New Year's resolutions or not, I love pizza and I don't believe you should always have to give up something you love. What if it's modified and made into a healthier version? At least that way, you can still satisfy the craving without taking a hit in calories or fat grams. The recipe I'm sharing can be modified in varying ways. The original recipe is actually meat free but I ended up adding turkey pepperoni as an additional flavor. The use of a bell pepper as a "crust" was definitely a twist. It's clearly not the same as dough but the pepper's crispness was a nice change in texture when it's combined with pizza sauce and cheese. Your choice of pepper will depend on your preferred palate as well. I opted for red and yellow but the original recipe called for a green bell pepper. I like the sweetness of a red pepper. The caloric value will be similar with any pepper. It's just about preference. I used canned mushrooms as an additional topping but you could add black or green olives, onion, pineapple, a different kind of cheese-it's really up to you and what you're in the mood for. These pizza boats make a good snack or an appetizer. They were very filling so they were sufficient for supper as well. One whole pepper cut into four "boats" was only 251 calories using the toppings I mentioned. BELL PEPPER PIZZA BOATS (From peasandcrayons.com) 1 large bell pepper 1/4 cup pizza or spaghetti sauce 1/4 cup grated cheese a pinch of red pepper flakes a pinch of basil or parsley as many toppings as you can fit Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice each of the four sides of the pepper and lay flat on a baking sheet. Fill with pizza sauce, cheese and whatever toppings you choose. I opted for turkey pepperoni and mushrooms. Bake for 10 minutes, turning the oven to broil toward the end to make the cheese nice and bubbly. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and basil/parsley if desired. -- DeLynn The start of a new year is a traditional time to make new goals, and for many, those goals include an attempt to live a healthier lifestyle. As someone who enjoys pasta dishes, receiving the gift of a spiralizer for Christmas presented the opportunity to add more vegetables to my diet while offering a new challenge in the kitchen. Exploding in popularity among the recipe blogosphere and beyond, spiralizers convert vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes and others into thin, curly noodle shapes. It offers an opportunity to replace starchy, carb-loaded pasta with a healthier vegetable alternative. The spiralized vegetables don't taste like actual noodles, of course, but they do offer a differing texture and give the feel of eating a pasta dish. Since the tool is new to me, I consulted several websites to get a feel for how it's most often used. The website www.inspiralized.com offered a multitude of recipes, noodle storage tips and inspiration for dishes. It even describes a way to make rice from any spiralized vegetable using a food processor. At 437 calories for each serving, this curry I developed is warming and satisfying. Serve alongside a chicken breast, adding 120 calories for 4 ounces of chicken per serving. You can simplify this recipe by using a commercially produced curry powder of your choice. I recognize not everyone has these kinds of spices around the house and it's a steeper investment than one jar of curry powder. SWEET POTATO NOODLES WITH CURRY Servings: 4,437 calories each 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped 2 jalapenos, roughly chopped 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped 2 teaspoons minced ginger 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 13.5-ounce cans light coconut milk 1 cup broth or water 12 ounces broccoli florets 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and spiralized Juice of 1/2 of a lime Salt to taste Cilantro (optional) In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Using a food processor, blend the onions, jalapenos, garlic and ginger into a paste. Saute the paste for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown. Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, toast the yellow mustard, coriander, cardamom and cumin seeds, just until fragrant. Grind the spices into a powder and add to paste, along with turmeric and a dash of salt, stirring for another 30 seconds or so to combine. (NOTE: If preferred or more convenient, use a commercially prepared curry powder in lieu of the spice mixture suggested here.) Add coconut milk, broth or water, broccoli florets and bell pepper strips. Bring to a simmer and turn heat down to low. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until broccoli and peppers are crisp-tender. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add the spiralized sweet potato to the pan, stirring carefully every minute or so, until potato is cooked through-about 8 minutes. Season the curry with salt to taste and add the lime juice. To serve, place one-quarter of the sweet potato noodles in a bowl and top with one-quarter of the curry. Add roughly chopped cilantro and serve with a slice of lime. -- Chelsey
New Year's resolutions or not, I love pizza and I don't believe you should always have to give up something you love.What if it's modified and made into a healthier version? At least that way, you can still satisfy the craving without taking a hit in calories or fat grams.The recipe I'm sharing can be modified in varying ways. The original recipe is actually meat free but I ended up adding turkey pepperoni as an additional flavor.The use of a bell pepper as a "crust" was definitely a twist. It's clearly not the same as dough but the pepper's crispness was a nice change in texture when it's combined with pizza sauce and cheese.Your choice of pepper will depend on your preferred palate as well. I opted for red and yellow but the original recipe called for a green bell pepper. I like the sweetness of a red pepper. The caloric value will be similar with any pepper. It's just about preference.I used canned mushrooms as an additional topping but you could add black or green olives, onion, pineapple, a different kind of cheese-it's really up to you and what you're in the mood for.These pizza boats make a good snack or an appetizer. They were very filling so they were sufficient for supper as well. One whole pepper cut into four "boats" was only 251 calories using the toppings I mentioned. BELL PEPPER PIZZA BOATS(From peasandcrayons.com) 1 large bell pepper1/4 cup pizza or spaghetti sauce1/4 cup grated cheesea pinch of red pepper flakesa pinch of basil or parsleyas many toppings as you can fit Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Slice each of the four sides of the pepper and lay flat on a baking sheet.Fill with pizza sauce, cheese and whatever toppings you choose. I opted for turkey pepperoni and mushrooms.Bake for 10 minutes, turning the oven to broil toward the end to make the cheese nice and bubbly.Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and basil/parsley if desired.-- DeLynn The start of a new year is a traditional time to make new goals, and for many, those goals include an attempt to live a healthier lifestyle.As someone who enjoys pasta dishes, receiving the gift of a spiralizer for Christmas presented the opportunity to add more vegetables to my diet while offering a new challenge in the kitchen. Exploding in popularity among the recipe blogosphere and beyond, spiralizers convert vegetables such as zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes and others into thin, curly noodle shapes. It offers an opportunity to replace starchy, carb-loaded pasta with a healthier vegetable alternative. The spiralized vegetables don't taste like actual noodles, of course, but they do offer a differing texture and give the feel of eating a pasta dish.Since the tool is new to me, I consulted several websites to get a feel for how it's most often used. The website www.inspiralized.com offered a multitude of recipes, noodle storage tips and inspiration for dishes. It even describes a way to make rice from any spiralized vegetable using a food processor.At 437 calories for each serving, this curry I developed is warming and satisfying. Serve alongside a chicken breast, adding 120 calories for 4 ounces of chicken per serving. You can simplify this recipe by using a commercially produced curry powder of your choice. I recognize not everyone has these kinds of spices around the house and it's a steeper investment than one jar of curry powder.SWEET POTATO NOODLES WITH CURRYServings: 4,437 calories each2 tablespoons olive oil, divided2 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped2 jalapenos, roughly chopped3-4 garlic cloves, chopped2 teaspoons minced ginger1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds1 teaspoon cumin seeds1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric2 13.5-ounce cans light coconut milk1 cup broth or water12 ounces broccoli florets1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into strips1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and spiralizedJuice of 1/2 of a limeSalt to tasteCilantro (optional) In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.Using a food processor, blend the onions, jalapenos, garlic and ginger into a paste.Saute the paste for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown.Meanwhile, in a small saute pan, toast the yellow mustard, coriander, cardamom and cumin seeds, just until fragrant.Grind the spices into a powder and add to paste, along with turmeric and a dash of salt, stirring for another 30 seconds or so to combine.(NOTE: If preferred or more convenient, use a commercially prepared curry powder in lieu of the spice mixture suggested here.)Add coconut milk, broth or water, broccoli florets and bell pepper strips.Bring to a simmer and turn heat down to low.Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until broccoli and peppers are crisp-tender.Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick saute pan over medium heat.Add the spiralized sweet potato to the pan, stirring carefully every minute or so, until potato is cooked through-about 8 minutes.Season the curry with salt to taste and add the lime juice.To serve, place one-quarter of the sweet potato noodles in a bowl and top with one-quarter of the curry.Add roughly chopped cilantro and serve with a slice of lime.-- Chelsey
The Trust Project
