My boyfriend loves pizza but I hate spending the money on crappy greasy pizza. I love homemade pizza and this one is so easy to whip up for a last min date night spent at home! I paired my pizza with a Crisp and Natural Hard Apple Cider. Nothing says Fall like chilly nights snuggled up at home with pizza and a movie :)
This recipe is really easy because you make the pizza YOU WANT! And everyone can make any type of pizza they enjoy too! It's fun and a cute way to spice up your Saturday nights!
Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!
Serves 2-3 people
Time: 20 min
What you'll need:
2-3 Flat Breads (I used Flat Out's Light Sundried Tomato Flat Bread)
Pizza Sauce
Mozzarella Cheese (I used No Fat Mozzarella)
Your Favorite Toppings, diced into small pieces
*Optional: Red Pepper Flakes and Italian Seasoning
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking oil
3. Place FlatBreads on to the baking sheet and bake for 3-5 min. This will help them crisp up and not get soggy
4. In a saute pan, lightly sprayed with cooking oil and placed on medium heat. Add your chopped up veggies and saute them for about 5-10 min depending on what you have. I used an ounce of each of the following veggies: Spinach, Mushrooms, Red Pepper, Green Pepper, Red Onion and 1/2 tsp of minced Garlic (you cook them before hand because they don't spend much time in the oven to fully cook down)
5. Spread 1/8 cup of Pizza Sauce onto 1 Flat Bread and sprinkle on Red Pepper Flakes and Italian Seasoning
6. Your choice: add toppings underneath the cheese or on top of the cheese! I cut my Flat Breads in half so we could fit all 3 Flat Breads on my cookie sheet (also because it's like you're getting 2 mini pizzas:). So 1 half got the toppings below the cheese with 6 Turkey Pepperonis on top and the other half got the toppings on top of the cheese with no Turkey Pepperoni (a veggie pizza)
7. Place into the oven for 8-10 min, until your cheese is melted!
8. Slice up and enjoy!
(And YES, the pic below is my whole Flat Bread Pizza for 231 calories!!!)
1 Serving Size:
1 Flat Bread Pizza (with the above toppings)
Total: 231 Calories
Fall is HERE :) This may seem like a weird spice combo but I guarantee you that you will LOVE this! The sweetness from the squash with the spicy cinnamon flavors of the Tex Mex will have you wanting more!
Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!
Serves 4 people
Time: 45 min
What you'll need:
2 Acorn Squash (1/2 squash per person)
8-9 oz Extra-Lean Ground Turkey
1/2 cup No Salt Added Black Beans, washed
1 Tomato
1 Red Pepper
1 Green Pepper
1 Yellow Onion (medium in size)
3 tsp Minced Garlic
1 Dash Cinnamon
1 Dash Cayenne Pepper
1 Dash Cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking oil
2. Cut Acorn Squash in half (length wise), making sure to create a flat surface. Spoon out the seeds and strings out. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper and place on the baking sheet face down. Cook for about 35 min, until inside flesh is tender. (Pull out when done and let cool while you finish up the Tex Mex filling)
*Before:
*After:
3. While the Acorn Squash is cooking, dice up your Tomato, Onion, and Peppers into small pieces. Wash and rise your Black Beans too
4. In a saute pan that's been lightly sprayed with cooking oil and that's on medium heat, add the Peppers. Cook them for about 5 min then add the onion. When the onions are translucent add the Ground Turkey, being sure to break up the Turkey as much as possible
5. When the Ground Turkey is almost cooked through add the Cinnamon, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Salt, Pepper, diced Tomato, and Black Beans. Cook for about 5 more min and take off of heat
6. Measure out 1 cup Tex Mex Filling and place on top of an Acorn Squash Half
7. Sprinkle some cheddar or sharp cheddar on top for an extra yum factor and enjoy!
*Tex Mex Filling makes about 4 cups worth, enough for 1 cup per 1/2 Acorn Squash
1 Serving Size:
1/2 Acorn Squash 86 calories
1 cup Tex Mex Filling 136 calories
Total: 308 Calories 19.3 grams Protein 1.5 grams Fat 35.9 grams Carbs
I just love these! They are super quick to make and easy to do! My favorite pie of all time is Apple Pie but your average 1/8 slice of pie is anywhere between 275-350 calories and has roughly 18-20 grams of sugar!! You only should be consuming about 25-30 grams of sugar a day! (Most Americans eat about 90 grams of sugar a day...yes you should be dying right now!) I consider these little babies "healthy" because they help with portion control, sugar intake, and they contain real apples!
If you want to know why I'm always opting for the "no sugars added" route and the true "all natural" ways, click the link below to learn more. Sugar Love (A not so sweet story) by Rich Cohen-National Geographic, will truly open your eyes about the history of sugar and our addiction to it. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/08/sugar/cohen-text
But enough about why sugar can be bad for you and more about this recipe and why we should feel guilt free about these yummy, portion sized apple pies!
Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!
Serves 4 people
Time: 20 min
What you'll need:
4 Apple slices peeled, red or green (I used both)
4 Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Reduced Fat
1/2 Tbsp Butter (I used I can't believe it's not butter, light)
2 1/2 tsp Light Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Apple Pie Spice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a cookie sheet with Parchment Paper and lightly spray with cooking oil
2. Peel and slice your Apples
3. Place Apple slices, Light Brown Sugar, Butter, Cinnamon, and Apple Pie Spice into a microwavable bowl and stir it up
*Before:
4. Place the bowl in the microwave for 1 min, stir, and put it back in for 1 more min. Let this cool on the counter while you prepare your Crescents; it's easier to handle later
*After: cooked apples (that way you don't have hard crunchy apples when you bite into your Apple Pie Bite later). You can stop here and just enjoy these baked apples as a treat; so easy and so good :)
5. Roll out the Crescents (make sure they are pulled apart into separate rolls) and place 1 Apple slice per roll, drizzle a little of the Butter/Light Brown Sugar mix onto the inside of the roll, and sprinkle just a little more Cinnamon and Apple Pie Spice as well
6. Roll up and top with a little of the Butter/Light Brown Sugar mixture that's left in the bowl and a tiny sprinkle of Light Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Apple Pie Spice (to each roll)
*Before:
7. Place in oven for 8 min (depending on oven) and pull out of the oven to let them finishing baking on the hot cookie sheet (that you've placed on top of the stove or oven pad) for an additional 1-2 min.
8. Serve with some warm Tea (my favorite is Bengal Spice Tea lately) or Almond Milk and enjoy :)
1 Serving Size:
1 Mini Apple Pie Bite 118 calories
Total: 118 Calories 2.1 grams Protein 3.5 grams Fat 8 grams Sugar
*Check out these websites to learn more about Apple Pie and Sugar; these are just a few links:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/08/sugar/cohen-text
http://www.buzzfeed.com/tlo27/how-much-sugar-is-in-your-food#.oi86LXPAd
http://www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/1139.aspx?categoryid=51
http://www.livestrong.com/article/308270-calories-in-one-slice-of-apple-pie/
It's Fall and alas soup season has arrived in my home! It's my favorite food and warms my soul! This one is easy to prepare and the cooking happens all in the Crockpot!
Be sure to add your recipe into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!
Serves 4-6 people
Time: 6-8 hours
What you'll need:
4 Chicken Breasts, thawed
9 oz Carrots (I used baby carrots)
10 oz Celery (about 1 bunch)
10 oz Yellow Onion (1 medium onion)
5 oz Baby Spinach (1 container worth)
2 cups Noodles (I used Red Lentil Bean Noodles; they're high in protein and aren't fatty)
6 tsp Minced Garlic
6 cups 50% Less Sodium Chicken Broth
1 cup Water
1-2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 tsp Rosemary
1/2 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Ground Celery Seed
1/2 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
Directions:
1. Lightly spray the inside of your Crockpot with cooking oil
2. Dice up your Carrots, Onion and Celery
3. Trim your Chicken Breasts of any fat and extra skin
4. Put Chicken, Onion, Celery, Carrots, and Garlic into the Crockpot
5. Add Chicken Broth, Water, Bay Leaves, Rosemary, Thyme, Ground Celery Seed, Salt and Pepper
6. Set on High for 6 hours or Low for 8; your choice
7. After about 4-6 hours, take out Chicken and shred it and place back into Crockpot
8. Depending on what you set your Crockpot to, about 1 hour before you serve, add the Spinach
9. About 30 min to serving, set Crockpot to High and add Noodles, Parsley, and Lemon Juice. Cook until noodles are soft
10. Measure out and enjoy!
*Mine made about 15 cups worth!
**Brian enjoyed his with a Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich and I served mine with some salt-free Saltine crackers!
1 Serving Size:
2 cups Chicken Noodle Soup 197 calories
5 Salt-Free Saltine Crackers 70 calories
Total: 267 Calories 24.7 grams Protein 1.4 grams Fat 20.9 grams Carbs
I love this time of year! Yes, I love PUMPKIN everything but I love all the other things about fall too! I was feeling extra chipper last Sunday so I thought I'd get my fix of pumpkin through a protein rich pancake!! WHOO! Enjoy!
Be sure to add your meal into your myfitnesspal app and to weigh/measure out all of your portions!
Serves 3-4 people
Time: 45 min
What you'll need:
1 can Pumpkin Puree (not pumpkin pie filling!!)
1/2 cup Egg Whites
2 scoops Vanilla Protein Powder (I used a ON performace Vanilla Whey)
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed (or flour of your choice)
1 Tbsp Water
2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Powder
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. If it looks too thick add some water
2. Lightly spray a skillet or pan with cooking oil and light to medium heat
3. Making sure the pan is hot, using a 1/4 cup, scoop out 2-3 pancakes at a time. Thin them out if they're thick (mine were and I loved them this way)
4. Let them cook slowly! Mine took about 5-10 min each side; I know that seems really long but mine were thick so I let them cook. If you want that fluffy pancakes feel cook them covered, they will puff right up and cook faster :)
5. Serve with some warm syrup and walnuts and enjoy!
*Makes 9, 1/4 cup sized pancakes!
1 Serving Size:
2 pancakes 110 calories
7.5 grams No salt-Walnuts 50 calories
1/8 cup Mrs. Butter-Worth's Sugar Free Syrup 10 calories
Total: 170 Calories 15.8 grams Protein
