Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category
Dan on April 7th, 2006
Believe it or not, this is a recipe for healthy pizza. It tastes great and still has tons of cheese on it. Unlike most reduced fat cheese, the one I selected for this recipe actually has a lot of flavor. This pizza is made in the traditional margherita style, with tomatos slices, basel, and cheese. I recommend using dried seasonings to help absorb some of the liquid created from the tomatos and ricotta cheese.
For those who are inexperienced at stretching pizza dough this one might be a little tricky. Using a rolling pin to form pizza is NOT how you do it. I include basic instructions below but it does take some practice to get it right.
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian (shredded)
1/4 cup Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
2-3 medium tomatos, sliced
4 oz chicken breast, 1″ slices
1 pinch (~1/4 tsp) of active dry yeast
1 pinch (~1/2 tsp) of salt
1 drop (~1/2 tsp) of honey (optional)
1 tablespoon of dried basel
3/4 tablespoon garlic powder (optional)
1 tablespoon of dried oregano (optional)
1. Combine yeast and honey in 1/4 cup of warm water. Stir until both are disolved. Wait 10 minutes for the yeast to activate. The honey lets the dough rise much faster. It can be made without the honey if you plan on using the dough the next day. Just put it in the fridge overnight.
2. While the yeast is activating combine the salt and flour in a mixer. If you don’t have a mixer use a bowl.
3. If you haven’t already sliced the tomatos or measured out the cheese, now is a good time to do it.
4. Once yeast is active pour it into the mixing bowl along with the remaining 3/4 cup of water. Set mixer to 2 (low setting) and allow it to mix and then kneed for 5 minutes. The ingredients may not combine well with the kneeding hook. You may need to stop the mixer and help them.
5. Form dough into a ball and place in a sealed container OR cover with a damp cloth. If you’re using the dough the same day place it in a warm room or in sunlight and allow to rise for 10-30 minutes. Dough can be refridgerated instead if it will be used on a later day.
6. Place pizza stone in oven and heat it to 450 degrees. If you don’t have a pizza stone you can stretch a few layers of foil over the shelf. This will work but not nearly as well as a stone.
7. Once dough has risen you need to form the pizza shell. This can be tricky to do without holes, especially with wheat dough. DO NOT USE A ROLLING PIN, THAT IS NOT HOW YOU FORM A PIZZA! I will do my best to explain how you form a pizza, but some of it may be a little vague. Your best bet may be to go to your local pizza place and watch someone make a pizza.
First, cover your counter with wheat flour. Coat the dough in flour to keep it from sticking. If you let it rise for too long you may need to reform it into a ball and squeeze out some of the air.
Now, pick up the dough with both hands and hold it in the air so that the top is now facing you. Using your thumbs to support it, slowly rotate the dough around forming an indented ring about 1″ in from the outside edge. The dough should be almost hanging from your thumbs as you do this.
Put the dough back down on the table. At this point you should have a ~1″ ring of dough around the outside that is a bit thicker then the rest, followed by a ring that is thinner than the rest. The middle should be like a mound that sticks up in the middle. You now need to stretch this out on the table. This is when holes are created. Most holes can be fixed, but if they get too bad you can reform the dough into a ball and start over. This will probably only work once before you need to let it continue rising. Taking the heel of one of your hands, slowly push down on the center lump while rotating your wrist. This should rotate the dough and flatten the middle of the pizza a bit.
Once you have flattend the middle out a bit you can start stretching it. To do this place both of your hands loosely on the inside of the crust ring. Your pinkies should be touching the dough and your thumbs should be in the air. Without using too much pressure hold your left hand against the dough while moving your right outwards. This motion should both stretch and rotate the dough. If you stretch it too far you will rip it so start slowly and get an understanding of what you can and can’t do. If you do rip a hole in it try stretching the thick part back over it and sticking it to the other side. This can be hard to do with wheat dough as it doesn’t have as much gluten as all purpose flour. The dough isn’t as stretchy.
At this point you’ve probably ripped the thing to shreds, gotten flour all over yourself and your kitchen, and sworn up a storm. It’s ok, it takes practice. If you really mess it up and you can’t reform the dough ball throw it away and start over. Resist the temptation to use a rolling pin because that’s just wrong. Your crust will be flat and it will be oddly shaped.
8. Now that you have your dough formed it’s time for toppings. Place slices of tomato edge to edge.
9. Sprinkle on the bazel, garlic powder, and oregano.
10. Distribute the chicken over the pizza evenly.
11. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top. Using a spoon place small chunks of ricotta cheese around the pizza.
12. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese has begun to brown and the crust is crunchy. Serves 2 (don’t eat the whole thing)
Nutrition Information (per serving)
Servings: 2
Calories: 365.5
Protein: 33 g (36%)
Carbohydrates: 48 g (52%)
Fat: 6.7 g (16%)
Percentages are based on calories. They don’t add up to 100% due to rounding.
Dan on March 8th, 2006
This recipe is easy to make, tastes great, and is good for you just like everything else I make 
It is a bit costly due to the shrimp and the number of other ingredients. If you don’t like shrimp you can substitute chicken. However, the shrimp complements the bean flavor very well. If you want to cut down on the cost you can do 50/50 chicken/shrimp.
Note: I only list brand names because that’s what I used. Other brands are fine, but the nutrition information may be off slightly.
Ingredients
- 28oz can Hunt’s Whole Tomatoes
- 1/2 bag Goya 16 Bean Soup Mix
- 2 Medium Carrots, chopped
- 2 cups College Inn or other non-fat low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 11 oz raw deveined and shelled shrimp with tails removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 Jalapeno pepper, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 large green Bell pepper, deseeded and chopped
- 2 large green Italian hot peppers, deseeded and chopped
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tbsp dried Parsley
- 1/2 tbsp dried Basal
- 1 tsp powdered Oregano
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- Black pepper
- Low-fat butter flavored cooking spray
This soup is best slow cooked in a crock pot. If you don’t have a crock pot it can be cooked on a burner set to low. However, you’ll have to stir it frequently so that the bottom doesn’t burn. Stirring isn’t required with a crock pot.
1. Combine broth and beans in a pot. Boil for 2 minutes and then remove from heat. Let sit for 1 hour.
2. While the beans are soaking place the tomatos in a food processer and pulse once. You want to chop them up but don’t turn them to mush. Smaller chunks is what you’re going for. Combine them with the seasonings (minus garlic powder and black pepper), carrots, and the Jalapeno pepper in the crock pot. Don’t turn it on yet.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan to the point that water crackles on it. Toss in the remaining peppers with a light dusting of black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the onion. Add more black pepper and garlic powder. Cook until the onions and peppers begin to brown, then remove from heat and add to crock pot. DO NOT CLEAN PAN!
4. Spray frying pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp (or chicken) and cook each side until pink (about 1 min each side). I recommend cutting the shrimp in half before adding to soup if they are medium or large. Note: If using 50/50 shrimp/chicken cook the shrimp first and then cook the chicken in the same pan to get some of the flavor from the scrapings.
5. Add beans to crock pot. Cook for 6 hours on low, stirring occationally. Taste after 3-4 hours and adjust seasonings to your liking.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: ~1 3/4 cups
Servings: 5
Calories: 381
Protein: 34 g (36%)
Carbs: 46 g (48.5%)
Fat: 6.5 g (15.5%)
Percentages based on total calories, not total weight.
Dan on March 3rd, 2006
Here’s a recipe for chicken chili that I’ve developed. The resulting chili is very healthy (protein, carbs, and fat well balanced) and tastes great.
Ingredients
1.5 lb fresh chicken breast
28 oz can of crushed tomatos
15.25 oz can of Golden Sweet corn
16 oz can of Bush’s Chili Beans in hot sauce
1 bag Carroll Shelby’s Chili Kit (or season to your own liking, this just makes it faster and easier)
5 Jalapeno Peppers
3 Habanero Pepper (if you like your chili mild reduce to 1 or remove all)
1 Publano Pepper
1 Med to large white onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup malt vinegar
Cheapest 40oz malt beverage you can find, typically Old English or Magnum 40.
- Heat olive oil in skillet to the point that water will crackle on contact.
- While the oil is heating remove stem and seeds from the publano pepper. Chop along with the onion.
- Dice chicken into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces. If you prefer you can use ground chicken.
- Cook Publano pepper and onion on skillet for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. You don’t want to fully cook them, just start the cooking process. Season with some ground pepper and a small amount of the chili powder.
- While the pepper and onion are cooking mince the garlic cloves.
- Push pepper and onion to once side. Add chicken and garlic to the skillet and do your best to move the pepper and onion on top of the chicken to prevent overcooking. Add enough chili powder to lightly cover the chicken. Cook until chicken no longers shows pink, 3-5 minutes.
- While chicken is cooking destem and seed the Jalapeno and Habanero peppers. WEAR GLOVES! I cannot stress this enough. Jalapenos are fine to do without gloves but Habaneros are not. The oils from them will stay on your hands even after washing multiple times. If you rub your face, eyes, or other sensative parts of your body you’ll be a world of pain. Trust me, I’ve done it a few times. Contrary to popular belief the heat (capsaicin) is not concentrated in the seeds. Seeds contain very little capsaicin. The largest concentration is in the white membrane the seeds are attached to. If you like your chili hot scrape the seeds off the membrane and use it, otherwise cut it out and toss it. Finely dice both pepper varieties.
- Combine crushed tomatos, corn, beans, diced peppers, malt vinegar, the remaining chili powder mix bag, the cayenne pepper powder, and about 1/4 of the salt bag in a large stewing pot. Put on medium heat. Alternatively you can use a crock pot and slow cook everything. I highly recommend this option!
- When the chicken has turned white add everything to the stew pot. Do not drain, include liquid.
- After mixing together you have to decide the consistancy you want. I recommend a medium to thick consistancy. Add mesa flower from chili kit until mix is thicker than you want. Thin out with some of the 40.
- Cook for at least an hour, stiring frequently. You want to cook until the chicken is tender and almost to the point of falling apart. If you don’t stir the bottom can burn so don’t walk away! If chili starts boiling turn the heat down. You want it just under the boiling point. If it gets too thick thin with the 40. If it’s too thin add more mesa flower.
- In the last 15 minutes of cooking add salt to taste.
Chili nutrition information (may vary depending upon the brand of canned goods):
Serving size: about 1 3/4 cups
Servings: about 6
Calories: 375
Protein: 34 g (~36% of calories)
Carbs: 45 g (~48% of calories)
Fat: 6.5 g (~16% calories)
Cornbread
1 box Jiffy Cornbread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tsp finely chopped dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp med chili powder
3 pinches of shredded extra sharp chedder cheese (optional)
1 Jalapeno pepper (optional)
- Put cornbread mix in a bowl. Mix in rosemary and chili powder.
- Add egg and skim milk as directed on box.
- If using cheese or pepper fold in at this point. Pepper should be destemmed, seeded, and chopped into thin pieces up to 3/4 inch long.
- The best way too cook this cornbread is to use a corn stick mold. If you don’t have one use a small pan or skillet lined with wax paper or generously coated with cooking spray. Makes 10 corn sticks or one small pan 3/4 to 1 inch thick.
I recommend doubling recipe if using a normal pan or a skillet, otherwise the bread will be very thin.
Crumble some cornbread over the chili before eating and you’ll have an excellent meal.
Cornbread nutrition information can be found on the box.
Dan on February 11th, 2006
This is a simple variation of the oatmeal omelet recipe I posted exactly a month ago.
Today I decided to see how they would turn out if I substituted 1/4 cup whole wheat flour for 1/4 cup of oatmeal. I figured they would turn out pancake or crepe like and they did. Prepare the same as the omelets. The only difference is the skillet must be hotter, to the point of boiling a drop of water on contact.
Using half of the batter, cover skillet edge to edge. When once side is finished carefully flip. Roll half the apples inside, being careful to keep out any liquid. When both are finished drizzle the leftover liquid from cooking the apples over the top of the crepes. Very tasty and very filling, yet healthy and low on calories!
Dan on January 11th, 2006
Being the creative guy I am I occationally come up with recipes that are quite tasty. I’ve decided to share some with the world. Most will be quite healthy since they are geared to fit into my diet. I will also include nutrition information when possible.
This first recipe is a modification of one taken from Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle. I created it from scratch but used the idea out of the book. The oatmeal and apples hide most of the egg taste. The sweetness of the apples actually makes them taste more like pancakes! I eat these daily.
Oatmeal Omelets with Apples
Yeilds one serving of two omelets with enough apple pieces to have a few with every bite
1/2 cup of Oatmeal
1/2 cup of Skim Milk
1 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla Whey Protein Isolate
4 Large Egg Whites
1 Large Granny Smith Apple
Pinch of Nutmeg
Pinch of Allspice
Dusting of Cinnamon
1. Mix oatmeal and protein powder in a sealable container.
2. Mix in milk and egg whites.
3. Let sit in fridge for 15+ minutes so that the oatmeal absorbs liquid.
4. While omelet mix is sitting dice apple into 1/4 inch size pieces.
5. Put enough water in a small pan to just cover the bottom. Too much will make the omelets soggy, too little and the apples will stick to the pan and take longer to cook.
6. Combine apples, nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon in pan.
7. Spray large frying pan with non-fat cooking spray. Heat pan so that water doesn’t sizzle but evaporates quickly (right on the verge of sizzling). On my electric oven this is about 3/4 heat but on a gas range I tried it was low heat.
8. Using half batter for each cook both omelets to your liking. You want them to be light and fluffy with little to no liquid inside. If the outside is browning before the inside solidifies you have the heat too high.
9. While the first omelet is cooking put apples on stove uncovered at 3/4 heat. You want the water to boil violently. Cook until skins turn a dark green color and apples are no longer crisp, about 5 min. If they turn to mush from stirring they have been overcooked.
10. Top omelets with apples and eat! Optional: Sprinkle more cinnamon over the top of omelets and apples.
Nutrition Information
Note: Nutrition information will vary based on brands used, especially whey protein brand.
Calories: 425
Carbs: 67 g
Protein: 31 g
Fat: 3.5 g (good unsaturated fat from oatmeal)
The next recipe will be for healthy Oatmeal cinnamon raisin muffins. The first batch came out a bit dry so I need to revise the recipe before posting it. These muffins have an excellent balance of carbs, protein, and healthy fats.
