Pizza Heaven

Yesterday the temperature barely made it above zero and currently it is a nose burning, breath stealing -18 (without wind) in Missoula......or what I like to call the frozen tundra of Montana. However, it hasn't stopped me from venturing out into the frosty world! 

Yesterday I met a friend for some tea at Break Espresso, a local coffee shop and bakery downtown.  I ordered a hot apple cider, which was truly hot, but not in the way I expected. After my first delicate sip I found myself rushing to the counter, squeezing the life out of the little honey bear smiling back at me. Once I squeezed a few teaspoons of honey into my cider I was able to drink with satisfaction. I don't know what foreign spice they added to the cider... an exotic form of hot ginger? Fresh chile powder? Needless to say it was not my cup of tea and I found myself longing for the hot apple cider at Wild Joe's Cafe in Bozeman. If only I could disapperate and find myself sitting in their cozy couches indulging in a steaming mug of heartwarming cider.....will anyone ever invent a teleportation device??? 

On another note, you may be wondering why I am going on and on about hot apple cider when my title for this post says Pizza Heaven. I'll let the following picture explain that title for you. 

Thanks to a pizza crust from Bob's Red Mill and some fresh toppings, I created another delicious and I think nutritious, homemade pizza! I know have blogged about my pizza making in the past but I thought I wanted to share this pizza venture as  I think this might be the best pizza I have ever made.  I used hot water for the yeast mix and let the dough rise in a covered bowl for the alloted 20 minutes on top of the warm stove. I also used a smaller pan, making for a thicker and chewier crust. Here are my other ingredients: 

• Trader Joe's tomato and basil marinara sauce 
• Amaltheia sun dried tomato goat cheese 
• Canned pineapple chunks
• Walnuts
• 1 orange bell pepper chopped into bites size pieces 
• Dried basil leaves

Once the dough had risen in the bowl, I wetted my hands with warm water and spread the dough out in the pan. I baked the naked dough for 9 minutes at 425, just until the edges were a light golden brown. I then layered on my favorite toppings. I started with the sauce, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. Then I added the chopped bell pepper, pineapple, and walnuts. The goat cheese came next, although I am never quite sure how to embellish my pizza with it. It is not a block of cheese, so it can't be shredded. Instead I usually find myself spooning out small dollops on top of the other ingredients. It works out though because the cheese does melt and meander its way through the other toppings. Finally, I sprinkled a heavy dose of the basil for extra flavor and a smattering of greenery. 

After baking my carefully decorated pizza for 18 minutes, I was ready to savor the sweet pineapple and peppers, crunchy walnuts, earthy goat cheese, and lively basil on a bed of moist, chewy pizza dough.

Oh. By the way, my friend is an amazing photographer but new to the area, so you should check out her blog here Bea Hufman Photography. She is fantastic and I know she will be very successful.

I  will leave you now with some words from Elizabeth Gilbert that continue to resonate with me, and I think many of us at certain times in life:

"I'm choosing happiness over suffering, I know I am. I'm making space for the unknown future to fill up my life with yet-to-come surprises." 

Return to the Blogosphere

Much has changed in my life since my last post back in August of 2013. Due to several unexpected and   very abrupt circumstances,  I had to pack my bags and say goodbye to my life in Seattle. I returned to Montana with a broken heart and lost soul, unsure of where the road would take me next.

About 6 months have passed since my return to Missoula. In all honesty it has been a very challenging time, full of sadness, regret, anger and uncertainty. It was not what I planned for and not what I thought I needed. But, God seems to have other plans for me and it is true, that when one door is closed another is opened. You just have to be willing to see the door and have the courage to walk through it.

 One of the best parts about returning home has been the treatment I have been receiving from a naturopath. My list of 20-some mystery ailments and symptoms has dwindled to just a few, and even those have a very low rate of occurrence. I don't think I can ever thank her enough for the care, support, and understanding she has shown me.

Because of my naturopath's knowledge and ability to properly treat me, I am now able to enjoy a meal without the gut wrenching side effects that plagued me for so many years. I still cannot have gluten or dairy, but I am okay with that! The alternatives  have continued to grow and are much more satisfying and healthy as well.

Here are some pictures and links to the new foods I have discovered these past 6 months:

• Namaste Spice Cake Mix and Pamela's Vanilla Frosting Mix (my mom made me this birthday cake and it was delicious. Moist, flavorful, decadent, but not too sweet. ) 

Namaste Foods 

Pamela's Products   

They have a large selection of baking mixes as well as gluten free pastas accompanied by packets of sauce mixes.

I have also been enjoying:

• Bob's Red Mill mixes, especially the Pizza Crust and Cornbread 

• DeLallo Pastas-these are from Italy and have excellent texture, consistency and flavor. The corn and brown rice blend is fabulous.   You can visit their site here: DeLallo   

• Good Karma Flax Milk- it is similar to soy milk but has lighter flavor, the Vanilla milk is great for cereal. You can visit their site here: Good Karma Food

• Franz Gluten Free Breads- the 7 grain and Cinnamon Raisin are wonderful-it has a chewy texture and bold flavor that so many gluten free breads are lacking. Visit their site here: Franz Gluten Free 

• I also discovered some amazing salad dressings for the abundance of salads I have been eating! I can finally enjoy purple and green cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, bell peppers and even nuts and seeds without writhing with with stomach pains for hours on end. Here are some of my favorite dressings: 

                         Annie's Balsamic Vinaigrette  

                        

                         Annie's Tuscany Italian    

                         

                         Annie's Thousand Island 

                         

                        OrganicVille Non-dairy Ranch 

• Finally, I have discovered one of the best ways to end a meal is with a steaming mug of Celestial Seasoning tea. Some of my favorites include Lemon Zinger, Black Cherry Berry, Apple Spice Cinnamon, and Sugar Plum Spice. Unfortunately, the plum tea is only available in stores during the holiday season, but you can purchase it from their website year round. 

As my body continues to heal from the damages and wounds of the years gone by, I am confident that the variety of foods I can eat and enjoy will continue to expand. I am also confident that this difficult time is only temporary, and that even when I cannot see the light or feel the warmth of its glow, it is still there, guiding me onward toward joy, and restoration. 

During trouble times, I am reminded of a short passage from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring. Gandalf and Frodo are discussing the sorrow and pain they have experienced, Frodo wishing none of it had happened during his time. Upon hearing this Gandalf responds: 

" ...so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

And it is so true. As difficult as it may be to put the past behind us, look forward to a brighter future and mend our shattered hearts and fractured souls, this time on Earth is all that we have. So we must decide upon each day of waking to the rising sun, how will we live out this day? Will we let the shadows of the past continue to cloud our vision, dragging us farther back into the darkness? Or,  will we open ourselves up to goodness and love, taking comfort in even the smallest pieces of joy that fill our days? 

Psalm 147: 3 "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." 

None of us are alone in this world, and even when the day seems too much to bear, it is nothing that we cannot overcome and we will be better for it.