I'm convinced the days of my life alternate between bouts of reality and themes from episodes of "Seinfeld." Right now, I'm having a "Seinfeld" type situation. If you've seen the show, you will know what I'm talking about immediately- if not I'll clue you in quickly. The episode is based around how the Seinfeld crew find a Fat-free Frozen yogurt place, where the fro-yo tastes just too good to not be fattening. After weeks of indulging and tightening pant belts, they decide to send a sample of the frozen treats to a lab. Low and behold, testing results show that the fro-yo is in fact NOT fat-free!
OK, now my story: Let me start off by saying that I LOVE to cook & am not a fan of processed foods. In my freezer, along with frozen veggies, fish, meat, herbs, sprouted bread, light ice cream and of course vodka, you will find frozen pizzas. These are not just any fro-piz, but "Eat Rite" low-carb, low-fat individual deep dish chicago pies. For the past year, I've been going to a specialty healthfood store to buy these $6 ea. heavenly fro-piz. They're delectably cheesy, the crust is crunchy and they mainly make me happy :) So happy that like anything else seemingly too good to be true- I had my doubts. And as our gut is always right, my doubts were confirmed. A quick Google search led me to a story Fox News had done on the company and their false health claims. The pizzas contain more than double their claimed calories and about 300% more fat and carbs!
Check this out http://www.myfoxny.com/story/18071984/false-nut .
So now what's a girl to do when she wants some good pizza without the guilt? I have other options, don't you worry. If you're going out, try for whole wheat- it's going to add some extra fiber to your meal and help keep things moving along. If you don't have access to whole wheat where you're dining (no biggie)- either way always go thin crust/well done & light on the cheese. It's inevitable that pizzerias overload on the cheese and yes, even after your request, they probably still will. If you feel deprived, shake some grated parmesan on that baby (mmm), maybe some garlic powder, oregano, and of course if you can tolerate some red pepper (which is also a metabolism booster!). I like to sometimes order fresh veggies on my pizza too- broccoli, mushrooms, fresh garlic, onions, tomato slices, artichokes, spinach- what ever your foxy heart desires. I do stay away from any meat toppings- the cheese and oils in the pizza are going to give you enough fat for that sitting. Save your meatballs & pepperoni or chicken for a different meal and you should be okay.
There's also the option when it's just you or yourself + one and you want to stay home and make your own pizza. I do it all the time. It's the easiest thing to do. Buy some mini whole wheat pitas or whole wheat wraps. I try and stay in the 100-150 calorie range and always make sure they have some fiber. Top with a some jar sauce- I like Ragu Traditional for my pizzas (Unlike when I make pasta -my sauce homemade all the way baby!). Sprinkle with some part-skim mozzarella (1/4-1/3 cup), pop in the oven at 350 for about 15 mins, check until cheese is melted and bubbly. Take out and top with some grated cheese and seasonings. You can have some carrot sticks or salad on the side, maybe some frozen broccoli with a little smart balance salt, pepper and more grated cheese :)
There's also the option of the White Pie, which I adore and is just as easy. Top your whole wheat pita/wrap with two table spoons of fat-free ricotta (so good, you can't even tell it's non-fat), a little sprinkle of garlic powder and Italian seasonings, and top with a some part-skim mozzarella. Same thing pop in the oven until cheese is melty. Take out, add some grated cheese and serve with your choice of a side veggie. Delish!
Another option is a homemade Gluten free/Low carb pizza crust. This will require some more time- not too much though :D
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Grate raw cauliflower until you have 2 cups worth and microwave for 8 minutes. Add 2 egg whites, a tablespoon of ground flax some garlic powder, Italian seasonings and grated cheese. Work all ingredients and mold into crust. Place on parchment paper and in 400 degree oven about 25 mins (thickness will affect cooking time, so keep checking until it looks "crusty").
Remove from oven, top however you'd like and place back in the oven for about another 15 minutes or until your cheese/toppings look good to go. Take out, give a minute or two to cool & Dig in!
I hope you've been enlightened by my Tips/Recipes. Healthy eating can be really simple and tasty when done right. I'm not a Nutritionist, just a girl who took her body into her own hands and like clay molded it how I wanted it. I've read hundreds of health/fitness related articles and done the research. I feel so blessed to have put them to good use for myself and even more blessed to now share with you. xo
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