I haven't had much to say lately. Nothing has been changing and I am just continuing on in my efforts to prepare for surgery. So, I thought I would post on some of the recipes I've been eating.
This recipe is a easy way of making a thin crust pizza without all the work of making or dealing with pizza dough. You can put whatever toppings on it that you want of course. I found this recipe when searching for a thin crust pizza recipe after being told by the dietitian we could still have pizza. The catch being that it had to be a thin crust with emphasis on lower fat meats and lots of veggies and not on the delicious cheesiness. It is like she knew me... my favorite pizza: Deep-dish Cheese pizza with extra cheese. So yep, that is off the menu permanently. I realized if I was to still have pizza I would need to find a homemade replacement, because none of the pizza places around here carry low fat versions of toppings.
The original recipe has 17.4 g fat and 1.6 g sugar. Sugar-wise, it's fabulous, fat-wise not so much. But I realized that the recipe called for all "full fat" items. So I've modified it quite a bit, but I do not know how low I've gotten the fat content. I would like to just call this recipe Low Fat instead of Lower Fat, but again I do not know the exact fat content and it will change depending on what toppings you choose.
During my search for better ingredients, I found out that most of the pizza sauces (and spaghetti sauces) available in my local stores have a fairly high sugar or fat content or both. Finally, I found a pizza sauce I am happy with using. It is made by MID'S PASTA SAUCES and is called Pizza Sauce. Awe inspiring name, no? But one serving (1/4 c.) has 0 g fat and only 1 g sugar. The flavor is agreeable to my husband and myself, so I am pleased with my find. And I am sure that it helps with the overall nutritional content of the recipe.
I have not checked into whether or not they have an actual pasta sauce we would like, but since pasta is taking a backseat in our life, I'm not too concerned about that right now.
The original recipe can be found here: http://www.food.com/recipe/crazy-crust-pizza-29002
My version is right here! The first time I made it was for a gathering of friends (I'm a risk-taker, I know!) and everyone liked it. I don't have a 10" x 15" pan the recipe calls for, so I made it in a 9" x 13". For just the two of us, I usually half this recipe and use a 8" x 8" pan for baking. Both of these ways make the crust slightly thicker than it would be in the original recipe. Eventually, one of these days, I plan on tinkering with the recipe some more to make it accommodate my smaller pans without having a thicker crust. But for now, this is what I have been using.
Lower Fat Crazy Crust Pizza (8 Servings)
1 c. Whole Wheat Flour
1 t. Salt
1 t. Oregano (optional, depending on type of pizza you are making)
1/8 t. Black Pepper
1/2 c. Egg Substitute (or 2 Large Eggs, but has more fat)
2/3 c. 1% Milk
1 lb of cooked lean meat of your choice
Veggies of your choice*
1 c. Pizza Sauce
1 1/2 c. Low Fat Cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a glass 9" x 13" pan with baking spray.
2. Combine the flour, salt, pepper, oregano (if using), egg substitute, and milk in a medium bowl. mix well.
3. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and tilt the pan around until the batter is covering the bottom.
4. Evenly sprinkle the meat and veggies over the batter.
5. Bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven. Drizzle with pizza sauce and sprinkle with the cheese.
7. Bake 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.
* Note: Veggies are still pretty raw after baking, should you choose, you can saute them first to get a more cooked vegetable taste.
I like to change it up a bit. I've included some of my favorite variations so far. Also, you may notice, green peppers and onions are the only vegetables... I am picky regarding pizza vegetables. I also don't do the three F's: fruit, fish, fungus on pizza. And yes, I know peppers and tomatoes are technically fruit, but they are commonly considered vegetables. (according to Google and me)
Variations:
1 lb of taco meat (made using 93/7 ground turkey and homemade taco seasoning)
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
1.5 c. 2% Mexican Blend Cheese
1 c. Chunky Salsa, put in the blender to make smooth and use as pizza sauce
1/2 c. Low Fat Sour Cream for drizzling on top after baking
Additional veggies to add after baking: lettuce and olives (the olives are for him, not me!)
5 oz Turkey Pepperoni, quartered (only meat used)
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
1.5 c. Low Fat Mozzarella cheese
8 Turkey Hot dogs, cut into coins
1 Small Onion, chopped
7.5 oz can Turkey Chili Sauce, use as pizza sauce
1.5 c. 2% Cheddar Cheese
Mustard for drizzling on top after baking (for him, not me!)
Ideas I haven't tried yet:
1/2 lb Grilled Chicken, chopped
5 pieces crisp Turkey Bacon, crumbled
1 Small Onion, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
1 c. Low Fat Mozzarella
1/2 c. Feta Cheese
Baby Spinach - I am not sure yet if I will put it on fresh after baking, or if I will saute it and add it with the cheese.
Add two extra eggs or 1/2 c. egg substitute to crust to make it egg-y
1/2 lb cooked Ground Breakfast Turkey Sausage, crumbled
1 Small Onion, diced
3/4 c. Chunky Salsa, put in the blender to make smooth and use as pizza sauce
3/4 c. 2% Cheddar Cheese
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