roasted eggplant pesto lavash pizza & what to do with your fat pants?

I LOVE making pizza's at home, but the only crust I truly love is from Whole Foods and some times it's just not feasible to drive all the way over there for pizza crust dough (I go in for pizza dough and come out with $$$ items I don't need!).  So, I thought I would shake things up and do a Lavash crust pizza for dinner and the best part - everyone in the family can make their own! Happy dance from my non-vegan-cheese-loving son.  I made my Roasted Eggplant Pesto the day before and placed in a mason jar until pizza night, this way there wasn't much prep work come pizza night.  The pesto is also great on pasta or just used as a dip.

Roasted Eggplant Pesto

Eggplant Pesto

 

Ingredients

1 Large Eggplant
1/4 cup Raw Unsalted Almonds
2 Sun-dried Tomatoes (not oil-packed)
2 cloves garlic
2 cups Spinach leaves, lightly packed
1 T. Nutritional Yeast

  
Instructions
 

To Do Ahead:
Preheat oven to 400F. Trim off and discard the stem end of eggplant and cut in half lengthwise.  Place cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Pierce the backs of the eggplant with a fork in a few places.  Bake until completely soft and somewhat collapsed, about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.  Place almonds in a bowl and cover completely with water.  Allow to soak at room temperature for about two hours or longer.  Drain water before using.

 

Once eggplant and almonds are ready:
Put the almonds, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic into food processor and pulse to chop.  Peel the eggplant and add it, the spinach, and the nutritional yeast to the processor and process to a coarse puree.  Add salt to taste and pulse to blend. Store in mason jar or air tight container. Original pesto recipe from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen.

 

Roasted Eggplant Pesto Lavash Pizza

 

Ingredients

Roasted Eggplant Pesto

Red Onion

Black Olives

Spinach

Artichokes

Mushrooms

Roasted Tomatoes

1 T. Oregano

1 T. Nutritional Yeast

1 Lavash per person

 

Instructions

Using cooking spray lightly spray both sides of the lavash and place on cookie sheet and place under broiler until lightly toasted.  Remove from oven and flip lavash over to uncooked side.  Spread your roasted eggplant pesto and then top with your toppings as you wish. Place back under broiler until lavash is crisp and topping warm.  Let cool and enjoy!

 

Skinny Talk - What to do with those fat pants??

Amazing that with all of this great food J and I eat that I am still losing weight!  Now for my dilemma - I have lost weight before and played the up-and-down game pretty much since having my first baby. So, I save clothes.  You know, the size 12 pile, size 10 pile, etc.  Well, all of that stuff is taking up way too much room in my closet and makes J a little crazy.  He understands the cost factor - if I keep everything, there is no buying new clothes. But, is keeping my larger size clothing giving myself permission to gain that weight back at some point? In the back of my mind do I know I'll be wearing all of those clothes again some day?  If I was to donate everything and REMOVE it from my life would that help keep me focused and on track??

 

So, I am deeply considering cleaning out my closet this weekend.  Removing anything that no longer fits me.  GONE.  Out of my life forever.  Wish me luck!

 

Have a happy and healthy 4th of July!!