This pizza is packed with refreshing flavors and bright vivid colors that will make your senses dance!





Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 4 cups fresh basil, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup spearmint
• 4 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp reserved
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiana-Reggiano
• Salt & black pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• 1/2 lb fresh shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 2 lemons, 1 lemon sliced into 1/8-in rounds & 1 lemon sliced into wedges 
• 1 package pre-made pizza dough
• 7 oz plain ricotta

Basil Pesto

1. Optional: In a medium pan over medium heat, toast pine nuts until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat. Set aside & let cool.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine pine nuts, 4 cups basil, spearmint, and pulse several times. Add 3 tsp garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt & pepper and pulse several times. Slowly add olive oil and keep pulsing until a smooth paste is achieved.
3. Set aside.

1. Roll out dough into an oblong shape onto a baking sheet.
2. Spread basil pesto over entire top of dough. Top with lemon rounds and dollops of ricotta all over.
3. Cook dough in oven according to directions on package.
4. While dough is cooking, start cooking shrimp.

Shrimp

1. In a medium pan over medium heat, cook shrimp, 1 tsp garlic, and squeeze fresh lemon juice to taste. Cook until opaque (about 2 minutes per side).
2. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assembling Pizza

1. Remove cooked pizza dough and assemble while still hot.
2. Top with cooked shrimp and garnish with remaining fresh basil. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over pizza for an extra hint of refreshing citrus-y flavor.
3. Serve.

This quickly became one of my all time favorite recipes. It's a deliciously healthy twist on a classic favorite. Now I know the word 'cauliflower' doesn't usually make your taste buds jump for joy but after you bite into this delicious dish, you might have a new found appreciation for cauliflower.

My boyfriend randomly whipped this up one night and I've been in love with it ever since. If you know me, you know my undying love for pizza. The down side is that it's just too darn irresistible. And that's a problem because usually the yummiest foods are also the most fattening. Thanks to my boyfriend, I officially found a loop hole! Now I can still have all the flavor without all the guilt.

Try it for yourself! For this recipe, we went simple. But I encourage you to get creative and add whatever toppings tickle your fancy!


INGREDIENTS: 

Non-stick spray
2 ½ cups grated cauliflower (about ½ a large head)
1 large egg, lightly beaten 
1 ½ cup shredded part skim mozzarella 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
¼ cup tomato sauce
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half 
garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 425° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Grate the cauliflower using a box grater until you have 2 cups of cauliflower crumbles. Place in a large bowl & microwave for 7-8 minutes, or until softened. Remove & let cool. Mix in the egg, mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, salt & pepper. Once combined, pat into a 10-inch round on the prepared pizza pan. Keep the dough about 1/3 inch thick and the sides slightly higher for that crust effect. Lightly spray with non-stick spray & bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden.

Remove pan from oven. Top the pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, & lightly srpnky garlic powder over. Generously sprinkle garlic powder onto the outer crust of the pizza. Bake in the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until melted and bubbly.

As a born & raised Californian currently living in Hawaii, I terribly miss all those deliciously, flavorful, and oh so addicting foods. One restaurant in particular is Chipotle. There's only a few good Mexican restaurants on the island. Yet none of them come close to Chipotle's freshness and flavor. So desperate times calls for desperate measures.

I slaved away at the kitchen, in pursuit of creating the perfect home made Chipotle burrito. And boy did it pay off... literally! Not only does it obviously come out cheaper than flying to Cali to satisfy my cravings every time but you can make about 4-6 servings for the restaurant price of one.

And now I'm sharing my recipe with you!

NOTE: One thing to keep in mind is that Chipotle adds a dash of salt to basically everything. I'm not a huge salt person. I much prefer a clean refreshing lime flavor. So I only added salt to certain recipes below. Simply add, reduce, or completely take out the salt to your liking.

Ingredients:

• Your choice of meat (optional)
• 2 Red, ripe sweet tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 Red onion (diced)
• Cilantro (chopped)
• 1 Bay leaf
• White sweet corn
• 3 Whole, ripe Hass avocados
• 1 Jalapenos
• 1 Poblano pepper (diced & roasted)
• Black or pinto beans (optional)
• Long grain brown rice or white basmati rice
• Romaine lettuce (chopped)
• Tortilla (Large for burritos/quesadillas, small for tacos, or opt out completely for salad/burrito bowl)
• Blend of jack & white cheddar cheese
• 4 Limes
• Salt

When you have finished preparing all the toppings, add any combination of toppings to your meal of choice (crispy/soft taco, burrito, burrito bowl, salad, nachos, quesadilla, serve as dips for your chips, or have all of the above!). Now you can enjoy your own little piece of Chipotle at your fingertips -- whether you lack a nearby Chipotle, too lazy to go out, or simply trying to save money.

Enjoy!