Wednesday, September 25, 2013

"Baked Fried Dough" -- A Healthier Take On Pizza


My biggest downfall, when it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, is pizza. It is my go-to comfort food, my must-have indulgence, and the food most guilty of breaking my discipline.  When I was in college, I ate pizza every single day of the four years I lived on campus, at least once a day (curse you Rathskellar!!).  It wasn't even good pizza.  HA! I have the great fortune of living near New Haven, and marrying a woman from New York, so I know the experience and the essence of a good pie. If you are looking to replicate a NY or New Haven pizza...I haven't achieved that yet; however, if you are looking to satisfy a pizza craving:  this is the recipe for YOU!  I have lived all over the country and will attest that this beats southern pizza, CA pizza, and northern pizza by far...and it is healthy to boot!  My entire family literally giggled as we sampled this, and all agreed on one thing:  This healthier pizza recipe tastes like "BAKED FRIED DOUGH!"  ENJOY! 

Ingredients:
  • 3 C Wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 C non fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1 t salt
  • 4 Kumato tomatoes (for diabetics:  contains a higher amount of fructose than an average tomato, you can also use larger Roma tomatoes)
  • I sheet of rolled fresh mozzarella, cut into 1" x 1"  squares (this is an amazing product...NEVER pay for rolled prosciutto/salami and mozzarella again, brands can be found by googling "rolled fresh mozzarella")
  • 20-25 fresh basil leaves
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 C shaved Parmesan
  • 2 t garlic powder
  • 2 t dried basil leaves
  • 1 garlic clove
  • salt and pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, yogurt, baking soda and 1 t salt. 
  3. Wet hands with cold water (to help prevent sticking), and mix ingredients well until they form a ball.
  4. Place ball on a floured surface and knead the dough for at least five minutes, or until it becomes firm.  
  5. Re-flour the surface and use a floured rolling pin to roll out (this will be a lot trickier than your typical pizza dough, and cannot be "spun" or "flipped--you need to roll the dough's shape) to the shape/size of a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray.
  6. Drizzle with 1 T olive oil and place in oven for 10 minutes.
  7. Top with tomato slices, mozzarella pieces, fresh basil, shaved Parmesan, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and sprinkle an even coat of garlic powder/dried basil/salt/pepper.
  8. Return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until cheese has bubbled and crust is golden brown. 
  9. FRIED DOUGH, RIGHT????  YUM!!!

Friday, September 13, 2013

Spiked Mango Mimosa

Ingredients:

  • One 64 ounce container of no pulp orange juice
  • 8 ounces of vodka (top shelf would be best)
  • 2 bottles of extra dry champagne
  • 1 8 oz bag of frozen mango
  • 1 T sugar
  • 2 T water
  1. Combine mango, sugar, and water in a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. In a large bowl, combine orange juice, vodka, and mango puree.
  3. Mix well.
  4. Fill punch bowl with ice and "spiked" mango orange juice and add 1/2 bottle of champagne each time you fill the bowl (for a standard size punch bowl, I filled it four times).
serves one  (just kidding--I served this to a party of 20 last week)  

Monday, September 2, 2013

Creamy Buffalo Dip and Baked Potato Chips

TV season is fast approaching as the summer is quickly winding down.  One of my biggest challenges in maintaining a healthy lifestyle every fall is snacking in front of the tube.  A craving for buffalo wings, and a yearning for potato chips led to this protein packed, low fat dip and healthier chip alternative.  I'll be sure to have this on hand for all the upcoming season premieres (I think 3 of the shows I watch are left on TV, HA!).  Enjoy!! 


Ingredients:
  • 1 C fat free plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 small minced sweet onion
  • 2 T light mayonnaise
  • 2 T hot sauce (or to taste)
  • 1/4 C reduced fat bleu cheese crumbles
  • 1 t onion powder
  • 1 t garlic powder
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper
  • a pinch of sweet paprika
  • a pinch of celery salt
  • 1 large russet potato
  • 2 T canola oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Slice the potato using a mandolin, or a vegetable peeler
  3. Toss with oil, salt and pepper and spread into single layer on a baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until crisp and a dark brown.
  5. Place chips in a paper bag and add a little salt and shake the bag. The bag helps soak up any excess oil
  6. Arrange chips on a serving plate.
  7. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. For best results, allow to set in the refrigerator for at least two hours to allow the flavors to develop.
Serving suggestion:  prepare the dip a day in advance, and serve while the chips are still warm. I also  serve with celery and carrot sticks in addition to the potato chips.