Hot Pockets

by AnitaAh...Hot Pockets...I remember coming home from High School around 3:30pm every day and ravishing with hunger. What else does one teenage grab for, pop in the microwave, and burn their tongue on?? HOT POCKETS! Well, fast forward to now and I realize how fake and processed Hot Pockets are as well as half of the freezer/convenience section. It definitely takes a much longer time to make these than the 2 minutes in the microwave oven but these are beyond easy once your dough is ready. My refrigerator was running low on ingredients but I had a bell pepper from our Green B.E.A.N. Delivery (which inspired me for some of these recipes) and I wanted to use it inside a recipe somehow. A random desire to use my bell pepper turned into a pizza pocket of goodness that was all vegetarian. Whole wheat pizza pockets make this REAL food recipe something that can be your go-to for a quick dinner and great leftover as well with a side of marinara sauce and a salad. This recipe can be turned into a meat lovers heaven, a cheese head's paradise or vegetarian's oasis so get creative and have a pizza pocket party!

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA POCKETS

Serving Size 4 - 6 (pending on your dough outcome)Food processor or mixer needed

DOUGH INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons Dry Active Yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cups whole wheat Flour
• 1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 1/4 cups fresh mozzarella or shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

FILLING INGREDIENTS:

• OPTIONAL Fillings I used: Sauteed green bell pepper, green olives, onion, garlic. Also try another time: sauteed sausage, ground turkey, BBQ chicken, flank steak. Add pesto, BBQ sauce, cilantro, pineapple, caramelized onions or shallots, basil, spinach, eggplant, zucchini, goat cheese, or sprouts. 
• Pizza sauce or marinara sauce (I used Muir Glen Organic Garden Vegetable Pasta Sauce)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Pour the 1 cup warm water in a glass measuring cup, heat up if necessary. Put in the 2 teaspoons of Dry Active Yeast and let it rest for a minute.
3. Once the yeast foams a little add the salt and olive oil and stir.
4. In a food processor with a dough blade/hook add 3 cups of flour. Pour in the water mixture and start the mixer until the dough forms a ball in the processor. 
5. Coat a large bowl with olive oil and add the pizza dough ball and cover with plastic wrap so that it can rise (20-30 minutes) while you prep the filling ingredients. *You can also make the dough earlier in the day or day before to have it ready to go.*
6. In a separate bowl, put the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses in and mix together. 
7. Chop/dice the other filling ingredients (bell pepper, onion, garlic, and green olives) and saute in a pan on med-high heat.
8.  Divide the dough into 4 or 6 pieces and shape each into a ball. With a rolling pin, flatten them but not too thin since you need enough dough to fold the pockets. 
9. Place a spoonful of the cheese filling, then sauce, and then the veggies in the middle of the flattened dough.
10. Fold the dough up and seal the edges as best as possible (some ingredients might come out on the sides). You can seal up like a square or circular pocket. 
11. Place the dough seam side down onto a greased baking sheet and pierce the top of the dough with a fork to avoid a cheesey mess while baking. 
12. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes; remove and let cool for a minute.
13. Enjoy with a little marinara sauce, salad, and broccoli as well as some Chianti wine.

The flour and the yeast -- what a beautiful marriage to make tasty dough.

Dough in it's beginning stages of rising...it took a lot of patience for me to wait. 

The cheesey goodness with Mozz, Ricotta, and Parm

The greenies in my dish: basil, bell pepper, and olives

Sauteeing those veggies for the filling

The 4-pack pizza pocket

Ohhh the satisfaction of cheese oozing out is bliss!

Not Just Any Chip...Zucchini Chips

by Anita

Are you trying to eat more veggies or at least find a radical way to eat them to balance out your intake of licorice, diet soda or  cookies? Well, I am happy to say that I rarely eat or drink the aforementioned items but I certainly want to learn new ways to eat nature's savory candy. This recipe for Zucchini Chips is easy once you have the prep station ready. These are a great go-to for appetizers or a side dish and believe it or not they are still tasty chilled. To make Zucchini Chips healthy you can bake them however, I decided to fry them to get even more golden brown.

Zucchini Chips

Serving Size: 4 - 6

• 2-medium zucchinis
• 3 eggs (organic or free range)
• 1  to 1 1/2 cups whole wheat breadcrumbs (I used Trader Joe's brand)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• Olive Oil or vegetable oil 
• Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Thinly slice the zucchinis about 1/8" round pieces; if they are too thick they will take longer to bake/fry
2. Prep station (2 shallow bowls): one for the beaten eggs and the other for the bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil (about 1 Tblsp) or 2 Tblsp of vegetable oil in a large saute pan  . Set to med-high heat.
4. Prep the zucchinis (using tongs, fork, or your fingers) by dipping into the egg and then in the breadcrumbs. Toss them in the breadcrumbs to coat. 
5. Put the breaded zucchinis on a plate to gather enough to make one layer of zucchinis in the hot saute pan.
6. Continue to coat another batch of zucchini chips while you monitor the chips in the pan. Turn over after 3 minutes. The oil will get hotter as you continue to cook. If you add more oil, be sure that it is heated before placing the chips in the pan.
7. Place the finish zucchini chips on a paper towel on a plate and cover while the others cook.
8. Repeat the process until all the zucchini chips are cooked to a golden brown. Enjoy your revolutionary veggie chips and save some for a late night snack!

The prepping station for your new veggie chips. It gets a little messy.

WHOLE WHEAT bread crumbs makes this REAL food

Egged. Breaded. Zucchini Chips in the making.

Single layer of Zucchini Chips in the hot saute pan

You can see the complete, all vegetarian meal that I created with zucchini, black beans, new baby potatoes, Bibb lettuce, and locally grown tomatoes.