Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:

**Crescent roll dough (I make a double batch of homemade crescent roll dough)

12 oz. 1/3 less fat original cream cheese

1 packet ranch seasoning packet

1 c broccoli florets, chopped

1 c cauliflower, chopped

1/2 c carrots, chopped

1 1/2 c Colby Jack cheese, shredded

 

**I use a homemade crescent roll dough, but you can definitely use premade, store-bought dough.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Roll out crescent dough so it covers a 12×16″ ungreased pan. Cook dough for 10-13 minutes or until cooked through.

3. Cool crust completely (about an hour).

4. In a small dish, combine cream cheese and ranch packet. When crust is completely cool, spread cream cheese mixture onto crescent crust.

5. Sprinkle cheese on top of cream cheese mixture. Top with chopped vegetables.

6. Cut into 16 equal squares.

 

 

Yields 16 servings, serving size 1 piece

Ham & Pineapple Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

Ingredients:

for the pizza dough-

1 1/2 c water

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. honey

4 c whole wheat flour

1/3 c wheat germ

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

 

to brush on the crust-

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

toppings-

1/2 c pizza sauce

3/4 c 2% mozzarella cheese

1/3 c fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 c Canadian bacon, chopped

Directions:

1. Add ingredients for the pizza dough to bread maker. Follow manufacturer’s directions for adding ingredients. My bread maker suggests adding the ingredients in the order listed. Set bread maker for a large loaf on the dough setting.

2. When bread maker is finished, remove dough from pan. Using your hands, stretch and pull dough until it is even all the way around and about 1/4″ thickness. Place on an ungreased pizza pan. Allow to rise for 1 hour in a draft-free, warm place. (I usually just put it in my oven, turned off, with the light on.)

3. After final rise, mix together the ingredients to brush on the crust. In a small dish, combine 1 tbsp oil, Italian seasoning, and  garlic powder. Brush mixture about 2 inches around the outside edge of the pizza dough for the crust.

4. Bake in oven for 7 minutes. Remove and top with pizza sauce, cheese, ham, and pineapple.  

5. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes or until pizza is golden brown and dough is cooked through.  Cut into 8 pieces.

 

if cut into 8:  

Yields 8 servings, serving size 1 piece

5 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c multigrain oats (quick oats would work also)

1/2 c raw, unsalted almonds, roughly chopped

1/2 c flaxseed meal

1 c mini chocolate chips

1/2 c honey

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

1/8 c (2 tbsp.) packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

2 large egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Roughly chop almonds.

 

2. Spread oats and almonds on an unlined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, stirring half way through. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

 

3. Line a 13×9 baking dish with a silicone baking mat. It is helpful if the mat is slightly larger than the baking dish and comes up on the sides. Set aside.

 

4. Once oat/almonds are cool, transfer to large bowl and add flaxseed meal and chocolate chips. Stir together.

 

5. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, oil, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and egg whites.

 

6. Pour honey mixture over oat/almond mixture in large bowl. Stir until oats are well coated.

7. Press granola with rubber spatula into prepared baking dish. Be sure to firmly and evenly press granola down.

8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

 

9. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 2 hours.

 

10. Using the sides of the silicone mat, carefully pull up and pull the granola out of the baking dish. Cut granola into 16 equal bars. Store in an air tight container.

 

Yields 16 servings, serving size 1 granola bar

Whole Wheat Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients:

12 reduced fat (2%) mozzarella sticks

1 1/2 c Whole Wheat Panko

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 c Whole Wheat flour

5 egg whites

1/4 c Marinara sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Remove cheese sticks from wrappers. Cut each stick in half. Place in freezer for 30 minutes. 

3. While cheese sticks are freezing, set up dredging station with three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, add flour. In the second bowl, add egg whites and whisk lightly. 

4. In the third bowl, combine Panko, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 

5. Remove cheese sticks from freezer. Working quickly, add about 5 cheese pieces to the flour, coating each stick completely. Move flour coated sticks to the egg whites, and coat completely. Then move egg/flour coated sticks to the Panko, coating completely. Place sticks on a clean plate. Repeat process with remaining cheese pieces. 

6. Once all cheese has gone through dredging once, discard the remaining flour. At this point, I like to take them through a second dredging for a nice, thick breading. To do this, dip each coated cheese piece in egg whites and then in Panko for a second time. Repeat this process with all remaining cheese pieces. 

7. Once cheese has gone through a second dredging, place each stick on the prepared baking sheet. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. 

 

Yields 12 servings, serving size 2 pieces

Pineapple, Pepper, Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

Gluten free whole grain pizza crust mix (I like and use Bob’s Red Mill)

2 eggs

1 1/2 c warm water

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

yeast packet (comes with the pizza crust mix)

3 Cajun seasoned grilled chicken tenders, chopped

1/4 c tri-colored peppers, diced

1/3 c pineapple tidbits in 100% pineapple juice, drained

1/2 c pizza sauce (I use an organic, no sugar added brand)

Directions:

1. Combine water and yeast packet in large bowl. Let stand for about 5 minutes. 

2. Add eggs and oil to water/yeast mixture. Mix briefly until egg yolks are broken and stated to mix together (no longer than 1 minute). 

3. Add in dry pizza mix and mix for about 1 minute or until well combined. Leave in bowl, split in half, and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 20 minutes. 

4. Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray. 

5. Place pizza dough on prepared pizza pan. Using wet hands, spread dough out evenly on pizza pan. If dough starts to stick to fingers, rewet fingers with water.    

6. Bake pizza crust, without toppings for 7 minutes in oven. 

7. Remove pizza crust, top with pizza sauce, peppers, pineapple, and chicken pieces. Place pizza back in oven and cook an additional 15 minutes. 

8. Cut pizza into 8 slices with pizza cutter. 

 

Yields 4 servings, serving size 2 pieces

Cajun Chicken Rub

Ingredients:

1 tbsp cajun seasoning

1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a small bowl with lid. Place lid on bowl. Shake until all ingredients are well mixed.

2. Generously rub on cleaned, raw chicken. Cook as desired (I prefer using this with chicken cooked on the grill)

*Will cover 4 large chicken breasts

Sun-dried Tomato Guacamole

Ingredients:

4 small avocados, halved, pitted

2 tbsp red onion, chopped

1 tsp coarse Kosher salt

juices of 1 lime

6 sun dried tomatoes, chopped 

Directions:

1. Mash avocados in medium bowl to desired consistency. Add in onion, salt, lime juice, and sun dried tomatoes. 

2. Stir until all ingredients are combined. 

Yields 10 servings, serving size 2 tbsp

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c creamy peanut butter (you could use crunchy instead)

1 c sugar

1/4 c Egg Beaters 

2/3 c semi sweet chocolate chips 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Beat together peanut butter, sugar, and egg until well combined.

3. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

4. Drop dough by the tablespoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes.

5. As soon as you remove from oven, gently press the center of each cookie with the back of a spoon. Allow to cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. Then, transfer to wire rack to cool completely. 

 

Yields 26 cookies, serving size 1 cookie

3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

 

recipe modified from www.thefrugalgirls.com

Going Apes Cookies

A perfect combination of peanut butter, banana, and chocolate

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c multi grain oats (or your favorite gluten-free oats)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp Smart Balance Light butter

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c crunchy peanut butter

3 large, ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 c semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (or Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until well combined. Set bowl aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of your stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine mashed bananas and peanut butter until smooth. 

4. Add butter, honey, and vanilla to banana mixture. Stir until combined.

5. Gradually add oat mixture to banana mixture. Stirring to combine after each addition of dry ingredients. Combine until well incorporated.

6. Fold in chocolate chips.

7. Drop scoops, about a tablespoonful, of mixture onto prepared baking pans. Bake for 13-15 minutes (mine were perfect at exactly 15 minutes).

8. Allow to set on the pan after baking for about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

 

Yields 25 cookies, serving size 1 cookie

3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Baked Apple Pancake

Ingredients:

1 medium Fuji apple, peeled, chopped

4 tbsp brown sugar, divided

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

3/4 c egg beaters

1 c skim milk

2 tbsp molasses

3/4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp ginger, ground

1/4 tsp nutmeg

pinch of salt

(optional) powdered sugar, for dusting

(optional) homemade cinnamon-molasses syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a glass pie dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Add apple chunks to a small bowl. Stir in cinnamon and 2 tbsp brown sugar until apples are well coated.

3. Spread apples into bottom of prepared pie plate in a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes. 

4. While apples bake, prepare batter. Whisk together remaining 2 tbsp of brown sugar, Egg Beaters, milk, molasses, flour, salt, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.

5. Carefully remove apples from oven and pour batter over apples. Return pie plate to oven.

6. Bake for 25 minutes until it puffs and is golden brown. 

7. Slide pancake out of pie plate and onto cutting board. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve with Cinnamon-molasses syrup and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

 

Yields 8 servings, serving size 1 piece

3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

 

Recipe modified from www.simplebites.net