Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Chocolate Mint Biscuit (No Bake)

Chocolate mint biscuit is one of my happy cookie memories. They were the Girl Scout Cookies that I grew up with. And Thin Mints were my favorite… Hands down (and up)! 🙌

I’ll show how you can get similar tastes below that I made in my weekday NO-bake kitchen tent…

Where I have all the ingredients. And I laugh when people say peppermint flavors “taste like toothpaste.”

…Like I did watching The Great British Bake Off where one of the contestants said that on Biscuit Week where a peppermint chocolate technical biscuit challenge was presented on the gingham table under the tent. 🎪

…And if you agree and a Girl Scout Samoa cookie is more your taste, then you might like this energizing and healthy Chocolate Coconut Bar.

BUT, if you’re okay with Thin Mints or peppermint is your chocolate vibe… what makes the mint chocolate biscuit cookie so enticing is that it melts in your mouth with a magically good crunch.

And if you leave them in their sleek cellophane sleeve in the freezer for a few hours, the crunch is even more pronounced.

Inspired by them, I made my own cluster of chocolate peppermint treats.

They look a wee-bit like chocolate popcorn, yes?… but you’ll never guess what they are made of…

It’s NOT popcorn… they’re oyster crackers.

Yep, the kind you buy from the soup aisle in the grocery store or that is served with a bowl of restaurant soup.

This bowl was a homemade oyster seafood broth that looks like it’s adorned with a strand of classy oyster (cracker) pearls 🦪

Before you laugh at or dismiss the sweet biscuit idea, consider it as a snack…

Rather than a salty or Saltine one, you get a sweet bite that satisfies your sugary hankerin’. 😋

If you like a crunchy biscuit, and the chocolate-mint flavor pairing duo, then this simple way could do the trick.

And if you’re like me and appreciate a perfect cookie shape but prefer to spend your time on other baking or non-kitchen projects, then these bites are time-savers when you look at it that way.

And they don’t have the long list of processed ingredients you find in packaged goods (that aren’t simple crackers).

These will get gobbled up too… before Thanksgiving. 🦃

And without guilt… I mean, have you ever made something too good you didn’t want eat it or give it away? I know you have and I know I have.

But these you don’t have to think twice about because you can make plenty of these in no time like a Keebler elf.

…Remember, they’re NO BAKE so there’s no oven wait.

So you can make these in minutes, and maybe seconds… ⏲️

And Voila! you have a low-fat, low-calorie tasty chocolaty snack.

You can also add these to your EASY snack list for road trips, hikes, and lunch bags.

Recipe below. 🧡

And if you’re still on the idea fence… these cracker snacks are light compared to buttery baked goods, so they won’t weigh you down.

Saltine cracker ingredients are simple: unbleached enriched flour (wheat flour enriched with thiamine, niacin and riboflavin B-vitamins), palm/canola oil, salt, malted barley flour, baking soda, and yeast.

…That’s pretty much the same type of healthy-style bread baking ingredients that you’d use if you were baking healthy at home.

Many store bought crackers use a ‘lil oil for the fat and in moderation that’s all good. And for the chocolate you can melt with a coconut oil healthy fat that gives a nice glossy shine.

This mint chocolate biscuit recipe uses a healthy no-taste coconut oil that doesn’t compete with mint. More on that below. Keep reading…

And so mint is the flavor we want to be the star. 💫

Plus, peppermint is calming…

If you have a tummy ache, reaching for a peppermint tea is good to have in your food-as-medicine pantry cabinet.

Peppermint relaxes the muscles along the gut that runs from your mouth roof top all the way to your bottom.

It’s your GI tract but I like to say gut as I think it gets to the heart of the matter, as it helps our happiness (where most of the happy hormones are made in the gut).

…And maybe that’s why we consult our gut for answers… often asking what does our gut say? 😁

And along those lines, peppermint food and drinks are good for our Vata and Pitta sides because we’re getting warmed and cooled by the menthol effects.

That also helps us blend in better with these climate change days.

Plus, peppermint always give the holiday vibes that warms the spirit and gives us a pep in our steps…

A peppermint cocoa blend moves into artisanal drink territory.

It’s NO B-E-a-k-e.

…Just like these easy, No FAFF biscuits (as they would say in the GBBO tent). 🎪

And the contestants would love this as a challenge where they can skip the shortbread dough step, subtract baking, and head straight to the tempered chocolate stage. 😉

These are made with low-salt Saltines.

And decorated with peppermint candy canes (that were saved from last holiday season for this very special purpose of getting hammer-crushed one warm day).

I also made one with a sandwiched mint cream reminiscent of Grasshopper cookies that mysteriously hopped away.

And if you wanted to use animal crackers, that would be fun. Elephants, bears, and tigers… OH MY! 🐘🧸🐯

…Or go more classic with round crackers reminiscent of Thin Mints.

And brings us back full circle! 🟢

The point is: these will work on any plain cracker (how smart!)… and you’re guaranteed a crunch (unless you dunk them in your drink or soup).

…then you’d have a soggy bottom issue that we learned is no good 😕 from The Great British Bake Off.

And we don’t want to get on the bad side of Judges Paul or Prue.

The Great British Bake Off is all about whimsical baking antics and creative baking. — This is my graphical representation of the GBBO show 🍰

…Especially since we won’t be baking this time.

Melting the chocolate right is the best way to stay in their good graces… and get a decent peppermint flavor that comes through.

So for these chocolate mint biscuit crackers, I used MCT oil because it’s coconut oil without the coconut taste… brilliant!

MCT stands for medium chain triglycerides that help weight management and burning body fat.

MCT oil is often used for optimizing ketone energy (and not for making biscuits 😊). If you’re fasting, you can prolong your fast with MCT oil without feeling zapped of energy.

MCT oil is also good for health and inflammation prevention. We know that chronic inflammation leads to the chronic diseases that are still the #1 causes for mortality.

And if you like what you’re hearing (and get curiously hooked), this is a healthy habit you can habit stack with your coffee or fasting routine.

🎉 So here we go: these are the 4-easy ingredients that will bring the simple chocolate mint biscuit cracker recipe together.

Chocolate Mint Biscuits

These are No-bake and recipe is enough to make a dozen 2" size biscuits like square Saltines that can be enjoyed year-round and spruced up for the holidays.

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

12 Saltines (low-salt or animal crackers)
1 tsp MCT oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 tsp peppermint oil
peppermint candy (optional)

Instructions

Melt the chocolate with oil and peppermint oil. It will take about 5 minutes with warm-hot water (not boiling hot) with spoon stirring. You can see how to best melt chocolate: https://healthyhappylifesecrets.com/recipes/best-way-to-melt-chocolate-coconut-oil/
Dip the crackers front and back in the chocolate mixture while warm. Set them side-by-side flat on a tray.
Zhugh with crushed peppermint (optional)
Refrigerate or cool the tray.
Enjoy!

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Coconut Carrot Apple Smoothie

Coconut carrot apple smoothie is refreshing and healthy… and one you ought to consider on your list of smoothies.

Coconut carrot apple smoothie zhughed with shredded coconut.

It’s a bright anti-inflammatory smoothie that you can drink year-round and start your balanced breakfast with that includes fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fat to prep you for your protein bites.

AND it’s a great start for supporting weight loss goals

For starters:

Ginger – is a detox ingredient. This is a good ingredient to add to your daily beverage or water. It’s a punchy flavor that helps digestion and inflammation.

Ginger pairs great with a carrot (…carrot ginger soup 💭).

Carrot is a balanced veggie that’s known for beta-carotene and it’s no surprise that it’s anti-inflammatory. Carrots also have lutein that’s good for eye health. 🥕

Pairing apple with carrot is another balanced pairing. “A” is for apple, and “b and c” is for beta-carotene and carrots.

Red Apple – loaded with anti-inflammatory quercetin. The apple skin has the most antioxidants, so when using all in your smoothie… choose organic apples.

A medium sweetness apple like Gala, Fuji, or Red Delicious apple works well.

And…

Coconut flour is a gluten-free flour that is good for thickening. Since there’s no peanut butter or banana in this smoothie (that’s another smoothie 😋), you need a denser solid ingredient that complements the smoothie taste.

The flour version is a more subtle coconut taste that’s consistent and gives the smoothie a creaminess. If you’ve ever had coconut milks, you may have experienced the inconsistency, where the liquid separates from the solids.

The separation can cause a mix of tastes (not good for picky critics).

Btw, if you have someone who doesn’t like an ingredient, you can always substitute or omit.

…That’s close to my heart because I used to detest ginger and now I love it. And you have stories with your food journey where you evolve in tastes when you give foods another chance… and even some earlier food allergies, you can grow out of.

Spices can be part of that journey.

Cinnamon is one good sweet anti-inflammatory ingredient that you want to keep trying.

…Like in this coconut carrot apple smoothie as one way.

Ceylon cinnamon is the cinnamon that’s good for beverages as it’s the healthiest. It has a more sophisticated taste (my way of saying an acquired adult taste) than Cassia or traditional cinnamon we usually see and fragrantly use in baking treats like apple pie or galette desserts.

And to smooth-ie balance this smoothie, add your milk of choice.

Almond milk is a balanced plant-based milk. It has Vitamin D, E, A.

Adding some healthy fat like almonds (that almond milk comes from) help absorption.

Plus almond milk is usually easy to find in the stores, next to the cow’s milk you grew up drinking (that helped you grow up maybe a few extra inches). 🥛

Ready to feel taller and make this tall smoothie?

For healthy inspiration and other delicious anti-inflammatory smoothie recipes 🌈 you don’t want to miss, get the free 7-day Healthy Smoothie Recipe Guide.

Coconut carrot apple smoothie with a cinnamon straw.

Coconut Carrot Apple Smoothie

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut flour, gluten flour
½ cup almond milk
½ red apple, chopped
10 baby carrots, cooked and softened
ginger juice or powder to taste
Ceylon cinnamon to taste
shredded coconut to zhugh
seeds, crushed

Instructions

Blend milk, apple, carrots, flour, cinnamon, and ginger. Tip: keep the peels for texture if you prefer with organic apples. Gala or Fuji apples work well.

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Remove Lower Back Pain From Yoga

I was able to remove lower back pain from yoga that could help you.

Yoga is a life saver.

I removed a day and maybe a season of back pain and in this article you will learn all about how you can too!

That day (yesterday) I could barely stand as my back gave out while I was sitting and doing work.

I calculated I’ve spent over 40,000 hours as an adult sitting in front of a computer.

Granted I know I don’t have the best posture as much as I try to have an ergonomic computer setup…

But computer work is still not physical activity that the body wants. An occasional standing back bend isn’t enough to make the body smile in case that’s your comeback story of why yoga is not in your life. 😃

In mine, leading up to my lower back pain episode… I had driven a lot in the past couple of weeks.

Sitting too much is calling for lower back pain.

I’d been doing more sitting than usual.

Besides yoga, I like to restore with cooking, baking, and meal prep where I’m comfortably standing (and gain points).

But looking back, I’d probably clocked in less hours standing in those couple of weeks.

…So all those combined elements put enough stress for my back to give out.

Our bodies act that way. It doesn’t have to be one thing or an injury, it can be an accumulation… and then one day it snaps.

There’s a straw that breaks the camels back. And I was the camel in this case. 🐪

I could feel lower back pain that I hadn’t felt in decades…

In my young adult life, I had a weakened back from a sled injury where one of my vertebrae was compromised and I remember at the time being sad that I lost about a quarter of an inch of height.

Those teen years before then I was working hard on growing taller. I’m 5’6″ so that’s not short for a female, but you know when you’re younger your expectations are higher as you haven’t experienced enough life to objectively compare.

And this week when my lower back pain just showed up out of no where, I knew I had to wrap up what I was doing and go immediately to my yoga mat… my new healing doctor’s office. 😊

I was lucky to be able to do that being at home where I could mellow out.

Once on the mat, I knew I could fix the back problem that I had felt from time-to-time in my life since the snow mogul accident.

That was a 180 degree turn from my 30s when I didn’t know how to fix my back issues without depending on a professional like a chiropractor or physical therapist.

I went to several different ones but was never fully satisfied with the experiences for one reason or another.

Today, I wouldn’t need to see anyone because of YOGA! And that can be your new REALITY too! 🎉

If you have lower back pain or other body pain (and aren’t healing from injury that can take months), maybe yoga is your solution that saves you and for the rest of your life where acute pain spots often show up again. 💭

With yoga, you don’t need anything special. I mean, it doesn’t cost anything at home and you don’t need to take time and make effort to research places or go anywhere.

…It doesn’t get EASIER than that!

That’s something to get excited about if yoga isn’t a part of your life today and you’re needing some motivation.

That was mine.

And when I hear of people’s ache complaints, I feel for them. I know exactly what yoga poses they need to fix their pain.

…I didn’t need a degree for that as you feel in your body what works. So in that way, you’re your “best yoga doctor.” And someone like me is the next best thing. 😉

So let me back up and start by saying, I understand we didn’t all grow up with yoga.

…When I was in my 30s, yoga was not well-known in America. You didn’t see modern studios everywhere… or even anywhere.

My first gym where I took yoga classes in 2008 was hip and held regular yoga classes. I really liked the Sunday Hatha yoga class that I showed up to. And like most, I hated yoga after the first class. Yes, I hated it because I didn’t know what I was doing.

But it kept calling me… (a weekly class habit does that).

And then when I moved away, yoga was just up and coming. The Gold’s Gym I belonged to had many yoga classes taught in an inspiring studio. By then I was addicted to yoga.

I also dropped into many other yoga studio classes over those few years and learned other common yoga poses in those experiences.

…So you could say I grew up with yoga in America. I saw when Vinyasa became common yoga practice.

And that’s why I know in-person classes is the best way to learn yoga as you get occasional 1:1 instruction for certain poses, and you have a 3-D experience.

Also, I’ve never met a yoga instructor who didn’t love yoga! What’s not to love once you get the hang of it!?

Yoga is never about what others are doing around you so there’s no need to ever feel inferior or be intimidated. We all start somewhere.

You can start in the back of the class where no one is paying attention to you so you can watch others who are a ‘lil more advanced by a few classes.

And yoga is union, so we’re in a spirit of love when we’re together in the same spacious room breathing the same yoga air in harmony.

So then you can be free to have greater awareness for your own body and its capabilities.

If you have an Achilles Heal like a less flexible lower back, you learn in class you can’t do full Camel Pose.

And that’s okay. Rather than grabbing your ankles, you can back arm clasp or do the modified prayer hands behind the back. 🙏

When you know the poses intimately like that, then you can do them automatically on your home mat OR in front of a digital screen class.

But starting out with a virtual class is not going to give you the full experience if you don’t know what you’re doing or the yoga foundations.

You wouldn’t have the real life experience to draw from.

So that’s step one for new yoga peeps.

Classes will be a great expansion to your yoga development.

…I’m grateful that I learned the BEST WAY so I can pass on that advice to you. 🧡

Then with yoga knowledge under your belt, you can solve your own aches and pains like general lower back pain or malaise that’s pretty common.

You may not need anything else for restoring daily sitting or computer postures.

Looking up and turning the head is one purposeful move.

…But yoga is the intentional move that saves.

Yoga restores our bodies. Like sleep, we’re doing some resetting good for our body (and mind).

When we bend the opposite way to counteract our regular arching backs and hunching forward postures, we get back to body balance.

In my lower back pain issue, I specifically did Bridge pose with a yoga block to stretch the back more than without. Even on the lowest block setting, I was wincing in pain.

And somehow on my mat, I convinced myself to raise the block to the second setting.

This wasn’t a new pose for me, so despite knowing (the unwritten rules)… like never have pain feelings in yoga, I knew the additional stretch was needed to fix my back issue.

I could do it safely without getting hurt.

And I also knew my limitations where the third and highest block setting would not be possible on this particular day.

So I would not attempt that.

I would stay in the second block setting where I ended up getting stuck.

That can happen.

…I could not get down.

You’re probably wondering why as all I had to do was pull the block out from under me as easily as I inserted it in.

But you see when the back gives out, that pain extends to the butt and legs (where your largest muscles are) that is supporting you and your back in Bridge Pose.

So the block was like an immovable concrete block. It’s actually light gray too (but foam). 😉

So resetting my mind, I rolled backward into Plow Pose getting away from my block that was under me.

Not only was that a great escape… but that’s the pose that saves the lower back.

In Plow Pose, you fully release back stress without needing inversion tables. Remember those?

That’s the pose where you throw you legs over your head so they are above and behind you.

It saved me once before when I moved and my furniture hadn’t arrived for a month…

Sleeping on a mattress couldn’t save me then, but Plow Pose did.

…Sometimes people stop at Shoulder Stand inversions before the pose, but that was unnecessary today in lower back pain pose priorities.

This is where it’s helpful to know the poses you need so you can recall them when needed.

And they’re just finger tips away on the mat.

That just comes with yoga practice.

…And emphasizing that yoga is not about the fancy poses like inversions (like Shoulder Stands).

For physical health and wellness, it’s about restoring your body.

And knowing the restoring poses like Pigeon Pose, Lizard Pose and Sphinx Pose. Those are all good for lower back pain not from a recent injury.

Plus a good resting pose like Child’s Pose or Hare Pose. You can ball back up for a moment into your inner child.

And…

Now I can rest. Today I feel brand new jumping out of bed.

In a few days when I know I’m fully recovered from this episode (that again was not an injury), I will go back to stomach exercises that support the back and lifting small weights.💪

Both the stomach and weights are so important for building muscles that are needed to support the back (that carries us back).

We all need that!

So I hope this encourages you to do more healthy yoga! 🧘🏻‍♀️

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Fruit Roll Up – Homemade with Applesauce

Fruit roll up is a happy memory from when I was a kid. 💭

They were a sweet and light snack from the grocery store that melted in the mouth.

It was (and is) a cross between fruit + candy.

They came wrapped up in their own packaging and were attached to cellophane that I liked to play make things with when I was young. They were rolled up like scrolls.

Almost like the Dead Sea Scroll minus the ancient writing.

…And not that far back, my young days was when posters were the rage so anything rolled up meant happy entertainment or enjoyment.

Playing around, I haven’t had a fruit roll up like those until now as an adult. 😋

Decades later and these parchment paper looking treats are naturally preserved…

These were like the ones that ruined me to never want any other fruit roll up wannabes. 😅

These are the REAL DEAL.

Making these fruit roll ups bring me joy (...and maybe for you too?) because they resembled packaged old-fashioned fruit roll ups that you would buy at the store… minus additional sugar that’s not needed for these.

As thin as they are like sheets of music, these stack up nicely! 🪵…

Thin as paper and pretty as rice paper too.

They’re as durable as leather.

Technically they fall in the leather fruit category but are as smooth and supple as suede.

My mom was a dressmaker, so she played a role in influencing my fabric choices where I learned lighter materials are usually higher quality.

And I’d agree about that with this light leather fruit material…

These feel light and feathery (not leathery) and are very apple healthy! 🍏

Plus, they last for weeks at room temperature.

Made with apple they are a great fall snack that can be made year round.

It’s almost like wrapping paper… or maybe it’s an old map or a key to hieroglyphic history. However you want to call it, it’s a SWEEET fruit roll up.

Oh, and kidding aside, the BEST part is (…can you tell I’m getting excited that it just gets better? 😊)…

You can make these in your home oven in one hour and 20 minutes with just 5 minutes of prep time.

How’s that for predictability?

…Seriously it’s that easy!

They are fun (and dare I say relaxing) to make and everyone of all ages will love them! 💕

They make a great sweet snack without any artificial ingredients.

And actually just 2 sweet and natural ingredients that make a perfect duo. 🍏🍯

Using applesauce, you don’t even have to turn the stove on to cook down apples and de-core them… and they will turn out even better. Because for one, the apple fruit roll up will be more even.

…The first time you make them, don’t freak out because they turn transparent on a baking sheet.

Don’t worry, it’s there. 😀

…I tried that once with Aquafaba because I heard you could make meringues that way… and POOF! I wish I could say that was magic, but it was more like a trick. 🪄

They dissolved into thin oven air… but I digress.

These fruit roll ups will turn out… I promise.

These are the proof…

I’m so happy to share these with you through the screen. And I hope they make your day like they did for me the first time I made them. 🍥

(And maybe this will keep the kiddos staying happy and cavity-free as low-sugar goodies with plenty of sweetness… that are substitutable for a certain candy holiday 🎃).

And if you’re into experimenting (like I am gladly doing with sweets), you can try other flavors.

Keep in mind they will take longer to bake with more complex ingredients.

You will know when you touch or look at the baked fruit roll up whether it’s dry and done, or half-baked and almost there….

In this one, you can see here that the dry section is on the upper right area and the rest of the fruit roll up is not done… simply pop it back into the oven.

Change the time but don’t mess with the temperature.

This one took another 20-25 minutes to finish… and was worth the wait. ⏲️

Ready to make these? 😋

Easy Apple Fruit Roll Ups

These are no fuss-no muss apple fruit roll ups you can bake in under 2 hours. This will make 4 - 4 inch roll ups that are about 9 inches long.

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

Silpat silicone baking mat on sheet pan

Ingredients

2 4 ounce applesauce cups, unsweetened
2 tbsp raw honey (high quality)

Instructions

Thoroughly combine apple sauce in a bowl and add honey. Tip: use a high quality honey with a smooth consistency.
Smear the mixture into a thin layer on a Silpat (silicone sheet) laid out on a baking pan. Tip: Use different light to check that there are no "holes" that show up with shadows.
Bake on 200°F/100°C for 80 minutes. Tip: if you add or experiment with other more vibrant colors and flavors, they can take significantly longer. You'll know it's completely done, when the fruit roll up is one uniform color and dry throughout to the touch.
Let cool completely and then start to peel at one corner and then slowly peel up the entire fruit roll up. Roll up, slice, and enjoy!

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Fall Pizzas Recipe – Easy to Fall For

Fall pizzas are easy to fall for because you can use almost any type of flour to make a thin crust. You can love the crust and pizza! 😋

Pizza is the perfect comfort food for a cozy fall meal and all year round. And they can be made healthy!

Unlike bread making that needs a higher protein or gluten flour 🍞 for a higher rise, a pizza crust can work well for gluten-free people too. You don’t always need to use bread or 00 flour.

Especially flat bread pizzas that are more like cracker crusts, where the toppings are the stars.

You can use your healthy gluten-free flours like rice flour to produce a no-rise rice cracker-like crust (recipe below 🧡) .

Goes to show you, you can make a nice crust from just about anything. 😀… maybe not sawdust, but you know where I’m going.

That confidence came from practicing and making pizzas as one of my first loves (and from my professional food service work journey).

I worked in a busy pizza shop as a teen. That’s a throw back to when we sported our baseball caps that was part of our work uniform that we called our clown suits.

And us clowns banded together, so we were used to our daily attire 🤡

Who knew caps would become such popular wear?

And maybe that’s why I still like to sport a baseball cap when I’m baking or near the kitchen.

Decades later still sporting a baseball cap for pizza 🍕

Those pizza making shop days were so much FUN and I ended up staying on there for 4 years before I was rushed off to college.

The shop was like a second home to me before then. During fall football season 🏈, we were busy pizza making bees lined up on the make line. 🐝 🐝 🐝

And as busy bee pizza makers, we were not watching any TV.

We worked as a team under fun pressure to crank out pizzas as fast as we could… 30 minutes fast to be precise… that was the expectation from order taking to door delivery.

So that boiled down to about one-and-a-half minutes to make and prep each pizza from dough to toppings, and then into the magical baking oven.

That reminds me of an I Love Lucy chocolate factory episode ❤️

But we weren’t in a losing game most of the time… occasionally, when the line was backed up or an oven broke down, production came to a halt… it was people (and not machine production run) so we didn’t have to scarf down pizza ingredients to keep up.

…We just chilled out during those times.

And when back on track, our heads were down during the rush (that often was during a football rush). But if you weren’t a pizza ingredient or pizza-in-the-making in front of our eyes, we didn’t have time to look up.

Translated: if Kelce proposed to Taylor Swift on the field or they came into our shop, those moments would be missed.

…Our fall pizzas took priority no matter what.

And was worth it because making pizzas was a one-of-a-kind experience. Those franchise booming years were a recorded phenomenon…

It was history in the making as business college text books I read even had case studies on the 30-minute guarantee I knew firsthand.

And in the shop organized chaos hoopla, while breathing in pizzas, I learned the trick to consistent pizza crusts.

The shop dough would rest in the cold walk-in cooler overnight and get hand sprayed with water to keep from drying out.

It was such a critically important job that only the managers who were the kings of the shop made sure to treat the dough like babies.

They gave the dough some TLC and the proper rest needed that dough babies need to rise on game day.

And when game time was ON, the dough slapper would crank out dough crust, one after another with quick speed, tossing them in the air like frisbee footballs to the next team member…

Sometimes I was the receiver. And that’s where my play was.

If you were assigned the next role, you could catch the frisbee-shaped dough with your two fists and knuckles. Then you would flip out the dough on a pizza screen so they would lay flat and taut without wrinkles.

There’s a lot of dough gymnastic action going on. 🤸‍♀️

Or they were already set on a screen as the dough slapper’s choice. You could say they’re the Quarterbacks calling the plays.

And then after center screen placement, the pizza sauce is added. That’s a 10-second or so second position, that I was told was the second most important position too.

There’s no dilly-dally time to waste during the busy hours.

Saucing takes a little smooth surfing action 🏄 to evenly spread the sauce… stopping right at the crust like a professional skier at the bottom of a hill. ⛷️

During the slow hours, saucing was a skill that I got to learn, perfect, and throw the ladle in the sauce bucket without it splashing to show I was “a professional”… and I wish I could say that skill has paid off as a useful one, but all I can say is it was FUN. 😀

And today, that’s still the sauce technique I use at home under no pressure where all I do is imperfectly slow bake and prep.

And in that spirit, you can bake your own sporty no-stress pizza at home in about 35 minutes (and in less time than it takes to order out).

Once you know the basics you can apply this to any type of healthy pizza, fall pizza recipe, or crust style that fits your fancy.

Pizza Making 101

You need 4 ingredients for pizza: flour, salt, water, and yeast.

Sound familiar…maybe?

It’s the same 4 ingredients you need for bread making.

(Tip: try using semolina flour for your bench flour underneath your pizza for a nice crunch and to make your pizza experience special compared to bread making).

Semolina flour good for pizza bottoms feel like coarser desert sand and is more uniform than sugar or salt. It’s not fine like most all-purpose flours like we used in the shop.

Here’s how you can make homemade pizza step-by-step.

My all-time favorite is a mushroom Neapolitan Recipe where you don’t need any fancy pizza or wood-fired oven, but you do need an oven.

To prove the point, this pizza was made in an apartment oven.

Other simple tips for fall pizzas include skipping the brown charring of the crust. Regular baked crusts are even easier to make.

Those are like the regular crusts we had in the pizza shop or when you order a pizza.

…where you simply mix the 4 ingredients, knead the dough, let the dough proof for a couple hours, shape and flatten the dough except for the crust, and then bake on 350°F for about 20 minutes.

From there, I then add the toppings that are already pre-cooked. I do that part separately as different toppings need different cook times in a regular oven. And from bake start to finish, a pizza is done in 30-35 golden minutes. That’s still a magical number today.

In the pizza shop ovens, we always added the uncooked flat meats and veggies first, and then the lumpy items.

They were timed to perfection because through the conveyor belt, the heat was distributed specifically for the needs of pizzas. They only needed 8-10 minutes of baking time.

In the shop, they also weren’t experimenting with new toppings. But they did have pre-made thin crusts (like a cracker crust) and pan pizza crusts that were baked in different ovens.

But the regular crust was the one that most people loved…

Like I did with this sea creature pizza 🦑..which btw, you don’t have to be Jacques Cousteau adventurous to come up with your own unusual creations… like squid here that has a tougher texture.

And if you’re a more traditional pizza fan, I GET it… I used to hate anchovies and now I love ’em.

And besides traditional mushrooms that I’ve always loved, onions make for great toppings on traditional fall pizzas.

Onions (and mushrooms 🍄) are great for boosting your immunity during cold and flu season. Red onions are more mild tasting than Vidalia or white onions. 🧅 And you mix and match.

In the spirit of veggie fall pizzas, you can have fun with your rings.

You can also make a very healthy eating pizza category. And add that to your meal planning list.

…Like this healthy rice cracker recipe that you can be made into a rustic low-carb calorie pizza.

For more savory and simple delicious ideas, you could add za’atar spices to your fall pizzas… or use za’atar crackers.

What else can you pizza dream up?

Rice Crackers

Rice crackers are versatile. You can eat them by themselves or make a pizza crust with them.

Course Snack

Cuisine American, asian

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup water plus additional water (about 1 tbsp)
1 tsp ground sea salt
Everything Bagel spice (garlic, seeds)

Instructions

Mix flour and water into a paste. Add salt.
Sprinkle Everything Bagel spice evenly on top.
Bake in low heat oven (about 250°F) for about 25 minutes or until crispy texture desired.

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