Amie's Italian Style Pizza ~ Gluten Free/Dairy Free

Here is an amazing (and easy!) gluten free pizza recipe. It is delicious and reminds me of the trip that Andy and I took to Italy in the Spring of 2004. They pizza that we had there was much different than our "American style" pizzas. The dough was baked with olive oil and fresh rosemary, with vegetables such as potatoes or zucchini baked into the crust. Fresh mozzarella cheese pieces topped it off (no pizza sauce!).

I hope you'll enjoy my gluten free version as much as I do!! You can also make it using regular white flour (omit xanthan gum). I have also omitted the mozzarella cheese to also make this recipe dairy free, but you could easily add it back in.

Amie's Italian Style Pizza
Gluten Free

1. Preheat Oven to 425º. Grease & flour a 12" pizza pan (I use a disposable foil pan)

2. Combine Crust ingredients in a bowl:

1 C. White rice flour or Bob's Red Mill G/F flour
1 tsp xanthan
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp oregano
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 C. almond or rice milk

3. Spread crust batter evenly into the pizza pan using a spatula

4. Press any combination of the following toppings into the batter:

Ground turkey or hamburger - already browned with onions and seasonings
Grilled chicken - chopped to bite sized pieces

Green or red peppers - but into small pieces

Zucchini - crinkle cut into small rounds or strips
Spinach - finely chopped
Sundried tomatoes - finely chopped
Olives - sliced
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Mix 1 Tbsp of olive oil with 1 tsp of finely chopped fresh rosemary. Brush over the entire pizza. Bake for 5 more minutes.

Coconut Macaroons

I am, and always have been, a fan of good food. My love for cooking and baking started at a young age. I have always been fascinated with recipes. In my late teens and early twenties I became conscious of the importance of combining delicious foods in a health-conscious way; ultimately creating my own recipes by making healthy modifications to my existing favorites. After getting married, I took my role as "executive chef" very seriously. I continued learning about cooking techniques and food, and began creating my own healthy cookbook. That endeavor was put on hold when my husband & I moved to Texas in 2006. My love for cooking & learning about healthy cooking/baking continues to grow. I am always trying new recipes and learning new things!

These Macaroons are one of my favorite healthy treats. They are super easy and inexpensive to make, they are DELICIOUS, and they freeze well. My own secret modification was using almond extract--a good choice; I hope you'll agree! Enjoy!

MACAROONS

1/2 C Honey

2 large organic egg whites

1 tsp pure almond extract

pinch of sea salt

3 C unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 Cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together honey, egg whites, almond extract, and salt. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips (I use my hands to get it well mixed!). Use a med. cookie dough scoop or melon baller to make perfectly rounded mounds. Place them onto the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until the tops and bottoms are a golden brown. Bake on top rack of oven only-macaroons will burn on bottom rack.

Let macaroons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.

*Note: the longer the mixture sits before shaping, the runnier it gets, causing the macaroons to spread as they bake. SO work quickly once the mixture is ready.