Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

I love pizza. I really do. I know exactly where to go and what to order when I get that craving, and it is always just right.  However, we all know that pizza is not the best choice when trying to maintain inner and outer fitness. But sometimes you just have to have it. My favorite local pizza is thin and light, organic and fresh, and (luckily)  - available by the slice.   

What can you do when you want your favorite pizza, but you also want keep your diet on track? I did a little looking around, and I found a couple of alternative options that should be pretty easy for everyone to find when you are looking to satisfy that craving - but not pay the full price by sacrificing your fitness goals.

The first is Trader Joe’s Cheese Pizza With A Cauliflower Crust.  I wanted to try this as a no grain, gluten free option - and I love cauliflower rice, so I dug in.  This option looks like a regular pizza - which is important because I have found that when seeking out a heathy option for something, looks do matter.  After I pulled it from the oven, the crust remained thin and soft - It didn’t stand up to the “cracker” consistency that I love, but it held together when it was cut, so far so good.  The taste was very good - it definitely holds up as a local pizza alternative - and I did my part to eat as much of it as possible to get a good sample for the test.  The things I do for science……
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The next choice comes from Real Good, and is available in some health food stores that offer frozen items to take home.  The pizzas are smaller - what could be considered personal size, and are made of chicken and three different cheeses.  I cooked two - one according to the exact directions, and the other directly on the pan. (The instructions suggest leaving the paper backing on the pizza - but I just wanted to see what would happen, so I did it my way).  Coming out of the oven, I could see this was not a traditional pizza, but it did smell authentic, and knowing it was almost carb free kept me hopeful.  This one can’t be hand held - its definitely a "cut and eat with a fork" pizza due to its softer texture. The flavor was very, very good. The cheese blend had the right consistency and flavor to satisfy that pizza craving. The “crust” is the chicken breast itself, flattened out to hold the sauce and cheese. In my opinion knowing you aren’t taking on the carbs that you would get from a regular crust makes up for the lack of crunch.  Real Good definitely is, but if you choose this one, know you will be having a satisfying treat that is similar to an unbreaded chicken parmesan.  And when considering quantity, one is definitely enough

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So what's the takeaway here?  For me - there is nothing as good as my favorite local pizza. I feel pizza is a treat that I indulge in occasionally, and I maintain strict portion control when I choose to go that route.  Having tried these, I feel like I have found a couple of excellent alternatives that can get me over the hump when the cravings kick in. Try them and let me know what you think.  I am keeping both on hand for those occasions when I’m running short on time but want to keep my fitness on track. And when my appetite for pizza strikes, I'm doing my best to drive by my favorite spot and make it home to one of my new options.  But sometimes...