Low-Cal BBQ Chicken Pizza

I love atypical pizzas.   I like something more interesting than tomato sauce and cheese.  I also really like finding ways to make pizza healthier.  I like to add lots of veggies and lean meat.  The fiber and protein help fill you up on fewer calories.  I still have something on the side of the pizza, whether its a salad or  fruit, to create a well-balanced meal.

Low-Cal BBQ Chicken Pizza

What you'll need:
- 1 whole wheat pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
- 1/4 cup tomato-based BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup apple cider BBQ sauce
- 1 skinless chicken breast
- 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/3 cup sliced red onion
- 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar (or Colby Jack)
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika

What to do:
- Preheat the oven to 400*F (or follow package directions for store bought dough). Heat a small or medium sauce pan filled 3/4 full of water.  Bring to a boil, add chicken, lower heat to a low simmer.  Cook 8 -10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken breast, until chicken temperature reaches 160*F.  Remove chicken and let sit.

- Roll the pizza dough out into a large circle or rectangle (I personally find rectangles easier).  The dough should be thin (~1/8" thick) but without holes.  Fold over the outside edges to create a crust.

-  Spread tomato-based BBQ sauce around the pizza dough.  Top with cut veggies, parsley, oregano, and paprika.

- When chicken has cooled, tear apart into thin, short strips.  Combined with apple cider BBQ sauce.  Spread chicken over veggies on the pizza.  Top with cheese.  Spread flour or corn meal over a  baking tray or pizza stone and bake for 8 - 12 minutes until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden brown.  Alternatively, you can cook the pizza on the grill- see directions below.  Recipe makes 3 - 4 servings.

Cooking pizza on the grill
The most important thing is that the pizza does not stick to the grill.  So it is good to pre-bake the pizza dough for a couple minutes.  Heat the oven to 400*F.  Put rolled out dough on parchment paper, then put on a baking tray.  Bake in the oven for 4 - 6 minutes, remove and cool.  On the grill, heat 2 burners on high, heat 1 or 2 burners(depending on the size of your grill) on medium-low heat.  When grill reaches ~400*F, put pizza on the 2 high heat burners, then lower heat to medium-low. You want to make sure the grill stays hot, but the crust does not burn.  Cook 4 minutes, lower the pizza burners to low heat, and increase the empty burners to medium-high.  Cook another 4 minutes and remove from grill.

Steak and Loaded Baked Potato

Multi-colored Tomato and Basil
appetizer salad

Ben's ideal meal would consist of salad, steak, and a baked potato.  For his birthday, I bought him a grill and had it ~95% set up when he got home.  So of course, the plan was to grill steak, vegetables, and potatoes.  That was made possible by borrowing a gas tank from ben's parents (Thanks!).

I marinated the steak in a simple balsamic and herbs mixtures.  I did the same with the vegetables.  For the potato, I actually pre-baked it in the oven, and then finished cooking in the grill.  I made some toppings for the potato.  Instead of cooking bacon and then crumbling it, I bought diced prosciutto.  Prosciutto is leaner than bacon, and it was already cut up for me so that made things easier.  I bought shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and I got plain non-fat Greek yogurt.  I buy this instead of sour cream because the the Greek yogurt has more beneficial nutrients and fewer calories from fat.  Ben could also eat the stuff by the bucket.

Ben's Birthday Dinner

What you'll need:
For the marinade:
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/2 tsp pepper

- 2 (4 oz each) steak sirloin
- 1/2 small eggplant, sliced and quartered
- 1/2 small onion, 1/3 " slices
- 1 small zucchini, 1/3" slices
- 2 small potatoes
- 3 tbsp diced prosciutto
- 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

What to do:
1.  Preheat oven to 425*F.  Add potatoes and cook 25 minutes.  Remove from oven.

2.  Make the marinate by combining all of the marinade ingredients.  Place steak in a ziplock bag and pour 1/2 the marinade over it and close bag tightly.  Put cut up eggplant, onion, and zucchini in a ziplock bag and cover with the rest of the marinade and close bag tightly.  Let each sit for 20 -30 minutes.  Preheat the grill to medium-high.

3.  Heat a small saute pan over medium high heat and add the prosciutto.  Cook until browned.  Remove prosciutto and place on a folded paper towel to absorb excess fat.

4.  When grill is hot, place potatoes on a warmer grill, or on a side with low to no heat.  Place marinated vegetables in a vegetable grill holder to and place on the hot grill over medium heat.  Stir occasionally for 5 minutes.  Place steaks on grill over medium-high heat.  Let sit 4 to 6 minutes on each side depending on how thick the steak is and how well done you like your steak.

5.  On two place, serve the steak, vegetables, and potatoes.  Top the potatoes with prosciutto, cheese, and Greek yogurt.