10.10.2011

Same old recipes?

Tired of the same old recipes? It's time to get creative with something quick and simple. It's so easy to get complacent when we prepare our meals. I've found that working outside of the box just a little bit helped me tremendously to achieve my weight loss goal thru Phase 1.

So here it is my friends! Cauliflower is the veggie of the week! It's become one of my staples in my refrigerator since I've been on the Ideal Protein Diet. I find that it is especially helpful also now that I've been phased off. It's my goal to try and provide you with some of the ideas and recipes that I have instituted to

1. help me lose weight
2. keep the weight off to maintain a healthy lifestyle.


At the end of the day ... or the beginning ... sweets are always welcome! These fun treats are sure to fill you, and not to mention, help you get out of the rut of doing the same thing day in and day out. They're fast and take less than a minutes to prepare. Not only that, they're low in carbs, low in sugar, and taste fantastic!


The best part : they're both completely Phase 1 friendly on the Ideal Protein Diet. I t doesn't get any better than that! So end your day ... or begin your day ... with a shake that's sure to leave you coming back for more.

So as crazy as cauliflower pizza sounds, it is a diet friendly food. It will satisfy cravings while leaving you and your taste buds happy!

Yours in health,
Jenn

Cauliflower pizza

1 cup steamed cauliflower
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1 egg
1 tsp. oregano or to taste
1-2 tsp. italian seasoning
10-12 pieces of pepperoni
5 grape tomatoes sliced
4 mushrooms finely chopped
1/4 cup diced green peppers
2 TBLsp diced leeks or onions
1 TBLsp olive oil
1/4 tsp real salt
1 package Ideal Protein Plain Crepe Mix
1/8 to 1/4 cup Walden Farm Marinara/Alfredo sauce or a low carb tomato sauce


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425˙

Steam cauliflower and let it cool. Mash cauliflower in food processor/blender or rice the vegetable on a cheese grater for desired texture. Combine egg, half parmesan cheese and spices in a bowl and mix. Add Ideal Protein Crepe Mix and mix. Spray baking sheet with olive oil and spread mixture on pan. Shape into a square or round shape. Spread marinara/alfredo sauce on dough mixture. Chop desired vegetables and mix in a bowl with 1 TBLsp olive oil and salt. Spread on dough mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top of vegetables. Cut pepperoni into quarter and spread over top of the pizza. Lightly sprinkle additional italian seasoning and basil on top for desired taste.

Place in oven and let bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
An alternative is to bake the crust first for the 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Then remove, add sauce and toppings to baked crust. Return to oven and broil until the cheese has melted.

Strawberry Delight

1 vanilla pre-made Ideal Protein Drink
5 ice cubes
1 tsp of vanilla or almond extract
1/2 cup unsweetened silk almond milk
2 TBLsp strawberry Walden Farm syrup

Combine ingredients in blender. Mix until texture is smooth. Drink and enjoy!
(Additional almond milk may be added to reach desired consistency due to texture of ice)

Almond Joy Friscani

1 chocolate pre-made Ideal Protein Drink
5 ice cubes
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1/2 cup unsweetened Silk almond milk
2 TBLsp Walden Farms chocolate syrup

Combine ingredients in blender. Mix until texture is smooth. Drink and enjoy!