Feeling a Little Pickled?

Homemade pickles! Photo by Angela Tague

These hot, rainy summer days have made my garden spiral out of control. The acorn squashes are all ripening at once. My tomato row is speckled with red and yellow orbs of deliciousness and the cukes--oh the cukes!

Over the weekend I spent a few hours creating a new pickling recipe to use up my wealth of cucumbers. The first batch I made was too tart. I love pickles, but not when they make me pucker like a blow fish.

My next batch was much better. Instead of following a recipe, I decided to wing it. I started with 2 cups of white vinegar, 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill, 2 teaspoons of diced garlic and 1 cup of raw sugar.

Warning: Raw sugar will turn your brine a pretty/dingy/uncommon caramel color.

After a good stirring to dissolve the sugar, I gave the pickling liquid a taste. It was a touch sweet so I added maybe another 1/2 cup of white vinegar. The pickles are in the fridge now. Hopefully they will be delicious in just a few days!

Have you been making pickles too? What are your tips and tricks? And while we're at it, what should I do with my impending bumper crop of tomatoes? I'm thinking of making homemade pizza sauce to freeze for winter pizza making.

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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Pillsbury Gluten Free Pizza Dough: Easy, But Plain

Pillsbury Gluten-free pizza dough. Photo by Angela Tague

Going gluten-free isn't simple. That's why I get really excited when I see allergy-friendly products at the grocery store.

During my weekly visit to Fareway, I was happy to see three new products from Pillsbury nestled between the tubes of pop-up biscuits and chunks of fancy cheese in the cooler section.

The food giant recently released Gluten-free pizza dough, chocolate chip cookie dough and pastry dough. After a quick scan of the ingredient lists, I decided to give the pizza dough a try. There were no 16-letter chemicals or fillers to be found, so it fits into my approach to eating healthier. Yes, pre-packaged dough isn't a whole food, but it's a quick food, which everyone needs on occasion. With that said, every time I can make dough from scratch, I do it. But, convenience foods are practical on days when there's only a few minutes to prepare a meal.

Let's Bake!
So, back to the dough. I cut the 13oz. dough ball in half to make a smaller, individual-size pizza for myself for lunch. It as easy to work with and had a great consistency. Some gluten-free doughs are crumbly or overly sticky. This was simple to work with.

I flattened the dough into a small circle and placed it on a lightly-oiled cookie sheet. After pre-heating the oven to the recommended 400 Degrees Fahrenheit, I pre-baked the plain dough for 6 minutes. Pillsbury recommends 12-14 minutes, but I knew it would burn in that amount of time. After 6 minutes, it was still a little dark on the edges.

Then I loaded the dough with homemade sauce, chopped veggies and shredded mozzarella. Back into the oven it went for another 6 minutes. (Pillsbury recommended another 10-12 minutes.)

And The Results Are...
Although my pizza came out with slightly burnt edges, I didn't mind. I'm that girl that likes her s'mores marshmallows charred and her toast a little dark! The crust had a good chewy texture with crisp edges. But, the flavor was very plain. The dough needs some seasonings (like garlic or oregano) mixed in to give it an Italian taste.

Overall, the dough was very simple to use and held up well to baking. Will I try it again? Yes. Will it be my new go-to pizza dough? No. My homemade dough is lighter and more flavorful. But for a quick pizza, this works.

I do plan on trying the chocolate chip cookie dough and pastry dough in the coming weeks.

So, what's your go-to pizza dough? A homemade recipe or a mix?

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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Gluten-Free Brown Rice Tortilla Recipes

Recently I discovered that Fareway on the northside of Sioux City stocks Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas. I've been experimenting with the whole grain brown rice tortillas, and here are my three favorite ways to eat these tasty gluten-free tortillas.

Brown Rice. (Photo by Fir0002, Wikimedia Commons)

Cheesy Quesadilla
I like keeping the tortillas flat since they tear easily. Since I was craving Mexican food, making a quesadilla was a no-brainer. I lightly oiled a hot skillet, placed one brown rice tortilla in the pan and topped it with shredded cheddar cheese. If you like spicy quesadillas, try adding pepper jack cheese.

Then, I added another tortilla and let the quesadilla cook on each side for a minute or two. Unlike wheat flour-based tortillas, rice tortillas get an extra crispy crust which made this treat very easy to hold and dip. Try serving with a side of salsa, sour cream or guacamole for a delicious Mexican appetizer.

Panini-Style Sandwich
Recently, I stuffed cheese and vegetables between two rice tortillas to create a panini-style sandwich. This is a great way to get rid of leftovers or add extra hidden vegetables to a meal. Since I'm a vegetarian, I kept the sandwich simple by layering mozzarella cheese, spinach and fresh sliced tomatoes on my panini. After five minutes in the oven, the sandwich melted and toasted. Other toppings to try include sliced deli turkey or a mixture of ham and cheese.

Gluten-Free Tortilla Pizza
This is my personal favorite recipe using rice tortillas. Making gluten-free pizza from a boxed mix is simple, but costly. Using brown rice tortillas is much easier and adds a serving of whole grains to my diet.

To make a substantial crust, I use two tortillas separated by a sprinkling of shredded mozzarella cheese. Then, top the pizza with tomato sauce, more cheese and favorite pizza toppings. After five minutes in a 400 degree oven, the cheese was melted and the tortilla crust was crispy and golden. This tortilla creation reminds me of crispy, thin crust pizza.

Are you looking to add more whole grains to your diet? Brown rice tortillas are a great way to start! Let me know how you enjoy preparing tortillas!


Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague


PS: Want to read more about going gluten-free?

Gluten-Free Diet Traps: Avoiding High-Calorie Foods
Gluten-Free Pasta: Mung Bean Noodles Prepared Three Ways
Starting a Gluten-Free Diet
5 Naturally Gluten-Free Desserts

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