Low Carb Pizza

There is no question that pizza is a popular dish all over the world. Many people; however, view it as the "forbidden food", laden with so much saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. So this raises the question, "how do we create a heart-healthy pizza that is gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb and low sodium?

Sara has found a solution! The crust is made using extra lean ground white chicken breast and ground flaxseed meal! Although this pizza is dairy-free, it still tastes cheesy because of this secret ingredient: nutritional yeast!

• I like to line an oven friendly round pan with aluminum foil. If you prefer, you can use non-stick cooking spray or extra virgin coconut oil.

• combine together and flatten into a crust shape in the pan

• 8 oz of extra lean ground white chicken breast
• 1 TBSP ground flaxseed meal
• season with pepper, salt-free seasoning and/or chili pepper flakes, etc.

• to the crust, add:

• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
• feel free to add your favourite vegetables
• 1 TBSP nutritional yeast
• season with salt-free seasoning, chili pepper flakes, pepper, etc.

• Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 min. To make the crust crispy, place the pizza in the toaster oven for 10 min.
• Refrigerate left-overs and toast the next day.
• Serve with a cup of hot Oolong tea!

Nutritional Info:

1 serving = ½ of pizza

Compared to half of a conventional personal pan cheese & pepperoni pizza: 400 calories, 19.5 g fat,, 36 g carbohydrate, 915 mg sodium!!!

Ingredient Information:

• Low Sodium: Sara's Pizza is low in sodium, with one serving containing 111.55 mg of sodium. Compare this to the same portion of a conventional pizza which has 915 mg of sodium! Our bodies only require about 500 mg of sodium a day, but this should be obtained from within natural foods, not added to food in the form of table salt. But beware! Salt is ubiquitous, especially in processed food. Did you know that Canadians consume an average of 3,100 mg of sodium every day, mostly through processed foods? This is why it’s important to stay away from processed foods. Excessive Salt consumption has been linked to health problems including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. Health Canada has set the adequate daily intake of sodium at 1500 mg, with an upper tolerable intake of 2300 mg.
• Hot Chili Peppers: Did you know that chili peppers speed up your metabolism and increase fat burning? Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers responsible for that notorious inferno effect in your mouth, can induce thermogenesis and increase body temperature. By incorporating hot peppers into your meals, you will be able to rev your metabolism and increase fat burning.
• Spinach: Spinach and other dark leafy greens, such as kale are an excellent source of iron (especially important for women), omega-3 fats, vitamin A, and lutein for eye health.
• Broccoli: Did you know that this cruciferous vegetable contains more calcium than a glass of milk? Not only does 1 cup of broccoli provide you with the recommended dietary allowance of immune-supportive vitamin C, but it also contains high levels of folic acid, calcium, vitamin K and B6, potassium, lutein and vitamin A (beta-carotene). As we know, calcium and vitamin K are important for bone health and prevention of osteoporosis. The carotenoid lutein helps prevent macular degeneration and cataracts and may also reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke. Broccoli is also high in fiber, which prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar levels and curbs overeating. Broccoli is rich in a flavonoid called kaempferol, which provides the body with anti-inflammatory benefits. Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which the body processes into an anti-cancer compound called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane rids the body of a bacterium (H. pylori) that is known to increase the risk of stomach cancer. Lastly, broccoli contains indole-3-carbinol, which is an antioxidant and an anti-carcinogen known to hinder the growth of breast, cervical and prostate cancer. According to a study by researchers at the UCLA Medical Center in California, men and women aged 50 to 74 years who ate broccoli regularly were 50% less likely to develop colorectal cancer than those who did not eat any broccoli.
• Tomatoes: Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, a powerful anti-cancer agent. But did you know that lycopene needs fat to be optimally absorbed? Be sure to add a healthy fat to your tomato dishes, such as olive oil.
• Ground Flaxseed: Flaxseeds contains soluble and insoluble fiber, as well as mucilage. Not only does mucilage help protect against bowel cancer, but it also helps stabilize your blood sugar. And fiber, as you know, helps relieve constipation. Ground flaxseed expands up to 5 times when ingested, which means 1 tablespoon added to your morning oats or protein shake will be enough to help you feel full all morning! Note that flaxseeds must be ground in order to be absorbed. Store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container to extend their freshness (they will stay fresh for 3 months).Flaxseeds also contain lignans, which possess anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties. Flaxseeds are also an amazing source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein.
• Nutritional Yeast: Nutritional yeast, not to be confused with Brewer’s yeast, is an inactive yeast popular amongst vegans because of its cheesy flavour when added to foods. No only does it provide an excellent source of protein and B-vitamins, but it is also low in fat and sodium. Click to purchase:

click for more info

• Extra Virgin Coconut Oil: A Heathy Saturated Fat: Coconut oil, which is popular amongst vegans, is a vegetable fat that is solid at room temperature. It has a sweet coconut flavour, which makes it a great ingredient for baked goods and sautés. It is heat stable, which is why it is well suited for cooking food at high temperatures. In fact, it is the only oil that is stable enough to resist heat-induced damage. Frying oxidizes oils such as extra virgin olive oil and canola oil Vegetable oils such as corn oil, sunflower oil and canola oil are omega-6 vegetable oils. Not only do they contribute to the undesirable imbalance of the omega-6 to 3 ratio, but they also generate toxic chemicals when fried. Not all saturated fats are villains. In fact, medium chain fatty acids, which are found in coconut oil mainly as lauric acid, are linked to increased levels of HDL “good” cholesterol¹ and may possibly offer other health benefits such as increased thermogenesis and weight loss. Unlike long chain fatty acids which are predominantly stored as fat, medium chain fatty acids are thought to be health-promoting because they are sent directly to the liver to be burned for energy rather than being stored as fat. Always consult with your physician before adding extra virgin coconut oil to your diet. Click on the photo to purchase extra virgin coconut oil:

• Protein (for our recipe: Extra Lean Ground Chicken – White Breast): According to researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health, protein burns more calories during digestion compared to fat or carbohydrates. This is one reason high protein diets are helpful for fat loss. Another study by Paddon-Jones et al published in the May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that individuals whose diets contained more protein not only increased thermogenesis (ie. their metabolism), but also increased their satiety and facilitated maintenance of an overall leaner body mass. Ensure you eat a balanced diet consisting of all 3 macronutrients (complex carbohydrates, lean protein and healthy fats), but always include lean protein sources such as fish, skinless chicken breast, eggs, beans, lean beef, turkey or whey at every meal to jump-start your metabolism
• Oolong Tea: Pizza and pop seem to go hand in hand. But did you know that pop contains 40 g of sugar, which is equivalent to eating 10 sugar cubes? So if you do not increase your activity level, then one daily soda will add 15.65 pounds of fat to your body every year! Furthermore, the sugar in regular soda causes cavities and the citric acid and/or phosphoric acid in both diet & regular soda will erode your tooth enamel. Today we have a nation addicted to sugar. People eat about 150 lbs of sugar a year, which is associated with tooth decay and obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. Oolong Tea: As previously discussed in another episode of Look I Cook, studies suggest drinking matcha green tea can enhance both resting metabolic rate and fat burning, making it a useful addition to any weight loss program. Both green and oolong tea contain catechins. Unlike green tea, oolong tea is partially fermented, which increases the concentration of its polyphenol antioxidants. Polyphenols present in oolong tea help block fat-building enzymes, which prevent the formation of triglycerides. Research has shown that drinking oolong tea throughout the day will raise your metabolism for 2 hours after every cup and increases the caloric burn in your body by 100 calories per day. Another study showed that those who drank 2 cups of oolong tea had 2.5 times the calorie-burning rate of those who drank traditional green tea. Is this a guaranteed weight-loss method? It’s still in the early research stages, but the results are indeed promising for enhancing fat metabolism and controlling obesity.