Trick or treat! Let’s eat.
Forget briefly that it’s November 1 and travel back in time with me to Monday…
This last week of October included Halloween which meant candy was on the brain a lot. It was everywhere! But it also was a regular work week that needed regular food! And while I think our meal plan was a bit disjointed, I do believe we ended up eating really well. And discovered a great salad dressing along the way. Hooray!
Let’s dive into the dishes which were honestly, all delicious. ;)
Mushroom and Pepperoni pizzas made with Zeia Foods GF pizza crust
We made pizza on Monday! Something I’ve discovered since being gluten free is that I actually really enjoy pizza! Funny - when you replace the regular crust that makes you not feel well with a gluten free one that doesn’t bother you at all, it’s actually pretty amazing. ;)
On this particular pizza night, we used Zeia Foods gluten free and vegan pizza crusts which I received at the GF Expo I attended last weekend. I was so excited to try these new-to-me crusts although many friends are already big fans. So, what did we think? They were great! 😀
I recommend pre-baking the crusts directly on the oven racks before adding toppings (then using a pan for baking) so that the crusts do end up crispy. Ours were crispy-edged, but not quite so much in the center. The flavor, on the other hand, was stellar.
We made a “white pizza” with sautéed mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, and arugula which was the winner of the night. Sautéed mushrooms with garlic will always be one of the best pizza toppings. Our second pie was a classic pepperoni with shredded mozzarella, homemade tomato sauce, and artichokes. Yummy, but a little too traditional for my taste.
In my thirties, I can confidently (surprisingly) say I’m more of a veggie-pizza-person than a meat-pizza-person. Shocking! But true. However, if there’s prosciutto, then that’s another story. ;)
Crispy Chicken and Arugula Salad
To balance the pizza party, we skewed healthier the next night with a bright, delicious salad. I had a major crispy chicken craving but knew we needed to incorporate greens so we did the next best thing: top a pile of greens with crispy chicken! Genius, I know.
The salad was arugula-based and included cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado. Minimalist, but awesome, thanks to the panko-crusted chicken and a superstar salad dressing. I’m learning quickly that the key to enjoying a bowl of crunchy greens is a top-notch dressing (even if it’s just high quality olive oil and vinegar).
By request, Seth created an amazing peanut sauce/dressing that was savory and a smidge spicy which is exactly what I envisioned for the dish. I hope he can remember everything he added to it since I’d love to share it with all of you. It was scrumptious!!
For an easy weeknight meal that still feels fun, tastes like happiness, and is healthy, I’d recommend an arugula salad like this one. Not too many ingredients, but bold flavors and a crunchy protein on top. Yum.
Cauliflower Rice Chicken Burrito BowlS
While we were on the semi-health track, we kept things fairly light with this burrito bowl from a favorite site, What’s Gaby Cooking. Her recipes are bright and flavorful and we definitely have found several gems over the years that she has created. And this bowl was no exception! We loved it.
Cauliflower rice is a bit of an acquired taste, but I do believe it’s a great base when you’re trying to keep meals lighter and healthier. And since this one in particular had so many other flavors and ingredients, I barely missed having regular rice. The cauliflower is a different texture, but it’s a fine substitute.
What else was in the bowl? Corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, Pepper Jack cheese, cilantro, and lime. All the fixings of a regular burrito, but in a bowl. How convenient?! A much better version of the chain-restaurant options, in my opinion.
I really enjoyed this dinner because it was delicious and felt decadent without being too heavy which is often not the case when making meals with these sorts of ingredients. We will for sure make this one again and maybe even add a little rice. Just for fun. ;)
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As always, please leave us a comment below or send a note with any questions about our meals.
Enjoy!
