Originally Posted by PhotoChick:
Bingo!

Seriously, I'm one of those people who, if you tell me I can't have something, I immediately MUST have it. That's why diets like Atkins and SB and so forth don't work for me - I have a knee jerk reaction to being told "you can't". My commitment to eating healthy is easier for me because I *don't* think that there are foods I can never eat again.

:yes: :yes: :yes: Could not agree with you more PC!

Originally Posted by :
. . . because I know that I can go home and make a yummy healthy pizza on whole grain crust, piled with veggies and homemade tomato sauce.
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I want this . . . NOW!!!!! :D Do you have a crust recipe to share? Thanks.

I actually use Alton Brown's recipe for pizza dough, but I sub whole wheat flour (which I buy from King Arthur Flour, so it's really ground whole wheat, and not unbleached white or something like that), and ground rolled oats for the regular flour.

Alton's recipe works really well for whole grain doughs, because it requires an overnight in the fridge, which allows more gluten to form. Normally the problem with whole grain pizza crust is that they don't have enough gluten and they don't get "stretchy" enough to make good crust.

In the recipe below (which is his from Good Eats), I use 1.5 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup ground rolled oats (I just whirl them in the food processor).

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt*
1 tablespoon pure olive oil
3/4 cup warm water
2 cups bread flour (for bread machines)
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2 teaspoons olive oil
Olive oil, for the pizza crust

Place the sugar, salt, olive oil, water, 1 cup of flour, yeast, and remaining cup of flour into a standing mixer's work bowl. Using the paddle attachment, start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed.
Tear off a small piece of dough and flatten into a disc. Stretch the dough until thin. Hold it up to the light and look to see if the baker's windowpane, or taut membrane, has formed. If the dough tears before it forms, knead the dough for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
Roll the pizza dough into a smooth ball on the countertop. Place into a stainless steel or glass bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
Place the pizza stone or tile onto the bottom of a cold oven and turn the oven to its highest temperature, about 500 degrees F. If the oven has coils on the oven floor, place the tile onto the lowest rack of the oven. Split the pizza dough into 2 equal parts using a knife or a dough scraper. Flatten into a disk onto the countertop and then fold the dough into a ball.
Wet hands barely with water and rub them onto the countertop to dampen the surface. Roll the dough on the surface until it tightens. Cover one ball with a tea towel and rest for 30 minutes.
Repeat the steps with the other piece of dough. If not baking the remaining pizza immediately, spray the inside of a ziptop bag with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bag. Refrigerate for up to 6 days.
Sprinkle the flour onto the peel and place the dough onto the peel. Using your hands, form a lip around the edges of the pizza. Stretch the dough into a round disc, rotating after each stretch. Toss the dough in the air if you dare. Shake the pizza on the peel to be sure that it will slide onto the pizza stone or tile. (Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the dough for 30 minutes if you want a chewy texture.)

In the summer time we actually put our pizzas on the grill and cook them that way - makes for really yummy pizza with a smoky flavor - almost as good as a real brick oven.

I top mine with tomato sauce, artichoke hearts, chopped baby spinach, mushrooms, basil, and cheese.

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I absolutely love anything with red sauce: pasta, pizza, anything you may enjoy dipping into a red sauce.. like my finger! Not only are all those things bad for me (except my finger of course) but I have a lot of stomach problems and I have to avoid everything acidic. I've had to develop the mentality that I may want pizza or spaghetti but if I don't have it and I just eat something else instead, I'll still be full and I'll forget about it within an hour if not less. I know that if I do eat those things I'll have much more than that to deal with 1) my stomach will hate me 2) my conscious will hate me 3) my bf will hate me for complaining about 1 & 2.

I know that I won't be sitting here tomorrow thinking about how great that pizza was last night, just like I won't be sitting here thinking about how miserable I was without it. I've finally gotten a handle on my cravings and have realized they are temporary tests of my will power. When its really bad (like I'm on the phone with dominos) I'll grab some grapes and go walk the dog-- approach the fridge with a new attitude when I get back. I still get to eat pizza though now thanks to Lean Cuisine's Spinach and Mushroom pizza that has NO red sauce!!

my weakness
 

My weaknesses go in waves. Right now I always seem to be craving Mexican food, especially tacos (which sucks because I live in New Mexico and there are so many good places to go.) Sometimes it's Chinese food, or Indian (I get on ethnic jaunts. What I try to do is learn to make it myself so I can control the portions and ingredients.
Thanks for the pizza crust recipe!

I like to eat whatever I want, as long as I don't go over my calorie-limit. High sodium things make it so I don't lose AS fast, but I still lose weight steadily. Plus, it's only water weight. I look at it this way: When I eat what I want with a limit, I am happy and I still lose weight. If I even THINK about restricting myself, I start to think about bingeing. That's my indicator for what works for me. I might, like, not do it how everyone wants me to, but at least I am mentally happy and losing weight. And, it's a lot better than eating WITHOUT a limit.

Originally Posted by owlmonkey:
My weaknesses go in waves. Right now I always seem to be craving Mexican food, especially tacos (which sucks because I live in New Mexico and there are so many good places to go.) Sometimes it's Chinese food, or Indian (I get on ethnic jaunts. What I try to do is learn to make it myself so I can control the portions and ingredients.
Thanks for the pizza crust recipe!

I am the exact same way. Recently, I made the decision (and it was really hard) to remove my favorite thai take-out place from my speed dial. Not all of it is calorie-laden or fattening, but the portions are huge (not to mention it gets expensive). Then, I went to the grocery store which has a great asian section and bought some ingredients to make my favorite dishes at home (fish sauce, garlic and red pepper spread, rice noodles, sesame oil, etc...) along with chicken and frozen vegetables and I'm finding it's quite easy to master a lot of these dishes. AND I can regulate my portions as well as the amount of oil and salt that goes into them. Oh, and it's way cheaper, too. It has been win-win for me.

I'm doing hte Metabolic Research Center diet, and it's super strict. A lot of foods are completely cut out (imagine me going 6 months without pizza!), but my person said something sort of inspirational to me this week after I'd cheated a bit-- at least with my diet, I won't have to do this forever. In about six months, I can have things back in moderation, but if I can just commit to being "militant" (her words) about sticking to the program, I'll be able to relax a bit more once it's all over. So far I've done great this week, so hopefully I'll keep up the motivation.

Peanut butter! Normally a jar of peanut butter will go rancid at our house...but the minute I start restricting calories, I CRAVE the stuff. At 90 calories a tablespoon, it's not exactly a low calorie snack. Like some others I bargain when it comes to "treats". Do I blow 90 calories on a Tablespoon of Peanut butter or do a eat a giant sweet & juicy fresh pear for about the same calories. I'm the same with money. I could go to the thrift store and buy a pair of slightly used designer jeans for under $20, or I could go to the mall and by them new for $100. I just wish I had always been as cheap with my calories as I have been with money.