No, they didn’t go “off the wagon”, what they did do is come up with a couple of really great options to cut down the starches and make a great tasting pizza that doesn’t have to be loaded down with a bunch of junk!

After all there’s a lot of great things to be said about a Pizza topped with fresh tomato sauce, loaded with veggies and topped with some fresh mozzarella cheese. The magic of these two recipes is they go a step further and add some unusual (and tasty) crust options.

Now don’t be fooled into thinking you can eat all you want, because calories still count, but put away your skepticism and give them a try – in fact we have had a number of clients who made Helen’s recipe and they could not believe there was no bread, and neither could their family – it’s that good!

Helen’s Pizza Crust

Helen, one of Get Fit NH’s finest, talked up this recipe so much we had her send it to us to make. Its a hit with our family too.

Helen said, “Here’s a pizza recipe with 1.7 grams of carbs! Well, that’s if it serves 8…. In our house, it doesn’t but you can do the math. And, the kids couldn’t even tell the difference! This is the only pizza in our house and I don’t miss the “regular” at all.”

Crust Ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded mozzarella
• 1 cup shredded Colby and Monterey jack cheese
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. basil

Combine above  – this is the crust. Honest! Use a 13 x 9 pan.

Bake this ‘crust’ at 450 degrees until browned to desired crispness/doneness, about 25 minutes.

It does not stick to the pan.

Then top with ¼ cup pizza sauce, more or less to your taste or your carbohydrate load. Add any mix of toppings that you like. You can also add additional cheese on top. Place under the broiler until the cheese is melted to desired point.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Melissa, a superstar in Epsom, found this recipe and tweaked it a bit to make it her own. Amy and I made this for our family at  lunch. A hit enjoyed by all.

Ingredients:

• 1- 1/2 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 6-8 crushed garlic cloves
• pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings

To “Rice” the Cauliflower:
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). I used a Vitamix blender and placed the cauliflower in three small batches to achieve the desired grain appearance.

Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.

One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. I used peanut oil in a spray bottle and spread it around with my finger tips.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 to 1/2 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, and crushed garlic, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9″ round. I made three pizzas with 1 cup cauliflower in each. It was a bit too thin to hold the crust like a pizza without folding it over. Next time I am going to use the larger amount of cauliflower.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).

Melissa said she added spinach and mushrooms to her pizzas while we added a mix of peppers, mushrooms, olives, and red onions. The toppings are endless. next time I’d love to make tomato slices and fresh basil or spinach, garlic and feta.

Can anyone come up with other topping ideas?

Coach Nancy

Deb Saks of 5:00am Concord fame sent in the original recipe for Stuffed Cabbage Casserole. I revised it a bit to fit into PPW eating plan. (protein, produce, and water (a tall glass of water served with the meal is not included below))  Thanks Deb for another hit with our family! Drew said he loved this (and that’s saying something!)

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 head green cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 ounce) petite diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (28 ounce) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese

To Prepare:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large glass casserole dish (I used an 11 x 13).

Heat a frying pan on medium heat; add the ground beef and the onion. Cook until it is brown. Once done add the garlic, thyme, and paprika and cook about 2 minutes more. Then add both cans of tomatoes. Simmer until it is hot.

While it is cooking, cut the cabbage into coarse pieces roughly 1 inch.

Remove the tomatoes mixture from frying pan and set aside. In the same frying pan add the cabbage and cook until it starts to wilt. It will finish cooking in the oven.

Layer half the cabbage in the casserole dish, top with half the meat/tomato mixture, then repeat. Cover with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes until the mixture starts to bubble.

Remove foil and top with cheese. Bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve hot, and keep in mind leftovers can be frozen.

The New Year is here,  and it like every year most of us have tremendous aspirations to make this year our healthiest ever.

But what does it really mean to “eat healthy”?

With all the “diets” and diet plans out there, how do I know what the optimal way to fuel my body really is?

To help sort through all the noise, I would invite you to join us as Dr. Laura Riley Jones gives us the “A Naturopathic Approach to Nutrition” on Tuesday, January 17th from 7:00 to 8:30pm at Get Fit NH Concord.

If you have never had the opportunity to hear Dr. Jones speak, I would urge you to take this opportunity. As those who attended her seminar on sleep and adrenal fatigue can attest, Dr. Jones is passionate, engaging, entertaining and super-smart!

This seminar is open to the public, but please register below to let us know you are coming. Thank-you!

A Naturopathic Approach To Nutrition
Dr. Laura Riley Jones
Tuesday, January 17th
7:00pm – 8:30pm
Get Fit NH Concord (Click for Directions)

Dr. Laura Riley Jones earned a Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine with Honors from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with Honors from the University of New Hampshire. Her Naturopathic medical practice, Whole Health Concord, is located in Concord, NH.

Dr. Riley Jones is a licensed primary care naturopathic doctor. She treats patients of all ages with a variety of health concerns. Her areas of greatest interest are Women’s Health as well as Autoimmune diseases, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolic disorders. Dr. Riley Jones also specializes in the treatment of symptoms associated with Menopause and the use of phytoestrogens and Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy. She employs several naturopathic modalities when treating patients with a focus on Clinical Nutrition including vitamins and mineral supplementation, Homeopathy and Herbal Medicine. She works with each patient to uncover the cause of their illness and develop a treatment plan using the Naturopathic modalities that best suit their individual needs.

During her training, Dr. Riley Jones was a member of the Diabetes Research Group which focused on treatments for patients with Type II Diabetes, High Cholesterol and Weight gain. Dr. Riley Jones lectures throughout New Hampshire on various topics related to health. She is a member of the New Hampshire Association of Naturopathic Doctors and sits on the New Hampshire Board of Naturopathic Examiners.

Want to avoid feeling (and looking) like a stuffed turkey on Thanksgiving day?

Here’s 5 Tips for keeping control and prevent yourself from developing the dreaded “couch coma” while still enjoying that incredible meal.

Eat Breakfast- Thanksgiving finds most of us rushing around baking and preparing food for the feast later in the day. If we take time to think about eating we feel we should avoid it since we KNOW we’ll eat too much later on. Eating your regular meals in smaller portions sizes keeps our blood sugar levels even. This internal function will help your mood stay level (which your family may thank  you for) as well as avoid that starving sensation which can lead us to overloading our plate at the main meal.
Exercise before and or after your meal – Your body will respond well to getting out in the fresh air and moving after the meal. Exercise aids in digestion but also getting in some movement before that meal will keep us focused on why we are thankful. We have bodies that can move and our health is important to us.
Desert Desserts – While eating sweets is probably planned for most of us on Thanksgiving we don’t have to eat obscene portions for our desserts. Our ‘Treats’ should be planned and thought out ahead of time. If dessert is served buffet style ask someone else to pick you something that looks good. Tempting yourself by ‘seeing’ all the choices can defeat an otherwise healthy meal. If you can’t find someone to decide for you, stick to a small plate and fill it only once. (This tip works well for the main meal too) No one says you have to have seconds.
Drink plenty of water -  Drinking a glass of water before and during your meal helps you to feel full, helps your food digest better, and gives you the ability to keep your hands from filling your mouth with calories. (Besides if you drink enough you’ll also avoid the tired- needing- to- take- a- nap- after- turkey feeling because you’ll be making trips to the bathroom)
Be generous with your leftovers – What goes on at Thanksgiving stays at Thanksgiving. If you are hosting the meal, send your guest home with the leftovers, especially the desserts, sauce covered veggies, and casseroles. Keep the turkey for your turkey caesar salads, turkey soups, and turkey roll ups.

Bonus Tip – Don’t just be present at Thanksgiving – Give Thanks! Enjoy your time with family, friends, and those you come in contact with over the holidays. Going into a “treat meal” like Thanksgiving with a plan will help you overcome the guilt associated with overeating. Winning the battle of not eating too many calories that leave you with a weight gain will jump you into the holiday season with confidence to be remain healthy and happy the whole year.

Have a wonderful holiday,

Coach Nancy