Cauliflower Crust Pizza- Low Carb & Gluten Free

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

So I have been in full-time school since September and life has been hectic to say the least! This is my last year of undergrad, so grades really count... therefore, I have not had time to post here in a long time :( 

I will be posting whenever I can, but not as regularly as in the summer. Anyways... to the recipe!!!

Now you can have your pizza and eat it too!!! Even when you're on a low-carb diet.

This pizza is incredibly delicious even though it has NO flour!! I have seen the cauliflower crust pizza recipe circulating around the internet for a long time now, so I am not sure who invented it... but this is my take on it. I have made it several times, and this combination of ingredients works best for me! 

As for toppings, you can add whatever you want! Here I added onions, green peppers, turkey sausage, and cheese :) It was absolutely to die for!!! As long as you squeeze most of the liquid from the pureed cauliflower before baking, you will get a very authentic tasting crust. 

Oh, and I forgot to mention the best part... one serving is 
HALF THE ENTIRE PIZZA :D

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, boiled and drained
• 30g (about a 3cm cube) low-fat cheese (I used light marble cheese)
• 1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute 
• 3/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• Whatever desired toppings (I used 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 60g shredded cheese, 1/4 green pepper, 1 tbs onion, and 2 turkey sausages)

Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and spray a pan with PAM
2. Place cauliflower into food processor or blender (if you do not have either, mashing would also do the trick). Blend until mashed potato consistency.
3. Drain ***VERY WELL***. This step is extremely important. To drain, I placed the cauliflower on paper-towel and squeezed until very little liquid was left. 
4. In a medium bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients into the cauliflower. Spred onto greased pan until about 1/4 inch thick. 
5. Bake in oven about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and top with desired toppings. 
6. Place back into oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbling. Enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (for 1/2 the entire recipe):

Just the crust (For 1 serving- 1/2 the pizza):

• Calories- 115
• Carbohydrates- 9g
• Sugar- 7g
• Fiber- 7g
• Fat- 2g
• Protein- 12g

The crust, including the toppings pictured (For 1 serving- 1/2 the pizza):

• Calories- 239
• Carbohydrates- 17g
• Sugar- 11g
• Fiber- 9g
• Fat- 6g
• Protein- 27g

Turkey Cheeseburgers!

Oh cheeseburgers...

how I love thee...

But seriously, I love cheeseburgers! They are the epitome of childhood comfort food. 

Turkey burgers  can be tricky. People often make them dry and unsatisfying. The chunks of soft onion and the added egg yolk (for fat content) make these burgers perfect. 

I served these with half a roasted acorn squash; however, you can serve them with anything. A side salad would be a great pairing as well.

Turkey Cheeseburgers

(serves 8)

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds extra lean ground turkey
• 1/2 an onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 fat-free cheese slices
• 8 burger buns (mine were 130 calories each)

Method:

• Add all ingredients (except cheese and buns) into a big bowl. Mix well with hands. Form into 8 patties.
• Broil/grill for 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink. If using cheese, place on-top of patty 1 min before done.
• Serve with bun and any other desired toppings (lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, ketchup, etc.)

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(For 1 burger + 1 bun + 1 slice of cheese)

• 305 Calories
• 26g Carbohydrates
• 4g Sugar
• 3g Fiber
• 9g Fat
• 32g Protein

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Sorry I have not posted in a while. I was on vacation in Las Vegas, and now I am packing for a big move.

Anyways, since I have been busy lately, easy recipes have been mandatory. Sandwiches have been a staple in my diet for the past month. This version of chicken salad sandwich is tangy, spicy, and exciting. I never get bored of it!

You can change up the kind of vegetables you use, as well as spice level, based on your own taste. 

* Tip- If you are in a rush, buying a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken at the grocery store is a huge time-saver. 

Chicken Salad Sandwich

(Makes 2 Servings)

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces low-calorie bread (mine was 45 calories/slice)
• 6 ounces rotisserie chicken breast, diced and skin removed
• 1/4 cup celery, diced
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
• 1/8-1/4 cup red onion, diced (to taste)
• 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise 
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• tabasco sauce, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• pinch of paprika

Method:

• Mix all ingredients (except bread) in a bowl. Divide mixture in two, then spread onto each sandwich (makes 2 sandwiches). 
• Serve!! 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(For 1 sandwich- half the recipe)

• 190 Calories
• 25g Carbohydrates
• 6g Sugar
• 4g Fiber
• 3g Fat
• 15g Protein

Santa Fe Slow-Cooker Chicken Wraps

I love using my Crock Pot for easy meals when I don't feel like using the "hands-on" approach of cooking. It took me about 10 min of prep time for this recipe... can a delicious homemade dinner be much simpler than that? 

This is a protein packed, high fiber meal that is also low-fat! The corn and beans create a delightful contrast in texture to the other ingredients. Also, the slow cooked chicken is so juicy and tender, it falls apart with little effort. 

You can adjust the spice to suit any family member. If there are different preferences, prepare it mild, then add more spice individually. 

Santa Fe Slow-Cooker Chicken Wraps

Makes 10 servings (about 3/4 cup each)

Ingredients:

• 10 low-fat tortillas (80 calories each)
• 3 chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
• 14 oz can plain diced tomatoes
• 14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 14oz can whole corn kernels, rinsed and drained
• 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder
• cayenne powder to taste (I added about 1/2 teaspoon)
• salt and pepper to taste
• enough fat-free chicken broth to just cover the chicken breasts (I used about 1/2 of a 24oz carton)

Method:

• Pour tomatoes, black beans, corn, jalapeño, onion, garlic, and spices into the slow-cooker; stir until combined.
• Place the chicken breasts into the slow-cooker and pour chicken broth over until they are just covered. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 6 hours. 
• After cooking, shred chicken and transfer contents of slow-cooker to a large pot. Turn heat to high and reduce until desired moistness. I like mine less liquidy (I know this isn't a word), so I reduced it for about 10-15 min until the majority of the liquid was evaporated. 
• Serve in tortillas with desired toppings. I used fat-free plain Greek yogurt, salsa, and low-fat shredded cheese. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(1 serving: 1 tortilla and about 3/4 cup filling)

• 170 Calories
• 30g Carbohydrates
• 2g Sugar
• 6g Fiber
• 2g Fat
• 10g Protein

Angel Eggs

Miracle Whip or Mayo? Everyone seems to have their opinion on the matter. Personally, I don't mind the flavor of either... but my boyfriend has a strong aversion to the flavor of Miracle Whip. I found that out the hard way while making this recipe. 


I tasted my first batch and was very happy with the results! Mark did not feel the same... he looked at me oddly and asked what I put into the recipe. He did not have an impressed look on his face, so I knew he didn't like it. When I told him the ingredients, he looked at me with horror that I would put Miracle Whip into anything.


Long story short, I remade the recipe with Hellmann's Mayonnaise. He was very happy with the results... success! 


I thought both versions tasted great. In fact, I think I liked the Miracle Whip version better. Choose your personal favorite when making this recipe :)


I replaced most of the yolks in this recipe with nonfat cottage cheese. The results were still creamy and decadently delicious!

Angel Eggs

Makes 12 servings (1/2 egg each)

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, hard boiled and cooled*
• 3 tablespoons nonfat cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon fat free mayo
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• small amount of paprika and dried dill for topping

Method:

• Cut each egg in half. Discard all but 4, 1/2 yolks (2 whole yolks). Place the kept yolks, cottage cheese, mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper into a food processor (I used my magic bullet). Process until smooth.
• Place filling into the corner of a ziplock bag. Cut the corner off and use like a piping bag to fill each egg half with filling. Garnish with paprika and dill if desired. Can refrigerate for up to 1 day in advance.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(For 1 serving (1/2 egg + filling))

• 21 Calories
• 1g Carbohydrates
• 0g Sugar
• 0g Fiber
• 1g Fat
• 3g Protein

Strawberry "Ice Cream"- No Ice Cream Maker Required

The Calgary Stampede is now in full force! For those of you who don't know, the Stampede is a 10-day rodeo/festival held annually in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In other words, 10 days of fun that attracts about 1 million people... including me :)

Thankfully, the weather has been beautiful! It has been in the mid-80's all week long. However, this leaves my apartment feeling like an oven. So, I decided to post a cold recipe!

This recipe is so easy to make, and requires no ice cream machine. All you need is a blender or food processor. It also happens to be delicious. 

Strawberry "Ice Cream"

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 packets splenda

Method:

• Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Serve immediately. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(For entire recipe)

• Calories- 65
• Carbohydrates- 14g
• Sugar- 9g 
• Fiber- 4g
• Fat- 1g
• Protein- 1g

Flour-less Apricot Muffins

Apricots are one of my favorite cooking fruits (next to apples). I have many childhood memories of picking fresh apricots off the tree and sinking my teeth into them. Their sweet, yet tart, flesh is ideal for baking (... nobody wants sickly sweet... okay maybe I do sometimes). 

This low-fat recipe keeps the muffins moist by adding chunks of fresh apricots to the batter, and on top. You will not miss the fat!

Flour-less Apricot Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups apricots, diced
• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 2 1/2 cups quick oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup baking stevia, or 1 cup sweetener of choice 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray.
• In a blender or food processor, mix together all ingredients except apricots. Blend until smooth. Mix in 1 cup of the apricots and set remaining 1/4 cup aside.
• Spoon batter into 12 equal muffins. Top each with remaining apricots. Bake for 18-22 min (mine were perfect at about 19 min), or until toothpick comes out clean. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

(For 1 muffin, 1/12th of the recipe)

• 65 Calories
• 8g Carbohydrates
• 3g Sugar
• 1g Fiber
• 1g Fat
• 4g Protein