Let's Celebrate 30 years of Cotton Island!!

This little treasure on Hillcrest Avenue (and in Plano) has been like a second home and family to me. I worked there after college, and it has been a blessing for reasons beyond what words could describe. Not to mention, the customers become such sweet friends, the moms are darling (there are even some that come in to talk several mornings a week), and the clothes inside are so beautiful. Warning to your bank account: you are bound to always find something adorable!A spot like this is rare these days, and it reflects the leadership of these precious people: Founder Patty Feinstein and the precious Sheila Harris. They have both been there from the beginning three decades ago, and they still work oh so hard to make this place what it is today. I could never forget to mention Rachel Gutierrez as well, who is such a sweetheart and has invested so much heart into the people here for years!

Go check out the fun things they have going on this month in celebration of 30 wonderful years!!

P.S. One of my favorite things: your purchases will smell like there classic Patchouli scent when you leave!

A Recipe from Rachel Gutierrez: Quinoa Pizza Crust

Not only is she the manager at one of Dallas' favorite boutiques, Cotton Island, but Rachel Gutierrez is a lady of many well-rounded talents and passions, which include but are not limited to health, new out-of-the-box recipes, and creative cooking methods. Her excitement about the purpose of food in relation to the health of our body is contagious, and today she has shared with us one of her favorite recent recipes!

Quinoa Pizza Crust

Makes 2 thin 8 inch crusts

What You'll Need:

1 1/2c. quinoa, soaked overnight and drained1/2 – 3/4 c. pure water1 tsp. celtic sea salt1/4c. olive oil(of course you are using organic ingredients!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450º F. Place the quinoa, water, and salt in a blender and blend until creamy. The consistency will be thick ( like pancake batter). Start with 1/2c. water and see if you need more.Divide the olive oil and cover the bottom of 2 8-inch cake pans. Place the pans in the oven until they are shimmering hot (not smoking). Remove from the oven. At this point, you can add some minced garlic and/or herbs if you would like. Divide the quinoa mixture evenly. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the crusts over and return to bake another 10 minutes.  They should be brown and crispy.

The Final Touches

At this point, let your imagination take over. Top with classic pizza ingredients, or try something new. I have recently renewed my love of pesto, but not your typical pesto. This one is made of arugula, parsley, walnuts, olive oil, hemp oil, and garlic. Delicious! Pesto is a nutrient dense food that assists the liver in detoxifying the body and helps lower blood fats. So, on went a hearty layer of pesto. I topped this with some caramelized onions and sauteed red chard, mixed with some pine nuts. Lots of vegetables! That deep red color is so good for us.The “icing on the cake” is a few dollops of kefir cheese. I strained some goat’s milk kefir to get the liquid whey for some fermenting that I am doing this week. What is left is a thick sour cream like substance that is delicious! AND it contains lots of good bacteria/probiotics.

Rachel's Personal Review

I tried this recipe over the weekend, and it's so insanely easy and DELICIOUS!! I split the recipe in half to make just one pizza crust, and it came out perfectly. I only had a 9" round cake pan, and it was a really good size. After I flipped the crust I cooked it for about 5-8 minutes, put on the toppings and stuck it back in the oven for a few minutes.  I have had it twice now, once with a pesto topping and the other Margherita-style.

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The LO List: Cotton Island Gift Card

It's Day 9 on the LO List! Today you can WIN a $25 gift card to one of our favorite boutiques, Cotton Island! The store carries the newest and freshest styles including the latest jeans, tees, dresses, shoes, gifts and jewelry. You can find your favorite brands here too. Take a look at how you can win!

Here’s how you enter: Head to our Facebook page to answer this question “What is your favorite thing about Cotton Island?”AND “Like” LOLO and Cotton Island on Facebook. To increase your chances, tweet @LOLOmagazine and @cotton_island with the #LOlist hashtag.Good Luck!!