Low Carb Pizza Recipe!

Yep, you heard me right.  Low Carb Pizza!  And no, this is not a mushroom cap pizza.  Who wants a slimy crust?  Yuck!  This pizza has an actual crust.  It's a thin crust pizza, which is my favorite!  It turned out great!  This was my second time making it and this time I made a couple of modifications.

I got the recipe from this website http://accidentalmommies.com/delicious-no-carb-pizza-recipe/ .  They claim it is NO CARB, but that's not the case.  I calculated it and it has a few, but still very, very low carb. 

I wasn't feeling real "meaty" today, so I made a vegetarian pizza with spinach as my only topping.  But, if you really want to bulk it up, use as much meat as you like!  Adding meat will increase the calories but it won't add carbs, so load up!  Here's the outcome...

So, here's the recipe :)

Low Carb Pizza - Serves 6

Ingredients:

For the crust:

For the pizza:

1 (8 oz.) package of full fat cream cheese (room temp.) 2 eggs Freshly ground black pepper Garlic powder (I used about a teaspoon.) 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup jarred no added sugar marinara sauce (I couldn't find any so I just used plain old canned tomato sauce.) A pinch of cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1&1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or whatever cheese you have on hand- I used sharp cheddar today.) Cooked meat and veggies of choice (Pepperoni, ground beef, spinach, mushrooms, etc.)- I just used spinach for this one. Garlic powder- whatever desired amount you want to use

Directions:

For the crust:

For the pizza:

Preheat oven to 350. Butter or spray a 9×13 baking dish Blend cream cheese, eggs, pepper & garlic powder until well mixed Add parmesan cheese and stir until combined Pour into buttered baking dish Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown (This is SO IMPORTANT- make sure the crust is golden brown.  If you don't, the crust will turn out too soft.  The original recipe said to bake it for 17 min, but that was just not enough.) Let crust cool for 15 minutes before adding toppings (Again, this is important also to avoid a soggy crust!)

After crust is cooked, raise oven to 400 degrees Mix together marinara sauce, garlic powder, cayenne pepper & oregano Top crust with marinara and spread evenly Top with cheese Add toppings Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly

Cut into 6 even slices and enjoy!  Each slice (of my recipe) has 233 calories, 4g carbs, 20g fat, 10g protein, 1g fiber.  So 3 net carbs per slice.  Hope you enjoy this :)

Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful

Hey, you!  Yes, you.  Read this and believe it.

No matter what the world tells you, you are beautiful!  And don't ever forget it!

Fitness Goals!

Before I get to the intended post, I'll fill you in on what has been going on the past few days.  A few days ago, I had an allergic reaction to some medication I was on.  I broke out in a rash so I stopped taking it, but not before my throat started closing up and we had to take a trip to the ER.  Luckily, they were able to stop the swelling in my throat.  It was a quite a scary experience!  I am currently on steroids and will stay on them a few more days to make sure I have no more reactions.  So, I don't look to be dropping any weight until those get out of my system.  What can you do? 

So, that's what has been going on with me.

Now, let's talk fitness!  I am currently doing the Couch to 5k program.  This program is designed to get you off of the couch and running a 5k in 9 weeks (although it's taking me longer).  I completed this program a few years ago and loved it!  I ran my first (and only) 5k shortly after completing it.  I am on week 4 of the program and I'm really excited about running again!  Here's the link for the program- http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Sadly, this is probably a pretty accurate visual of how I look when running.  But, I don't care!  I love running and I feel awesome while doing it, no matter how I look :)



My point is, find something you love to do and just do it!  (The Nike slogan never gets old.)  Whether it's dancing, swimming, kickboxing, running, biking, hiking....embrace it and use it to your advantage.  My husband likes to hike, so we have been going on some hikes together.  It's great exercise and it's a nice way for us to spend some time together.  Having a fitness partner is a big advantage.  Not only does it provide good company, it provides accountability. 

So, what's your fitness routine and goals?  Feel free to comment and let me know what works for you.  Until next time...

Thrifty Fun!

Today, I thought I'd post a couple of my thrifty finds and makeovers. 

I love to go "junkin" and looking for cool items I can get my hands on and recreate.  My husband and I went junkin a while back and I came across a formal chair that I just couldn't pass up.  I only paid $20 for it!  The back of the chair is a tad crooked, but I think my hubby can probably fix it....we'll see.  Still, I could live with it.  I may end up re-upholstering it later, but for now I will keep it as is.

                                Not too bad for $20, right?


This next little project is a lamp redo.  We got 2 old lamps from my husband's grandmother, so the lamps did not cost me anything.  Right when I saw them, I knew I wanted to get my hands on them.  Kevin (my husband), thought I was crazy at first! 

This is the "before" picture.  I am sorry for the picture.  It's kind of hard to see the lamp with all the trees and straw in the background but I forgot to take a picture before we headed to the woods to paint it.  As you can tell, it's old, dingy, rusty, and just plain out-dated. 

                                       This is the "after" with the lamp off.

                                       After, with the lamp on.

I used a spray paint called Blue Ocean Breeze.  It's kind of aqua-ish.  I got the lamp shades from Lowe's for about $12 each.  So I ended up with 2 "new" lamps for only about $14 each.  I am pretty pleased with the way they turned out.

And voila....the finished look.  Crafty- I can do.  Photography- not so much.  Sorry for the terrible picture quality.  I will work on it :)


I just started working on another thrifty project that I am really excited about!  It costs next to nothing and I think will look like a very high end piece when I'm done.  So, stay tuned for this one!!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!

As I told y'all earlier, I am trying my best to stick to a low(er) carbohydrate diet.  The problem is, I always have a hard time meeting my daily fiber quota when low carbing.  I have a Facebook friend that has been posting lots of delicious looking smoothies and I noticed she uses Chia seeds quite often in her recipes.  So I did a little digging online and it turns out these babies are packed with antioxidants, full of protein, an excellent source of fiber, loaded with vitamins and minerals, and the richest known plant source of omega-3.  It has more omega-3 than an Atlantic Salmon, more antioxidants than fresh blueberries, more calcium than 2% milk, more fiber than bran flakes, and more protein, fiber, and calcium than flax seed.  It's a superfood!!

1 tbsp of Chia seeds has 5 grams of carbohydrates and 5 grams of fiber.  So if you are counting net carbs....it has NO COUNTABLE CARBS! 

I just made a protein smoothie with them and it was really good.  Now, if you are a person with food texture issues, you may have a problem with the seeds.  I don't, so it didn't bother me.  If you drink your smoothie right after you make it, the seeds kind of have the texture of poppy seeds.  The longer the seeds sit in your drink the more gel-like they become.  They remind me of a mix between poppy seeds and tapioca.  They don't really have a flavor, so as long as the texture doesn't bother you, you'll be fine. 

So, get your Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia on and reap the benefits of this superfood!

Until next time...

Let's Talk Diet!!

Okay, so I am doing something right now that I said I would never do again.  Any guesses?  Probably not, so I'll just tell you.  I have started eating a low carb diet again.  I swore I wouldn't go back to it.  But, I have.  There are several reasons why I chose to give it another try.

Firstly, I have a sugar addiction that I need to kick....ASAP!  Heck, I love carbs in general! Who doesn't, right?  I've had a sugar addiction since I was a teenager and just to be completely honest...it's only gotten worse in my adult years.  It's a serious issue that I need to deal with.  I love all things sugary and sweet!  And, one is never enough.  One leads to two, then to four, then to six....you get the picture.  I'm so tired of being a prisoner to sugar! 

Also, I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).  Now, if you're not familiar with PCOS, it is the most common hormonal disorder in women; it is characterized by enlarged ovaries and multiple small cysts that appear along the outer part of the ovaries, along with irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne and weight gain.  The disease also increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and heart disease.  Eating a lower sugar/lower carb diet works well with this disease.  I have had a lot of success with low carb in the past. 

Lastly, I have been on a 5-week plateau.  I've been losing and gaining the same pound!  I am hoping that by changing up my diet, I will see some great results. 

I have only been eating low carb for a few days and I can already see major impovements.  I've dropped a couple of pounds and even more importantly, I'm not craving sugar anymore.  Can I get a HALLELUJAH?!?!  The first day was rough.  I wanted a DQ blizzard as bad as a kid at a carnival wants cotton candy.  I came so close to breaking!  I'm glad I didn't because it was fine after that. 

I'm not sure how long I will be focusing on low carb, but that is where my diet stands as of now. 

The dreaded first post...

So, I have been dreading making this post.  Why, you ask?  Well, I don't know.  I guess the first post seems more important than the rest.  It sets the tone for the entire blog and it gives people a first impression about me.  Kinda freaks me out a little.  Will I be interesting enough?  Will people like me?  Will I be good enough?  Basically, that's all the questions that have haunted me my entire life.  But the more I think about it, the more I realize that the first post is just an introduction for what is to come.  Nothing more, nothing less.

So, here it goes. 

I have two reasons for starting this blog.  Most importantly, I want to share my weight loss journey.  It's been a roller coaster to say the least.  For the past 5 years, I have been up and down, up and down again, and up and down some more.  Quite frankly, I'm a little dizzy.  I am hoping that by starting this blog I will have some accountability and some motivation!  It's time.  Right now, I am about 50 lbs down from my highest weight.  I still have a LONG way to go.  I will be sharing my weight loss goals, my struggles, my victories, my recipes, my tips and techniques, and my soul.  I am ready.  I am willing. I will succeed. 

Secondly, I love all things crafty.  I have a passion for taking something old, something that someone else thinks is trash, something others may think is hideous and making it into something new and awesome!  You'd be surprised at what just a coat of paint can do!  So, I will also be sharing some of my crafty projects with you.   I am about to start working on something that I think is really cool, so be on the lookout for that! 

I am a wife, a stay at home mom, and a learning coach to my son.  To say I am blessed would be such an understatement.  I will be writing more about them in future posts.  For today, I will keep it short.

Please feel free to comment, ask questions, suggest topics, and subscribe!  I would love to hear from you.  So, until next time...