PIZZA QUICHE and GOUT Facts

Gout, or elevated levels of uric acid, is one of the most commonly mistakenly fixed with a diet that is low in protein and high in fructose. The prevalence of gout seems to have doubled over the last 25 years.

Uric acid accumulates and crystallizes into needle-sharp urate crystals. These crystals then lodge in the soft tissues and in the joints of the extremities most commonly, the big toe. This causes inflammation, swelling and terrible pain.

Uric acid is a breakdown of protein compounds known as purines; which are the building blocks of amino acids. High concentrations of purines are found in meat, SO we assumed that the primary cause of elevated uric acid levels in the blood is caused by an excess of meat consumption.

The actual cause, has been quite shocking! Just as low sodium diet has been proven to NOT help with lowering blood pressure and a cholesterol-free diet doesn't help with decreasing heart disease, a low-purine diet has no effect on uric acid levels!

A vegetarian diet will drop serum uric acid levels by only about 10% compared to a typical American diet, but that isn't going to do much to decrease the gout and the pain that is being experienced.

Another shocking piece of evidence is that eating additional protein increases the excretion of uric acid from the kidney! This decreases the level of uric acid in the blood; therefore the high protein diets are helpful, even if the purines aren't.

Now let's look at the true culprit...Insulin resistance DOES raise uric acid levels. This happens because it decreases uric acid elimination by the kidney; the same way it raises blood pressure by decreasing sodium excretion. So raised insulin levels will raise uric acid levels and can cause gout. Therefore a high carbohydrate diet is one large problem with gout.

BUT there is one specific carbohydrate source to REALLY steer clear from! Fructose causes many problems, but we are now understanding that it also is a main contributor to gout. Fructose increases serum levels of uric acid. The increase in uric acid levels with an infusion of fructose was first written about in the Lancet in the late 1960s. Fructose was proven to accelerate the breakdown ATP (the primary source of energy); which it is loaded with purines. ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate; adenosine is a form of adenine, and adenine is a purine; this increases production of uric acid. Alcohol also raises uric acid levels through the same reaction.

Fructose also stimulates the production of purines. The metabolism of fructose leads to the production of lactic acid, which inhibits the excretion of uric acid by the kidney, which raises uric acid by that mechanism.

Gout can run in families. In 1990, Edwin Seegmiller and the British geneticist George Radda, discovered that the familial association was a very specific gene defect that regulated fructose metabolism. This gene defect made it difficult to metabolize fructose and cause a predisposition to having gout if the diet had excess fructose.

So where do we get this excess fructose...sugar is about 50% fructose, honey is about 55% fructose, high fructose corn syrup can range up to 65% fructose, and AGAVE is about 90% fructose! Keep in mind that natural foods, even fruit, has fructose and in extreme health conditions, they should be avoided.

For more information CLICK HERE.



"HEALTHIFIED" PIZZA QUICHE
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS oregano
7 eggs
6 oz shredded Mozzerella cheese
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic
3 links of Bolinski's Organic Chicken Sausage (spinach garlic flavor or other), cut into small chunks
OPTIONAL:
Olives, peppers, Italian sausage, mushrooms...
NO SUGAR Marinara sauce for dipping.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine cottage cheese, baking powder, salt and Oregano; set aside. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add the cheese and pizza toppings (BAKE IN MUFFIN TINS for individualized pizza toppings) or pour into a greased 10" pie plate. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, until puffy and lightly browned. A knife inserted into the center of the quiche should come out clean. Let rest for 15 minutes, serve. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARRISON (per serving)

Traditional Quiche with Crust = 290 calories, 19g fat, 10.8g protein, 19g carbs, trace fiber

"Healthified" Quiche = 112 calories, 6.9g fat, 9.4g protein, 2.1g carbs, trace fiber

Deep Dish Pizza and HIDDEN NUTRIENTS

Most people think you must eat fruits and veggies to get all your nutrients in for the day, but a hidden food that has A TON of nutrients are spices! Oregano is used in this recipe and is one of the top foods for Vitamin K! Vitamin K is essential for bone growth and can decrease bruising.

Oregano is a proven super "functional food". It has an excellent nutritional profile; just 100 g of oregano herb provides:

Dietary fiber- 107% (Percent of RDA)
Folate- 69%
Pyridoxine- 93%
Vitamin-C- 83%
Vitamin-A-230%
Vitamin-K- 518%
Iron- 550%
Manganese-203%
Carotene-ß- 4112 mcg

BENEFITS OF OREGANO:
1. Anti-Bacterial: The oils in oregano include thymol and carvacrol, both of which have been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Oregano to be more effective against Giardia than the commonly used prescription drug.

2. Anti-Oxidant: Oregano contains tons of phytonutrients; including thymol and rosmarinic acid. They are potent antioxidants that can prevent oxygen-based free-radical damage to cells. On a per gram fresh weight basis, oregano has demonstrated 42 times more antioxidant activity than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than blueberries.

3. PAIN RELIEVER: Concentrated amounts of oregano can help calm stomach upsets and painful menstruation.

4. IBS: Oregano increases the motility of the gastro-intestinal tract as well as increase digestion by increasing gastro-intestinal secretions.

5. DIABETES/CANCER/CHOLESTEROL: Oregano is a rich source of fiber, which helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Fiber works in the body to bind to bile salts and cancer-causing toxins in the colon and remove them from the body. This forces the body to break down cholesterol to make more bile salts. These are just some of the reasons that diets high in fiber have been shown to lower high cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of colon cancer.





1 1/4 cup cottage cheese
5 eggs
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
PIZZA HUT SPICE MIX:
4 TBS Parmesan cheese
3 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS oregano
TOPPINGS:
Low-Sugar Marinara (Mario Batali = no soybean oil and no sugar)
Bolinski's chicken sausage
Mushrooms
Peppers
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a large cake pan or lasagna pan with with coconut oil spray (click HERE to find).

In a food processor (click HERE to find the one I love for less than $30!) or large bowl, mix the cottage cheese, coconut flour, baking powder, eggs, salt and 1/2 of the Pizza Hut seasoning until very smooth.

Place dough into a large greased round cake pan (or lasagna pan), scatter with the remaining spice mix, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set, risen, and golden brown. Remove from oven and place your sauce, toppings and cheese on the crust. Place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 9 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving of CRUST only)
Traditional Deep Dish Pizza = 304 calories, 14 g fat, 45 g carbs, 1.2 g fiber (43.8 g effective carbs), 10 g protein
"Healthified" Pizza = 109 calories, 4.6 g fat, 5.2 carbs, 2.2 g fiber (3 effective carbs), 9.6 g protein

Pizza Hut Breadsticks and Mini Muffins

It is all about priorities...we take time to get ready and look good for work, drive our long commute, go to work on time, take care of our family, make the beds, clean the floors, mow the lawn...because we have to, we don't question these things...we just do it.

As humans, we take comfort in routine. At first finding the time to cook may seem difficult, but once it becomes a routine it becomes comforting. We also need to put a priority on cooking and eating right in order to gain back our health! It is essential to a healthier and HAPPIER you:)!

So instead of the routine of picking up Pizza Hut breadsticks and pizza, try this recipe and serve it with "healthified" pasta ideas from NUTRITIOUS and DELICIOUS cookbook.

1 1/4 cup cottage cheese
5 eggs
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
PIZZA HUT SPICE MIX:
4 TBS Parmesan cheese
3 TBS garlic powder
1 TBS onion powder
1 TBS oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a square baking dish or line a muffin pan with paper baking cups or spray with coconut oil spray (click HERE to find).

In a food processor (click HERE to find the one I love for less than $30!) or large bowl, mix the cottage cheese, coconut flour, baking powder, eggs, salt and 1/2 of the Pizza Hut seasoning until very smooth.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups 3/4 full, scatter with the remaining spice mix, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set, risen, and golden brown. Serve as hot or at room temperature. Makes 9 muffins.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Cheese Muffin = 304 calories, 14 g fat, 45 g carbs, 1.2 g fiber (43.8 g effective carbs), 10 g protein
"Healthified" Cheese Muffin = 109 calories, 4.6 g fat, 5.2 carbs, 2.2 g fiber (3 effective carbs), 9.6 g protein

Click HERE to find the cute jars I use to store my marinara sauce.

Pizza Dip and Cataract Awareness Month

August is National Cataract Awareness Month. The US Department of Agriculture’s Food & Nutrition researchers find that women whose average carbohydrate intake is between 200 and 268 grams per day are 2.5 times more likely to get cortical cataracts than women consume around 108 carbohydrate/day (the recommended daily allowance according to the government-run Food Pyramid is about 250 carbs/day...stupid!) If women consumes a healthy low-carbohydrate diet of 20-60 grams/day, the risk decreased even more!

One reason that scientists link carbohydrate consumption to cataracts is the increased exposure to glucose (even "complex" carbohydrates are just glucose molecules linked together in long chains, the body breaks them apart causing a rise in blood sugar) this process damages our eyes’ lenses. June 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (volume 81, pages 1411-1416).

So let's skip the deep dish high-carb pizza and try this tasty treat to satisfy those cravings!

2 links Bolinski's Organic Chicken Sausage
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 cup no-sugar marinara sauce
1 package pepperoni (I got from Italian specialty shop: Cosetta's)

Preheat oven to 370 degrees F. Chop the sausage into very small pieces. In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, sausage, Parmesan cheese, and salt. In a 5 x 5 oven safe dish, spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the bottom. Top with marinara sauce (and pepperoni if desired). Bake for 40 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Makes 8 servings.

Serve with "Healthified" Crackers! Enjoy

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Dip = 260 calories, 14g fat, 7.5g protein, 12 carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified Dip" = 230 calories, 14g fat, 7.5g protein, 5 carbs, 0.8g fiber

BBQ Chicken Pizza and DEPRESSION Facts

Why don't I eat gluten? Well, for many reasons, but for one, my mood has increased a lot. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. Have you put flour and water together to make your own gooey paste? In Poland, they use this for wallpaper paste. I’m not putting that “gummy” paste in my body; it causes way too much inflammation.

After the digestive tract, the most commonly affected system to be affected by gluten is the nervous system. It is thought that depression can be caused by gluten in one of 2 ways.

1. INFLAMMATION: A gluten sensitive individual’s immune system responds to the protein gliadin. Unfortunately, that protein is similar in structure to other proteins present in the body, including those of the brain and nerve cells. A cross reactivity can occur and the immune system “confuses” proteins in the body for the protein gliadin. This is called cellular mimicry and the result is the body attacking its own tissues with inflammation resulting. When inflammation happens in the brain and nervous system, a variety of symptoms can occur, including depression.

Please note, that even though most doctors will dismiss a gluten allergy/sensitivity if you don’t have any digestive issues, this is not true. You can have problems with gluten that show up in other parts of your body, not just the digestive track. Gluten can attack any organ: thyroid, gallbladder, nervous system, joints (arthritis), cellular membrane (multiple sclerosis), you name it.

2. SEROTONIN LEVELS: Gluten sensitivity interferes with protein absorption. Specifically the amino acid tryptophan, which is essential for brain health. Tryptophan is a protein in the brain responsible for a feeling of well-being and relaxation. A deficiency can be correlated to feelings of depression and anxiety (along with insomnia and constipation). 90% of serotonin production occurs in the digestive tract. So it makes sense that food has an effect, either positive or negative, on serotonin production. Our society is too willing to accept a “chemical imbalance” as an explanation for their symptoms and instead of getting to the root cause of the condition, simply swallow a pill – a pill that in the case of anti-depressants has very dangerous and undesired side effects.

The frequency with which clients can taper off their anti-depressants is considered “unbelievable” too many mainstream doctors, yet it happens regularly. How is that possible? Well, it is important to look at the root cause of the depression, rather than just putting a “Band-Aid” over the problem. Instead, I find success with a gluten-free diet as the main path to recovery, along with a therapeutic dose of amino acids, such as 5-HTP or GABA, along with Vitamin B and other key nutrients.

Food allergies can also affect our children’s behavior. Encounters with allergens stimulate the release of serotonin and histamine from mast cells in the body. This increase affect alters arousal, attention, activity and vigilance. As a result, a highly allergic child can be either quite sluggish or hyperactive, depending upon the system of the allergic reaction. Eliminating all allergens from the diet will eliminate hyperactivity or lethargy and inattention.

So when I tell clients to eat “gluten free” they often grab all the “gluten-free” pre-packaged foods on the shelf…but that most likely will cause weight gain and slow the healing process in your gut. Rice flour, the common flour substitute in gluten-free products, is higher in calories, higher in carbohydrates, and lower in nutrients than regular flour. It can cause more inflammation in our body. So my recommendation is to use make your own healthier options by using almond flour and coconut flour, which are very easy to digest. The healthy fats in nuts actually are nourishing to our brain. To read more on how to fight depression through food and supplements, check out Secrets to Controlling Your Cravings Weight and Mood.


Here is another item to toss from your freezer! Marketing Marketing Marketing. Click HERE to read why trans-fats increase depression.

Ingredients: Crust: Enriched Flour Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)Water, Tomatoes (Tomato Paste, Water)Cornmeal, Yeast, Vegetable Shortening (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil and Natural Flavor, Salt, Sugar, Dough Conditioner, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Ester Of Mono and Diglcerides ,Wheat Gluten, Sugar, Dextrose, Wheat Flour, Guar Gum, Active Malt Flour, Calcium Pyrophosphate, Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid, Enzyme)Butter Flavoring Oil with Garlic (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Oleoresin Garlic, Salt, Soybean Lecithin, Natural and Artificial Butter Flavors Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene Added For Color)Dough Conditioner (Dactyl Tartaric Acid Ester of Mono and Diglycerides ,Wheat Gluten, Sugar, Dextrose, Wheat Flour, Guar Gum Active Malt Flour Calcium Pyrophosphate, Lecithin, Ascorbic Acid, Enzyme)Olive Oil, Modified Food Starch, Spices, Garlic, Garlic Powder Dehydrated Parsley, Xanthan Gun Topping: Low Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, Cultured Pasteurized Part-Skim Milk, Salt, Enzymes)Tomatoes (Tomatoes Paste, Water) Pre-cooked Barbecued Chicken Breast Rib Meat-Smoke Flavor Added (Chicken Breast with Rib Meat, Water, Salt, Flavorings, Dextrose, Grill Flavor (Maltodextrin, Salt Grill Flavor (from Vegetable Oil)Modified Food Starch, Corn Syrup Solids, syrup Solids, Smoke Flavoring, Modified Food Starch, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Acid Phyrophoshate)Cooked with Bacon Bites Smoke Flavoring Added (cured with Water, Salt, Sugar, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Nitrite)Seasoning Blend (Sugar, Salt, Molasses Powder, Maltodextrin, Acetric Acid, Caramel Color, Sodium Diacetate, Smoke Flavor, Onion Powder, Mustard Flour, and Not More Than 2 % Silicon Dioxide Added To Prevent Caking, Spices, and spice Extra Extractives, Citric acid, Garlic Power, Anchovy Fish Powder Red Onion.

YIKES!!!! WHAT IS "Dough Conditioner"????? Let's toss those frozen pizzas and make our own!



Crust:
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup unflavored whey protein
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
Water (just enough to hold dough together)
Optional: Italian spices

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift all the dry ingredients together. Slowly add in water, 1 TBS at a time until dough can hold a ball shape. Grease a pie pan. With wet fingers, push the dough to cover the pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Top with toppings listed below. Place back in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yum! Makes 2 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Frozen Pizza = 350 calories, 54 carbs, 5 fiber
"Healthified" Pizza CRUST Only = 208.5 calories, 4 carbs, 2g fiber

Layer the pizza with:
BBQ Sauce (no sugar)
Shredded Chicken (I precooked mine in a crockpot)
Freshly Shredded cheddar
Chopped Tomato
Red Onion

CLICK HERE TO FIND MY FAVORITE NO SUGAR BBQ SAUCE

Pizza Crust and FACTS on "HEALTHY CHOICE" Pizza

Another gross food item that is marketed to consumers as healthy! This IS NOT a weight loss food!!! Click HERE to find out how Partially Hydrogenated Oils leads to weight gain!

Ingredients: Enriched French Bread: Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)Water, Degermed Corn Meal, contains 2% or less of Each of the Following: Natural Flavor, Sugar, Yeast, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening (Soybean and Cottonseed Oils)Ascorbic Acid, Fungal Enzymes, Calcium Stearoyl Lactylate, Salt, Pizza Sauce (Water, Tomato Paste, Corn Syrup Solids, contains 2% or less of Each of the Following: Sugar, Flavoring, Spices, Salt, Cheese Flavor [Parmesan, Cheddar and Romano Cheeses {Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt and Enzymes)Whey, Buttermilk Solids, Sodium Phosphate, Cream, Lactic Acid}Salt, Cornstarch, Flavorings Enzyme Modified Butterfat {Butter Oil, Water, Sodium Phosphate, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Citric Acid}Modified Cornstarch, Ascorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Soybean Oil, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate) Nonfat Mozzarella Cheese (Pasteurized Skim Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Artificial Color, Vitamin A Palmitate)Fat Reduced Pepperoni (Pork, Beef, Partially Hydrolyzed Whey Protein [Ingredients not Found in Regular Pepperoni]2% or less of Dextrose, Flavoring, Lactic Acid Starter Culture, Natural Smoke Flavor, Oleoresin Paprika, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Sodium Nitrite, Spice, Citric Acid)Herb Blend: Grated Parmesan Cheese (Part-Skim Cow's Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes)Oregano, Parsley. contains 8% Reduced Fat Pepperoni.



Try this instead!
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup unflavored whey protein or egg white protein
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
Water (just enough to hold dough together)
Optional: Italian spices

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sift all the dry ingredients together. Slowly add in water, 1 TBS at a time until dough can hold a ball shape. Grease a pie pan. With wet fingers, push the dough to cover the pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Top with no sugar marinara sauce, your favorite pizza toppings and mozzerella. Place back in oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yum! Makes 2 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Frozen Pizza = 350 calories, 16g fat, 10g protein, 54 carbs, 5 fiber
"Healthified" Pizza CRUST Only = 220 calories, 14g fat, 22g protein, 5 carbs, 2g fiber

If you prefer a "DEEP DISH" Pizza, check out the recipes in my NUTRITIOUS AND DELICIOUS cookbook.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per slice):
Pizza Hut Deep Dish = 430 calories, 37 carbs, 2 fiber)
"Healthified" Pizza = 157 calories, trace carbs, 0 fiber

Cheesy Breadsticks

I grew up in the town where the first frozen pizza was invented, Tombstone Pizza! It started in a bar across from a graveyard. So I grew up on a lot of pizza. My favorite were the pizza sticks that you would dip in sauce. Here is my "healthified" version without trans-fat.

3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3 ounces Cream cheese or sour cream
1/2 cup mozzarella or fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Spices (if desired)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate the eggs and add sour cream to the yolks. Use a mixer to combine the ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff. Using a spatula, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Spray a lasagna pan with Olive oil spray and spoon the mixture into it. Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes. Remove from oven and top with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese and spices. Bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. *Adapted from Oopsie Rolls on Lighter Side of Low Carb blog. Makes 9 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Pizza Hut Breadsticks = 400 calories, 42 carbs, 2 fiber)
"Healthified" Breadsticks = 157 calories, trace carbs, 0 fiber

Pizz-A-Roni

A lot of you have commented that you love the Beef-A-Roni, so here is a marriage of two loves the Beef-A-Roni and PIZZA! You would never guess that the "noodle" replacement is a vegetable. The eggplant sucks up all the flavors from the sauce and spices.



4 links of Bolinski's Chicken Sausage
1 lb Italian sausage, cooked
1/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup colored bell peppers, diced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
Salt & pepper
1 can No-Sugar Marinara sauce
3 cups eggplant, cut into cubes
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)
1 TBS parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and cube the eggplant into 1/2 inch squares. Place in a skillet with marinara, onion, pepper, mushrooms and garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the eggplant is soft.

In a casserole dish, add the eggplant mixture, sliced sausage and Italian sausage. Add salt, pepper and spices to your liking. Top with cheese (if desired) and bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Pizza-Roni = 414 calories, 20g fat, 24g protein, 39 carbs, 0.7g fiber
"Healthified" Pizza-Roni = 293 calories, 19g fat, 20g protein, 5.9 carbs, 1.7g fiber

Lychee Lemon Sparkler and Thin Crust Thyme Pizza

An absolutely entertaining drink and snack

The juicy sweet tropical fruit - Lychee ,is a rare delicacy.The lychee juice that is more common than the whole fruit can be used to make refreshing summer drinks.Lemon and mint in the sparkler is a flavorful compliment to the sweetness of lychee.
Recipe : Lychee Lemon Sparkler
Serves 3
Ingredients
2 cups of Lychee juice,chilled
1 lemon,halved ,seeded and juiced
3 tablespoon agave nectar(optional)
6 ounce bottle of lime flavored soda water
few fresh mint leaves

Method
Mix the lemon,lychee and agave nectar in a big pitcher.Add in the soda water.Pour in tall glasses and pour a cup of soda water in each.Garnish with fresh mint leaves and slice of lemon.Serve immediately.


Lighter in calories this thin crust pizza squares with simple toppings of onion ,partly skimmed cheese and aromatic thyme ,makes a thoroughly enjoyable evening snack.The fresh thyme was from my own herb pot.
Recipe :
Yields: 2 Pizzas 8x15 inches
Ingredients
For Dough
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon Cornmeal, for dusting
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For topping
1 medium red onion,sliced
1 cup partly skimmed mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Method
Dissolve the yeast in warm water, stir in the sugar and allow the yeast to get frothy, about 10 minutes.In a large bowl combine the flour,salt and flax seed meal. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and knead until well combined.Apply some more oil on the sides of the bowl cover and allow to rise until double it size about 1-2 hours.
Preheat oven to 450F.
Turn out the dough on to a lightly floured surface,knead lightly.Roll 2 rectangular pizzas about 8x15 inches and 1/4 inch thick.Sprinkle some corn meal on a baking tray or pizza stone.Place the pizza,sprinkle the cheese,onions and thyme all over.
Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until crust has risen and is golden and the cheese has melted.Cut in squares and serve warm.

This is my entry for this week's Yeast Spotting

Protein Deep Dish Pizza

CRUST:
3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup unflavored whey or egg white protein
3 ounces Cream cheese or sour cream, warmed
Spices (if desired)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate the eggs and whip the whites and cream of tartar until very stiff (I use a stand mixer and let it go for 5 minutes). Slowly sift in the whey protein to the whites. Using a spatula, gently fold the cream cheese into the whites. Spray a lasagna pan with coconut oil spray and spoon the mixture into it. Bake for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and top with your favorite toppings. *Adapted from Oopsie Rolls on Lighter Side of Low Carb blog. Makes 9 square slices.

After it has baked, Top with your favorite toppings!
Low-Sugar Marinara (Mario Batali = no soybean oil and no sugar)
Bolinski's chicken sausage
Mushrooms
Peppers
Mozzarella Cheese

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per slice):
Pizza Hut Deep Dish = 430 calories, 37 carbs, 2 fiber)
"Healthified" Pizza = 157 calories, trace carbs, 0 fiber

PER PIZZA:
1 Little Caesar's 14" Deep Dish Crust = 2,417 calories, 304 carbs
1 "Healthified" pizza crust = 584 calories, 8 carbs, 1 fiber, 62g protein

Pizza Bites

Here is a great breakfast or after school snack for kids! It is WAY healthier than popping Totino's Pizza Rolls into the oven...YIKES! Check out what is actually in those chemically made pieces of "food"...

Ingredients = Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste)Cooked Pizza Topping (Sausage made with Pork and Chicken [Pork, Mechanically Separated Chicken, Salt, Spice, Maltodextrin {Corn, Tapioca}Natural Flavor]Water, Textured Vegetable Protein [Soy Flour, Caramel Color]Sugar, Sodium Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Corn and Soy Protein, Soy Flour, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Torula Yeast)Water, Mozzarella Cheese Substitute (Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Rennet Casein, Modified Corn Starch, Potato Starch, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Vital Wheat Gluten, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate [Preservative]Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Titanium Dioxide [Color]Maltodextrin, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin A Palmitate, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12)Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Pepperoni Pizza Topping (Pepperoni made with Pork, Chicken and Beef [Pork, Mechanically Separated Chicken, Beef, Salt, Spice, Dextrose, Oleoresin of Paprika, Sodium Ascorbate, Garlic Powder, Sodium Nitrite, Lactic Acid Starter Culture, BHA and BHT and Citric Acid Added to Protect Flavor]Water, Soy Protein Isolate)Rehydrated Pasteurized Process Nonfat Mozzarella Cheese (Water, Nonfat Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes, Citric Acid, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin B6, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Phosphate)Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Sugar, Dried Whey, Defatted Soy Flour, Dried Onion, Spice, Methylcellulose, Rehydrated Enzyme Modified Cheese (Water, Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes)Natural Flavor.

OH MY! They have so much trans-fat, they have to list it 3 times! Click here to read why trans-fat causes weight gain. Try this instead...



1/3 cup freshly ground flaxseed
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 TBS Italian seasoning
pinch of Celtic sea salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup cubed nitrate free pepperoni
1/2 cup no sugar added pizza sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flaxseed, baking powder, Italian seasoning, and salt; whisk
in the egg. Stir in the mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni; let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir the batter and place in the mini-muffin cups. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping. Makes 30 mini muffins. Makes 5 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Totino Rolls = 385 calories, 39.5 carbs, 2.3g fiber
"Healthified" Bites = 327 calories, 3.8 carbs, 3g fiber