Meatza, Meatza!

Boy, did that hit the spot!

Who knew that something so seemingly simple (and a little gross-sounding) could be SO delicious?

What is a "meatza" you ask?

Basically, it is a crust made of meat. Ground beef, chicken, or turkey. The meat can be seasoned simply with salt and pepper…or a variety of seasonings to make it Italian, Greek, Mexican, etc.

The meat is mixed with the seasonings and pressed into an 8-inch round pan, then baked in the oven. This is what puts the "meat" in meatza!

After it bakes for about 15-20 minutes at 450, flip it out onto a lined baking sheet. Cover with toppings and throw back into the oven until the cheese melts.

My first meatza was a classic one. Marinara, fat free mozzarella and turkey pepperoni:

This was EXACTLY what I needed that day. Just some good old comfort food. I ate half, then ate the other half the next day for lunch straight out of the refrigerator ice cold. It was that good!

As soon as it was gone, I wanted more. Not really a good idea though…too much meat isn't going to move the scale.

I waited a few days and tried another meatza using ground turkey breast. I did the same thing as before and mixed it with salt and pepper. Pressed it into the same 8-inch round cake pan and baked it up.

While it was baking, I sautéed some onions and mushrooms in a bit of oil until they were nice and caramelized. After the turkey was cooked through I put it on a cookie sheet, added some fat free shredded cheddar, and topped with the mushroom and onion mixture.

Let me say…this was JUST as good as the beef version, and I felt a little less guilty eating it.

I think next week I may try the turkey again with some Mexican seasoning…possibly spreading a thin layer of beans on top? The possibilities are endless! Go make yourself a meatza!!

Meatza

20-24 ounce package of ground beef, chicken, or turkey, divided in half (freeze the other half)
season with salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Press meat into an 8-inch round cake pan in a thin layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes until done.

Remove from oven, place on lined cookie sheet. Cover with toppings of choice and put back into oven until heated through.

Italian: Add oregano to meat. Top with marinara, mozzarella, veggies
Mexican: Add taco flavoring to meat. Top with salsa, beans, cheddar, jalapeño
Greek: Add oregano and garlic to meat. Top with spinach, feta, tzatziki
Patty Melt: Top with cheddar or swiss and sautéed onions and mushrooms

I'm sure there are loads of combinations to try out. Enjoy!

The Return of Auntie

An appearance by Auntie Ina is long overdue!

I had a little inspiration when I walked into the grocery store the other day and there was a  sale display of eggplant and red peppers. It dawned on me that there was an old Auntie recipe that incorporated those two ingredients, along with a few others. After a quick check on my iPhone, I saw that all of the ingredients were completely 17 Day Diet friendly with no modifications needed! No trademark Auntie decadence, etc. Just a few simple whole ingredients.

Eggplant
Red Pepper
Red Onion
Garlic
Tomato Paste
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper


That is IT, people!

What happens with these few ingredients is magical! They are roasted in the oven, then pureed in the food processor. That's it. It can then be served with crudite and pita wedges. It is absolutely delicious.

After dipping some veggies, I found myself wondering what else I could do with this concoction. It didn't take long to come up with this:

Sliced grilled chicken, roasted eggplant spread, crumbled reduced-fat feta. Let me tell you, it was GOOD! I think even Auntie would approve of how I turned her dip into something different!

Here is the link to the eggplant spread:

Roasted Eggplant Spread

Basil-Lime…..Sublime!

Ok, you know this one is good when it gets the seal of approval from an eleven year old boy!

I have to admit I was a little concerned about this one. I like basil, and I like lime..but I don't LOVE them. I don't seek those flavors out when it comes to poultry. Still, I was starting Cycle 1 again on the 17 Day Diet and needed a kick in the pants with some new recipes. A girl can only live on Turkey and Eggplant Plop and Chicken Souvlaki for so long.

So, I gathered my ingredients and got ready to test out another Pinterest find.

Ok, so Worcestershire is not necessarily Cycle 1 friendly…but it's better than eating a bag of chips. Right?

The chicken is marinated in a delicious combo of the ingredients seen above for an hour in the fridge. Ideally I would be heating up the grill outside, but it was still ridiculously cold here in Connecticut and I was not in the mood to freeze my giblets off trying to cook this chicken. The grill pan was used instead.

The other reason I didn't want to go outside was because I was multi-tasking. My son is receiving an award in a couple of days where we have to get dressed up and go to a banquet. Because I gave up heels somewhere around 2003, I had to get some practice in with my boots. I was quite the sight in my workout clothes and these suckers on:

After the chicken rests, it gets cut into bite size pieces. A combination of lime juice, garlic, basil and olive oil is drizzled over the top. That's it. 

The kid wandered into the kitchen in search of food, and asked what I was making. I offered him some chicken, and waited with baited breath to see if he spit it out…as he's known to do with anything new and different. Surprisingly, he snatched up a few more pieces and shoved them into his tween-sized mouth before he skittered away. When I asked what he wanted for dinner, he told me he wanted more of "that awesome chicken!" The boy ate it cold. So it must be good!

It made a nice amount, so I will be having some in a salad at lunch tomorrow. It's great for also just grabbing a bite or two as a protein-filled snack.

Here's the link….let me know if you try it out!

Basil-Lime Chicken

I've Got Balls - Part 2

There's only so many ways to work with ground turkey breast.

I've had my fill of turkey loaf, and turkey meat muffins, and turkey bolognese.

There's been lettuce wraps, taco salad and Asian balls.

After six months of the 17 Day Diet I am still looking for some new turkey ideas to add to my repertoire.

I found a winner with the following combination:

1 package of ground turkey breast (about 20 ounces)
1 zuchinni, grated
1 egg
1/2 cup parmesan
salt
pepper
oregano

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix all of the ingredients together. Roll into balls and place on baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. That's it!!

When done they look like this:

Granted, a little pale and weird for a meatball. But once you put them into sauce, its all good!

I really liked these. The zucchini kept the balls super moist and they were great over some spaghetti squash…or cold straight out of the fridge when a quick protein boost is needed.