Typically, Sundays are for homework and recovering from Saturday night.  This Sunday, however, Lisa and I decided to try a new twist on an old favorite - Pizza!

We both read the Calgary Herald online, and found an article talking about using beans to boost the nutritional value of classic foods.  We both love pizza, so thought it would be fun to try the white bean pizza dough recipe.

However, I tend to modify recipes that I read online.  If you want the original recipe, please check the above link.  My modifications are below and built into the original text.

Pizza Dough

Pizza dough with pureed white beans contains about four times the fibre of the regular pizza dough (2 g of fibre vs. 0.5 g), says Julie Van Rosendaal (from the article).

1 can of rinsed and drained canned white beans (540-mL can)

1 tsp of Chipotle pepper flakes

2 cups (500 mL) water, divided

4 tsp (20 mL) active dry yeast (2 packages)

2 tsp (10 mL) sugar

4 cups flour, all-purpose

2 tsp (10 mL) salt

3 tsp Ms. Dash (or other all purpose spice mix)

4 tbsp (50 mL) olive or canola oil

Cornmeal

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Directions:

Puree the beans with about 100 mL of the water and the Chipotle pepper flakes until completely smooth.

In a large bowl, stir together the remaining warm water, yeast and sugar. The mixture should get foamy after a few minutes (if it doesn’t it means the water was too hot and killed the yeast, or you need fresh yeast. Try again, or buy fresh yeast).

Add the pureed beans to the yeast mixture, along with 2 cups (250 mL) of flour. Mix thoroughly, then add another cup of flour, the salt and the oil. Again, mix thoroughly. Continue to add four by half-cups, and as soon as the batter is thick enough to make a kneadable dough, turn it out onto a floured counter. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding spoonsful of flour if needed, until the dough has lost most of its stickiness.  When the dough has lost most of its stickiness, fold in the Ms. Dash (or other all purpose spice mix) until the distribution of flakes is closer to normal than random (hehe, stats joke).

Wash out the bowl, dry it and add a small splash of oil. Return the dough to the bowl, turning it to coat with oil; cover with plastic wrap or a clean, damp tea towel.

Let the dough rise in a warm spot (the oven, turned off but with the light on is ideal), until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Or, make the dough in the morning and let it rise, covered, in the refrigerator during the day.

When you’re ready to proceed, divide the dough into 2 to 3 sections. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

Roll the dough out into a rough circle, oval or rectangle as this as you like (it will rise again in the oven). Transfer to a baking sheet or pizza pan sprinkled with flour or cornmeal. Top with your favourite toppings and bake about 20 minutes, until golden.

You'll be able to get 3-4 large pizzas out of the above.

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The result?

We ended up topping our pizza with fresh tomatos, sauteed artichoke hearts, chili peppers, sauteed button mushrooms, and a skim milk mozzarella cheese.  Lisa made a mostly fresh pizza sauce.

Would we make this again?

Yes.  Definitely.

What would you do differently next time?

I thought it would be easier to use the hand blender, instead of the countertop mixer.  The dough ended up creeping up the hand blender paddles and got into the paddle slots.  That took a long time to clean up.  Also, with the dough creeping up the hand blender paddles, some dough escaped the mixing bowl.

I would also add the flour in half cups, rather than full cups, to reduce the stickiness of the dough during the main mixing.

 

 

During 2007 and 2008, I mocked those who joined twitter and facebook to broadcast their every move.  It is very nice that you are attentive to your cat, but I don't need to know that you are cleaning Mr. Mugglewuggles' litter box.

So here I am, not intentionally becoming one of those who mindless broadcasts their life.  I will be posting pictures and nutrition information of the food I am eating so as to fulfill requirements of my fourth diet deming cycle.

As part of this, I happily welcome your feedback on what I can do to improve my menu choices.  I will be attempting to maintain a ratio of 50% protien, 25% carbs, and 25% good fats, as recommended by "The Runner's Diet".

If you have any other menu ideas, I would happily welcome them.  My criteria for these, however, are as follows:

1. They must be easy to prepare (3-5 ingredients, or less)
2. I must be able to prepare them ahead of time and either freeze them, or put them in a tupperware for consumption within the following week
3. They must not have any nuts (peanuts or tree nuts), pork, or combine milk and meat (it's that kosher thing)

I appreciate your help!

This post complies with my Posting Food Guide.

According to Livestrong, my 1 cup of quinoa contains:
222 calories
4g of fat
39g of carbs
8g of protein

The 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar contains... nothing measurable, really.

Help me improve this - what can I have in addition to this that will bump the protein and not the fat?

Why reference Deming?  Because everything in life should be about improving yourself or your surroundings.

The Approach

All of this started back in 2006.  I had just completed 3rd year of university, where I had added 30 lbs to my frame and had increased from a size 30 to 34 inch waist.  I needed to put a plan into place.  I needed to lose some weight.

Deming Cycle #1

At the end of my third year, I took a co-op position in Vancouver, and used that as my burning platform for change.  I had some disposable income, so I joined a gym and consulted a nutritionist out there.  I've been going to gyms - in one form or another - since I was sixteen, so that was an easy choice for me to make.  The one hour consultation with the nutritionist, on the other hand, was quite hard.  I had never kept a food log, generally ate as I saw fit to do (I had cut McDonalds out of my diet when I was 18, but had retained A&W), and did not even consider matching calorie intake to expended.  The hour discussion basically came down to - ditch the salt, ditch the fat.  And so I did.  And so started my tupperware fetish.

To replace the Chunky and Alphagetti in my life, began eating tuna (canned, "sauted" in a lemon and pepper sauce) with peas for lunch every day.  I would buy the giant cans of tuna, cook it up, drop it into a tupperware with some peas, and then freeze it.  When it came time to eat these, I would microwave them at work.  The smell was atrocious, as was the taste at first, but it was my plan to lose some of the weight.

And it worked.  And I haven't touched Tuna and Peas since.

Deming Cycle #1 was successfully completed.

Deming Cycle #2

Getting healthy, however, was the challenge.  I had stripped off most of the weight, was able to lift a whole lot more than previously due to weight training, but was always tired.  Also, upon returning to Calgary from Vancouver, I had lost "my gym".  I sort of drifted during 2008 as I started my first full-time job, and was in a relationship that didn't have the healthiest of eating patterns attached.

My diet had changed in 2008 to be more focused on pasta for lunch.  Coupled with the lackadaiscal gym attendance, my weight drifted back up to about 165, and my waist back up to 32.  My focus on continuous improvement was lost.  My ball of Deming started to roll backwards.

In 2009, I started dating the lady who would later become my wife.  One of our first dates was a gym date.  She was training for a triathlon, so I decided to join her.  It was a brick workout (spin for 5 minutes, run for 2, wash, rinse, repeat).  Knowing that training would encompass most of her spare time, I opted to join her with the thought that I might do a traithlon one day.

Training for traithlons requires a certain dietary rigidity.  Knowing this, Deming Cycle #2 had officially started.  I started planning out high protien, high carb breakfasts, lunches and snacks.

Breakfast consisted of oatmeal

Lunch consisted of a scaled down version of my usual dinner - grilled chicken and rice and vegetables.

Snacks were usually fruit based, but were sometimes granola bars.

Dinner was either pasta (spaghetti and meat sauce) or grilled chicken and rice and vegetables.

And this plan worked.  In 2010, I completed my first triathlon.  I also ran my first 10km.  I also dropped 20 lbs and was down to a 28 waist.

Deming Cycle #2 was successful in that it got me through triathlon training, but I was still tired.

Deming Cycle #3

After a series of bad (bad is defined as I didn't feel great or feel like I was making measurable gains) spin classes, I did the nutritionist consultation thing again.  This time, I provided a food log, coupled with a sleep log.

From the food log (also, I have a house alarm set with Calgary Police as the primary responders, so attempt to break in at your own peril):

I don't drink soda.  Generally, I drink black tea (earl grey), Crystal Light (one packet in 2 litres of water), or water.

Monday - School night
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Mid-morning snack @ 10:30 - 1 banana
Lunch @ 12 - Either chicken, rice pilaf, vegetables OR bean soup (black beans, kidney beans, pot barley, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, carrots) and a whole wheat roll OR 1 can of tuna, 1 tablespoon of low fat mayo, 1 liberal spray of sriracha sauce, 1 pack of melba toast, 1 apple
Throughout the afternoon - 1 cup of Spitz
Pre-school meal @ 5:00 pm - Which ever of the lunch things I didn't have
After class @ 10:00 p.m. - 3 plain rice cakes, hummus
Bed around 11:30 p.m.

Tuesday - Spin
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Mid-morning snack @ 10:30 - 1 banana and 1 small yogurt
Lunch @ 12 - Either chicken, rice pilaf, vegetables OR bean soup (black beans, kidney beans, pot barley, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, carrots) and a whole wheat roll
Sometime in the afternoon - 1 small yogurt and a few saltines to crunch on
Pre-spin meal @ 4:30 pm - Which ever of the lunch things I didn't have
6:30 - 8:30 - Spin
During spin - 1 hammer gel
After class @ 9:30 p.m. - 1 bowl of cheerios, chocolate milk, and a banana
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

Wednesday - Run
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons scoops brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Mid-morning snack @ 10:30 - 1 banana and 1 small yogurt
Lunch @ 12 - Either chicken, rice pilaf, vegetables OR bean soup (black beans, kidney beans, pot barley, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, carrots) and a whole wheat roll
Sometime in the afternoon - 1 small yogurt and a few saltines to crunch on
Pre-run meal @ 4:30 pm - Which ever of the lunch things I didn't have
6:30 - 8:30 p.m - Running group
After class @ 9:30 p.m. - 1 bowl of cheerios, chocolate milk, and a banana
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

Thursday - Homework and Errands
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons scoops brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Lunch @ 12 - Big salad (spinach, artichoke hearts, pickles, tomatoes, carrots, 1/2 avacado, celery, mushrooms), 1 teaspoon of balsamic dressing
Sometime in the afternoon - 1/2 avacado and saltines
Dinner @ 7:30 pm - BBQ'd chicken, basmati rice, vegetables, small handful of dark chocolate chips for dessert
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

Friday - off
Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go
Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal, 2 tea spoons scoops brown sugar, 1 small packet of raisins
Lunch @ 12 - Big salad (spinach, artichoke hearts, pickles, tomatoes, carrots, 1/2 avacado, celery, mushrooms), 1 teaspoon of balsamic dressing
Sometime in the afternoon - 1/2 avacado and saltines
Dinner @ 7:30 pm - Wine, Cheese, Egg Bread (Challah), Roast OR Turkey OR Spaghetti OR Basa filet OR something else delicious, potatoes, vegetables, some type of dessert
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

Saturday - Long Run
Wake up at 8:00
Breakfast @ 8:02 - 2 granola bars (chocolate chip), 1 pack of honey stingers, 1 banana
9:00 - 11:00 - Long run (16 - 22 km, depending on the week)
Post-run refuel @ 11:00 - 2 bowls of cheerios, chocolate milk, 1 banana
Lunch @ 12:30 - Chicken or fish or beef
Midafternoon snack @ 3:00 - rice cakes with Hummus OR melba rounds with salsa
Dinner @ 7 or 8 - Some restaurant downtown... usually the "healthy" option (fish, chicken, beef, nothing deep fried) or not (heavy cheese, lots of bread, something deep fried), something delicious for dessert OR if we're staying in, Flatbread Pizza (whole wheat flat bread, lots of veggies, canned pizza sauce, a white cheese) OR fish and rice and vegetables
Bed around midnight

Sunday - Errands and Homework
Wake up at 8:00
Breakfast @ 8:30 - bowl of cheerios with Lactaid, 1 banana
Lunch @ 11:30 - Usually a big salad or fish and rice or some such
Mid-afternoon snack @ 2:30 when I sit down to study - 8 vegetable gyozas with sweet thai chili sauce or 6 rice cakes and hummus or melba toast and cream cheese
Dinner around 6:00 p.m. - chicken and rice and vegetables OR 3 large cups of chicken broth and rice
Bed around 11:00 p.m.

The Response

The response which I had received highlighted the following:

• Ditch the crystal light
• Ditch all of the sugars that I have in the morning
  • Wake up 7:30, out the door for 8:00, mouthful of orange juice as I go (sugar).
  • Breakfast @ 8:30 - 1 cup oatmeal (sugar), 2 tea spoons brown (sugar), 1 small packet of raisins (sugar).
    
  • Mid-morning snack @ 10:30 - 1 banana (sugar)
• Why “low fat”?  Low fat foods are much worse for you than their fatty versions.  Look for the type of fat, not the amount of fat
• Fix my recovery fuel
  • After class @ 9:30 p.m. - 1 bowl of cheerios, chocolate milk, and a banana  (more late-night sugar (cheerios are as nutritious as the box they’re in)…a sure-fire way to build insulin-resistance and gain fat!)
• A bunch of “rules” to consider, in no particular order
  
  • Eat carbs, proteins and fats EVERY time you put food in your mouth.  Yes, this includes snacks!
  • Most of your carbohydrates should be consumed in the first half of the day, with “spikes” occurring after workouts.
  • Consume huge amounts of veggies, moderate amounts of fruits and limited amounts of grains.
  • Treat soda, Gatorade fruit juice and alcohol as “junk” foods.  Yes, we’ll all have some, but know what category they fall into.
  • Instead of the industry-driven Four Food Groups, think of just TWO!  1.  Veggies & Fruit.  2.  Meat & Eggs.
  • Anything in a package is very likely to be unnecessary.
  • WATER!  WATER!  WATER!
  • Eat several times a day and control portion sizes – you seem to have a pretty good grasp on this one; I admire your snack size discipline!
  • Sleep!  Any time you can!  Good hormones go up and bad hormones go down!
  • Exercise every single day!
    

So my key takeway from this is not what I have been eating, but how I have been eating it.

Deming Cycle #4

Taking this advice to heart, I am making the following switches:

• Breakfast
  • Oatmeal is gone, yogurt and fruit are in
• Recovery
  • Chocolate Milk and Cheerios are out, Eggs are in
• Training days
  • Calorie intake will increase from my usual 1900 calories to 2200 calories.  Basically, two more yogurts during the day.

Now let's see if this actually works.