I entered parenthood later in life than most of my friends.  I recall my friends with kids complaining how little time they have to cook, or how they struggle with feeding their kids right, and I naively thought to myself then, hmmm, that sounded a bit exaggerated.  But now that I have two two year old toddlers tugging at me while I am trying to put together a simple sandwich, I finally understood what those mom friends of mine were saying.  And from what I can see from the mothers’ group forum I subscribe to, feeding toddler seems to be a passionate hot topic.  It’s not just the time it takes to cook, but also the shopping, schlepping, prepping, cleaning, scrubbing the food scraps off the floor, and worst, your toddler rejecting the meal you had just spent precious time to prepare.  The routine does get old fast and you longingly look at those fruit puree pouches with the twist off caps they love so much….then your guilty conscience takes over, and you think about how you need to offer a complete and nutritious, organic meal choc full of whole grains, high ANDI, low sodium, fiber, omega-3 etc,. etc…the good stuff to develop those little brains and body.

I know the experts say to serve the colors of the rainbow, and to introduce different types of fruits and veggies early on, don’t offer options, offer but not feed -  we all have heard them before. Perhaps it is my cultural background – fearing the kid would starve that I quietly give in and bring out his favorite food in desperation so that the kid won’t go to bed on an empty stomach (even if he gleefully tells me that would be a trip to where the wild things are.)  I have friends that serve their toddlers brussel sprouts and roasted beets….heck, I can’t even get my vegetarian husband to like them.

Even as a chef, it’s been a huge challenge catering to the needs of my fussy eaters with two very different palates!  How they came out that way when they both started on the same path baffles me.  One likes veggies, not fruits, the other is a fruitman and hates veggies.  One likes Asian flavors, the other likes stuff with cheese.  I was so excited when they started really eating thinking of all the yummy foods they may like – quiche, roasted sweet potatoes, beans but alas, these days, to keep my sanity and the power struggles at bay, I practically only make a handful of items – avocado sandwiches, bolognese sauce or soy ginger pork with pasta or quinoa, zucchini patties, and lasagna.  And of course, pizza!

Now about the pizza, I finally found something that they both love and easy to prepare!   I wouldn’t say this is the healthiest of meals, but at least my boys are eating it!  I use whole wheat lavash bread as the base, and top it with a low sodium pasta sauce, and shredded organic cheese.  Takes 2 minutes to assemble, pop it into your toaster oven for 1o minutes, and viola, dinner is ready.  I have been doing this thin crust “pizza” for years, but always threw in fancy toppings, but now scaling down to basic is a life saver!  Pizza purists would probably pooh pooh over the crust, but hey, with 2 minutes of prep, I am not going to complain.

Here is a recipe for the basic pizza followed by variations for fancier pizza to please the adults.

Chef’s tip: Dave’s Gourmet is significantly lower sodium pasta sauce than most other organic brands, and unlike TJ’s no-salt marinara, it does taste quite good and not too watery.  Of course, you can use that leftover bolognese sauce from dinner, too.  If you make your own sauce and looking for a glass-bottled option, Bio Nature and Middle Kingdom (or something like that) has a no sugar nor salt added tomato sauce that is wonderful.

THIN-CRUSTED QUICK BUT GOURMET “PIZZA”

Basic Ingredients:
Whole wheat Lavash bread – Whole Foods and TJ sell rectangular letter-size lavash bread
1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack (or other cheeses like Mozarella, fontina, cheddar, quattro formaggi mix)

Basic Directions:

Preheat oven: 400F

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Place lavash on baking tray
3. For simple cheese pizza only: Smear on a very thin layer of pasta sauce
4. Sprinkle a layer of cheese
5. For fancier versions, omit tomato sauce:  Top with filling of choice (except green herbs/vege or infused oils)
6. Bake until cheese bubbles and is slightly golden, about 10 mins
7. Let cool for 5 mins.  Cut and serve.

Note:
If using green herbs or leafy vegetables, add immediately upon removal of pizza from oven
If using infused oils, such as truffle oil, drizzle just before serving

Fancier variation: Choice of remaining ingredients:

All recipes below is for one pizza

Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced length-wise
A sprinkle of oregano (optional)
½ cup of basil, coarsely shredded

Top lavash with cheese, tomatoes and garlic.  Bake.  When done, add basil.

Potato, Taleggio and Rosemary
1 medium sized red potato, with skin.  Thinly sliced.
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 oz of taleggio cheese
¼ red onion, thinly sliced

Top lavash with cheese, potato and onion.  Dot with chunks of  tallegio, sprinkle rosemary.  Bake.

Wild mushroom and truffle oil
1 cup wild mushroom* – sliced ¼ inch thick (shiitake, hens of the wood/maitake, chanterelle, morels)
1 sprig thyme, leaves only
Drizzle of truffle oil

Top lavash with cheese, mushroom, thyme.  Bake.  Drizzle with truffle oil before serving.

Pecan, Gorgonzla and Caramelized Onion
2 oz of gorgonzola cheese
¼  cup honey roasted pecan
½ red onion, caramelized

To caramelized onion, sauté sliced onion with a little oil and water till golden, about 20 minutes.
Top lavash with cheese and caramelized onion.  Dot with small teaspoons chunks of gorgonzola. Bake.

Asparagus, Chevre Goat Cheese and Garlic Green
1 cup of peeled aspagarus, sliced 1/8^th inch diagonally
3 oz of goat cheese
¼ cup garlic green (or a mix o chives and 1 clove garlic)

Top lavash with cheese, asparagus, and garlic green.  Dot with chunks of chevre.  Bake.

Zuchinni, Ricotta Salata and Pinenuts
1 cup of zucchini. Sliced into ¼ inch rounds
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of shaved ricotta salata
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
¼ cup of toasted pinenuts

Top lavash with cheese, zucchini, dill, and pinenuts. Drizzle with EVOO. Bake.

Zuchinni blossoms, ricotta and tomato
8 squash blossoms
½ cup ricotta
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup of cherry tomatoes
½ cup basil, shredded

Stuff blossoms with ricotta mixed with salt.  Top lavash with cheese, stuffed blossoms, tomatoes.  Bake. When done, add basil. 

Butternut Squash, Teleme and Sage
1 medium sized butternut squash. Sliced very thinly.  Microwave 1 minute to soften.
2 sprigs of sage, chopped
2 oz of teleme cheese
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ red onion, caramelized
4 amaretti cookie, crushed

To caramelized onion, sauté sliced onion with a little oil and water till golden, about 20 minutes.
Top lavash with cheese, squash, onion and sage.  Sprinkle with brown sugar.  Dot with chunks of teleme.  Bake.  When done sprinkle with amaretti cookie.

Prosciutto, Arugula and Pecorino
½ cup of thinly sliced prosciutto
1 ½ cup of baby arugula
1 cup of shaved pecorino cheese

Top lavash with cheese and prosciuto.  Bake.  Add arugula and shaved pecorino.

Chicken Pesto
1 cup of cooked / grilled chicken breast
3 tablespoon basil pesto
1 cup of baby arugula

To make pesto, in a food processor, puree 2 cups of basil leaves with 1 clove garlic, ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup parmesan, ¼ cup of pine nuts and salt and pepper
Spread pesto on lavash.  Top with cheese and chicken.  Bake. Add arugula.

Shrimp and cilantro
1 cup of rock shrimp
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 cup of cherry tomatoes
1 jalapeno
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise

Top lavash with cheese, shrimp, tomatoes, jalapeno and garlic.  Bake until shrimp is bright red.  Add cilantro.

Littleneck clams, oregano, parmigiano & pecorino
1 cup of clams
1 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
½ cup shaved parmesan cheese
½  cup of shaved pecorino cheese

Top lavash with cheese, clams and oregano.  Bake.  Add shaved pecorino and parmesan.

I just can’t get enough of the dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes.  You can have it in a classic Caprese or top it on top of a good slice of crostini to make a light dinner.

Chef’s tip: To chiffonade basil, stack the leaves.  Roll tightly into a compact cylinder.  Using a sharp knife, slice thinly horizontally across the roll.  Fluff up the basil.

1 loaf sour battard, cut into 8 thick slices
The best EVOO you have
2 cloves garlic

2 lbs Early Girl tomatoes, preferably from Two Dog Farm
Your favorite sea salt
1 lb Goia burrata
16 basil leaves, chiffonade
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the crostini:
1.  Slice bread into 3/8 inch thick pieces. Place bread slices on a sheet pan, brush one side with olive oil.
2.  Bake in a 375F oven for 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Immediately rub with a piece of garlic.
To make the caprese salad:
3.  Squeeze tomatoes of excess juice.  Cut into small dice.
4. Toss with salt and some extra virgin olive oil.
Assembling:
5. Spoon tomatoes over the crostini.  Sprinkle on basil.  Top with a generous portion of burrata.
6. Finish with more olive oil, salt and pepper.

Serves: 4

If you are in a bind trying to serve a main course that is both vegan and yet dramatic looking, look no further!  A tower of tofu and tomatoes!

Chef’s tip: To peel tomatoes, make a shallow “X” on the bottom of the tomatoes.  You want to just run the knife on the tomatoes, not make deep cuts.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Blanch the tomatoes in the boiling water, for about 30 seconds, then immediately plunge them into a bowl of cold water. Using your fingers, gently slip off the skin starting from the X.

Ingredients:

1 box 12-oz extra firm tofu, drained
1 large yellow onion, sliced
3 small tomatoes, peeled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Drain tofu and place on a flat plate.  Place another plate on op of the tofu, put a heavy can of beans on top of the plate to weigh down the plate and drain the tofu for 10 minutes.  Pour off any liquids.
2. Slice onions thinly and soak them in a big bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, drain.
3. Peel the tomatoes and discard skin.  Chop tomatoes coarsely.
4.  In a small saute pan, heat the olive oil.  When it’s warm, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and saute till they pop.  Add the drained onions, and saute for 2 minutes till it’s wilted but still light in color.  Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and cook for another 5 minutes until the tomatoes has reduced and coat the onion.  Adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Cut the tofu block into half.  Slice each half into four pieces.
6. Build the napoleon by sandwiching the tomato-onion mixture between the tofu slices.
7. Drizzle the completed tofu napoleon with some olive oil and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Part relish, part salad, part pickle.  This side dish is tasty and colorful, and adds a lot of zing to your meal.   It uses the typical Indian spice pairing of fennel and nigella seeds.

Chef’s tip: To remove the skin from a ginger, peel with a spoon – it peels off the skin without cutting too deep into the ginger flesh, while being able to go around the knobs of the rhizome more easily than a knife.  Adding ginger earlier in the cooking process subdues its pungency.

1 pint cherry and grape tomatoes, cut into half
1 Serrano chile
1 sprig green onions, white parts only

2 small Italian eggplants, cut into small half inch cubes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon ginger, finely julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon nigella seeds
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cilantro leaves

1. Toss together tomatoes, chile, green onions in a large bowl.
2. In a small saute pan under medium heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil.  Saute eggplant cubes till it’s tender.  Remove and add to the tomatoes mix.
3. Add remaining olive oil, ginger, garlic, fennel, nigella seeds and tumeric.  Saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
4. Add vinegar, sugar and salt.  Remove from heat.
5. Pour vinaigrette over the tomatoes and toss to mix.
6. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serves: 4

Two Dog Farm’s Dry-Farmed Early Girls are back!  There is no better way to savor their sweetness than to generously drizzle the tomatoes with the best extra virgin olive oil you can get, a splash of balsamic, a sprinkle of Maldon salt, and some fresh mozarella or even better, a scoop of burrata.  Top with some fresh basil.

Chef’s tip: Burrata comes from Puglia and it’s pretty hard to find even in food-obsessed San Francisco.  A local brand called Gioia (I believe it’s made right here in the East Bay) is pretty good. Burrata is essentially cheese curds wrapped with sheets of mozarella. It’s highly perishable, so use it the same day you by it. Frankly, it’s really not that hard!