Friday, January 22, 2010

P-I-Z-Z-A!!! And yes even this can be good for you:)

Okay time for another recipe:) Kelcey and I had this before our date last week and it turned out so beautifully I took a picture and decided to post about it. We ate at the counter with the lights dimmed and a vase of flowers. Another one of our goals is to eat out less for dates, well...just eat out less in general. It was actually really fun to cook together and not worry about the kids. I would highly recommend it. This recipe serves 4 
There are a few variations with this recipe. I used my homemade spaghetti sauce that was leftover. The key is to make a lot and then freeze it in 1 cup tupperware, the ones I use are in the rectangle shape with the purple lid. You can just buy your own marinara sauce, just be sure to get the kind without sugar, if they make it:) We usually do a pizza Friday, I need to give a shout-out to Kourtney (my sister-in-law) who does this at her house. My kids love it so thanks!  Now I also make my own 100% whole wheat pizza dough. It's so fast and cheap so it's the only way to go for us. One cup of whole wheat flour =400ish calories. That is the amount of flour I used to make this crust so 1/4 of this pizza, just with the dough, is 200 calories. If you want to go less buy a 100% whole wheat pita bread, the flat round ones. I think pita bread is only 75 calories per serving. In other words you could eat more, or add more toppings, your choice. I, however, am not a fan of pita bread so I stick to my pizza dough. I continue to try it though;) You never know, maybe one day I'll like it.

100% Whole Wheat Pizza Dough:
1 c. whole wheat flour (buy it in bulk and you'll save$)
1/3 c. 80 degree water
1 tsp. yeast
1/8 tsp. salt, or just guess (you don't need a lot)
  • pour yeast into water
  • mix flour and salt
  • when yeast is dissolved add to flour. I sometimes don't like to wait so I get a spoon and mix it. I know, that's a culinary no no, but I just want to get it done, and you know what, my dough ALWAYS turns out. 
  • You may need to add a little more flour or water. You want the dough to come off your hands, but have it moist enough that it's soft and sticks together.
  • Kneed the dough into a ball (I use a kitchen aid) and when it's done kneed just a little longer and place it back in the bowl. Cover with cling wrap, and a dish towel. If you're in a big hurry pre-heat your oven, turn it off, open the door, and slide the bowl in there. It'll rise very quickly without cooking it, just watch the kids and pets, since the door needs to remain open.
I know I have a lot of cheats, but I don't like sitting around all day. You could start early, but I never do, so this is the way it is:)

Toppings:
1 c. marinara sauce
1/4 c. mozzarella cheese
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1 green onion chopped
1/2 c. broccoli
1/2 c. grilled chicken. (Mine was pre-made and frozen, so just defrost it)
  • spread sauce over raw rolled out dough
  • Top with veggies, and then the cheese
  • cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until cheese bubbles
  • Slice into quarters and enjoy!
On the side add 1 cup of salad with olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. This is our favorite salad. We have one every night. And a big glass of ice water with a squeeze of lemon or lime. This meal equals around 350 calories, give or take a few. My totals are never exact. They are always ball park. 

As you can see I pre-make a lot of my foods. If I make spaghetti, I ALWAYS make extra sauce because we always use it. That's with any sauce. I make my own enchilada sauce too, and always double the recipe. If I make chicken I'll grill a lot of it, slice it up and freeze it, or put it in the refrigerator for a chicken wrap for lunch the next day. It makes dinners fast and easy. And I never have to wonder what I'm going to eat for lunch because it's always ready. That's the trick really. Eating healthy just takes a little more planning. Remember to start small. Start with eating a very healthy breakfast in the morning. For example a regular breakfast for me is 1/2 cup dry whole oats (oatmeal) cooked in the microwave, then add 1/4 cup frozen blueberries (190 calories), and 1 whole egg with 2 whites(110 calories). I make sure to have protein with my breakfast because it reduces sugar cravings. Which I struggle with A LOT. It's always worse if I don't get my protein fix in the morning.

You could also increase your water consumption. I drink a gallon a day. What you'll find is when you "think" you're hungry, you're actually thirsty. A good way get your water in is drink 1 cup before and after every meal (if you're eating 5-6 meals that is). Try to get a half gallon down before noon every day. You'll have to pee a TON at first, but your body will regulate. If you just started here you would feel very different.

Give me a shout out if you would like to know anything in particular...here's to healthy eating:)
 

2 comments:

  1. i am so down with trying this recipe. and i LOVE all your cheats. thank you. i'll let you know when i make it.

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  2. Mmmm....That looks really tasty!

    ReplyDelete