Feta, Tomato & Shrimp Flatbread Pizza

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE pizza. ..... extra cheese and sausage is my preferred way to go. But given that I am trying to eat healthier, I have been working on new ways to have pizza but make it healthier but still taste.

 http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/thin-crust-artisan-pizza/

Flatout Thin Crust Flatbread is a great lighter alternative to pizza crust at 140 calories and 3 grams of fiber it is s guilt free alternative. I first learned about these why watching Guilt Free with HG (Hungry Girl). The come in a variety of different flavors Rosemary & Olive Oil, Heritage Wheat, Rustic White, and Spice Italian (which is very spicy). 

While I was at the PA Food & Wine Show  yesterday, I got some wonderful Feta Saldana from Emerald Valley Artisans. I had never heard of a feta cheese being made with cow's milk but it was quite tasty.

Warren and I split a flatbread for a light lunch today.

 

Feta, Tomato & Shrimp Flatbread Pizza

Adapted from Bon Appetit March 1997

1 Flatout Thin Crust Flatbread
2 Tbsp reduced fat mozzarella cheese, grated
2 campari tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 Kalamata olive, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
Dried Oregano
4 cooked peeled, large shrimp, chopped
Preheat a pizza stone and oven to 350 degrees.Place the flatbread on the pizza stone and bake for about 2 minutes, just until the underside is starting to lightly brown. Remove the flatbread from the oven and place on a pizza peel.
Top the flatbread with the mozzarella, tomato, feta, olives and green onions. Sprinkle to taste with oregano. Return to oven and bake until the cheese begins to melt about 2-3 minutes. Top the flatbread with the shrimp and continue to bake until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.

Lot's of Cooking but Not Much Blogging This Past Week

We made many yummy things this week that were all figure friendly ......

Chicken with Lemon Basil Sauce
This sauce does not look pretty but tastes great.
adapted from Epicurious.com
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon (packed) grated lemon peel
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried

Coat a skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter; tent with foil to keep warm.
Add lemon juice, garlic and lemon peel to same skillet. Stir over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth; boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 8 minutes. Mix basil into sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.


Cauliflower Puree
The original recipe called for heavy cream but I wanted to lighten it up. It was still very yummy.
adapted from Gourmet January 2002

1/2 lb cauliflower florets, chopped (2 2/3 cups)
1 garlic clove, smashed
1/3 cup vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Simmer cauliflower, garlic, broth, and salt in a small saucepan, covered, until
cauliflower is very tender, about 10 minutes. Purée mixture with milk and
butter in a food processor until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids),
or mash with a potato masher or a fork. 

Buffalo Hummus
I did not get much of this because my husband ate most of it. On its own it was not that great but when combined with blue corn chips ..... Yum.
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 2 1/2 Tbsp liquid reserved
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp cayenne hot sauce
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
Kosher salt to taste
Puree the chickpeas, chickpea liquid, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, paprika, barbecue sauce, hot sauce, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
Serve with your dippers of choice.


Roasted Peppers Stuffed with Tomatoes, Onions and Basil
I had these for lunch a couple times this week. 
adapted from Gourmet July 1999
4 bell peppers
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves
Preheat oven to 425°F and coat a large shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
Halve bell peppers lengthwise discarding seeds and ribs. Arrange peppers, cut
sides up, in baking pan and lightly coat the cut edges and stems with cooking spray. Halve tomatoes and chop onion and basil. Finely chop garlic and in a bowl toss with tomatoes, onion, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Divide mixture
among peppers and roast in upper third of oven until peppers are tender, about
20 minutes.


BBQ Sauce Marinade 
When I first read this recipe O thought it could be either really good or really bad. We ended up liking it. It provids the smoky BBQ taste without the heaviness or stickiness of the sauce. I marinaded skinless bone-in chicken legs and roasted them in the oven.

adapted from Real Simple, September 2006

1/3 cup barbecue sauce
3/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
Combine all ingredients. Can be used, add steaks, pork chops, or chicken to the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Beef Bolognese
I didn't get a picture of this one but we all know what meat sauce looks like. The boys loved it over pasta. I had it with roasted eggplant and zucchini. I calculated the Weight Watchers Plus Points to be 1 point per quarter cup of sauce. 
adapted from http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Beef-Bolognese-with-Linguine
1 lb lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
6 oz tomato paste, divided
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried basil1 tsp. dried marjoram1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 can (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 cups 2% milk
 
In a stockpot, cook the beef over for 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Remove beef with a slotted spoon; set aside. Pour off drippings. 
Coat the same pot with cooking spray. Add the onions, carrots and celery; cook and stir until tender. Stir in half of the tomato paste; cook and stir 3 minutes longer. Add the garlic, seasonings and beef. 
Stir in wine. Bring to a boil; cook until almost evaporated. 
Add tomatoes, stock and bay leaves; return to a boil. Reduce heat;simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours or until desired consistency,stirring in milk and remaining tomato paste halfway through cooking. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Lemon Garlic Marinade

Another one without a picture but we used this as chicken for dinner and for Warren in sandwiches. Even topped a little with the bolognese above.

The longer the chicken marinates, the better! I actually let split chicken breasts sit for 2 days before cooking. 

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Place chicken in a resealable bag and top with marinade.

Black Bean and Roasted Tomato Soup ------ Yum

Continuing on my healthy lunches that will fit in with the Advocare weight loss program. I adapted a recipe to make it virtually fat free.

Black Bean and Roasted Tomato Soup 
adapted from Bon Appetit March 1996
1 lb tomatoes, cut in half or large wedges depending on size tomatoes
1 large onion, halved lengthwise, cut into thin wedges
1 medium carrot, peeled, quartered
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
two 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine tomatoes, onion and carrot in large pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat vegetable with cooking spray. Add garlic and oregano and stir to coat vegetables. 
Roast until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 50 minutes. Cut carrot into small cubes and set aside. 
Transfer remaining vegetables to processor. Add 2 cups broth to roasting pan and scrape up browned bits. Add broth and 2 1/4 cups beans to processor. Puree vegetable mixture until almost smooth. Transfer soup to a saucepan. Add remaining 1 cup beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes, adding more broth if soup is too thick.
Serve topped with chopped carrots.

Spicy Wing and Spicy Crab Legs ..... and Veggies Stuffed Peppers

We can not have a visit from Nate without a wingfest. The boys like to make their own hot sauce concoctions. The wings were roasted in a 450F oven for about 40 minutes after being tossed with Old Bay. Although I would have LOVED to dive into the wings, I made my own healthy spicy feast .... crab legs... along with a tomato, onion and basil stuffed peppers. 
My two boys were diving into the crab as well. Do you think it is because it was mine or did they really want it???

Spicy Crab Legs
3 pounds crab legs, thawed if frozen
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable stock
6 cloves garlic, chopped
10 thin slices peeled ginger
 8 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoons sugar substitute ( I like Splenda)
1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Cooking Spray
Cut the crab legs into 3-inch pieces with kitchen shears. Cut along one side of the shell on each piece so the meat can be easily removed after cooking. (Although it is a lot of work up front, it makes eating the legs much easier.)
Coat a roasting pan with cooking spray. Place over 2 burners. Add  the olive oil. When hot add the garlic, ginger, scallions and jalapenos; sprinkle with the sugar substitute and cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup vegetable stock along with the crab pieces, oyster sauce and soy sauce. Cook, tossing, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the crab and sauce to a bowl. Serve hot.

Roasted Peppers Stuffed with Tomatoes, Onion & Basil
adapted from Gourmet - July 1999
2  bell peppers
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2  medium onion
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 garlic cloves
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 425°F and coat a baking pan with cooking spray. Halve bell peppers lengthwise and discard seeds and ribs. Arrange peppers, cut sides up, in baking pan and spray cut edges and stems with cooking spray.  Halve tomatoes and chop onion and basil. Finely chop garlic and in a bowl toss with tomatoes, onion, basil, 1 tsp oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide mixture among peppers and roast in upper third of oven until peppers are tender, about 20 minutes.

A True Test of my Conviction and Will Power - Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Sausage or Penne with Sausage Creamy Sauce

Warren had a friend over from work tonight and requested a dish that I can not eat during the Advocare 24 day challenge. I did my best to create something for myself that would not make me feel left out. It was good but no quite the same.
Which would you prefer to have?

Penne with Sausage Creamy Sauce
½ lb. spicy Italian turkey sausage (casings removed)
½ c. diced onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 c. fresh diced tomatoes
½ c. heavy cream
1 lb. cooked penne
Salt and pepper to taste
6 large basil leaves

Cook the sausage on a saute pan. If the sausage is greasy, drain off grease.
Add the onions and cook until soft about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, stir it in for 1 min.  
Add diced tomatoes and heavy cream, cook until the tomatoes start wilting then add the cooked pasta.  
Stir to combine. Cook another 2-3 minute. Season to salt and pepper to taste. 
Transfer to a serving bowl. Tear the basil leaves and put on top. Serve with fresh grated Parmesan.

Spaghetti Squash to Sausage
1 small spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds)
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced 
1 small bell pepper chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped 
1/3 zucchini sliced and cut in half or quarters depending on the size
1 large tomato, chopped with seeds and juice 
1 tsp savory or thyme leaves
Fresh basil leaves
Vegetable stock

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Put the squash, cut-side down on a baking sheet with a small amount of vegetable stock to prevent sticking. Cook until tender, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool slight then shred flesh out of the skin into a large bowl.

In a saute pan, add the onion, pepper and garlic to a skillet with a small amount of stock. Saute until the onion begins to soften. Add the zucchini and saute until tender crisp. Add the tomato, savory and thyme leaves. Cook until tomato is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of stock to saute the sausages, turning, until cooked through, about 20 minutes.Add additional stock if needed to keep from sticking.

When ready to serve, top the spaghetti squash with the sauteed vegetable mixture and serve sausages on the side.

Pork Chops with Grapes and Bumped Up Sauteed Zucchini

I think I am on to something. With me eating all of these fruits and veggies, I have prepped watermelon, pineapple, mango, green beans, zucchini, beets and have strawberries and blueberries ready to be eaten. I cooked the pork then  pulled all of these out of the refrigerator and told the boys to pick two. (Knowing they were never going to touch my sauteed zucchini below.) No fighting about fruits and veggies. I has worked two days in a row. I think I am on to something!
You can use bone in or boneless pork chops for this recipe. for small cuts of meat there is no difference between cooking on or off the bone. One significant difference cam be the price of the meat itself. If it is truly a bargain, I will buy the bone in version, de-bone it myself and use the bones in stock. 
Tonight I just pulled bone-in chops from the freezer.

 
Pork Chops with Grapes
adapted from EveryDay with Rachel Ray January / February 2013
4 bone-in pork chops
1/2 cup red grapes, halved
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon thyme
Coat a skillet with cooking spray.  Cook the pork over medium-high, 5 minutes per side. Put on plate; tent with foil. Add grapes, garlic and thyme to skillet. My skillet was rather dry so I added a couple tablespoons of vegetable stock.Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Top pork with grapes. 

Bumped Up Sauteed Zucchini
adapted from Bon Appetit – September 2007
1 ¼ - 1 ½ lbs zucchini, trimmed, cut into ½ inch thick slices
2 large garlic cloves sliced
1 ½ tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 c small cherry tomatoes, halved
6 sliced pitted Kalamata olives
¼ c thinly sliced fresh basil
Balsamic vinegar
Cooking spray
Coat a skillet  with cooking spray.  Over medium-high heat saute the zucchini, garlic and rosemary. with a sprinkle of salt and pepper until the zucchini is just tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and olives. Sauté until tomatoes just begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with  basil and vinegar. Season vegetables to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl to serve.

Asian Garlic Chicken and Eggplant Stacks

My boys are back and we even have an additional one. Nick's buddy who lived next door in Wilbraham is visiting for the week. Can I pull off an Advocare approved dinner that they will eat? I batted 500. Which one do you think I struck out on?

Asian Garlic Chicken
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable stock
10 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons Bragg's liquid aminos or low sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp ground pepper
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 Tbsp dried onion flakes (I used Tastefully Simple Onion Onion)
1 1/2 tsp Oriental five spice powder
1 tsp Tastefully Simple Spinach Herb Dip Mix
3 large bay leaves
Cooking spray

Whisk vinegar, chicken broth, garlic, soy sauce and pepper in small bowl to blend.  In another small bowl. combine the onion flakes, five spice powder and Spinach Herb Mix. Crush onions slightly. Season chicken breast halves on both sides with seasoning mix. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and place over mediium high heat. Add chicken and sauté until browned about 4 minutes per side.
Pour vinegar mixture over chicken. Add bay leaves. Reduce heat to low, cover skillet and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate.
(Optional: I did this for the boys who enjoyed adding Teriyaki Hot sauce and dunking the chicken)
Boil pan juices 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Discarding bay leaves. Serve sauce on the side.

Eggplant Stacks

1 eggplant, sliced thick
1 tomato, sliced thick
1 onion, sliced thick
Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
Aged balsamic vinegar 

Preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with foil. Place vegetables on baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Broil until eggplant and onion are slightly browned and tomato is cooked through. (Depending on the thickness of each vegetable this may occur at different times so watch carefully.)
Stack in your preferred pattern. I like eggplant, tomato, onion and eggplant. Sprinkle with chopped basil and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.