After two days of nutrition conferencing, I was all tired out. I decided that instead of driving the three hours up to my cottage for some peace and quiet, I would leave my computer and car at home and ride my bike uptown to my parents’ house for a little two day stay-cation.
I moved out of my parents house in August of 1999 when I was 19, shortly after returning from my solo European adventure, just before I began university. On the drive downtown to my new apartment for what was going to be my first night in my own home all by myself, my mom started getting all weepy. “You don’t have to stay there yet”, she said. And so we dropped off my last load of belongings, and then got back in the car for one last night at my parents house.
Despite them only living about 20 minutes away ( 40 by bicycle) it is rare that I stay over there these days. I go there often for dinner or to do my laundry (washer AND dryer), and sometimes just to watch TV. It is seriously like hanging out at a resort. Between the TV, the air conditioning on the really hot summer nights, the sweet little swimming pool, washer and dryer, bathtub, great big kitchen and a fridge full of fresh food, and the real clincher, a dishwasher, it is luxe at its’ best.
As my dad was out of town, I decided to keep my mom company and we I indulged in some seriously good food. I love making healthy meals for us- she lets me make whatever I want, loves eating whatever I makes, and always does the clean-up. Perfect combo.
On our first night we were both tired- me from the Nutrition Conference and my mom from the day she had spent at a pottery conference so I kept it simple with great big salalds.
Mixed greens, lightly steamed sweet potato, broccoli, and asparagus, fresh cucumber, tomatoes and chopped cilantro topped with a sprinkle of hemp seeds and dressed with a mix of balsamic, flax oil and a little maple dijon mustard- which we enjoyed outside on the back deck.
(That’s my mom, not me)
Sunday night’s dinner was a little more involved. We had spent the morning on a three hour bike ride through the local parks and along the Don River and the afternoon lazying in the sunshine. For dinner I cooked up delicious gluten-free pizza with a buckwheat crust and a side of green beans tossed with flax oil and balsamic vinegar.
It was the perfect staycation!
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Pizza Crust
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour (I ground 1/2 cup of toasted buckwheat in the coffee grinder)
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 cup arrowroot starch (tapioca starch would work as well)
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water (or as needed for desired doughyness)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp herbs of choice
- Preheat oven to 350
- Mix dry ingredients together thoroughly including salt and herbs
- Add olive oil and honey and mix.
- Add water slowly until desired consistency is reached. Dough should stick together if you cup it in your hands.
- Remove from mix bowl and plunk onto a sheet of parchment paper. Add another sheet over top and roll out the dough with a rolling pin- to about 1/4 inch thickness
- Place parchment paper onto cookie sheet or pizza pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until feels slightly dry
- In the meantime, wash and chop veggies (and you may want to steam some of the tougher ones (see my recommendations below)
- Remove pizza crust from oven and layer on the good stuff.
- Return to oven for another 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from oven, slide onto a cutting board and cut into pieces with a sharp knife.
What I used to top my pizza
A layer of basil mixed with olive oil, and garlic then onions, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, sweet potato (sliced with a veggie peeler), onion, lightly steamed broccoli, lightly steamed asparagus, grated carrots and a sprinkle of goat milk cheddar.
Additional ideas: tomatoe sauce, raw tomatoes, kale, spinach, arugula, mushrooms, olives, bell peppers, soft goat’s cheese or feta, hot peppers etc.
What are your favourite pizza toppings?
Join me in two weeks for the 3-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse coming up June 7th!
Your mom looks like she could be your sister!!
Thanks for the recipe, I am always looking for a good gluten free crust! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Meghan,
That pizza looks delicious. I definitely want to try it out.
Where can I find goat milk cheddar?
Thanks!
Janna
That pizza sounds amazing!
The salad looks awesome. I never think to add steamed vegetables, and I’m a queen of salads.
I like staying at my parents’ place but rarely do it. Sometimes if I’m sick I’ll stay over and they’ll take care of me. Sometimes if I’m there during a rain storm my dad will try to convince me to stay. bWhen I go on Friday evenings I watch their big TV. Wish they had a pool.
(Though my grandmother does and in a couple of months, pending a second look and a lease-signing, I’ll likely be living a short walk to her place.)
Trader Joes has awesome goat’s milk cheddar!
My favorite pizza toppings are mushrooms, spinach and sun dried tomatoes! Yum!!
That is a serious garden pizza! Your mom is so cute
OMG! Your Mom is totally gorgeous! I was wondering if it was you!!
I’ve never thought to put sweet potatoes on ‘za. Thanks for the great idea!
My favourite part about my current staycation with my parents is the Thunder Oak gouda and getting down and dirty in the garden.
As far as favourite toppings, I’m quite partial to steamed asparagus, (roasted or raw) red pepper, caramelized onions, pesto, spinach, and uh… cheese (usually aforementioned gouda).
But right now I am thinking that sweet potatoes and saurkraut would be heavenly!
I am so excited to be able to make this! I don’t have a gluten free pizza crust recipe. So many people have told me how Pizza Pizza has gluten free pizza now…. I know they are trying to help, but UGH! I would never eat their pizza. Anyway, i doubt it is egg- and dairy -free too!
thanks!
aw your mom is so cute! i love cooking for my mommy…try to make up for the 8 billion meals she has cooked me! i wish i lived closer to her so i could cook for her all the time. i love your abundance of pizza toppings! my favorite toppings would have to be mushrooms, green peppers, rosemary, sea salt, and arugula, although maybe not all at once!
Michelle,
Although Pizza Pizza does have gluten-free crust, their pizza is not in fact gluten-free, due to cross-contamination.
I’m not sure if you are in the GTA or not, but Magic Oven has really delish gluten-free crust (that is actually crispy)!
Of course, why would anyone ever need to order out when Meghan has provided us with a super easy recipe. I will definitely be giving this a go in the next few days.
Magic Oven is great. I rarely go because of the price, but do go occasionally. I like their regular and GF crusts and the toppings. The other menu items are great too. The gluten free vegan chocolate cake is amazing. (The carrot cake not so much.)
They sell half pizzas at lunch time.
best staycation EVER!
Aw, your mother is beautiful! And the meals you made for her are fabulous too. I do the same with my mom–use the washer and dryer, cook a good veggie-ful meal!
Oooh, another recipe I’d like to try. The salad looks scrumptious and I love the variation of veges you used as well as the dressings you chose for it.
I clicked on your dad link once and so I can truly say both of your parents are pretty! ;o) bicycling, farmer’s markets, and oh boy, a cottage to retreat to – wonderful!….mom’s even better!!
Meghan,
I used to live a 20 minute walk away from the Liberty Village location! I miss my old ‘hood.
The curiously white-ish crust is a bit worrysome, which is why I am so eager to try out your crust!
Oh gosh, the pizza is very pricey, you are right.
Andrea,
Their gf chocolate cake was tasty. But how did they manage to miss the mark with the carrot cake? I recall that the vegan icing was pretty yummy though.
I am on a gf carrot cake recipe quest now! Unless of course you’ve got one up your sleeve Meghan…
Gasp! I took a second look at Magic Oven’s menu, it says they offer gluten free chocolate cake and carrot cake still. Is there some kind of mix up?
It’s been so long since I tried them that I don’t recall if I reacted to them or not.
Also, I was thinking avocado would be pretty awesome as a pizza topping, granted that you sliced that bad boy post-cooking.
Soooooo, your Mom had you when she was, what, 12??
I would consider eating cooked food for a slice of that pizza!
You and your mom are too cute! And what a fabulous staycation–um, does she take other guests–??
wow very pretty pizza, with a lovely person and setting to enjoy it with
I will pass along all the compliments to my momma. My favourite place to get goat milk cheddar (and preferably raw) is at my local farmer’s market. It is a very rare indulgence as it is quite expensive (another bonus to cooking out of my parents’ fridge)
Taryn- I am in downtown Toronto and actually live very close to Magic Oven (Liberty Village Location). I have eaten their pizza in the past and I have also bought their crust at my local health food store. They are so good! They do still seem rather white to me (and I can’t help but associate white grain products with refinement). The real deterrent though is the price.
Taryn- You know I do! http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2009/04/11/im-not-afraid-of-a-pistachio-nut/
I do also LOVE the Sweet’s From The Earth Vegan Carrot Cake but it’s not GF.