Roasted Vegetable Pizza

Vegetables remind you of Spring right?! Spring is looooong overdue here in NY and I needed some Spring inspiration mixed with a heartier cold weather food. So this pizza is just what I needed. I am sure I have told you about the magic of roasted vegetables- they are so so sweet. Some of you may be like a 2 year old and pouting with your arms crossed and your face all scrunched up saying, "Ewwwww." Well don't be a baby and put them arms down. Have I ever really steered you wrong? The magic of roasting vegetables is the flavor it adds! As the water inside the veggies evaporates out, the flavor and sugars get concentrated- similar to how caramelizing onions makes them sweeter.

So the reason this roasted vegetable pizza was born was necessity. My husband and I are trying to eat less meat. Not necessarily become vegetarian, but just cut down on animal proteins. We all have our own reasons and I don't wanna convince you this is what you must do. We all walk our own road. But since I have been blogging about food, I have learned more about all things food. Meat in this country is mass produced, has all sorts of hormones and antibiotics and I am sure you can imagine the animals are not treated too well. I was blissfully ignorant. Ignorance is not bad, I didn't wanna know. So I want to try my best to eat farm raised meat when I can and cut back in general. I just want to share with all of you since you all read this blog. This is something I am trying out and trying on for size.

Quick and Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala

Why is this a Foodgasm?

This meal is soooo simple I didn't even want to post it out of embarrassment!  I'm also not a big fan of using pre-made ingredients, BUT we are all busy people and sometimes we have to compromise from time to time, by not making everything completely from scratch. This dish is QUICK, EASY and LIGHT! Seriously, does it get any better?

My grandfather made the BEST chicken marsala when I was a kid. Seriously amazing!! BUT it took a while to make and it was not so healthy. Fried cutlets, smothered in a marsala wine sauce and covered in mozzarella and provolone cheese. Yup, serious foodgasm, but that bad boy was a one night stand. With this version this is the foodgasm you can marry- reliable, and kind to your waistline. So I took what I loved most about my grandfathers dish and made my own quick version of it for a weeknight. It is creamy and has lots of mushrooms and that great sweet marsala flavor!

I dredged my chicken in flour and spices, but if you want something quicker- there is no need to do it. It will be delicious regardless!

Pan Fried Gnocchi with a Coconut Pumpkin Sauce

Why is this a Foodgasm?

This is straight up lick the bowl amazing! Like get your nose to the bowl to lick it! This is sweet, salty, creamy and comforting. You think Pumpkin and coconut combo sounds weird...you are very mistaken. Then you take some coconut and pumpkin then add some brown sugar and you just went over the edge of foodgasm ecstasy!

I recently saw pan fried gnocchi on pinterest and I knew I had to try it....with brown butter! I have also seen pumpkin coconut soups so I thought, why not develop a sauce the same way with just a little brown sugar to bring out the sweetness and the butteriness of the pan fried gnocchi. Then to take it to the next level I topped with toasted pistachios, coconut and chickpeas. So I made it and my husband ate it and almost cried out in foodgasm!

Coconut Cuties

  

Why is this a Foodgasm?

You take some cannoli type cream mix it with some coconut, then put them in crunchy little Fillo shells, finish off with toasted coconut and you got yourself a one bite Italian foodgasm!

At first I came up with the idea of canolli bites- to put a twist on the classic and lighten it up a bit. But then I became insanely obsessed with coconut. So then I thought why not make the same kind of recipe, but with coconut?! Tah Dah! A foodgasm was born!

A special thanks to Jessica, the name my post winner, for helping me name these! To stay connected to NY Foodgasm see our Facebook Page.

Pineapple Mango Guacamole

Why is this a Foodgasm?

Confession: I am in love with a fruit. Mango be thy name! Beautiful, sweet, juicy and slightly citrusy mango.  My second favorite, fresh pineapple, put 'em together and what do you got? A foodgasm! I have been adding pineapple to my guacamole for a very long time, I figured if lime juice is essential, why not add other citrus flavors? This recent addition of the mango really made me fall in love. It's like having fruit salsa and guacamole together. It has that salty, creamy and sweet thing happening all at one. It like a flavor and texture Ménage à Trois.

Morning Wood: Cheesy Grits, Southern Comfort done Light and Right!

Why is this a Foodgasm?

Just look at that picture, every time I look at it I wanna eat more of this! Grits baby! Southern comfort food in the morning...sooo good well if I were a dude I may have to hide my crotchal region! I go to this great breakfast place by my house where I had this for the first time and I thought this is gotta be so easy to make and I can lighten this bad boy up so I can indulge with all the flavor and half the fat! So my friends, my fellow foodies- I did it for me and for YOU!

Greek Gyro Pizza

Why is this a Foodgasm?

So you like gyros? Well I took that gyro I laid it down and made it a guilt free pizza. Yup that gyro is my bitch! You got a crispy whole wheat crust topped with ground lamb, cucumbers, red onion, diced tomatoes, salty feta cheese and a tangy fat free tzatziki! Will you miss the fat? Hell no, this is a Foodgasm and that is my promise!