Taco Tuesday!

I deem this Tuesday

And with that I give you the Taco Pizza.

It's super easy to pull together and here's all you need.

Pizza Dough

Follow my Pizza Dough Recipe

Sauce

1/3 cup Tomato Sauce

2 -1/2  Tablespoons of Pace Mild Salsa

1-1/2 t of Taco Seasoning

{You can always add more if you need more spice}

Pizza Toppings

Half a pound of Ground Beef

Homemade Taco Seasoning or Taco Seasoning Packet

Mexican Blend Cheese

Fresh Tomato

Put it all together.

Brown the ground beef and add 1/3 of the taco seasoning along with three tablespoons of water. 

Let simmer.

Spoon sauce over pre-baked pizza crust.

Cover with seasoned ground beef and sprinkle with fresh cut tomatoes.

Cover with as much Mexican Blend Cheese as you desire.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until the pizza is golden.

Place directly on rack for a crispier crust!

NOTE:

I always remove my crust from the pan after the initial baking and after topping the pizza place it in the oven directly on the rack for the full 15-20 minutes.

 Serve with a side salad and enjoy!

Homemade Gluten Free Granola

I love granola. 

And I really love it in my yogurt and it always makes me a little sad when I see it somewhere and know I can't just pick one up.

So I decided to make my own by modifying a recipe I found and wow did it turn out great!

This may turn out to be a great Christmas gift to give family, friends and neighbors. 

Trust me when it gets close to the Christmas Holidays I will be making some of this

and when I do I'll be hoping someone stops by because it fills your home with such a lovely warm cinnamon smell.

You know the nuts they roast and coat with a cinnamon sugar and sell at the mall, farmers markets and such? Well that smell is exactly what your home will smell like. mmmm

And even though this granola has a sweet smell while its cooking it's not at all overly sweet.

I would describe it as delicately kissed by sweet maple and cinnamon.

:)

It's super simple and so easy to put together and gosh it's also pretty darn good for you too!

Here is what you'll need.

3 Cups of Gluten Free Oatmeal (Bob's Red Mill)

1 Cup Dried Fruit (We chose Cranberries)

1/4 Cup Chia Seeds

1/4 Cup Sunflower Seeds

1/2 Cup Walnuts

1/2 Cup Almonds

1/2 t Cinnamon

1/2 t Sea Salt

1/3 Cup Maple Syrup

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil

1 t Vanilla Extract

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Warm the maple syrup and coconut oil on the stove until warm and both combine with one another.

Pour warm syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and add vanilla.

Stir until well mixed and coated.

Place into a 9 x 13 jelly roll pan and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove, stir and place back into oven for an additional 15 minutes.

Allow to cool completely and then package!

 Once you have your granola made you can pair it with all kinds of yummy things.
Like my layered to-go yogurt above.
I spooned a heaping teaspoon of honey in the bottom. Seriously, that is really all I put in the jar even though it looks like a lot more. Then scooped about 1/2 cup of Organic French Vanilla Yogurt on top of that then topped it with two and a half teaspoons of granola.
You can tighten the lid on it and toss it into your bag and have breakfast when you get to work.
Or make ahead of time and keep in the fridge for quick grab-n-go breakfasts and snacks.
{minus the granola you don't want it to get soggy :0}

These cans hold 8 ounces and make the perfect on the go containers!

I have to give credit to Green Plate Rule where I found this lovely granola recipe. :) 

So head on over to her site and take a look around she has tons of healthy recipe ideas.

Enjoy!

Do you know what's really on your table/plate/tongue?

I know Fridays are supposed to be Inspiration Friday's with an image and possibly a short blurb but this Friday I have to share something I feel is critically important to get out.
And that is...
Do you really understand what you are eating?

Let me explain.

 Going Gluten Free has opened my eyes to more than just gluten in the foods we eat. It has opened my eyes and broadened my vision and honestly what I've seen has scared the hell out of me.

Ever since my diagnosis I have been on a mission to learn as much as I can about the foods my family ingests and it's just so shocking what I've learned and continue to learn daily.  When I think back on my grocery shopping days before I was diagnosed I picture myself pushing a cart through the isles blind folded and raking food off the shelves into my cart.
Oblivious. Just buying. No label Reading.

I'm being very honest here when I tell you this. 

I AM SCARED

I'm scared of what I've unknowingly done to myself and my family. For years I have mindlessly placed dangerous food on my table all because I trusted and believed if it was in the grocery store it had to be regulated and safe. Oh how I have been so wrong.


Sadly our food supply is being manipulated and controlled by scientists and the big companies who employee them.
It's more about money than safety.

I refuse to allow my family or myself for that matter to continue being a human science project.
  
MY HOPE

My hope is that I can reverse the ill affects these chemicals have imposed on our bodies with fresh organic Non-GMO foods.
If it's too late for me hopefully making these changes now in my children's diet will help them long after I am gone. I want them to know what I know and understand that food is here to nourish us not make us sick. It's so important for me to teach them that we have to be vigilant and read and learn as much as we can so we can remain healthy. 

SHARING really is CARING

Special thank you to my awesome friend Shane over at Environmental Booty for sharing this short must see video on her blog this week.  I now pay it forward and share it with you.


Genetic Roullette