I really miss pizza

[ami]

8 healthy Ways to Makeover Your Pizza

Pizza on the South Beach Diet? You bet! In fact, pizza can be one of the healthiest meals to enjoy as long as you use the right ingredients. No matter what Phase of the South Beach Diet you’re on, pizza makes for a delicious, filling meal for lunch or dinner. Check out eight healthy ways to enjoy pizza:

Phase 1 Pizza Ideas:

* Skip the whole-wheat crust and go for portobello mushroom caps instead. The mushroom’s meaty texture is naturally flavorful and is delicious filled with healthy pizza toppings. To reach a desired texture for the “crust,” simply heat the mushrooms in the oven at 450°F for about three minutes. Sprinkle reduced-fat cheese on top of mushroom caps as another topping. If you prefer a nutty-tasting cheese with a harder texture, try Parmesan, and if you’re looking for something more light and subtle, mozzarella is a good choice. Top with tomato slices or choose a tomato sauce to complete your pizza dish. Be sure to check the nutrition label on the back of all tomato sauce products and avoid varieties with added sugars. Or, you can prepare your own sauce by cooking chopped plum tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, bell pepper, and basil in a saucepan over low heat.


* Season with herbs for an easy way to add a boost of flavor without adding fat. Try fresh and dried herbs like parsley, basil, and oregano.


* Grill or roast vegetables as a topping. Vegetables are a healthier alternative to the fatty cuts of meat usually found on pizza dishes, such as pepperoni and sausage. Moreover, vegetables are a healthier choice because they are an excellent source of vitamins and disease-fighting antioxidants. Try topping your pizza with zucchini, red peppers, mushrooms, and spinach.

Phase 2 Pizza Ideas
You can enjoy everything on Phase 1, plus:

* Choose white whole-wheat flour to make pizza dough. Most pizzerias use white flour to make the pizza crust, but with white whole-wheat flour, you get the added health benefits, like fiber, protein, and iron. And unlike regular whole-wheat flour, white whole-wheat flour tastes less bitter and will help you achieve a softer, smoother texture.


* Toast a whole-wheat pita, whole-wheat tortilla, or whole-wheat or whole-grain English muffin in the oven and then top it with your favorite ingredients. Place it in the oven again to melt the cheese.


* Enjoy lean protein toppings as well as veggies. Go for Canadian bacon, turkey sausage, grilled chicken, shrimp, or tofu, for example, to add flavor to your pizza.


* Make a dessert pizza using a whole-wheat tortilla, fresh berries, and a dollop of fat-free whipped topping. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Phase 3 Pizza Ideas
You can enjoy everything on Phases 1 and 2, plus:

* Enjoy whole-grain frozen pizza crusts on occasion. These usually contain small amounts of white enriched flour for tenderness but are a great convenience. Make a thin-crust pizza and top with Canadian bacon and pineapple for a Hawaiian pizza. You can also use pork sausage as a topping on occasion.

[mickapoo]

I share your pain about not having pizza. But I found a recepie (from the South Beach Recepie search) that is good for phase 1, it is called a meat crust pizza. Brown some hamburg or turkey, drain excess fat then mix the hamburg with 2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese, flattent the hamburg and cheese mixture on a pizza pan and then place your toppings on it (ie canadian bacon, veggies and pizza sauce (I recommend ragu) and then a little more cheese on top. Bake it in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes with aluminum foil on the bottom of your oven or place the pizza pan on a baking sheet so any excess greese will fall on it. After it is cooked wait 5 minutes for everything to settle. I couldn't believe it when I ate it, I thought it was a good substitute. Enjoy

MooCow

Sounds delicious! But is the pizza sauce acceptable on Phase 1?

[mickapoo]

Zucchini Pizza Crust
4 cups shredded zucchini (squeeze out excess water)
1 cup reduced fat cheddar (shredded)
1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2-1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 -1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt

Squeeze the water out of the zucchini after you shred and measure it. I used paper towel to make sure it was quite dry. Mix above together, and put in 15X13 jelly roll pan sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until browns. Take out and add sugar free pizza sauce, and toppings of your choice. I used grilled chicken breast pieces, spinach, feta cheese, mushrooms, onions, red, yellow, and orange peppers, and a pinch of mozzarella. Bake at 350 for 30 more minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing.

My question is how much of this is permitted for one serving? I could probably eat the whole thing. Thanks for the help!

[groovin]

is the pizza sauce acceptable on Phase 1?

It is if the ingredients don't list sugar or something like corn syrup. Not sure if Ragu has added sugar. I buy a store brand called Shurfine and it has no added sugar in the ingredients list.

[groovin]

Zucchini Pizza Crust how much of this is permitted for one serving? I could probably eat the whole thing. Thanks for the help!

Technically no limit, but I wouldn't eat the whole thing (although I'd like to).

[KitchenDweller]

This is my version of what I think was originally in one of the Atkins Diet books.

Meatza

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey breast
1 small onion, chopped
chopped garlic, to taste
1 egg
1/2 cup parm cheese
Italian herbs of choice
s&p to taste

Mix all together like you would meatloaf, pat out on 9x12 cookie sheet, bringing up edges like you would pizza dough. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Pour off extra grease, (blot with paper towels to get more grease off if needed) and spread 8 oz. of pizza sauce on 'crust'. Top with 8 oz. shredded mozzarella, add toppings of your choice (we use lots of mushrooms, onions, olives, broccoli, zucchini, etc. - more meat IMHO would be redundant!) and sprinkle with parm. Broil 4 inches from heat on High, about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to brown.

You can bake the crust ahead and just assemble it with topping right before broiling. I often make it 'Mexican' by using salsa instead of pizza sauce and cheddar or jack cheese on top with jalapeños.

This is still our favorite pizza alternative.

[elleelise]

I'm not sure if someone posted this idea, but I LOVE these guys.

You basically take a portabello mushroom, rub it down with garlic and seasoning (and olive oil) and top it with what you want. I topped mine with basil, pasta sauce, fresh tomatoes, oregano, mozzarella (Skim) and a little fresh, whole fat parmesan. Cook until everything is hot and melted.

These were delicious.

[groovin]

I'm not sure if someone posted this idea, but I LOVE these guys.

You basically take a portabello mushroom, rub it down with garlic and seasoning (and olive oil) and top it with what you want. I topped mine with basil, pasta sauce, fresh tomatoes, oregano, mozzarella (Skim) and a little fresh, whole fat parmesan. Cook until everything is hot and melted.

These were delicious.

Agreed! Had them for supper last night and they were so good! I baked the mushrooms a little first to get them partially cooked and then added the toppings and baked them a little longer. On one I added (among other things) some Italian flavor turkey sausage that I had previously taken out of the casing and browned. Keep it in the freezer for such occassions.

Good stuff!

[jackiebatch]

Made the Meat Crust Pizza - OMG Excellent - next day I heated it up and threw it on the top of my salad - sooooo goooood! Try it!

What if you use some mexican spice and then put it on the top of the salad if it would be just like a yummy taco salad!

My husband and teenage daughter LOVED this recipe! Will add it to my permanent recipe box - hubby said it would be great on pasta for those familly members not following SB!

Try it!

JB

[RedRox]

FWIW, there is a section of the Recipe Summary index topic (stuck at the top of this forum) that has links to the SB meatza pizza recipe and it also has a mexican version of it as well.

(Ignore the 3 gms or less of sugar for the pizza sauce guidelines. That's a salad dressing guideline. You only need to use pizza sauces that have no added sugars in the ingredients list and whatever naturally occurring sugars there are in the vegetables in the sauce are fine at whatever level they happen to be.)

[petrarchgirl]

I have made the "meat-za" twice. The first time I felt guilty because it was all meat and cheese, except for the onion in the "crust". The next time I added some green peppers and felt a little better. It's delicious, but should be served with a salad or on a bed of green beans or something. I will definitely try the zucchini crust pizza. I think I will feel less guilty.

[Kimboroni]

It really is more of an Atkins recipe than an SB recipe. Remember that an SB dinner is comprised of lean protein (start with 3 oz), at least 2 cups of veggies, and the equivalent of 1 Tbsp of added good fats.

[rcgiggles]

Can you use the Trader Joe's crust? I've seen it in the store but never bought it. I think it's ww but not sure.

[RedRox]

yes you can use TJ's 100% whole wheat crust, it often gets good reviews here.

[Magna]

Yes - it's reasonably priced and all the ingredients are fine for phase 2.

BTW, I've found that I usually have to let it "rest" in the refrigerator for a couple of days before using it. And I always have to follow the package directions about letting it warm up for 20 minutes (or more). If I do that, it's easy to stretch it out into the pan - otherwise it's too elastic. Even after it's stretched thin, the crust still bakes up fairly thick.