Garlic Naan Pizzas with Goat Cheese, Sausage, and Onion

I actually am trying to be more fit these days.

To help balance out all those beer calories, I've been eating healthier (during the week, at least) and hopping on the treadmill at least four times a week. And it's working. However, I still crave some freakin' pizza Monday through Friday. I'm only human!

That's where these healthier, super-easy-to-make, weekday delights come in.

These Garlic Naan pizzas are the perfect thing to whip up when you have leftover naan (like I did); or, if you just want to buy a brand new package and make a quick, healthier version of your favorite pizza.

I used toppings that were already in my fridge, but feel free to change up the toppings to your preferences. 

Here's what it took to make three of these little guys:

Garlic Naan Pizzas with Goat Cheese, Sausage, & Onion

Yields: 3 servings (with a large side salad)

-3 pieces of garlic naan

-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1 cup pizza sauce (jarred or homemade)

-Toppings: goat cheese; 1 link Field Roast Italian Sausage, sliced; thinly sliced red onion

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place naan on an ungreased, non-stick baking sheet. Brush each piece of naan with olive oil, and evenly sprinkle on minced garlic. Spoon pizza sauce evenly over each piece; top with your desired toppings (or, toppings mentioned above).

2.) Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until naan is crisp and goat cheese is softened/starting to brown.

I mean...how easy is that? Leftover naan no longer stands a chance.

What's your biggest, guilty pleasure craving? Besides pizza, I'm always craving nachos. Always.

Vanilla-Cardamom Pudding (with Greek Yogurt & Ricotta)

Why is it that I always have leftover ricotta, no matter how small of a container I buy for that one recipe? Or...am I the only one this happens to? Say it happens to you, too...please?

Anyway, I was yet again left with some extra ricotta, and decided to make something cool and delicious with it. It is FINALLY sunny and 70 degrees here in Portland, after 8,000 months of straight rain (approximately), so I was in the mood for something cold. And with some Chobani Plain Greek Yogurt also in the fridge, I got to working.

Enter: this creamy, perfect-for-spring-time-snacking "pudding" that takes about 5 minutes to make. #micdrop

Vanilla-Cardamom Pudding (with Greek Yogurt & Ricotta)
Yields: About 4 servings
-1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta
-1/2 cup Chobani Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
-1 vanilla bean, split with the seeds scraped out
-1/2 teaspoon honey
-Pinch of cardamom
-Pinch of salt

Directions:
1.) Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and puree until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving so it's nicely chilled.

*Stores in the frigerator for up to 3 days.

**Have a little orange zest on hand? That would only make this pudding even better! Just add a pinch to the food processor before pulsing.

In all honesty, I've never been a fan of Greek yogurt all by itself, and the yogurts with fruit mixed in are way too sweet for my liking. However, I do love using Greek yogurt in a variety of dishes and recipes like this one, and I almost always buy Chobani - the texture's delightfully thick and creamy, and Chobani's prices tend to be a bit more affordable than most of the other options on the shelves.

Here are some other ways I love to incorporate Greek yogurt in my cooking:

-Substitute sour cream in (and on) Mexican dishes with Greek yogurt - healthier and still delicious!
-Using yogurt in breads, like this Lemon Yogurt Bread with Cardamom Syrup
-Swapping out mayonnaise in egg salad for Greek yogurt
-Blended in smoothies for extra protein and creaminess

How do you enjoy your Greek yogurt - straight up, with granola, some other way?

*This post was not sponsored by Chobani, but I did agree to create a recipe using one of their products. All opinions are my own.

The Best Homemade Croutons

Very rarely is there anything known as "leftover bread" in our house, but when there is, the first thing I think to make are croutons. (And if you follow me on Instagram, you already know the secret to great croutons: butter). Croutons are, of course, fantastic on salads and soups, but these babies also make a delightful, buttery snack when you're just craving something savory. (Let's just say, my croutons rarely make it to a salad).

I used dried thyme and crushed red pepper flakes in this recipe, but croutons are versatile little numbers - so feel free to use any of your favorite savory spices and/or dried herbs.

The Best Homemade Croutons
Yields: About 3 cups
-1/2 day-old baguette, cut into bite-sized cubes
-5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
-Dried thyme
-Crushed red pepper flakes
-Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) In a large bowl, carefully mix bread cubes with the melted butter. Season with thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat.
3.) Spread bread cubes in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

*Store in an airtight container in the pantry for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Buttery, salty, addictive cubes of carbs. Best of luck saving them for a salad......