Rules For Making a Better Pizza

Anyone can do better in their home by combining a handful of fresh ingredients and following a few simple steps. And believe it or not, pizza made the right way can make for a truly well-balanced meal. Preheat the oven and follow along.

Pizza Rule #1

The Hotter, the Better! True Italian pizzas are cooked in about 2 minutes in 1,000 degree fahrenheit ovens. Preheat your oven for 30 minutes at 500 degrees fahrenheit (the max temp for most home ovens) for a light, crispy crust.

Pizza Rule #2

Fire Up the Grill!  Have your ingredients ready, slide the raw dough directly onto the hot grates, and grill until lightly chared, about 4 minutes. Flip and immediately add sauce and cheese, then cover the grill and wait for the cheese to melt.

Pizza Rule #3

Go Easy on the Toppings! Pizza isn't about how much cheese you can cram onto a slice; it's about the subtle interplay of bread, sauce, cheese, and topping. Don't use more than 2 ounces of cheese and a few pieces of meat or vegetable per slice.

Pizza Rule #4

Break Out of the Box! Nontraditional ingredients—barbecue sauce, chorizo, pistachios—can elevate a humble pie to new heights.

Source: MensHealth.com, "Eat This Not That" book

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients
2 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling)
1/2 cup sugar-free maple syrup
5 tablespoons Splenda granular, sugar substitute
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup vanilla protein powder
1 reduced fat graham cracker crust
1 cup Cool Whip Free (fat free, sugar free)

Directions
1. preheat oven to 400f degrees.
2. in large bowl combine ricotta cheese, pumpkin, maple syrup, splenda, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and protein powder. mix well.
3. pour mixture into pie shell and smooth out with spoon or spatula
4. bake for 30 to 40 minutes until filling is set.
5. let cool for 15 minutes. Refrigerate for a least 2 hours before serving.
6. serve with a tbsp of the cool whip and enjoy!


This recipe is a high protein recipe that the whole family loves from Eating for Life cookbook. My family loves this and only my daughter knows its healthy. My husband who hates cheesecake loves this recipe.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich recipe

Prep time: 22 Min. Cook time: 15 Min. Serves: 4

Ingredients
2 tsp Hungarian paprika
2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup hot pepper sauce (ex. Frank's RedHot Original)
4 whole-grain buns, split
4 lettuce leaves

Instructions
In a small bowl, combine paprika and chili powder. Then sprinkle spice blend over chicken breasts.

Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-low heat. Place chicken breasts in skillet; cook for 6 minutes. Turn and cook until no longer pink in the center; about 6 more minutes.

Place a large saucepan over low heat. Add olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Stir in hot pepper sauce.

When the chicken breasts are done, remove from skillet, place in saucepan and coat evenly with hot pepper sauce mixture.

Place a whole-grain bun on each four plates, top with lettuce and a portion-sized chicken breast.

Serve with celery, carrot sticks and blue cheese dressing for a complete meal.

From: Eating for Life cookbook by Bill Philips

My husband is not a chicken fan but loves this recipe! Bon Appetit

Mediterranean Beef Pot Roast & Vegetables Recipe

Crockpot Servings: 6-8

Cook Time:10 hours

Ingredients
•1 boneless beef bottom round rump or chuck shoulder roast (approx. 3 to 3 1/4 lbs.)
•8 new red pototes (approx. 1 lb.), 2 to 2 1/2 inch diamter
•1/2 lb. packaged peeled baby carrots
•4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
•1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
•1 tsp. salt
•1/2 tsp. pepper
•1/4 cup water
•1/4 cup dry red wine
•2 Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp. water
•chopped parsley

Instructions
Placed potatoes, carrots and garlic in bottom of slow cooker. Rub beef with rosemary, salt and pepper; place on top of vegetables. Add water and wine. Cover and cook on LOW 10-11 hours, or until beef and vegetables are tender.

Remove pot roast; trim fat, if necessary. Arrange pot roast and vegetables on serving platter; cover and keep warm. Just before serving, carve roast across the grain into thin slices.

For gravy, strain cooking liquid; skim off fat. In small saucepan, combine 2 cups liquid from cooking and cornstarch mixture until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened.

Garnish beef and vegetables with parsley; serve with gravy.

I omitted the salt and did not thicken the broth with cornstarch, just left it thin. I also used 1/2 cup of red wine instead of 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of wine. I plan to use the left over beef for quesdadillas.

Recipe #252118 from http://www.recipezaar.com/

ASIAN BEEF AND VEGETABLE PASTA RECIPE

6 servings
1/8 teaspoon red peper flakes
3 large cloves of garlic
1 1/2 pounds steak, cut into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil (you can use cooking spray instead)
1 large onion, sliced
4 large stalks celery, chopped
1 small head green cabbage, chopped
12 ounces wheat spaghetti cooked, drained
1/2 cup low salt soy sauce

Spray a large, deep skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook pepper flakes and garlic for one minute.

Sprinkle steak with pepper. Add to skillet. Cook steak until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon.

Add a small amount of oil to skillet or respray with cooking spray. Cook onion and celery until tender, about 10 minutes. Add cabbage, cook stirring until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

Add steak, spaghetti and soy sauce to skillet. Cook stirring until heated through. Serve hot.

This recipe is from the Eating for Life Cookbook by Bill Philips

Low Fat Pita Pizzas Recipe

Ingredients
•8 regular pita bread rounds(not pocket type)
•2c tomato sauce(1 15oz.can) mixed with
•1-2tsp pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning
•8-16oz. ground turkey meat mixed with
•2-3tsp pizza seasoning or Italian seasoning
•1/4c water
•1/2 small onion,minced(optional
•8 good sized mushrooms,thin sliced (optional
•8-16oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
•1c sliced black olives(optional)
•veg. oil spray

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 425 . Lay pitas on a cookie sheet big enough to hold them in a single layer(use 2 if needed). Mix tomato sauce wit pizza seasoning,set aside. Spray a non-stick fry pan with veg oil spray,add ground turkey,breaking it up as you add to pan. Cook over med-high heat until all the pinkness is gone and it is getting a bit brown(ground turkey never gets really brown and crispy). Sprinkle with pizza seasoning,mix well,add water,mix again and let simmer-the turkey meat will absorb the water during about 5 mins of cooking time over med-high heat.
2.Spread each pita with about 1/4c of sauce. Sprinkle with diced raw onion,sliced mushrooms,or black olives as desired. Sprinkle with cooked turkey,top with an even layer of mozzarella cheese.
3.Cook in preheated oven for 20-25 mins until cheese is bubbly and brown. Check after 15 mins as ovens do vary.

These recipe came from Group Recipes
http://www.grouprecipes.com/73991/low-fat-pita-pizzas.html


In my recipe I use lean ground beef and instead of tomato sauce I use a jar of spaghetti sauce. Very taste and easy to put together on a lazy night.

Healthy Salmon Patties Recipe

I have decided to added a weekly recipe to my blog for those who are looking for healthy foods. My favorite place to look is at www.Recipezaar.com I'm always pleased with the results. But I know it can be hard to decide which recipe to try so I will include one recipe a week that I have tried or a friend has tried. If you would like to be featured on my blog submit one of your favorite recipes. It does not have to be healthy or low fat but a favorite.

This Recipe was found on Recipezaar.com

SERVES 4 -6 , 8 patties


Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) can salmon (red or pink)

1 large egg
1 small onion, diced fine small size (or half a medium sized)
1 celery rib, diced fine
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
6-8 drops Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry dill weed
1/8 cup sherry wine
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs

Directions
1 Place canned salmon with fluid in a large bowl.
2 Add next 8 ingredients and mix well to break up the salmon.
3 Add last 2 ingredients and mix to evenly moisten the oatmeal and breadcrumbs.
4 Form into patties like burgers (typical yield is 8 patties).
5 Fry in olive oil (or any other favorite healthy oil) at medium-low temperature for 4 minutes per side. Patties should be medium golden brown with a slightly crispy crust when done.
6Place on a paper towel covered plate to drain and serve while still hot.
7Although you could serve with tarter sauce or malt vinegar, you may find everyone enjoys them plain.
8Smaller patties can be used as an appetizer.

By: Chef #450966

Now my own version I omitted these items:
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
6-8 drops Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry dill weed
1/8 cup sherry wine

I added garlic powder, onion powder, Italian grinder seasoning, and garlic grinder seasoning by McCormick. I used 2 cans of Salmon and 1/2 cup of low fat milk and 2 eggs instead of one and 1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs. Very tasty. I served it with a mixed green salad and dressing of choice, mine is 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

Bon Appetit!

Recipe Thursday

I have decided to add recipes on Thursdays that I have tried or others have tried for
those of us who would like some new ideas on healthy foods.

I would like to feature different blogs or shops and their favorite recipe. I would like healthy recipes but am interested in anything that you find to be your favorite.

If you would like to be featured then please email me your recipe at heartandsowdesigns@yahoo.com

Together we can experience new ideas and new foods and learn from each other.