Ice Cream with a Crisp and Pita Pizzas

Well here we are on a Wednesday and I'm on a roll with blogging this week! It's nice for me to get some time each night to write a bit and enjoy a little down time.

Today was a stay-close-to-home day, for no particular reason except that we really didn't have any plans. I also took a complete rest day from working out. Marshall and I played around the house, read a LOT (he's been pulling out books and bringing them to me lately, which is irresistible), ate some delicious meals, ran some errands, and played at the park. Another mom gave me the idea to bring an inflated ball to the park and pass it to Marshall while he's on the swings. Marshall thinks it's hilarious! He grabs the ball and then either passes it back to me or throws it to the ground.

Marshall's naps have been less predictable (super long or none at all) lately, so I've had some fun in the kitchen! This morning I threw pork in the slow cooker to make carnitas for tacos tonight. Deeeeeelicious! We used Trader Joe's Truly Handmade tortillas (the white flour ones, which are much softer than the whole wheat), then topped the carnitas with avocado, pepper jack cheese, and our favorite 365 Salsa Verde.

Later in the day, I decided I had had enough with scrounging for dessert every night (what are we, animals?), so I assembled a berry crisp to bake later. I used my No-Sugar Apple Crisp recipe and just replaced the apples with berries (one pint blueberries and one and a half cups blackberries). I also didn't have pecans, so walnuts took their place. I had to make ice cream, too, because what good is a berry crisp without vanilla ice cream?

I use the 100 Days of Real Food cookbook to make my ice cream, but I change the quantities just a little:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla

At the end of the day, Terry came home a little early so I could take a little break. I walked to the coffee shop, read for about 30 minutes, and walked home. It was a perfect getaway, and then I was thrilled to get back to my boys.

Oh! I wanted to share a quick recipe we've made a few times recently. It's super easy, nutritious, and quick, with lots of options for variety.


Pita Pizzas

- Whole wheat pita bread (we like Trader Joe's brand)
- marinara sauce (I like 365 organic)
- frozen chopped spinach
- mozzarella cheese (or mix it up with whatever cheese you like, like goat)
- toppings of choice--more vegetables, pepperoni, sausage, etc.

Slather the marinara on the pita, then sprinkle liberally with spinach (I keep it frozen until about 5-10 minutes before using it, so it thaws juuuuust a little),

 then shredded cheese, then other toppings. Bake at 425 degrees about 10-12 minutes, and enjoy!

Funny story: I bought this pepperoni and laughed because it's a tiny bag (4 ounces) but they have a resealable zipper thing. I told Terry, "Ha! Who would buy this small of a package of pepperoni and not eat it all in one meal?" Fast forward five minutes after I've assembled the pizzas: "Uh, actually, there's quite a bit left over..." (Don't worry, I made sure we ate all the pepperoni!)

Off to snuggle in bed with my book! Hope you're having a wonderful week!