Pizza substitute

I love pizza. It's my big downfall. Any suggestions for what will "hit the spot" when I crave pizza? A friend recommended making a "pizza" with low-fat cheese, pizza sauce, pumpkin seeds or other protein, and squash as the crust, but that seems weird to me ...

Any other suggestions for "hit the spot" substitutes when what you really crave is off-limits?

Wed. Feb 13, 3:43pm

Some of the frozen entre pizzas aren't bad (like Lean Cuisine, etc.) if you add some of your favourite veggies to the top. I had one last week that had a neat mushroom flavour to it and I just stir-fried some toppings and added it to the top. I loved the taste, and I was stuffed! You can also make your own pizza using whole wheat pita bread and lots of veggies for toppings to fill you up.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 3:54 PM

pp here

I think the frozen pizza I had was Lean Cuisine Mushroom and Spinach. It was SO good!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 3:56 PM

whole grain crust or for a personal size use pita bread, low sugar sauce, lightly grilled veggies (tofu, chicken, or turkey sausage if you want a protein), light sprinkle of 2% mozz and a sprinkle of parm and red peppers
its delish.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 3:57 PM

This was my biggest issue when I began my diet journey almost a year ago. I love pizza, you can't take it away from me..... So I found a recipe in the biggest loser cookbook and tried it. I changed a few things but basically it is:
1 tortilla NOT LOW CARB. They will burn.
Low cal or low fat is ok though.
Heat it for 5 min on each side in a 400 degree oven. This is just to crisp it up.
Then I use Ragu garden combination sauce for the sauce. IT is really good.
Then a small amount of ham like 1 oz diced up really fine and sprinkled over the tortilla. Then a few pieces of pineapple.
Mushrooms sliced fine and tomato sliced thin and even an olive or two. Then I end with 1 slice diced up or 1 oz grated mozzerella cheese.
Bake it for about 5 min or until it is heated through and the cheese is melted.
It is so good that my family asks me to make it now.
I am sure you could use like a turkey pepperoni or some other add ins but this one is my favorite. Hope you enjoy it too.
Oh and at the most it has been about 400 cal

Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 4:13 PM

I use the pilsbury dough and spread it out a bit. Then I use

tomatoe sauce
chopped zuchinni
chopped tomatoe
sliced mushrooms
chopped green pepper
black olives (you can use a few chopped Kalamatas instead - they add amazing flavor and go a long way)
chicken breast (chopped)
2 oz feta cheese (sprinkled over the top - amazing the flavor in 2 oz of cheese)

I prebake the crust according to the directions, then top and bake for another 8 minutes at the temp on the dough. I cut into 12 pieces and 2 usually fill me up. I am generous with the sauce and veggies and my husband loves it. He jokingly calls it 'salad-on-a-crust' and I can't even eat that greasy stuff you get from restaurants any more.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 5:21 PM

OP Here

These are all great suggestions. I'll give them all a try -- probably within the next three weeks, I'm sure!

It might be helpful to others to keep this thread open for suggestions on other types of cravings and easy ways to do them healthily. For example, my new favorite treat when I'm craving something sweet (usually strawberry ice cream) is to make a smoothie in my blender. It's so easy: I buy pkgs of the frozen berries and then just blend them up with sugar-free juice (like simply orange). There's enough "ice" in the fruit to give it a great texture, and I can get good variety simply by switching up which frozen berries and which juices I use (never have to worry about not having a new fruit either, since they're frozen). I don't add yogurt because those usually have so much sugar in them!

Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 5:46 PM

Pizza Hut claims that one slice of a medium Thin N Crispy Veggie Lovers has 180 calories. (Handtossed 210; Pan 250). Pepperoni: 210, 240, 280. Supreme: 230, 270, 310.

The thicker the crust, the more calories.

If you stick to 1 or 2 slices of the thinner crust varieties, then pizza, as an occassional treat, should be tolerable.

Tammy Lou

Thursday, February 14, 2008, 11:56 AM

Trader Joes makes a nice frozen whole grain pizza dough. I just build with all the stuff I want on top...soy or 50% cheese, marinara and tons of veggies. It is delicious and good for you. Love it warmed over too.

Thursday, February 14, 2008, 12:12 PM

I like making my own, whether on a bagel, tortilla, or even just plain bread. The key is to keep the "crust" small and/or thin, and not to use too much cheese, but to pile on the veggies, turkey pepperoni, etc.

Thursday, February 14, 2008, 5:57 PM

I like to completely make my own, including a whole grain crust. Or I make deep dish pizzas and make a whole grain crust, fill it with veggies and tomato sauce, and put cheese on top. Yummm

Friday, February 15, 2008, 3:26 AM

If youre going the frozen pizza variety...definitely try the Lean Cuisine brick oven pizzas (different from the regular ones)...they are SO good I'd eat them even if I werent dieting! Chicken and garlic is my fav.

Friday, February 15, 2008, 7:00 AM

use a whole grain tortilla as crust. i do this every once in a while and it kills the craving for pizza and it is sooooo delicous.

Friday, February 15, 2008, 5:33 PM

I make my crust from scratch, and the same recipe makes a thick or thin crust--depending on whether I let it rise. So thin crust isn't always lighter!

The biggest healthbusters in pizza are the meat, the crust and the cheese.

Go meatless or add little meat, or go with chicken--huge increase in the health factor.

Avoid oily crusts (like Pizza Hut's, esp. the Pan version). Make your own crust, use a WW tortilla or pita. Big increase in the health factor.

Use a lighter cheese and use it sparingly--another big increase.

And watch those bottled sauces--some have a lot of sugar and some have HF corn syrup.

I like to use a can of diced tomatoes (no sugar added) and simmer it until most of the liquid is gone and the tomatoes are beginning to get a little pasty. Smear that over the crust. Favorite toppings:

A bit of salsa added to the sauce while it simmers in the pan. Top with black beans, parched corn, some chicken or a tiny bit of sausage, and a small amount of Jack or cheddar.

BBQ sauce, chicken, red onion, bell pepper.

Tons of steamed or grilled veggies, the basic sauce with Italian seasoning and garlic, and lots of mushrooms.

The key is to make sure:
The crust isn't oily and the portion of crust that comes with a serving is a reasonable bread/grain serving.
The fatty toppings (some meats, cheeses) are used sparingly.
There are lots of good things in between the sauce and the cheese to fill you up!

Friday, February 15, 2008, 6:03 PM

AMY PIZZA

It's an organic pizza and they sell them in the supermarket, they are very very good, low in fat and you can share with someone.

Saturday, February 16, 2008, 8:49 AM

The question becomes what do you think is unhealthy about pizza? It's easy to use lean meats and low fat cheese on them, it's easy to find or make a low carb crust... Sure, I think grabbing a slice from the local pizzeria may not be your best move, but it's easy to pull a great healthy pizza out of your own oven.

Sunday, February 17, 2008, 2:19 AM

Chickpea crust pizza

Chickpea crust pizza

Ingredients:
2/3 cup chickpea flour
1/3 tsp. salt
1 cup water
1/2 tsp. finely chopped rosemary
3 Tbls.extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbls. chopped tomato
1 Tbls. finely chopped onion
3 Tbls. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Called socca in Nice and farinata in Genoa, this workingman's morning snack is traditionally baked in brick ovens in pizza pans. This method calls for using a skillet on the stovetop, then moving the pizza to the broiler.

Preheat the broiler. Sift the chickpea flour with the salt into a medium bowl. Slowly add 1/4 cup of the water, whisking constantly to form a paste. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the remaining water and let the batter stand for 30 minutes, then stir in rosemary.
Heat 1 Tbls. of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet. Stir the batter once, pour it into the skillet and drizzle the remaining 2 Tbls. of olive oil on top. Cook the pizza over moderately high heat until the bottom is golden and crisp and the top is almost set, 2 to 3 minutes. Burst any large air bubbles with the tip of a knife.
Sprinkle the tomato, onion, Parmesan cheese and pepper over the top, then place the skillet under the broiler and cook until the pizza is golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Slide the pizza onto a work surface, cut into wedges and serve hot.

I just make it like a pancake than slide it on a pizza pan and put it in the oven to finsih it off there.. its really good.

lynneta

Sunday, February 17, 2008, 3:52 PM

Related Content: How To Lose Weight- The Basics Weight Watchers Points System The Fat Smash Diet The Eat To Live Diet The Beck Diet Solution How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight		How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer How To Burn Fat Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight? Tips On Using PEERtrainer Visit The PEERtrainer Community Diet and Fitness Resources
Fitness Weight Watchers Meetings Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are Writing Down Your Daily Workouts Spending Money On A Personal Trainer? How I Became A Marathon Runner		Preventive Health How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot? Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer? Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy Reversing Disease Through Nutrition
New Diet and Fitness Articles: Weight Watchers Points Plus How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program		Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne: Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough How To Delay Short Term Gratification How To Stay Motivated How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule
Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight? Are Protein Drinks Safe? Nutrition As Medicine?		Everyday Weight Loss Tips How To Eat Healthy At A Party How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight The Three Bite Rule Tips On How To Stop A Binge