How to make your pizza healthier and tastier

So pizza is one of my forever loves. I love all types, with extra cheese and extra sauce please. I havent yet tasted a pizza I don't love. Spicy, sweet, meaty, vegetarian, fruity, herby everything is delicious. However, that delicious tends to run mighty high in calories.

So when making it at home (because 99% of the time when you go from ordering out to making your own, your already saving tons of calories and cutting fat), here are some tasty substitutions that knock out the calories but increase the tastiness.

1. Start from the bottom up. Making your own dough, your sure of what goes in, and what doesnt. Making a cauliflower crust is a definitive option which would cut out all the carbs from that source. But, no time? Use whole wheat whole grain tortilla, or pita. Takes no time, tastes delicious.

2. Store bought pizza sauce is often loaded with sugar and weird stuff, so making your own is a much better alternative. Once again, no time? Use salsa. Little caloric content with huge flavor. Again, make your own, its very easy, but should you buy it, watch out for the sodium content! I found that Tostitos brand has a much higher sodium count than other brands, so check that label!

3. Use fresh veggies (or fruits) for your toppings, the more the better. Check out which combination you like, my favorite is asparagus, caramelized onions, red pepper, cauliflower, and chicken. Instead of pepperoni, bacon, salami, try chicken, turkey, ham!

4. Measure out your cheese before putting it on. Its sooo very easy to grab a few handfuls and spread the love, but that can rapidly escalate into massive calories and a soggy top. 1/2 cup is enough for one large tortilla, the point is to add to everything already on there, not drown it out. You can also try different cheeses, like goat and feta, and try placing your cheese like a marguerita pizza.

5. Finally, for the last zing for your tastebuds, add fresh or dried herbs to the top of the pizza. Try parsley, basil, cilantro, oregano. The combos are endless! Pizza is truly a blank slate for you to be creative and test out different flavors. All you have to do is try!

Tonight's creation: salsa sauce, red pepper, mushrooms, red onion,
jalapenos, montery jack cheese, with fresh parsley on tortilla 

Im on the crazy shit

Post-Op, they would alternate needles of something (I dont remember what) with 3 crushed extra strenght Tylenol, and I would survive. and feel ok. The shots made me a little woozy, in the sense that I would often very slightly hallucinate by dreaming with my eyes open, but being alert enough to know I was not in my full capacity, if that makes sense. It would take the immediate pain away while leaving me able to respond to minimal recquirement (shake head, squeeze hand, go to the bathroom aided, drink water, etc).

Then, I made the ultimate mistake on my departure day to have a conversation with a nurse about the pros and cons of smoking MJ vs being on pain meds. The nurse asked me if I smoked regularly, and I said occasionally rather. She came back a few hours later with my papers for leaving, and explained to me my meds. She said the pills were about 1.5 to 2X stronger than the needle because of my drug use history (...) to which I replied that the needle had been plenty, I didnt need anything stronger. She said hospital procedure. Ok then.

So off I go, get the meds, start taking them. I didnt read the paper that comes with it because I honestly was not in a reading state of mind. Ayoye, if you get my drift. I start taking the prescribed dosage, 4mg of PMS-HYDROMORPHINE HYDROCHLORIDE


Explanation:

hydromorphone hydrochloride

[-môr′fōn]

an opioid analgesic. A synthetic derivative of morphine used as a respiratory sedative and analgesic that is more potent than morphine.

indication It is used to treat moderate to severe pain.

contraindications It is used with caution in many conditions, including head injuries, asthma, impaired renal or hepatic function, or unstable cardiovascular status. Known hypersensitivity to this drug prohibits its use.

adverse effects Among the most serious adverse effects are drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, constipation, respiratory and circulatory depression, bizarre dreams and hallucinations, and drug addiction.

 

 

Um, what the fuck is this shit they gave me? After  24hrs of taking it, I was tripping balls in a really bad way. I was paranoid to the psychotic point. I started randomly talking really fast, moving really fast only to feel dizzy and slide to the floor. My claustrophobia kicked in with a major Ass Kicking session, where I would cry there was no more air and shake (and I dont know if you know this but crying when you have your tonsils cut out is not fun. As well as hiccuping and yawning. Ouch.) A whole lot of other fun things. I remember sitting there, feeling my heartbeat jump, feeling like my skin was crawling and it was so important that I get up for some reason, but I couldnt move my body at all. I have never in my life felt like this before.

 

Then my mom mom made the decision for me, and took my pills away. Before that, we consulted my cousin and my older sister, both who are nurses with years of experience. They said the same thing, that that was way too much drugs, and if I could handle it, that it would be best if I switched immediately to Tylenol. Case in point.

 

So now Im in suffering nightmare, BUT Im not being all fucked up on some pills that seem to do worst than they do good. I dont understand docs. Out of all the possible meds out there, why prescribe something so harmful? Why is it better to give something like that over prescribing straight marijuana (except for inability to smoke for any reason)? Isnt there something more natural than synthetic morphine that could help me somehow without causing dependance??

 

 

 

 

 

Peace part 1

Completely unexpectedly, we came across St Anne De Beaupre church on our way to Iles-Aux-Coudres, and of course, I requested a stop as soon as I figured out what it was I was so awed by. Something miraculous happened within this church, something which changed my life. But for just a little while longer, I wish to keep this in my heart, between me and God.

So I will instead share some pictures of what has to be the most beautiful church I have ever seen, and I apologize for the quality, but no matter how expensive my camera could have been, it could never have truly reproduced the beauty, calm, and love this place seemed to radiate. Truly, I could have spent my life inside, contemplating.

In honor of Mary

The Holy Family, definetly my favorite alcove.

When you walk in, the mosaics are stunning!

This is where all the lighted candles come to burn out.

St Francois D'Assise, one of the first saints I ever heard about

St Anne with Jesus

The other half of the room where candles burn out. There are benches for contemplation,
but the heat from the candles is staggering!

Gated gold frescoe.

There were mosaics everywhere, and at the entrence, each astrological sign.

Beautiful and intricately detailed carving above the door, I believe this is
Mary Queen of Heaven, but I could be wrong.

Very tall arches with gold statue.

Beautiful fountain at the front. If I had known we would have seen the church I would have
dressed more appropriately to pray, but what can I do?

St Anne and Child at the top of the fountain.

church and front grounds

Holy Family with the top mosaic. Again, favorite.

St Jean Baptiste

Hundreds of burning candles in the candle room

Read more here to know the who what where of St Anne de Beaupre Basilica

New Day

Today, I needed a bit of extra warmth, so I started off the morning with a spiced oatmeal with nectarines, and a cinnamon chai with a bit of vanilla soy milk to sweeten the deal.

Instagram makes taking pictures effortless

Today is going to be a great day, and I will make the most of every single second. I hope that whoever you are wherever you are, you have a great day too.

Day 1-3 of a Soda Free Life

The soda issue is a non-issue. I don't feel any cravings, but this was more for hubby than myself. I havent had any sugar crash, any inexplicable anger or mood swings, which Ive heard comes after soda withdrawal (like a friggin drug). So far, so good.

I took a trip to the grocery store (by that I mean I walked, and I feel very proud of myself for that) and had a panier full of freshness that I dont usually buy. I had dragonfruit (which I LOVE and have maybe once or twice a year considering how far it came for me to enjoy it), papaya (same as above), an eggplant, and yellow zucchinis (Ive only ever had green, Im assuming it will taste the same or about). Rewarding myself with chocolate treats and other not so good for you stuff was pretty much my norm before, but if Im going to feel good and enjoy a treat, it might as well come in the form of luscious fruits. As for the eggplant and zucchini, I was in an adventurous mood. Apparently, me being Greek and never have eaten eggplant is practically blasphemy, so why not? I looked up a couple of ways to serve it and tried it out. One was just to cube the eggplant, pan sear with a bit of o.o. with spices, and the other way was to mandoline the heck out of it, spice it up and bake them, making healthy eggplant chips. Didnt like any of it, but from what I can see, eggplant has little or no taste by itself, so maybe I just didnt find the way to prepare it properly. I havent done anything with the yellow zucchinis yet. We have a stir-fry coming up, so maybe toss em in!

There`s something else that I finally admitted outloud to myself yesterday, though I hesitate to post it here because I know judgement is sure to come from most anybody who reads this. I use maryjane much too often, and as a consequence, Ive put on weight because of my increased appetite. I used to just do it socially, but for the last few months its every couple of days with or without people. Always at night, when Im done work and have no social obligations of any kind, but thats also when I make and eat supper. If Im to succeed, this needs to stop. I just dont know if I can, Ive come to rely on it for stress relief and pain control. Before, my answer used to be yoga and meditation for stress relief and medication for pain control. I obviously should switch back to my habits as far as stress relief, but I dont want to pop pills again for pain control, so I dont know what to do for that. I guess everything will work itself out!

Pray/think/send positive thoughts for me! :)

Birthday

Here is how I truly view birthdays, and this from a very early age. I believe that birthdays are celebrated completely backwards in our culture. Instead of having people give me gifts because I was born (something I had absolutely nothing to do with, really), this is my chance to let the people that make my life a living joy

(the mother who birthed me in pain and sweat and blood, the father who fathered me and taught me that a real man loves his children with all his might, the people who raised me and taught me everything I know, the friends that gave me memories of joy and laughter, my dear husband that I love so much, and everybody that ever touched my life in the least way) 

that I love them all and that I am so grateful for everything that they have done for me and with me, and that I know, truly TRULY know, in the bottom of my heart, that I owe them everything and that I will never be able to repay them for my life. The only thing I can do, is try my best to be someone that deserves their love and attention. And feed them good food. :)

Merci, Thank You, Efxaristo, Nia:wen