The Charlie Browniest

Let me start by saying I hate Charlie Brown.

I don’t understand the appeal.

Everything about him is depressing.

The way he talks, the way he walks, the way he broods over America’s dwindling values.

And the rest of the peanuts cast of characters?

They’re just mean.

They’re bullies, really.

Mostly, I can’t stand Lucy and her 5 cent therapy.

HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO COMPETE WITH THAT?!?!

My boss would be so mad if I charged 5 cents for therapy sessions.

My point is I’ve been feeling a little Charlie Brownish lately.

It happens every January.

I get all brooding and contemplative and want to hold demonstrations about the evils of commercialism.

I knew things were bad when I didn’t feel like cooking.

It turns out cooking was exactly the therapy I needed though.

But instead of something heavy, I needed something bright to lift me out of this post Christmas funk.

The best part is it requires very little time or preparation. If you don’t have a food processor or a blender, just give the beans a good mashing with a fork.

Lemony Artichoke White Bean Spread

1 (16 oz) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped.

salt and pepper, to taste

Add beans, garlic and lemon juice to blender of food processor.

Process until smooth, but still has some texture.

Transfer to a medium sized bowl.

Fold in chopped artichoke.

Season to taste.

Serve with pita chips, vegetables, on top of salads or spread on a sandwich.

I Heart Pizza

Let’s have a conversation about hearts.

I was perusing WebMD  trying to diagnose a mysterious toenail issue and I couldn’t stop myself from clicking on all the related links in an eager search for more information.

This, in and of itself, must be an illness.

WebMD hypochondriac’s disease.

I’m sure I have it.

According to WebMD, I may also have congenital heart failure.

Or it might just be  a  bruised toenail.

Either way, I came across an interesting article about heart -healthy foods.

Reading about heart-healthy  foods got me thinking about Valentine’s Day so I typed “VD” into the search bar.

Um, that cured my obsessive link jumping.

I no longer do random WebMD searches.

Newly cured of my internet hypochondria, I had some free time to put together a heart healthy meal that just so happens to be perfect for Valentine’s Day.

I can’t say it will help you with VD, though.

Whole wheat flatbread is super simple to prepare and makes the perfect  crust for heart- healthy pizza toppings like spinach, olives, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts. The trick to crispy flatbread is lots of kneading and allowing the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes.

Whole Wheat Flatbread Pizzas

For the flatbread:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt.

Mix all ingredients until soft dough forms.

Knead dough for 5-10 minutes.

Divide into four disks and cover with damp towel.

Tidbit: This dough is easy enough for kids to make. In fact, I didn't knead my dough so much as played with it like play-doh. I'm not going to lie, my forearms got a workout but that just adds to the heart healthy benefits of this meal!

Allow dough to rest for 30 minutes.

For toppings:

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained

1 (7 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained

15 kalamata olives, chopped

8-10 large basil leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt + pepper to taste

1 cup baby spinach

1/4 cup tomato sauce

Combine all ingredients except spinach and tomato sauce in a bowl and toss gently to combine.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out dough so that it is very thin.

Top with a layer of spinach.

Spoon a small amount a tomato sauce.

Add a scoop of artichoke mixture

BUT WHERE'S THE CHEESE? Pipe down. I didn't want any. But if you do, feel free to top the pizza with your favorite cheese before baking.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 14-18 minutes or until crust begins to bubble and brown.

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RAKbit!

(This week’s Random Act of Kindness)

I RAK'd my hair stylist. Why? Because I've never had to come home and cry in the bathroom for two hours after she's finished. She always does an awesome job and my lame tips don't really cover how much I appreciate her!

Hope you have a good VD!