and cut into cubes. Place in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, start your rice. Mix pumpkin, coconut milk and spices in a large pot. Use a whisk to combine thoroughly. Taste and add more spice based on your preferences. Once the sauce is appropriately seasoned, add chickpeas, spinach (or peas), potatoes (when ready), raisins, and walnuts. Cover and let simmer until vegetables are cooked and infused with curry flavor (~15 minutes). Serve over brown rice. Enjoy!

My apologies for the picture... the curry was gone before I had a chance to take another!

(White Bean) Gingerbread Blondies

Since my black bean brownies were such a smashing hit, my mind got rolling as to how else I could create a crazy dessert with the taste of decadence and the nutritional profile of a superfood. Last time, I had questions on how to best make the brownies without peanut butter, since that is a very common allergen. I also had a friend who had a hard time finding black beans in Europe, but did have white beans, so this recipe is for you guys! From those comments, I accepted my challenge to make an equally delicious dessert using white beans and no nuts.

This is a kind of crazy recipe because I've never actually had a blondie... why on earth would I have wanted a blondie when I could have a brownie?! However, I am no stranger to gingerbread and my love of molasses has only grown over the years. It was when I was anemic, that my love for molasses was really solidified. Did you know that 1 tablespoon of good molasses has 20% of your daily value of iron, more potassium than a banana, and is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, manganese and magnesium? This is because when cane sugar is processed, molasses is the last cut in the refining process. Just like my recrystallizations in the chemistry lab, first comes the pure white sugar crystals, then comes the slightly less pure light and then dark brown sugars, and finally when there are so many impurities (i.e. nutrients) left that it will no longer crystalize, you get the molasses. Because of this refining process, impurities other than the nutrients will concentrate in molasses so care should be taken to buy good, organic molasses. And you know this is true because, well, this is the first time I've suggested specifically that you should buy something organic. (If you're in Cambridge, Whole Foods has a big bottle of the good stuff for $8.99, which should last you a long time so is well worth the money.)

(White Bean) Gingerbread Blondies

2c white beans (navy beans are best)

1/4c brown sugar

1/4c molasses

1T cornstarch

1/2t baking soda

1/4t vanilla

cinnamon and cloves to taste

1T uncrystalized candied dried ginger*

Preheat oven to 375F. In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process until you don't feel the chunks of dried ginger banging around, which will take a few minutes. Taste your batter and add more brown sugar if you feel it's necessary. (You probably want to add an additional tablespoon brown sugar if you're using dried ginger, rather than the candied.) Transfer to a greased 9"x9" square pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. (these take much longer than the brownies) Enjoy your gluten free, vegan, nut-free, and highly nutritious dessert!

*If you love ginger and want these to have a very potent ginger flavor, add up to 1/4c candied, dried ginger. If you aren't a ginger lover or if you don't have candied dried ginger on hand (it can usually be found at Trader Joe's although the sugar-coated version would likely make this recipe too sweet), you can use regular fresh or dried ginger.

A Tale of Two Rides, Pumpkin Syrup, and Pie-Style Apples

It was a low key, but busy as ever weekend! We started off our weekend right, with the same brunch as last weekend: waffles, with pie-style apples and pumpkin syrup (recipe included!). Other than that, I spent my weekend riding, while my fiancé relaxed and erged. My two rides were about as different as different can be! Saturday, I went on a short, two hour trail ride on my cross bike. I wanted to go for longer, but my tolerance for being bounced around on the trails is still quite low, so it seemed like I was riding for a long time. In addition to being in the woods, the weather was stunning. It was 70F and sunny, I was riding in a short-sleeved jersey and shorts!

Can't believe I was able to ride my bike through this!

Sunday, the temperature dropped and I woke up to a cold, light rain. The plan for today's ride was to ride out to Sterling MA, to check out an amazing crit course that I'm hoping will become part of the XPot 2014 ECCC Road Race weekend! I anticipated to be a 90 mile round trip on the road and convinced one of my friends (who is a great triathlete!) to come with me. Temperatures were in the 40s and as we got further away from the city, the rain turned to a light snow. Nothing was sticking, so we bravely fought on. After a few wrong turns, it became clear that we'd be doing a century ride! I haven't done a century ride in a while, but each 100 mile ride I've done has been very special and fun. By the afternoon, the skies had cleared and I believe that we found the greatest crit course in the northeast. And by greatest, I mean it's a climber's crit! So pleased that we found it.

By the end the end it was sunny, but this is what it felt like the whole time...

Anyways, I wanted to share how we made the toppings for our waffles. I am really a fan of this pumpkin syrup.

Pie-Style Apples

2 apples of any kind,
1T brown sugar
1T cinnamon

Cut apples into cubes. Transfer to a greased skillet, then add cinnamon and brown sugar. Stir to coat the apples. Sauté over high heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until apples are soft like in an apple pie.

Pumpkin Syrup

1/4c brown sugar
1/4c pumpkin puree
1/2c water (more or less depending on how think you like your syrup)
pumpkin pie spices to taste (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice)

In a food processor, blend the ingredients until smooth. Microwave and serve warm over pancakes, waffles, or whatever else you desire!

Bonus awesome reflections!

Super Simple Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

Happy Friday! And happy November! Today I'm sharing a really simple and tasty peanut butter cookie recipe. This was created because my fiancé is nutritionally picky and I wanted to make a treat that he would feel good about eating while studying during the week. I wanted to avoid adding oil and refined sugar as well as keep the ingredients to a minimum. Because of the healthy fats in peanut butter, the added oil is not missed at all! The result is a cookie that is made with even, easily rememberable quantities of 5 ingredients we almost always have on hand. The cookies also have that magic fresh-from-the-oven texture that always eluded me when I was a fledgling baker in high school: they are crispy around outside with a soft and chewy center, even days after they've cooled.

Super Simple Soft Peanut Butter Cookies

1c peanut butter
1c dark brown sugar
1c whole wheat flour
1/2t baking soda
1/2c unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Use an electric mixer to cream the peanut butter and sugar. Beat in flour & baking soda, then the almond milk. Grease a cookie sheet. Form the dough into ~1 inch balls and push down onto baking sheet to flatten. Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes or until the edges are slightly darker than the center. Enjoy!

(I know... many of you are allergic to peanuts and wheat so today's recipe is sadly not for you. But I promise a great treat is coming for next Friday!)