Sometimes I get so entrenched in my routines that I forget that what I do and how I live is not average or "normal." Then a visitor comes to my house and I see my life through their (wide) eyes and I realize, "Oh, this is kind of different." So, if you're not sure where you fall on the scale of Normal to Weirdo, this post might be helpful to you.
You might be a hippie if-
1- You schedule your week around the Farmers' Markets and picking up your Farm Box.
2- An essential kitchen tool is the roll of painter's tape and the sharpie for marking all of the mystery mason jars in the refrigerator. Otherwise, how do you know what's raw milk, what's kefired milk, what's homemade yogurt, what's homemade sour cream, or whey?
3- You walk outside barefoot as part of your health care regimen.
4- You blacken your teeth with activated charcoal. To get them white.
5- You make your own lotion, deodorant, and toothpaste.
6- Your most used kitchen appliance is your dehydrator. Or your juicer.
7- You spend a half an hour each morning swishing a mouthful of oil.
8- When you're pregnant, the big question is whether or not you'll have a water birth. It's a given that you will birth at home with a midwife.
9- You participate at nurse-ins.
10- You get excited to find a new recipe that uses beets. Or kohlrabi. Or fennel.11- You plant food plants in the front yard instead of ornamentals.
12- You consider moving to a different neighborhood so you can keep chickens. Or you already have chickens, but want more.
13 - You consider moving to a different neighborhood so you can keep a goat.
14- Your kids are the only ones in their play group that aren't vaccinated.
15- Your dining room has a corner devoted to a collection of 2 gallon jars brewing Kombucha.
16- Your kitchen counters are full of jars bubbling with fermenting foods.
17- You not only know that the head of the FDA used to work for Monsanto, you care. Deeply.
18- You examine the label on every bar of chocolate at Whole Foods for one without the dreaded "soy lecithin."
19- Your toddler doesn't understand how to play with the plastic drive-though toy at the play center. Or orders "broccoli" at the window.
20 - You pack your lunch in glass and stainless steel.
And the top, most telling sign that you might be a hippie? Rinsing and reusing your plastic vegetable bags. Although, if you were really, truly a hippie, you'd bring your own homemade cloth vegetable bags.
Now that you've cleared up your standing on the normal to weirdo scale, let me introduce you to a new favorite dish in our home. As you might know, we used to have pizza every week. And that was one of the saddest parts of giving up grains. No more pizza! But happily, we have found workarounds. Cauliflower crust pizza is a keeper. We also love making mini pizzas with rounds of squash (maybe lazy me will get around to blogging that someday). But this recipe incorporates pizza flavors with the ease of a quiche. My family gets so excited when it's on the menu!The top three reasons for making pizza quiche are:
1- It makes two, so there's some for tomorrow's lunch.
2- It's delicious. Everyone will love it.
3- It's real, whole food, so you can enjoy it and not regret it later.
GAPS Pizza Quiche
- adapted from Spunky Coconut
1 small butternut squash
Olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
1 onion, diced
2 handfuls spinach or kale
1/4 cup sliced olives
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup tomato paste
8 eggs
1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning
1/4 lb. grated GAPS legal cheese
1- Preheat oven to 350 deg. with rack in the middle of the oven.
2- Peel the butternut squash and slice the neck into 1/4" thick slices. Cut the bulbous part in half and scoop out the seeds.
3- Brush 2 pie dishes with olive oil and lay the squash slices into them, covering as much as possible. Cut the bulbous part of the squash into pieces, fitting them into gaps for better coverage.
4- Brush the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
5- Place the pie plates in the oven for 15 minutes.
6- While the squash slices are baking, cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat.
7- When the sausage is cooked through, remove it to a bowl and set it aside. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the skillet and cook the onions until they are softened.
8- When the timer rings, remove the squash from the oven and heat the oven to 375 deg.
9- Divide the onions between the two pie pans.
10- Place the spinach or kale into the skillet over med-low heat. Place a lid on the skillet and cook just to wilt the greens. Remove the lid and let the steam rise off the greens. If they're sweaty, roll them into a kitchen towel or paper towels and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Divide the greens between the two pie plates.
11- Divide the cooked sausage between the two pie plates.
12- In a blender puree the coconut milk and the tomato paste.
13- Add the eggs, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and puree again till frothy.
14- Pour the egg mixture evenly over the sausage. Quickly sprinkle with the cheese and place in the oven right away so they won't lose their loft.
15- Bake for 30 minutes, or until just set in the middle. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.