Vegas has taught me to kill spiders.
It’s not what you think.
Vegas and I are total opposites in some ways. She loves living things, I can’t stand them. She brought 2 dogs and 2 birds to this marriage. I brought a house plant.
She captures bugs in the house and releases them safely outside. I scream like a girl and beg her to smash them. Until now.
…
These pancakes are sort of socca.
Or socca is sort of pancakes?
Either way, it’s a strange but delicious thing to have for breakfast! I actually used to make these all the time, but I couldn’t find chickpea flour for a while at the farmer’s market and kind of forgot about ’em. On a particularly fun trip to restock after being out of town, I located the flour and remembered the breakfast version of socca.
The chickpea flour resulted in a fantastic cake-y texture and the flavor didn’t overwhelm at all! I added vanilla rice protein powder for a little more of a protein punch.
I’ve also added gelatin. I’ve been incorporating it in my morning meals for it’s digestive benefits. If you’re interested in learning more about it, Lindsay did a great post on it’s benefits. Totally works for the “regulation” (read: helps you poop like a champ). If you don’t have gelatin, just add a tablespoon of protein powder or coconut flour.
In a happy accident, my mini “tester” pancake looked like a thought bubble.
In a small bowl, combine the chickpea flour, protein powder, gelatin, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix until combined.
Whisk egg white with water. Stir into flour mixture and add sweetener to taste.
To cook, pour 2-3 T batter into a non-stick skillet over medium heat. It’s time to flip when it begins to bubble. Cook until lightly browned.
Plate and top as desired. I used sugar-free syrup and fresh raspberries.
Makes 1 serving.
How have you enjoyed making co-workers, friends, or family stare with strange but good creations this week? The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above. In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.
Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 🙂
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These were so #strangebutgood I made them two days in a row!
Have you ever made socca?
What’s your favorite pancake topper?
If you are passionate about food, we might be BFFs.
Unless you take the last bite of dessert.
Why my “in real life” friends (IRLFs) don’t want to talk about food 24×7 is beyond me! One of the coolest things about blogging is discovering other people who are just as passionate about food and the creative process as I am. I think that’s why the IRLFs friends encouraged me to start a blog…
I get some of the best inspiration from bloggers. For instance, yesterday morning I tried a new version of my Apple PB Socca Pie. This idea was made even decadent when combined with the Pure 2 Raw twins’ Socca French Toast!
I followed my breakfast socca recipe, but dipped it in a version of their french toast coating. My dip was simply 1/4 C egg whites, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and a few drops of liquid stevia. Then I topped with a mix of sugar-free syrup and protein power and a fresh nectarine. So. Good.
This Friday I want to talk about some of my best foodies. These ladies took an idea I had and made it their own. I can’t wait to try their interpretations!
Allie @ Forgotten Beast (who is also training for a figure competition!) took my Cauliflower Crust Pizza and turned it into a Cabbage Crust topped with tomato and a TVP “sausage.”
Sarah @ Chunky Tales doubled my recipe for Low-Fat Peanut Almond Butter and put it in a jar for safe keeping. Why didn’t I think of jarring it?!
Ashley @ Freckles and Spice took my Oatmeal Cookie Dough Smoothie to a new level adding figs and maca.
Lauren @ Oatmeal After Spinning made my Chick-Less Nuggets and used them as a salad topper. He meat-eating husband even proclaimed “it tastes like chicken!”
Note: Wednesday I posted about her Vegan Bread Pudding, which I turned high-protein with P28 Bread. It’s a must try.
Last, but never least…. my “twin” Meg @ A Dash of Meg wrote the sweetest post yesterday where she mentioned trying my Carrot Cake Protein Batter, Cauliflower Pizza Crust, and PB & Jeggs. In a genius move she ran with that last idea, turning it into a a fall dish by making a “Pumped Up Egg Scramble.”
Pumpkin and Eggs?! I would have never thought of that one.
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Speaking of foodie friends… it’s also time from another Foodie Penpal reveal!
This month my “pal” was Rachel @ The Health Revival. Rachel put together the cutest package full of protein powder, almonds, and a few treats.
Unfortunately a lot of the proteins had too much sugar for my nutrition plan, but you better believe I saved that fig, fennel, and almond chocolate bar for cheat day! And my concierge thoroughly enjoyed what I could not. 🙂
Don’t you want to get in to the action?
To sign up for a Foodie PenPals in September, click here to fill out the form on that lovely Lindsay’s site. It’s that easy! You don’t have to be a blogger, and the spending limit is just $15. The only requirement is that you be a US or Canadian resident.
Join in by September 4th as pairings will be emailed on September 5th!
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In honor of Labor Day, I am taking Monday off. I hope you all have a fantastic long weekend, without any laboring. 🙂
What blogger recipes have you taken and made your own?
Any fun plans for the last long weekend of the summer? I can’t believe it’s almost fall!
When the moon sun hits your eye like a big socca pie…
I’m having a serious love affair with breakfast foods like these PrOATein Pancakes or this Tiramisu Parfait.
With fall fast approaching, each week the apples are more and more delicious. The Galas I bought at the Farmer’s Market this weekend are almost dessert-like. Almost.
All they need is a good pie crust.
Filling and full of protein, this breakfast could masquerade as dessert.
Sweet Gala apples topping a creamy peanut butter “frosting” could make me happy after any meal, but as a guilt-free dessert breakfast it’s even better. 
I really loved the socca as the base. It’s pancake-like texture was perfect with the juicy crunch of the apple. The warm spices in the socca make it even more reminiscent of apple pie.
If you haven’t made socca before, this is the time to try it. It’s not hard – easier than pancakes! I should know – half of my pancakes become pancake scrambles.
Don’t you want to dive into that creamy deliciousness?!
For my dairy-free and vegan friends: This can be easily made a vegan treat. Just replace the Greek yogurt with a non-dairy yogurt. Be sure to adjust for the added moisture (Greek yogurt is thicker than the regular stuff); you will probably not need the tablespoon of almond milk. Alternatively, you could leave out the yogurt completely and simply have a peanut flour frosting!
Note: I always spring for organic apples. Apples are the top offender on the Dirty Dozen list!
For the Socca
For the Topping
For the Socca:
Preheat oven to high broil.
In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and stir to combine.
Pour batter in a small, well-oiled (I used PAM) oven-proof skillet over med-high heat. Allow to cook until nearly done, 4-5 mins.
Set aside, allowing to cool slightly while mixing the topping.
For the Topping:
In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except the apple). Spread across the room-temp socca (still in the skillet).
Thinly slice the apple, and arrange pieces atop the socca.
Place in oven on high broil for 3-4 mins. Watch carefully – it will go from perfect to burnt very quickly (not that I would know…).
Remove from oven and transfer to plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!
Makes 1 serving.
Approximate Nutritionals: 3.7 g fat, 37.1mg sodium, 29.9g carbohydrates, 6.3g fiber, 13.6 g sugar, 19.3g protein
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I need to place an order on iHerb for more peanut flour… any suggestions for new things to try while I’m at it?
FYI: iHerb.com is a great place to find healthy ingredients your grocer may not have (like peanut flour). Use the code USO924 for $5 off your first order!
Have you ever made socca?
What are you most looking forward to bringing back to your menu rotation this fall?
I am a purple people pizza eater.
Does anyone else remember this movie?
The blog world has exploded with pizza crusts lately – sweet potato, cauliflower, coconut flour, and the ever-popular socca.
You guys may have noticed that I have a little sweet potato addiction. This sweet potato crust from Lindsay first caught my eye. I bought all of the ingredients and got fired up to make it … so what do I do?
Change of plans. I spotted the roasted beet in my fridge and made a Roasted Garlic-Beet Socca Pizza.
Purple food rocks.
Socca is a basic 1:1 mix of chickpea flour and water; for there you can add in other flavorings (click here for my go-to version) People either make it on the stove top (like a pancake), or in the oven. Some start it in the pan and finish it off in the oven, which is my preferred method.
The combination of the roasted beets and richness from the roasted garlic was fantastic.
I topped it pizza-style with kale, asparagus, kumquats, onion, and nutritional yeast. That resulted in one fantastic, colorful spring dinner.
One downside: there weren’t any leftovers to eat cold from the fridge for breakfast.
Preheat oven on broil.
In a blender, mix flour, beet, garlic, water, and pepper. Heat a small, oven-proof pan over medium-high. Add a generous splash of olive oil to the pan to grease.
Pour enough batter to cover pan surface (1/8-1/4 in thick). Cook until bottom is lightly browned and top is dry to touch (~3-4 mins).
Top with kale, kumquats, asparagus, onion, nutritional yeast (or cheese), and red pepper flakes. Place in the oven under broiler for ~4-5 mins, until veggies begin to brown. Be sure to watch closely!
Carefully slide off the pan with a wide spatula onto a plate to eat hot.
Makes 2 “crusts.”
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Sorry for the late post yesterday – I wanted to wait for the Fitness Magazine interview to post! Thank you for the support. So flippin’ excited. 🙂
What are your favorite pizza toppings?
Have you ever had a kumquat?
Reviewing my search terms cracks me up.
I can see how some end up at here… but some totally baffle.
Some of the best ones lately:
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Remember those citrus-y orange cherry tomatoes I scored at the People’s Health Day 5K? The citrus quality they possess made me think they would be especially good in a fruity gazpacho.
And they were.
What I didn’t foresee what the color that would develop when combining orange mangoes and tomatoes with green cilantro and peppers. For those of you used to drinking green smoothies, this won’t be an issue. 🙂
Despite it’s appearance, this soup was quite good. The mango makes it a thicker gazpacho and adds a sweetness that I love with the spiciness.
You may be tempted, but don’t just toss everything into the blender. Setting aside half of the mango, tomato, and peppers makes the texture of each bite so much better.
The feeling of the plump cherry tomato piece in each bite along with the smoothness of the mango and crunch of the bright pepper takes the soup from good to finger lickin’ good.
In lieu of tortilla chips, I made cumin-spiced socca to sop up the soup. Spreading the batter out thinly across a pan to cook made it more crispy.
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Chop first 3 ingredient into small cubes. Set aside 1/2 of the cubes.
Combine the rest in a blender (or Magic Bullet!) with remaining ingredients. Mix until just combined. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the chopped veggie pieces.
Enjoy!
Makes: 2 sides or 1 larger serving
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I can’t believe it’s over 100 degrees here.
Do you like cold soups?
What are some of the best/funniest search terms you’ve come across?
Have you guys been watching Extreme Makover Weight Loss Edition on ABC?
I’m shamelessly addicted. Watching these people lose massive amounts of weight in a year… I can’t imagine how hard it must be – at 400 lbs – to get started and get it done.
Last night’s contestant, Dana, lost 203 lbs in a year with a torn ACL. Interestingly, he was already trying to lose by taking water aerobics. Chris Powell (the trainer) told him that weight-less exercise wasn’t going to cut it and started him on a program that used his body weight to work out.
Timely encouragement/reminder that there others dealing with things much bigger than I am. Why? Because I think have jacked up (technical term) my Achilles tendon.
It hurts. Sharp pain walking down stairs. *wine* *whine*
I’m not sure what happened. I felt fine running Saturday’s ACS 5K race, and then as I was walking down the stairs to my car a few hours later I noticed it was sore… and it has gotten progressively worse since. Playing ball Sunday probably didn’t help.
In hopes of catching it at the beginning I visited the chiropractor on my way home from work tonight. It didn’t help. I was instructed to take it easy, ice it, and massage the area. My calf even aches. Bollocks.
Maybe if I take the week off of running (and walking down stair cases) it will be better by the weekend?!
Tonight’s workout was an easy 45 mins of shoulders and P90X Ab Ripper X. I hate being limited.
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Good thing dinner was not limited. It was quite tasty!
Yesterday I was craving pizza something fierce. The opportunity to sate that craving didn’t present itself, so tonight was declared Monday Socca-Pizza Night!
It was late when I got home to eat… pics are going to leave something (i.e. light) to be desired.
My Pizza:
The real stand-out here was that balsamic asparagus. It is the easiest thing you’ll ever make; however, the balsamic reduction coating it will give it a decadent taste. I ate the extra pieces standing up over the stove.
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Heat medium skillet over medium heat. Add in asparagus, onion, and balsamic vinegar, tossing to combine. Allow to sauté for 4-5 mins, stirring occasionally.
When the asparagus just beings to soften, remove from heat and top with lemon juice and pepper.
Serves 2.
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Have you ever injured your Achilles?
Have you been forced to slow down for an injury?
Any advice is much appreciated!!
Have you ever seen a jackfruit?
Looks aren’t everything…
I had passed by them in the farmer’s market, not knowing what that prickly thing was. Never thought twice about it. Until I saw this recipe by Jessica @ Clean Green Simple: Carolina Pulled “Pork” BBQ Sandwich.
BBQ? Jackfruit? Curiosity killed the blogger.
Exhibit A: the funny-looking fruit in the back left corner of the $35 farmer’s market pic I posted Monday:
Jackfruit. Not just any jackfruit – that is just 1/4 of a jackfruit (they pre-slice them). They can grow to be 8o lbs and 3 ft long! My quartered piece was just 99 cents. So cheap – I would have been losing money if I didn’t buy it!
The Low-Down
It was delicious raw – a little chewy, tropically-sweet, reminiscent of a mango in flavor. It’s also in season right now!
Jackfruit is also super-nutritious:
I took about 1.5 C of fresh jackfruit (you can also find it canned), and tossed it in a quick dry rub. I used Jessica’s dry rub recipe for guidance, but simplified it a bit for a change.
Tossed in the dry rub
After that, I added ad-libbed a wet sauce.
The best thing about BBQ is that you can really make it up as you go!
Coated in wet sauce and ready to bake
So. Good.
It took a long time to make since I had to peel/seed the jackfruit and I got the spice rub in my eye, but it was TOTALLY worth it.
Doesn’t it look like the taco is levitating?!
I had just seen Evan @ The Wannabe Chef post a socca taco shell, so I decided to turn Jessica’s sandwich into a taco!
These were super easy to make and I liked them much better than “regular” hard taco shells.
Coolest thing I’ve ever made
Served with a salad of roasted tomatillo, cilantro, watercress, and lime juice.
Oh, and did I mention you can eat jackfruit seeds? Yup. I can’t find the stats, but they are rumored to be a good source of protein. I toasted those up in a skillet and tossed them on my salad too!
My BBQ-Taco ended up being vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. Combine that with a 99 cent jackfruit, it felt $$$ free.
Favorite dish so far this year
For the dry rub:
For the wet sauce:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sauté shallot with a splash of oil over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and sauté ~1-2 mins longer, until fragrant.
Mix together dry rub spices and toss with jackfruit pieces until coated. Add to a medium-sized pan and cook over medium-high heat for ~5 mins to toast spices.
Stir together wet sauce ingredients and add to pan, along with shallot and garlic. Simmer jackfruit in sauce for 20-30 mins until softened.
Using a fork, shred the jackfruit pieces into small stringy bits. Spread mixture evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 mins until slightly dried out and toughened.
Scoop in to taco shells (or bread) and garnish with lime and cilantro. Enjoy!
Serves 2-4.
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Happy WIAW!!!
It’s certainly not everything I ate, but everything else paled in comparison.
Have you ever had jackfruit?
What is the coolest thing you’ve ever made?
