A majestic building à l'heure bleue, and another really useful thing for a bicycle...

I've posted about a few of these things prior, but tonight the conditions were simply optimum. I had come home from a meeting with our meditation group and then sat on the front porch with a glass of red wine. The sun was just setting and there was not a cloud or breeze in the sky...beautiful. Glancing to my left I could see our majestic City Hall in the distance; it was already illuminated. Tonight, I thought to myself, would be a great night to take some pictures of it. I wanted to catch it at that magical time just after the sun sets (the blue hour, which I posted about here). Anyhow, knowing that I only had about a 20 minute time-frame (it's all about the light), I threw a couple cameras and a cheap tripod on my bike. The first photo that I took is actually the bottom photo (not sure why I listed the first last); it's a side view of the building as I approached it. Here it was still light enough that I could hand-hold the camera. This is actually my favorite of the four photos here. It's a shot of the City Hall which was built in 1932, and our new courthouse which was completed in 2011...sort of an "old-and-new" shot with the timeless moon hovering over all. Then as I pedaled around the front to face the building (where I encountered another photographer doing the same as I) it had gotten a bit darker and I knew that I'd need a tripod. I had brought my "cheap" tripod because folded up it is small and easy to carry. It is small enough that it fits on my bike to act as a stabilizing platform. It's pictured doing just that in the above photo (and in previous posts here and here). So how, you may be wondering, did I get a shot of the camera on the bike if the tripod was already in use? Well, interestingly, the above shot was taken hand-held (as still as I could possibly hold it) with a pocket camera. Not bad, huh? But if you look closely you can see the graininess in the above photo that doesn't appear in the first one below. And lastly, the middle photo below shows some of the detail of the top of the building with its observation deck. Click any photo for a slightly larger view.

Urban Simplicity

Color Blast...Three Flowers, an Ant, and a Ladybug

Urban Simplicity

Kibbet Batata with Broccoli Cheddar Hashwa and Lentil Salsah

This is a contemporary version (fusion?) of traditional Lebanese kibbeh (pie or patties made with meat or vegetables and bulgar wheat). Most often this is made with meat (and sometimes eaten raw), but there are plenty of vegetarian versions out there as well, and this is just one of them. The vegetable recipes are usually eaten during Lent, but in my opinion are just as good any time. Potato is one of the traditional recipes, but what makes this nontraditional is the hashwa (stuffing)...it is made of broccoli and cheddar. Anyhow, this may look complicated at first, but it's really not. Each recipe is really simple to make. And as always, these are just suggestions, use whatever seasonings or ingredients that suits your needs or tastes.

Kibbet Batata with Broccoli Cheddar Hashwa and Lentil Salsah

(Potato and Bulgar Wheat Patties with Broccoli Cheddar Stuffing and Lentil Sauce)

For the Kibbeh:

Makes about a dozen patties

1/3 cup bulgar wheat

1 rather large potato, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 large egg

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon Lebanese seven spice blend

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ cup whole wheat flour (or more if needed)

Place the bulgar in a small bowl and cover it with room temperature water. Let the bulgar soak for about 20 minutes. Boil the potato until soft, then drain it thoroughly. Drain the bulgar, squeezing any excess water, then combine it with the cooked potato in a bowl and bash it gently, then set aside. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook it for another minute or two. Transfer the onion and garlic to the bowl with the potato and bulgar along with the remaining ingredients (parsley, egg, salt, 7-spice, turmeric, and flour). Mix together thoroughly, then let rest for a few minutes. At this point the kibbeh can be baked in a pan, shaped into balls or patties (stuffed or plain) and fried, or shaped into balls or patties and braised in a sauce.

For the Broccoli and Cheddar Hashwa (Stuffing)

1 head cooked broccoli

3-4 ounces cheddar cheese

½ teaspoon sea salt

Using a food processor fitted with a grating attachment, grate the cheddar and broccoli (lacking a food processor, hand grate the cheese and mince the broccoli by hand). Add the salt and mix together in a bowl.

To Assemble the Kibbeh

Divide the dough into about twelve balls. Flatten them to about ½ inch. Place a portion of the stuffing onto each piece of dough. Gently lift the dough with the stuffing (you'll likely need a spatula for this), and with wet hands wrap the dough around the stuffing, sealing it in. Shape the dough into discs, patties, balls, or football shapes. Cook to your preference (fried, baked, braised, etc).

Spicy and Lemony Lentil-Tomato Sauce

Makes about 3 cups

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, minced

1 small bell pepper, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon crushed hot pepper

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1 (14 ounce can) small diced tomatoes

1/3 cup dried lentils

2 cups chicken broth

¼ cup lemon juice

Heat the olive oil in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper, then the garlic, cooking them until they just begin to brown. Stir in the crushed hot pepper, salt, and turmeric; cook for a minute or two while stirring. Then add the tomatoes, broth, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then lower to a very low simmer. Cook the sauce for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently, until the lentils are soft and the sauce has reduced and thickened. If it becomes too thick, add additional broth.

Urban Simplicity

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#495) and a brief comment...

On the bike...Slightly more than $120 in groceries.

I was shopping at a local grocery store yesterday. It's not my favorite store but it is the closest to my house; this is mainly the reason I go there (but they do have good prices on produce). And one of the things I like about this store is that plastic grocery bags are not given to you; the cashier asks if you want any. This, I'm sure is not for environmental purposes, it's for financial (they charge 10 cents a bag). Nonetheless, it keeps less people from using plastic bags and that's ok with me. But that's not what I'm getting at. As I paid my bill the cashier--seeing I didn't have any bags with me--asked how many I would like. She looked at my rather full cart, then back at me, then says, "Are you just going to put all this stuff in your car loose like this?" Well, I tell her, no, not exactly...I'm on a bike. She smiled and looked as if waiting for the punch line, as if I told her a joke. To cut to the end of the story, she didn't believe me. I told her that I've carried far more things than this on my bike(s), but she looked at me like I was a bit nuts (which I may be). I realize that me carrying this stuff is not all that special (likely many of you reading this do the same and carry much more than this by bike) but it is really something...the automatic response regarding cars and bikes in our culture (yes, I know I am generalizing). As I wheeled the cart away I actually heard her tell the cashier next to her that I am carrying all that stuff on a bike. I just smiled and pushed the squeaky cart towards the door...


Urban Simplicity.

Fourteen Bean, Grain, and Legume Bread (a meal in every slice)

I've posted this recipe some time ago but it is so easy to make and so delicious that I thought I would re-post it. This is really a variation of my Ezekiel Bread recipe (click here or here) but somewhat simplified in that you boil the beans all at once rather than in stages. And while I used 14 different beans and legumes nearly any can be used, or even just one (the recipe below reflects this).

What I find interesting about this bread is that while it adds tons of nutrition to the bread it also adds a soft texture. And interestingly, the beans mostly are mashed into the bread itself when kneaded. You can see in the image above there are just specs of beans in the finished slice. And if you are worried that this is a difficult bread to make, don't be...basically, after boiling the beans or grains you simply make this like you would any other whole wheat bread except you utilize the cooking liquid as the water and add the beans to the dough.

Whole Bean Bread

Makes 2 or 3 loaves

12 cups water
1 cup dried beans
___________________

cooked beans and grains

½ cup cooking water
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
___________________

4 cups whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten

2 cups cooking liquid

___________________

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
3 teaspoons kosher
3 teaspoons instant yeast

Boil the beans until very soft. As the beans cook add more water to the pot as necessary because the cooking liquid, which is full of nutrients, will become part of the recipe (keeping a lid on the pot will slow it's evaporation). After the beans are cooked allow them to cool in the liquid to room temperature, refrigerating if necessary. After the beans are cooled drain them, squeezing them with your hands or the back of a spoon, reserving the cooking liquid.

Place two bowls side-by-side; one will hold the pre-ferment, the other autolyse. In one bowl combine the cooked and drained beans with ½ cup of the cooking liquid, 2 cups whole wheat flour, and 2 teaspoons instant yeast. Stir it just until combined then cover it with plastic wrap. In the other bowl combine 4 cups whole wheat flour, 3 tablespoons vital wheat gluten, and 2 cups cooking liquid; stir it just until combined then cover it with plastic wrap (take care not to get yeast into this bowl). Allow the bowls to rest at room temperature for about an hour, during which time the preferment will begin it's job multiplying yeast and fermenting flour, and the autolyse will soak liquid, swelling the gluten.

After an hour or so, combine the ingredients from both bowls into the bowl of an upright mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the honey, olive oil, salt, and 3 teaspoons of yeast (add the yeast and salt on opposite sides of the bowl. Knead the dough on medium speed for about 8 minutes. Place the dough in a lightly oiled container, cover it loosely, and allow to ferment for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. Deflate the dough and allow it to ferment an additional 30 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and cut it into 2 or 3 pieces. Shape into loaves and place into lightly oiled pans. Loosely cover the loaves with plastic wrap and allow to ferment for 30-60 minutes, or until double in size and when gently touched with a fingertip an indentation remains.

Bake the breads for about 30-40 minutes, adding steam to the oven a few times (either with ice cubes or a spray bottle) and rotating the breads every ten minutes. The breads are done when they are dark brown and sound hollow when tapped upon. Remove the breads from their pans and allow them to cook on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#494)

A cardboard box containing 3 freshly baked loaves of Ezekiel Bread (variation). A double portion of arroz con pollo. A camera bag with an extra camera and zoom lens. A book bag with a few books. An empty dough rising bucket.

Urban Simplicity.

Some may call me a dreamer (but I'm not the only one)...

Anne Frank was born 84 years ago today only to have her precious life cut short a mere 15 years later. Just imagine what she and countless other visionaries may have accomplished. My solace is that I am still moved by their actions and words long after they are no longer on this physical plane. I've posted the below video before but with the anniversary of her birthday I felt moved to post it again. If you haven't seen it before (or even if you have) I hope you watch it. It is only a little over a minute long. I plan on re-watching it as soon as I hit the "publish" button on this blog.

 "Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness. People are just people, and all people have faults and shortcomings, but all of us are born with a basic goodness." 
~Anne Frank



Urban Simplicity.

The View from My Handlebars...Undulatus Asperatus

I find this stuff fascinating.  Clouds, stars, atmosphere... you get it. Anyhow, I saw these cloud formations as I pedaled to the health club tonight. They look really good in the photos but in real life they were breathtaking. They quite literally stopped me in my tracks a few times (when I took these photos). I thought they might be the somewhat new cloud formation that I had heard about (first new one to be categorized since 1951) and sure enough when I arrived home and looked them up they fit the description. The phrase Undulatus Asperatus translates from the Latin as "rough waves." I heard others describe them as like looking at waves from underneath them, and that's exactly what it was like...these incredibly beautiful slow moving cloud-waves rolling past. Then, as quickly as they appeared they were gone, returning to greyer and less wavy clouds. To see a photo of mammatocumulus (mammary clouds) I took .last spring, see this post.

And lastly, a few words from Gavin Pretor-Pinney, author of The Cloud Collector's Handbook..."Even if you live in the middle of the city, the sky is the last wilderness you can look out on."

Urban Simplicity.

Black Bean Cheddar Burgers (Yum!)

Yes these are as good as they look, and of course they are easy to make also. If you've ever wanted to make your own meatless burger this is a good one to try. And also, as usual, this recipe is simply a guide. Change the beans, seasonings, etc., to suite your person liking. And before you ask--because I already know that your thinking it--I'll answer three questions:

1. Can these be made completely vegan? Yes, simply omit the egg and the cheese, and if you like replace it with soy cheese. It may have a more crumbly texture, but still be just as flavorful.

2. Can these be made gluten free? Yes. Cooked brown rice or uncooked instant oats would likely be good substitutes for the breadcrumbs. To use the cooked rice puree it with the beans, and when using oats (which would likely be a better option), add them when you would the bread crumbs and let the mix sit for 20 minutes or so to allow the oats to absorb moisture. This, too, will probably yield a more crumbly texture but still be just as flavorful.

3. Can these be baked instead of pan-fried to alleviate fat. Yes, definitely. Simply lay them flat on a baking sheet and bake them in a preheated oven. The only difference is that they probably will not have the crispy crust as pictured, but they will still be just as flavorful.

I really hope you try these because they are so easy to make and really flavorful. I'd be interested in hearing how they came out, and if you tried any variations (of those listed or your own).

Black Bean Cheddar Burgers

Makes about 10 (4 ounce) burgers

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 eggs

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup shredded cheddar (3-4 ounces)

1 cup bread crumbs (plus extra for dusting)

1 small bunch Italian parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ small onion, minced

½ red bell pepper, minced

¼ cup hot pepper sauce

Olive oil for cooking

Place half of the beans in a food processor and pulse for just a few seconds, until coarse but slightly mashed; transfer these beans to a large bowl. Add the remaining beans to the food processor with the eggs, and process until very smooth; add the bean-egg puree to the bowl with the coarse beans. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl (but not the olive oil which is for cooking the burgers) and mix well. Let the mix rest for a couple minutes, then mix it again. Divide the mix into ten balls and shape into burgers, transferring them to platters or a baking sheet that is lightly dusted with breadcrumbs. Heat a large heavy skillet with 1/8^th inch olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for about 10 minutes, turning them as necessary, or until golden, crispy, and cooked throughout. Transfer to absorbent paper before serving.

Urban Simplicity.

A Few Things I Saw (and contemplated) While Riding My Bike Yesterday...

Yesterday was one of those days. And I don't know why. It was one of those days where the sun was shining and it was beautiful out but still I felt shrouded in melancholy. It's odd when this happens. Out of the blue. But it did and I don't know why. I have everything I need--indeed more than I need--but still it washed over me like a warm slow moving wave. I knew, though, that I had a choice. A choice to stay in this valley or climb out, or more specifically ride out. And that's exactly what I did. It's a proven fact that physical exercise is a mood changer, and coupled with wandering around my beautiful city on a beautiful sunny afternoon, it did just that. I pedaled and coasted and coasted and pedaled and took some photos, too. I took dozens of photos, actually, and here are a few of my favorites. The combination of a couple hours on a bike and viewing life (contemplating) through the view finder of a camera I emerged a new man. And for that I am very thankful. Click any photo for a slightly larger view.

Urban Simplicity.

Five (or seven) Quotes from Nelson Mandela

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

 "Having a grievance or a resentment is like drinking poison and thinking it will kill your enemy."

"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb."

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
 
"If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner. "


More in the Five Quotes Series.


Urban Simplicity.

The Holstee Manifesto via Lifecycle...

You may have seen this before (the Holstee Manifesto), or at least variations of it. Well, this is another one, this time put to video with music and bikes. While I do find the manifesto really inspiring, parts of it are not that practical (how, for example, could a single working mom quit her job simply because she doesn't like it). Nonetheless, I do find it inspiring, and the video of people on bikes is pretty cool, too.

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can Be Carried on a Bike (#493)

Slightly more than $30 in groceries. A gym bag with wet clothes. A 16 pound bag of dog food.

Urban Simplicity.

Farfalline with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Chicken Broth, Saffron, Garlic Confit, and Fontinella

This is a continuation of a previous post regarding garlic confit...here's an example of a recipe in which I used it. I made this for staff lunch at work yesterday. At first glance this may look complicated but it is really very simple...and really delicious. Other than the chicken broth this recipe is meatless but it would go really well with seafood or poultry. This is also a restaurant-quality recipe that can be made in your home kitchen for a fraction of the cost. If I were only allowed one word to describe this dish it would be: Flavor (and the accompanying sound would be: Mmmm...)

Farfalline with Asparagus, Tomatoes, Chicken Broth, Saffron, Garlic Confit, and Fontinella

Makes about 4 servings.

½ pound farfalline

1 cup chicken broth

1 pinch saffron

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ onion, diced

4 cloves garlic confit

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup shredded Fontinella cheese

Cook the pasta al dente in plenty of salted boiling water, then drain it and set aside. Bring the chicken broth to a boil, add the saffron, remove it from the heat and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook it for a couple minutes, then add the garlic confit, mashing the garlic with the back of a spoon. Add the tomatoes and then the saffron- chicken broth. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Simmer the broth for a couple minutes, then add the asparagus and salt. Stir and cook the asparagus for a couple minutes, until just cooked, then stir in the pasta. Gently stir the pasta to coat and reheat it (if too much broth has evaporated add more). Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheese, gently folding and tossing it to coat evenly.

Urban Simplicity.

Confit d'ail

The French name for this two-ingredient but flavor-packed recipe translates simply as preserved garlic, but what it is in the literal sense is garlic that has been slowly simmered in olive oil. And this has many great outcomes. The most obvious is that it removes the garlic's sharpness (but I like that, too). It also makes the cloves as soft as butter (literally). Once cooked in this fashion the garlic can simply be spread on toast points (if you're not planning any close tête-à-têtes). But where this really shines is an ingredient in other recipes. Mash it into the pan when making pasta recipes, puree it with sauces or dips, and use it in soups or stews (I use this garlic method when making Lebanese lentil and lamb soup/stew). And while I keep mentioning on what to do with the garlic, a bi-product of this recipe is the oil. Initially this recipe was likely meant as a confit (a way of preserving the garlic) by packing it in oil. Today, of course--with modern refrigeration--this is no longer necessary. But the oil itself is delicious. Use this garlic-infused oil to saute vegetables, chicken, or fish for added flavor, or simply dip bread in it. I could go on about this simple recipe but I'll stop here with just one more simple comment...this is good stuff; try this, you won't be sorry.

Confit d'ail

peeled garlic cloves

olive oil

Lay fresh peeled garlic cloves in a single layer in a small skillet. Add enough olive oil to the pan that the garlic cloves are sufficiently covered. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and cook it until the garlic begins to simmer in the oil. Lower the heat so the garlic is very slowly simmering. Cook the garlic for about 10 minutes, or until it is golden brown and very soft. Allow the garlic to cool in the oil. It is ready to use as is or it can be stored in the oil in refrigeration. 

Urban Simplicity.

Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#492)

A cardboard box full of leftover hors d'oeuvres and dipping sauces on their way to a local food pantry.

Urban Simplicity.

A Few Things I Saw While Riding My Bike Today

I've mentioned on numerous occasions on this blog that one of the (many) things I enjoy about using a bicycle for transportation is that you get to see things that you may not if in a car, or if you did see them you may not be inclined to stop. Anyhow, as often is the case, I had a camera with me on this overcast and drizzly day and snapped a few pictures of a few of the things I saw in my travels. From top to bottom...fallen flowers just outside the rear door of my place of employment (I noticed these as I left work this afternoon), an old section of the Buffalo Psychiatric Center (which is part of the H.H. Richardson Complex and looks straight out of an Alfred Hitchcock film), Bidwell Parkway which is part of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, another flower in the garden where I work, and finally, the We Never Close store.

Urban Simplicity.

Put some stuff on it! (or, Pizza: history in every bite)

Pizzas Pictured (from front to back): Za'atar and shanklish; Margherita; boursin cheese with smoked trout and smoked salmon; pesto and portobello mushroom (click the image for a larger view).

One of the aspects of food that I have always found interesting—besides cooking and eating it—is its history. And to study food history is in a certain way studying civilization itself. Even common everyday foods have a history…someone had to be the first to make it. Case in point: Pizza, which of course is nothing more than bread with stuff on it.

While pizza is so common in America it may as well be an American product, but of course it is not (and of course I am writing this from purely an American view). Nor—some may be dismayed to learn—are its origins Italian, at least not exclusively. Pizza, or simple versions of it, most likely began east of Italy; Greece maybe, or possibly Egypt or the Levant. Some speculate that the ancient Phoenicians first developed a seasoned flatbread that was pizza’s precursor and brought it on their nautical travels. The etymological origins of pizza are said to come from the Greek word pita (or pitta), which means pie or a sort of flat cake. The Eastern Mediterranean is the area where bread, and specifically flatbread, first came into existence. In many Middle Eastern countries today, where bread is still baked flat, it is not only a foodstuff, it is also a utensil. It was surely only a matter of time before food was baked onto the bread.

What I find truly interesting is that while more toppings were added as pizza evolved, there were originally no tomatoes to be had; they didn’t arrive in Italy (from the “New World”) until the 16th century and weren't considered edible until the early 1700's. One of the first recorded pizzas to resemble those that we know today is the still-famous Pizza Margherita. It was first baked (or at least first served) on June 11, 1889 by a cook named Raffaele Esposito. He was catering an event for Queen Margherita di Savoia and paid homage to the colors of Italy's flag: red (tomato), white (mozzarella) and green (basil). I can’t help but wonder what the cook’s outcome would have been should the Queen not have liked the new fangled food.

Pizza as a recipe is exceedingly easy to prepare. Most people are afraid of homemade dough but it is really very simple and will get easier the more you make it. There are plenty of pre-made and often frozen doughs available, but with the aid of an electric mixer you can make good quality dough in the time it takes to thaw one out. A couple key things to remember are to preheat your oven and don’t overload the pizza with too many or soggy ingredients otherwise the pizza itself will be soggy. And remember, also, that the next time you bite into a slice of steaming hot pizza, whether you made it or purchased it, what you have in your hand is not only food…it’s a veritable (and edible) slice of history.

Basic Pizza Dough

Yield: 4 (12 inch) pizza crusts

2 1/3 cups water

2 packages yeast

6 cups bread flour, divided

3 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoon salt

Combine the water, yeast, and 2 cups of flour in the bowl of an upright mixer; stir, cover, and allow to ferment 30 minutes. Add the remaining 4 cups flour along with the olive oil and yeast. Fit the mixer with a dough hook and begin mixing on low speed. Once it forms a ball turn the speed to medium and knead about 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap; allow the dough to ferment and rise for 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. At this point it may be rolled out for pizza, used to make bread, or refrigerated for a few days; it can also frozen for up to 6 months.

Pizza Margherita

Yield: 2 (12 inch) pizzas

1/2 recipe pizza dough

2 tablespoon cornmeal

2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 large ripe tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups)

8 large leaves fresh basil, very coarsely chopped

8 ounces grated mozzarella cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat an oven to 475 F. Lightly oil 2 (12 inch) pizza pans (or square baking pans). Divide the dough and roll out and transfer it to the pans. Distribute the ingredients across the dough with the cheese being last. Bake the pizzas for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are crisp and the cheese is golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Spinach-Feta Pizza with Honey-Brown Rice Crust

Makes 2 Pizzas

1/4 cup olive oil

1 small onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups fresh spinach, washed

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2brown rice dough recipe

4 ounces feta, crumbled

4 ounces mozzarella, shredded

Preheat an oven to 450F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the onion and sauté for a minute or two. Then add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the spinach and salt to the pan, turning and stirring it to coat it in oil. Cook the spinach just a minute or two, or until it wilts; transfer it to a plate to cool slightly while you roll out the dough. Lightly oil (2) 12 inch pizza pans (or square baking pans). Divide the dough and roll out and transfer it to the pans. Distribute the ingredients across the dough with the cheese being last. Bake the pizzas for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the bottoms are crisp and the cheese is golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Urban Simplicity.

The View from My Handlebars and Things That Can be Carried on a Bike (#491)

It was such a beautiful day today and felt really good to be on a bike....not too hot, not too cold, sunny, and a slight breeze. Anyhow, here's a few things I carried in my travels today:

Three framed photos wrapped in cardboard and plastic, a camera bag with a camera, a book bag with books, a cardboard box with10lbs of whole wheat flour, and a chicken sandwich.

Urban Simplicity.