Pizza at home is Easy

Today I would like to talk about making homemade pizza. It really is easier than most people think.

Making the dough is very simple....bread flour, yeast, olive oil, water and a pinch of sugar. You can flavor it with any spices to make it even better. It literally take less than 5 minutes to make using just your bare hands.

The sauce is simple....crushed tomatoes, chopped garlic from a jar and some italian seasoning.  Total cook time 15 minutes. Once batch is enough for several pizzas.

Once you have those two things made...you can whip out pizzas in no time at all.  Keep a ball or two of dough in your refrigerator. You can have homemade, fresh pizza in less time than delivery.

The key I have learned is BUY A PIZZA STONE. They really make a difference!

Preheat the stone in an oven set to 425 degrees.

Make your pizza on parchment paper with a little corn meal sprinkled on it. The parchment will allow easy moving of the raw pizza to the over. The corn meal gives it that authentic restaurant crisp along with the pizza stone.

In 15 minutes you will have fresh, healthy pizza. 

Did you know most pizza restaurants add 1/4 cup of total sugar to the dough and sauce of the average large size pizza?????? WHAT?!?!?!??!?!?!?

No wonder why people "get fat" from eating pizza in the USA but not in Italy.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies and other things

http://sweetleaf.com/chocolate-chip-cookies-stevia/

There is a recipe for chocolate chip cookies made with stevia which takes out 2 cups of combine sugars. I also substituted for whole wheat flour.


Live or work on the west side of Madison???? Check out the Bread Barn on Mineral Point and the Beltline. They grind their own flour on site, use only honey to sweeten and even do reverse osmosis water.  Healthy breads with no added "crap".....Dakota is the best by far if you ask me ;-)

The diet seems to be going very well. I find myself having less and less cravings. I am finding myself eating more healthy snacks and not craving the junk I used too.

Zevia Strawberry soda is AMAZING by the way.....so yummy and all natural. No chemicals, no sugar, no caramel color and no fake colors. Yes like everything else that is semi "healthy" is costs more than regular soda. But at least I can have one can of soda a day.

Ice tea with Stevia is my new staple. Add in some lemon juice and it's perfect.

Latest weigh in was 263.4 (from 275!!!!!!) in 2 weeks.

Apple Cinnamon Bread a & Gummy Bears

Here are two recipes for today.


 Gummy Bears

1/2 Cup Water
2 Envelopes Unflavored gelatin
1 package Jello (flavor of your choice....use sugar free if you want diabetic friendly gummy bears)

Combine water, gelatin and jello in a pan. Put on low to medium low heat. Stir frequently until all gelatin is dissolved. Pour mixture into a container that you can pour small amounts of easily or use an eye dropper.

Fill gummy bear molds (will fill 150 bears). Molds can be found easily on eBay.

Place mold in freezer for 5 minutes.

 

Now Apple Cinnamon Bread

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 tablespoons boiled cider, apple juice, or water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, optional
• 2 1/4 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour or Premium Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 cup raisins, golden or dark
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• coarse white sparkling sugar or cinnamon-sugar, for sprinkling on top, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg; scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and beat until smooth.
3. Beat in the applesauce and boiled cider, juice, or water.
4. Stir in the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and flour, mixing until well-combined.
5. Stir in the raisins and nuts.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar or cinnamon-sugar, if desired.
7. Bake the bread for 60 to 70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The center of the loaf should register at least 200°F on an instant-read thermometer; when the tip of the thermometer is inserted just under the crust, it should read at least 175°F.
8. Remove the bread from the oven, and after 10 minutes turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. When completely cool, wrap tightly in plastic, and store at room temperature. The loaf will remain fresh for several days; for longer storage, freeze.
9. Yield: one 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf. 

Omelet and Hashbrown Menu -Recipe

I know you are probably all thinking it's really easy to make this menu......

But is it? When you are doing things from "scratch" as much as possible.

Did you think you would have to do all of this:

HASHBROWNS

1 Medium potato per person
Peel the potato
Grate the potato
Take the grated potatoes and put them in a bowl of cool water
Swirl the potato shreds around to remove access starch.
Drain potato shreds in a collendar and allow to dry
Using Gee or Clarified butter cook the potatoes over medium heat until golden brown
Flip and season with a little season salt
Cook until golden brown.

OMELETS

Cook 1 slice of bacon per person until semi crispy -RESERVE THE FAT
Dice up 2oz of ham per person
Slice 3 oz of Mushrooms per person
Add mushrooms and ham to bacon grease
Dice up Bacon while the mushrooms cook
Add bacon to mushroom mixture and cook over low heat

Meanwhile in a blender

Add 2 eggs per person
1/8 Cup Whole Milk
Seasoned Salt to taste
Blend of 30 seconds on high (the more air the fluffier the eggs)

In an omelet pan use a little Gee or Clarified Butter.

Add in egg mixture pushing egg mixture from the edge to the center then swirling pan to get liquid egg to the pan. Once all the liquid is all absorbed add 1 slice of real cheese of your choice. Top Cheese with meat mushroom mix. Fold 1/4 of the cooked egg over onto the filling.

Take the plate you are going to serve on, place it over the omelet pan. While firmly pressing the plate to the pan, remove the pan from the stove and invert it. When you remove the pan you will have a perfectly presented omelet.

ENJOY!!!!!!

Trial Run - Day 1

I finished cleaning the house out of all the nasty stuff not allowed on the diet today. The hardest thing for me to throw away was my Ketchup. Many of you know I only eat one brand of ketchup...well until now....because my brand has HFCS in it I tossed it.

Tonight I did a trial run of fresh homemade food:

3:30pm Started whole grain pizza dough
> Made Pizza Dough
> Made Pizza sauce
> Made homemade chex mix
> Brewed Ice Tea
> Made simple syrup for Ice Tea

Sat down to dinner at 5pm. A dinner a fresh made pepperoni pizza.

Liam ate 2 pieces. He never eats 2 pieces unless I cut up two pieces when he is not looking.

I only ate 2 pieces. Enough to fill my stomach but not make me feel full. That is a key to weight loss. Only eat to feel content....if you eat until you feel full you have eaten too much.

Liam even liked the brewed ice tea.

I would say trial day was a success!

October Meal Menu

Here is the dinner menu for October.....

Breakfast is always whole fruit, slice of toast and 1 cup of hot whole grain cereal, granola (homemade) or mulsi. Weekends eggs,  whole grain pancakes or bake cinnamon rolls.

Lunch is always lots of protein such as homemade beef jerky, protein shakes, veggies and leftovers from dinner.

Keep in mind you add whatever vegetable you want to the menu. Salad, veggies, carrot sticks and so on are unlimited for consumption.

SUNDAYS ARE BAKING DAYS.....make your bread, pasta and such

Oct 1 - Steak & baked potato
Oct 2 - Omelets, Hashbrown  BAKING DAY
Oct 3 - Pork Chops with Jalapeno -jelly and basmati rice
Oct 4 - Chicken Pot Pies
Oct 5 - Spaghetti with meat sauce
Oct 6 - Swedish Meatballs
Oct 7- Pizza
Oct 8 - Pot Roast
Oct 9 - Day off Diet Eat out BAKING DAY
Oct 10 - Eggs for dinner
Oct 11 - Left Overs meal or freezer meal
Oct 12 - Tacos
Oct 13- Meatloaf
Oct 14- Pizza
Oct 15 Day Off Eat Out
Oct 16 - Chicken & Dumplings BAKING DAY
Oct 17 - Cheeseburger Pie
Oct 18 - Pizza
Oct 19 - Goulash
Oct 20 - Baked Chicken
Oct 21 - Steak
Oct 22 - Pulled Pork
Oct 23 - Chicken Wings BAKING DAY
Oct 24 - Swiss Steak
Oct 25 - Freezer Meal or Left Overs
Oct 26 - Pork Chops
Oct 27 - Pizza
Oct 28 - Day Off EAT OUT
Oct 29 - Chili w/ grilled cheese
Oct 30 - Freezer Meals or Leftovers BAKING DAY
Oct 31 - Mongolian Beef

1 HOUR OF EXERCISE 3X A WEEK. Walking, Biking and so on. Remember the Pioneers were very active, physical people.

CONTROL YOUR PORTIONS - if you eat 2nds and 3rds this diet won't work. If you eat until you are full....you ate too much. Eat reasonable portions. Eat to be content not full.