Pizza Night - Take Two

So Friday rolled around and I tried pizza again making it this time to my husband's specifications (ANYthing to get more veggies and whole foods into him!).



I cut down the volume of the crust, going for a thinner, crispier version and added on black olives and banana peppers to his toppings.


His pizza, pre-cooking....mushrooms, banana peppers, vidalia onions and black olives.



Mine, with red, orange and yellow bell peppers and vidalia onions.
I didn't allow enough reduction in cooking time for the thinner crust, so I thought it was a bit over-cooked.



Here they are fresh from the oven, with ground up cashews on top.


The verdict: I preferred the thicker crust, but my husband really liked this version.....so next time, I'll do mine differently, and keep his the same. I am thrilled to have a pizza that he can really enjoy....he ate nearly 3/4 of it plus a salad. I figure that even with all of that, it is nowhere near what he would consume, calorically, than even two pieces of his usual loaded with cheese, pepperoni and sausage.


One thing I noticed about preparing this pizza, is that even with doing the crust from scratch, prep time is actually quicker and much easier. I've been making home-made pizza for most of my adult life, but since there are fewer ingredients, it is just a breeze. I think of all the oil I used to slather on top of the crust....why??? It doesn't need it at all. And shredding cheese either in my food processor or by hand....a mess to clean up as well. Then if you add browned ground beef or cut-up pepperoni....even more to deal with. That makes another point: this pizza is cheaper too. A few cups of flour, some yeast, vital wheat gluten, dash of salt, oregano & other spices, a small can of tomatoes, small can of tomato paste and fresh veggies---some quick addition and I figure these two pizzas cost us approx. $9. (Not including electricity to cook if I'm being exact). So, nutrient-rich pizzas for less....not a bad deal and we'll have left-overs on Saturday, probably the equivalent of 4 -5 meals, ....approx. $2./meal, plus a salad.


I think that given that so much of what we enjoy to eat is formed from habits developed throughout our whole lives, that this pizza will take a bit of time to become routine and what is expected for my husband. Breaking the 'status quo' and addictions to cheese and casein and grease and fat will fall away and I see it as my job, no, my mission to find delicious alternatives that my family can (literally) sink their teeth in.


I know I am making progress: my 23 yr old son said to me this week, "maybe sometime you and I could go shopping together". (This during a discussion we were having about nutritive value of foods). I could have fallen over.....why, yes! I certainly WILL go shopping with you! You never know when you really are making a difference.


NOTE: Pizza stones rock. I only have one and used it for my husband's pizza of course. Will be making a stop to pick up another one this week. They are also great for making rounded bread loafs. I figure, for what I am saving on cheese (and probably by-pass surgery), I can afford to get a really nice one.


Sue, making progress, in Ohio