South Beach Pizza
We eat a lot of pizza in this house; at least once a week I throw the dough together in the KitchenAid and let it rise for 24 hours in the refrigerator before I turn out a couple of personal pizzas for the guys. Of course personal-sized pizza for a teenage boy is about the size of a cookie sheet.
But here’s the thing, Dave and I can’t eat pizza every week…or rather we could but at some point we have to stop. Stop the crepes, the pancakes, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, pound cakes, pies, custards, etc…etc! It’s all because we’ve reached the fatty-bo-batty stage where our favorite jeans are too tight for comfort…and honestly comfort trumps carb-rich meals any day. It’s at that point that we return to phase one of the South Beach Diet. I say this grudgingly but in total acceptance of my fate…I must do it now before fruit season starts because once the berries and apples are in season there is no way I’m giving up their juicy goodness.
For those blessed enough to not have to know what South Beach phase one is I’ll give you the brief overview…you can eat any protein, green vegetables are your friends, dairy is okay. Fruits, potatoes, bread, and any sort of simple carb is off limits. That’s not so bad is it? No sugar, no flour, no potatoes, no fruit for at least two weeks. Oh, no wine…that’s the kicker!
On pizza night I made pizza for Dave and I with a chicken breast crust. We had to eat it with with a fork but the flavor was excellent and it was an almost pizza.
South Beach Pizza for 2
printer-friendly recipe
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup grated low fat mozzarella
1 Italian sausage
8 mushrooms, sliced medium thin
1/2 medium white onion, sliced thin
Pizza sauce
Preheat oven to 425°.
With a sharp knife butterfly the chicken breast at it’s thickest part in order to make it all the same thickness. Place the chicken between saran wrap and flatten it with a mallet or something similar. Repeat this procedure with the other breast.
Remove the casing from the sausage and break it into small, bite-sized chunks.
Heat a heavy skillet on a high flame and add a dab of olive oil. Sal the breast and place it in the hot pan. Let it brown and then flip it. Remove it from the pan once both sides have browned. Repeat with the other breast.
In that same pan, with the heat on medium, brown the Italian sausage. Remove it from the pan and rest it on a paper towel.
Place both of the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce on both and then add the cheese. Top next with the sausage, onions, and mushrooms.
Bake in the oven until the cheese and toppings are bubbly and golden brown.
Obviously anytime I do South Beach I turn to Kalyn’s Kitchen for advice, and inspiration.
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8 Responses to “South Beach Pizza”
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I am so making this, and guess what, I’m also doing phase one right now. Too much end of school stress, and for me, stress leads to overindulging! So thanks for the brilliant idea, and also thanks for mentioning my blog.
This is going right into the Phase One Recipes Roundup for May that I’m working on right now!
Ooh, thank you! I’m limiting carbs in an effort to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Can you still call it a “pre-pregnancy weight” when your son just turned four?
Kalyn, for us parents there’s some end of the school stress too…summer is almost here.
Candace, of course you can…you can until they start driving a car.
Ugh, if I had to limit carbs I’d die.
I could easily cut out protein for a few weeks though; pizza, cookies, and pie would sustain me just fine.
Though I’ve never tried the South Beach diet, I try to not over-carb myself… This is a wicked idea!!
jef, I admit that the first few days kill me…I actually dream of pie. But better now than in the midst of pie season!
kittie, I’m glad you like it. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Super idea! This recipe works for my whole family. It limits the carbs for me and gets more protein into my kids. Just by calling it ‘pizza’ I can lessen their suspicions of a new dish and get them to eat it. Thanks!
A chicken-breast crust? I love it!