Tomato Basil “Pizza” w/ Cauliflower Crust

This is not your average pizza.  My little one asks me, “Mommy, are you going to toss it and flip it in the air?” to which I smile and say, “Not this time love, but we still get to play with it.”  This is a grain-free pizza, one that you can slice, but it’s best served on a plate since it’s not the kind you can pick up and hold.  It’s fabulous for those of us who miss having a slice of pizza.  It tastes delicious too!

Basil, Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes, Thyme & Rosemary from my garden.

Tomato Basil “Pizza” w/ Cauliflower Crust

This is my Little Love’s favorite version, a simple “pizza” with a homemade Tomato Basil Sauce. 

Equipment: Food Processor or Grater, Large Saucepan, Large Baking Pan/Stoneware Pan, Small Saucepan

Cauliflower Rice

• 1 medium-size cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons pasture butter (See Resources)
• 2 fresh garlic cloves
• ½-1 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• ½-1 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

Cauliflower “Pizza” Crust

·     1 batch Cauliflower Rice

·     1 ½ cups organic mozzarella cheese, grated

·     1 pastured egg, lightly beat

·     About ½ tablespoon melted pasture butter (See Resources)

Quick Tomato Basil Sauce

• 1 tablespoon pasture butter (See Resources)
• 20-30 cherry tomatoes or 1 small tomato
• 10-15 fresh basil leaves
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
• ¼ teaspoon Celtic sea salt (See Resources)

“Pizza” Toppings

• 1-1 ½ cups organic mozzarella cheese, grated
• 10 cherry tomatoes, small heirloom tomatoes or small tomato, sliced or halved
• 5-10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade or tear

To Prepare Cauliflower Rice

1.     Prep cauliflower, wash and shake dry.  Cut in half, remove core and place florets into food processor. 

2.    Use “pulse” function over and over until the cauliflower looks like the consistency of rice.  Do not over-mix or puree.  [Note: If you don’t have a food processor, use a standing grater.]  Set aside.

3.    Grate garlic and finely chop fresh herbs. 

4.    Melt pasture butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and herbs.  Stir for about 1 minute until they are fragrant. 

5.     Add cauliflower “rice” to the saucepan.  Cook over medium-high heat for about 7-10 minutes.  Season with sea salt.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool. 

To Prepare Cauliflower Crust

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Place Cauliflower Rice in a large mixing bowl.  Add mozzarella cheese and egg.  Stir to combine.
3. Place mixture onto baking pan of choice.  Shape into round or rectangle shape, making “crust” about ¼ inch thick.  Coat with a little bit of melted pasture butter (use your clean hands to spread it around).

4. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until top starts to have golden brown spots and edges start to turn dark golden brown. 

5. Prep pizza toppings while “crust” is baking.
6. Remove from oven, set aside until ready to top with pizza toppings. 

To Prepare Quick Tomato Basil Sauce

1. In a small saucepan, melt pasture butter over medium heat.  Add tomatoes, basil, garlic and sea salt. 

2. Cook over medium-high heat for about 7-10 minutes or until tomatoes have popped and aroma is fragrant.
3. Strain through fine mesh strainer.  Set aside until ready to use.  [Note: If you prefer a chunky sauce, then omit this step.] 

To Assemble “Pizza”

1. Turn oven down to 400 degrees F.
2. Place Tomato Basil Sauce on baked Cauliflower Crust (as much as you would like, I do a thin layer).  Top with grated mozzarella cheese and cherry tomato halves. 

3. Bake for about 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for a minute or two before cutting.
4. Top with fresh basil chiffonade.  Cut slices of “pizza”, carefully remove pieces with a spatula and place on plates.  Serve immediately. 

Yield: About 3-4 servings.

Note: The Cauliflower Rice and Tomato Basil Sauce can be made ahead of time and placed in the refrigerator until ready to use.  Both recipes can easily be doubled. 

Tip: Leftovers store well in the refrigerator.  They re-heat nicely in the oven at a low temperature.

If you have little ones in the home, this is a fun one to make with them.  My little love enjoys helping put the cauliflower into the food processor.  She gets to push the pulse button and has so much fun doing this step.  It’s also a “get your hands messy” recipe, so wash up those little hands and let them mix up the “pizza dough”.  Have fun!


This post is part of Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist, Homestead Barn Hop @ The Prairie Homestead, Real Food 101 @ Ruth's Real Food, Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Tuesdays At The Table @ All the Small Stuff, Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods, Tasty Tuesday Party @ Nap Time Creations, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, Healthy 2day Wednesdays @ day2day joys, Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Grain-Free Food Linky Carnival @ Real Food Forager, and Allergy Friendly Friday @ Cybele Pascal Allergen-Free Cuisine.

Ice Cream Pie Cupcake Recipe

Happy Birthday, Sam! I made these wonderful "Ice Cream Pie Cupcakes" for Sam's birthday today. The idea to make these frozen cupcakes just came to me out of the blue, and I am very happy with how they turned out. The combination of the shortbread crust with vanilla ice cream and blackberry sorbet is so tasty. I've posted my recipes for the crust and sorbet previously, this is just a new way to put them together for a fun dessert.

Ice Cream Pie Cupcake Recipe

1 recipe of Vegan Shortbread (pie crust)
1 recipe of Blackberry Sorbet
1/2 pint of vanilla ice cream of your choice (I used Coconut Bliss vegan ice cream)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make the Vegan Shortbread pie crust recipe. Instead of pressing the dough into a pie pan, spray 8 sections of a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, divide the dough into 8 pieces, and press the dough into each of the muffin sections to yield 8 mini crusts. Spray the mini crusts with more non-stick cooking spray and bake them in the oven for 15 minutes. Let them fully cool before adding the ice cream.

Let the ice cream sit out for 30 minutes or so to soften up before scooping and spreading the ice cream into the pie crust. Fill each pie crust to the top with ice cream. Put the muffin tray in the freezer to set while you make the sorbet.

Make the Blackberry Sorbet recipe. As soon as it is done, while it is still soft, scoop out a heaping tablespoon of sorbet and top the Ice Cream Pie Cupcakes with the sorbet like it is frosting. After "frosting" all of the cupcakes, put the muffin tray back in the freezer for a couple of hours before serving.

When you're ready to serve them, slide a knife down into the side of a cupcake and it will pop right out of the muffin tin. You can serve the cupcakes on a plate and just pick them up like a regular cupcake to eat, or you can put them in small custard cups and eat them with a fork. Makes 8 Ice Cream Pie Cupcakes.

Chicken Spice Rub Recipe

With the end of barbeque season approaching, I thought I'd post this recipe before it's too late. This spice rub really adds nice flavor to grilled chicken. We especially love the spiced chicken breasts on a Jalapeno Swiss Chicken Burger (pictured above).

Chicken Spice Rub Recipe

3 tsp paprika
1-1/2 tsp crushed basil
1-1/2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste (when grilling)

Combine all of the spices together in a small mixing bowl. Pour the spice rub over the chicken and rub it evenly all over the chicken. Salt and pepper the chicken after you put it on the grill. This recipe is enough rub for 3 chicken breasts. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag in your pantry for future use.

To make a Jalapeno Swiss Chicken Burger, you just need a spiced grilled chicken breast, a slice of swiss cheese, sliced pickled jalapeno, and a bun. Enjoy!

Chocolate Elderberry & Rose Hip Ice Cream

Perfect for Fall and Winter, this creamy chocolaty goodness has subtle tones of elderberry, cinnamon and cloves.

Enjoy this nourishing, creamy, chocolaty ice cream and get the health benefits from the Elderberry & Rose Hip Syrup at the same time. 

Chocolate Elderberry & Rose Hip Ice Cream

Chocolaty and smooth, with a hint of Elderberry, cinnamon and cloves.

Equipment: Blender, Ice Cream Maker, Fine Mesh Strainer

• ¼ cup Elderberry & Rose Hip Syrup
• 2 tablespoons raw honey (I use local raw clover creamed honey)
• ½ ripe avocado, peeled, remove pit and quartered
• ¼ cup raw cacao powder
• 1 teaspoon gluten free organic vanilla extract (I use Simply Organic)
• 1 ½ cups raw milk (See Resources)
• ½ cup raw cream or organic cream-top whipping cream* (See Resources)

1.     Combine all ingredients in blender.

2.    Blend on a lower setting until smooth and combined, about 10 seconds.  No avocado chunks should remain. 

3.    If any foam forms on the top, remove foam with a large spoon.  Strain with fine mesh strainer into 1 quart measuring cup.  If you have a good blender, you can skip this step.  I don’t have a good blender, so I need to strain it to remove any little remaining avocado pieces.

4.    Pour mixture into ice cream maker.

5.     Turn on and mix according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.

6.    Ice cream will start to have a “soft serve” texture when it is done.  This is my family’s favorite way to eat it.  If you prefer it to be a little firmer or need to serve it later, place in the freezer to harden. 

Yield: Makes about 2 ½ cups mixture, about 1 quart of ice cream. 

Note: Don’t worry, you will not taste the avocado.  The avocado adds nutrition and creates a smoother consistency for the ice cream. 

Dairy-Free Option: Substitute full-fat coconut milk for the dairy. 

*For California residents, check out my favorite raw milk/cream from Claravale Farm.  They sell to stores and co-ops all over CA.  If you can’t find raw cream, at least buy a quality organic product like Straus Family Creamery.  Their cows graze on lush grass in Marshall, CA near Tomales Bay and they do not ultra-pasteurize their products.      


This post is part of Turning the Table Thursday @ Around My Family Table, It's a Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper, Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Cooking Thursday @ Diary of a Stay at Home Mom, Fresh Bites Friday @ Real Food Whole Health, Sweets This Week @ Sugar Bananas!, Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade, Freaky Friday @ Real Food Freaks, Fat Camp Friday @ Mangoes and Chutney, Allergy Friendly Friday @ Cybele Pascal Allergen-Free Cuisine, Homestead Barn Hop @ The Prairie Homestead, Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival @ Hartke Is Online, Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam Hands, Mangia Monday @ Delightfully Dowling, Melt in Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals For Busy Moms, Real Food 101 @ Ruth's Real Food, Made By You Monday @ Skip To My Lou, Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Hearth & Soul Hop @ Mom's Sunday Cafe,  Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, and Gluten-Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker.

Baked "Sheepnose" Pimento Peppers w/ Cheddar Cheese

These little sweet beauties are so delicious!  My dad introduced me to these wonderful little peppers years ago.  This baked Sheepnose Pimento Pepper side dish is inspired by the one he makes.  Get a bunch of these peppers while they are in season and grow some of your own next year. 

Baked "Sheepnose" Pimento Peppers w/ Cheddar Cheese

Cheesy, sweet and juicy, a perfect little pocket of yumminess.

Equipment: Baking Pan/Stoneware Large Bar Pan

• 4 Sheepnose Pimento peppers
• 3-4 ounces organic or raw cheddar cheese, cut into chunks

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.    Prep peppers, wash and dry. 

3.    Carefully cut out top of pepper with a paring knife, removing stem and a small portion of the top (see picture below).  Remove seeds and white membrane with a small spoon (I use a “grapefruit” spoon since it scrapes, but any teaspoon would work).

4.    Cut thick slices of cheddar, then cut into little 1 inch squares.  I make slices about ½ inch thick, then cut into 1 inch squares.  Stack 2 pieces of cheddar inside the peppers.  Grated cheddar would work fine too, just fill up pepper about ¾ of the way with cheese. 

5.     Place peppers on a baking pan. 

6.    Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until cheese starts to form a golden brown crust. 

7.     Serve hot or refrigerate for later. 

Make sure to get some of the sweet pepper juice w/ each bite!

Yield: Makes 4 peppers.

Note: I use a Stoneware Large Bar Pan to bake these, but any kind of baking pan or baking dish will work.

Tip: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.  Make up a big batch of these and refrigerate until ready to eat.  They reheat in the oven wonderfully and are also delicious cold.  They make a great snack or a side dish.  


This post is part of Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance.  

Holistic Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy

It’s that time of year again, the end of summer is approaching and the cold and flu "season" is around the corner.  People are headed back-to-school, holidays are approaching and the commercial industry starts bombarding stores with processed candy and desserts. 

Nutrition is the key to health.  When the season changes and people start consuming large quantities of sugar-laden foods, immune systems weaken and become overworked.

Boosting your immune system is important if you want to stay healthy.  A healthy immune system will lessen your chances of getting sick.  If you do get sick, the duration of illness will not last as long and you will recover quicker. 

Now is the time to plan for the season change. 

Holistic Tips to Keep Your Family Healthy

Lemons, ACV, Elderberry Rose Hip Syrup, Master Tonic, Raw Honey, Lemons, Garlic, High Vitamin Butter Oil Fermented Cod Liver Oil Blend, Kelp Granules, Ginger, Shiitake Mushrooms, Kombu

{Amazon & Mt. Rose Herbs Affiliate links included help support this blog}

Stock Your Kitchen w/ These

• Organic Lemons – Great for colds, sore throats, cleansing.
• Organic Garlic – Naturally antimicrobial, both antiviral and antibacterial, great for upper respiratory issues.
• Raw Honey – Naturally antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal (not for babies).
• Coconut Oil -  Strengthens the immune system, is naturally antimicrobial and has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
• Organic Ginger – Great for upset tummy, chills, colds and fevers (use w/ caution if pregnant, consult w/ your health care practitioner). 
• Organic Cranberries – Preventative, bacteria cannot thrive w/ cranberry.
• Dried Thyme – Naturally antimicrobial, make as a tea for colds/flu, great for coughs and respiratory issues, helps relieve diarrhea.
• Organic Shiitake Mushrooms – Have immune boosting properties.
• Elderberry & Rose Hip Syrup – Preventative, increase amount w/ illness, known for helping prevent the flu and/or lessen the duration of the illness.
• Fermented Cod Liver Oil & High Vitamin Butter Oil – Natural dose of vitamin D, very important for staying healthy, helps the immune and digestive system.
• Organic Sea Vegetables like Kombu, Kelp, Nori, Wakame – Full of vitamins and minerals, very nourishing, add to soups, beans, grains, vegetables (See Resources).
• Seasonal Organic Vegetables & Fruits for Juicing – Very cleansing, full of nutrients that are readily available for your body.
• Lacto-Fermented and Cultured Foods – Great for your gut, loaded with natural probiotics, helps with digestion, helps boost your immune system. 
• Bone Broth or Homemade Stocks – Loaded with nutrition, very nourishing, helps with healing process, stock up and store in freezer.
• High Quality Probiotics – Important for your gut, keeps your gut healthy. 
• Organic Unfiltered Raw Apple Cider Vinegar – Old school remedy, natural antiseptic and antifungal, very healing. 

Nettle, Thyme, Astragalus Root, Catnip, Elderberries, Rose Hips, Fennel Seeds, Vitamin C Powder,  Raw Honey, Olive Oil, Tinctures, Bioplasma Cell Salts, Neti Pot

Stock Your Holistic & Herbal Wellness Chest w/ These

• Organic Olive Oil (high quality)  - To make rubs/salves/oils.
• Pascalite Clay – Many uses, very healing.
• Neti Pot – A must have for colds/allergies and for keeping your nasal passages clear.
• Dried Organic Herbs & Flowers – Nettle (a MUST have), Rose Hips, Elderberries, Red Raspberry Leaf, Fennel Seed, Chamomile, Catnip, Lemon Balm, Oatstraw, Peppermint, Spearmint, Slippery Elm Powder, Dandelion Leaf, Calendula Flowers, Lavender – Herbs are great for making herbal infusions, loaded with vitamins and minerals that are readily available to your body (I buy bulk dried herbs here).
• Dried Astragalus Root & Tincture – Immune boosting.
• Echinacea Tincture – Immune boosting, helps prevent and treat.  Helps with viruses, is antimicrobial and great for infections.
• Goldenseal Tincture – Very potent, a natural antibiotic.  Use for bacterial infections, persistent infections, take w/ probiotics to help restore good gut flora.
• Calendula Tincture – Very healing, naturally antiseptic.
• Elderberry Tincture or Extract –A preventative or take with illness, helps lessen duration of symptoms, known for helping prevent the flu.
• Cranberry Tincture, Capsules or Concentrate – Take w/ illness, helps lessen duration, bacteria cannot grow/thrive with it.
• Bioplasma Cell Salts by Hylands – 12 essential cell salts that the body needs, many benefits, very healing, increase w/ illness.

***A Note on Tinctures: Glycerin based tinctures do not work as well.***

Essential Oils & Natural Cleaning Products - White Vinegar, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Lemons, Baking Soda

Tips for Your Home

• Change your filters every 1-2 months, especially when the season changes.  Replace w/ high quality filters, not the cheap ones that barely catch anything, you want filters that filter mold, viruses, dander, etc.
• Clean ceiling fan blades.
• Use natural/”green” cleaning products, make sure to read ingredient labels.
• Use True HEPA air filtration portable units (not HEPA-Type).
• Vacuum house at least once a week, every other day if possible, with a HEPA vacuum.
• Add indoor house plants to the home to clean the air.
• Use Nebulizer Diffusers w/ essential oils (like Thieves or Medieval essential oil) to clean the air, body will absorb the healing properties of the essential oils too.
• Remove any commercial-grade scented candles or air fresheners from the home.
• Open your windows as much as possible to allow fresh air into the home, outdoor air quality is almost always better than indoor air quality. 

Your Mind, Body & Spirit

• Remember that your body believes what you tell it and it will act accordingly.  Talk to your body (seriously!) and tell it want you want to occur and/or thank it for getting your attention.  Be positive when talking to your body and be grateful for the messages it sends you. 
• Daily Self-talk – Flood your mind w/ positive thoughts, peace, joy, happiness and comfort.
• Do your best to keep balance and harmony w/ all things.
• End the day w/ positive messages to yourself.  If you have children, this is an excellent time to talk to them and give them positive messages to sleep with.  Tell them that tomorrow will be a happy day, tell them how grateful you are, tell them the things you love about them, tell them that they are happy, healthy, strong, loving and whole.  Say the same things to yourself too!
• When you can, get outside and enjoy the fresh air.  If there is sun shining, make sure you enjoy it and soak up the vitamin D.  Be out in nature as much as possible.  Your body will thank you.
• Get some form of exercise, our bodies are not meant to be sedentary. 
• Make sure to get plenty of rest.  If you do get sick, honor your body by resting and sleeping as much as you need to.

Holistic & Natural Remedies

• Raw Organic Garlic + Raw Honey – This excellent remedy comes from my midwives.  As soon as you feel illness coming on, mince 1 clove of raw garlic into 1 tablespoon of raw honey, take orally, swallow and chase w/ drink if necessary.  The garlic is naturally antimicrobial, both antiviral and antibacterial and the raw honey is naturally antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal.  This remedy is safe for pregnant moms.
• Garlic Oil – Use for chest rub, drop in ear for ear infections.
• Pascalite Clay – Helps w/ nausea, helps w/ diarrhea, very healing, many uses.
• Bone Broth – Loaded w/ nutrients, helps you heal faster.  See here for my bone broth recipe.
• Cranberry Compote – Great way to get cranberry into your body.  Bacteria cannot grow when consuming cranberry. 
• Vitamin C Tea – Full of vitamin C as well as other vitamins and minerals which are all readily available for your body.
• Thyme Tea – Naturally antimicrobial, great tea to drink during colds/flu, strengthens immune system, important to take during illness and after to help prevent recurrent illness.
• Herbal Infusions – Make herbal tea infusions with various dried herbs and flowers.  Typical infusions steep for a minimum of 30 minutes to overnight.  Loaded with vitamins and minerals that are readily available for your body, better than a vitamin/mineral supplement.  See here for my Nourishing Herbal Tea Infusion and Nettle Cinnamon Herbal Tea Infusion recipe.
• Hot Garlic-Ginger Lemonade – Beneficial for colds/flu, drink hot and often.
• Master Tonic and Pepper Tonic – Helps prevent illness and lessen the duration of illness.
• Elderberry & Rose Hip Syrup – Take as a preventative daily.  Increase dosage w/ illness.  Known for helping prevent the flu and lessen the symptoms. 
• Echinacea Tincture – Great preventative, boosts your immune system.  Take during illness to treat and lessen the duration of illness.
• Thieves Oil or Medieval Oil – Great preventative and helps lessen the duration of illness.  To make your own Thieves Oil, you need Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus and Rosemary high quality essential oils.  To make your own Medieval Oil, you need Sweet Orange, Lavender, Lemon, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus, Red and White Thyme, and Rosemary high quality essential oils.  Place in carrier oil (like olive oil or jojoba), rub on bottoms of feet before bed and in the morning after bathing, also dab behind ears.  Use in a Nebulizer Diffuser to help cleanse the home during illness and use as a preventative during the cold and flu season.  
• Raw honey – Naturally antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal.
• Breastmilk – Very healing and full of beneficial properties, place drops in the eye/ear for infections, drops in nose for congestion, gargle for sore throat, good for the ears, nose, eyes, skin, gut, etc.
• Juicing – Brings balance to the body, very cleansing.
• Slippery Elm "Candies" for Coughs –  Great for pesky coughs.  It helps soothe irritations, helps moisten dry throats and calm coughs.  

Remember, nutrition is key and our body reacts to what we put in it.  Do your best to eliminate or at least limit processed foods and refined sugars.  When you buy food, try to buy organic or food that has been grown using organic practices.  You don’t want your body loaded up with pesticides, herbicides and GMO foods.  Check out local farmers markets and get to know your farmers.  If you need help finding some in your area, to find a local farmer or a CSA box delivery, check here: Eat Wild and Local Harvest.

Nourish the mind, body and soul. 

Be well.

What do you do to help boost your immune system?

Disclaimer: ALL information you read on Recipes to Nourish is purely for informational and educational purposes only.  I love to share and share with love, but I am not a health care practitioner.  This information is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease.  If you have questions about food, diet, nutrition, natural remedies or holistic health, please do your own research and consult with your health care practitioner.  


This post is part of Traditional Tuesdays @ Cooking Traditional Foods, WLW Wednesday Link-Up Party @ Women Living Well, Healthy 2day Wednesday @ day2day joys, Works for Me Wednesday @ We are THAT Family, Simple Lives Thursday @ A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa, Whole Health Weekend Link-up @ Nourishing Treasures, Monday Mania @ The Healthy Home Economist, Wildcrafting Wednesday @ Mind Body and Sole, and Weekend Gourmet Blog Carnival @ Hartke Is Online.


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