Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women

How much protein are you getting everyday? Do you know how much you actually need or should be consuming? There’s really no one answer for everyone. Since you guys are my friends, it means that you’re looking to be more informed about how your body works, right? Right. So READ this article ad SHARE it with everyone who you think needs to be more informed.

What are the Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women? The average man in the United States consumes about 100 grams of protein per day, while the average woman takes in approximately 70 grams, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The amount of protein you need daily really is dependent on your gender and activity level, as well as your goals because this determines your total caloric intake which has an effect on the amount of protein you need to consume.

Daily Protein Requirements for Men and Women

The Institute of Health and Nutrition finding is that for general health, men should get around 56 grams of protein per day and that women should get around 46 grams. It is also important to know that the human body cannot properly utilize more than 20 grams of protein in one consumption. Therefore the grams should be spread out throughout the day in smaller doses. When consuming protein it needs to be of higher quality to ensure that you are getting the nine essential amino acids that are needed but your body cannot produce on its own. Meat, fish and poultry provide all of the amino acids, but if you are a vegetarian, you can combine foods, such as rice and beans, or whole-grain bread and peanut butter, to get a complete array of amino acids. Shakeology which is a total nutrition shake, will also provide all the nutrients you need from the protein to the amino acids. Including this shake in your daily nutrition will help you reach your protein needs without overloading the body with hard to digest animal proteins.

It is also recommended that 10 to 30 percent of your total calories comes from protein. This guideline is general and is dependent on goals. Example: 1,800 calories per day, 180 to 540 of those calories should be from protein. Each gram of protein is 4 calories. This would put your consumption at 45 to 135 grams of protein. This proves why it is dependent on gender, activity level, and personal goals.

Most People Get Too Much Protein
To avoid weight gain, water retention and extra wear and tear on your digestive system, do not take in more protein than recommended. Your body will only use the protein it needs and can process at one time. If you are consuming more than your body needs you will either store it as excess fat or eliminate it. Therefore consuming too much at one time is bad for your body and a waste of money.

Eating large amounts of meat and animal protein each day can be especially unhealthy and hard on the body. Animal products should be eaten in moderation. Plant-based proteins, such as beans, whole grains and legumes are choices that keep the protein levels where you want them and provide a lot of other nutrients. Of course eating a variety of protein sources ensures your body balanced nutrition with all the essential amino acids and prevents it from being bogged down when there is too much of one food item.

Best Result with Your Protein Consumption
Most people don’t realize this, but the muscle gains and recovery do not come from just protein. You need to have a balanced proportion of proteins with complex carbohydrates for your body to actually assimilate the protein for muscle gains and recovery. Therefore you need to consume protein in small amounts, keeping the total grams in one sitting to no more than 20, and include carbohydrates that will optimize protein utilization. This is why we mention plant-based protein sources, as they provide both protein and carbohydrates.

If you are looking at supplements for help getting good protein and carbohydrates you want to use something that is natural and does not have additives or artificial sugars and ingredients. Two of the best sources of high quality supplements are the superfood shake Shakeology, and Beachbody’s Recharge and Recover Protein from their Performance Nutrition Line. These products are clean, high quality protein sources that are perfectly balanced with carbohydrates for optimal assimilation of the protein and super nutrient dense carbohydrates to aid in the process of muscle gain and recovery. When you are providing your body the proper macronutrient quantities, you will get the greatest results. Too much or too little will keep you from having the gains and results you are looking to obtain.

With the knowledge of protein requirements and overall balanced nutrition, great things will happen for you.

Are Carbohydrates Bad?

Carbs are NOT the enemy people. But not ALL carbohydrates are created equal. It’s time we educate ourselves on how to live a healthy lifestyle, which can include all foods, (yes EVEN carbs). Read this article and the SHARE it- so we can all learn that Carbs are not as bad as we may think. 

Are Carbohydrates Bad? They make you fat right? Come on it must be true, you read articles about it all the time. So they must make you fat…right?

Here is the deal. There is one small problem, carbohydrates are very important. In fact, carbohydrates (especially the right kind) are essential to your body. They aid in muscle growth, providing energy, as well as providing your body many other benefits. So, Are Carbohydrates Bad?The answer is NO!

Now let’s be real. Lumping all carbs together into one category is like saying all quarterbacks who play in the NFL will be just like Joe Montana. It would be absurd to call all carbs bad when vegetables and fruits are also carbohydrates. With that said, I would have a hard time believing that you would think that a nutrition plan attempting to completely purge carbohydrates would be a good idea. I have a feeling you are a pretty smart cookie (oh, that would be a bad carb). So to suggest that all carbs are evil, is just plain nonsense.

Let’s take a step back and take a hard look at reality, compared to personal preference. I need to ask you a question. Are you willing to wipe the slate clean and start fresh with the truth about carbohydrates? I am going to assume you said yes, either way I am going to give you the facts.

Are Carbohydrates Bad?

 Are Carbohydrates Bad? Will bread and grains make you fat? Uh, NO! Blanket statements just don’t work. The “don’t eat carbs” or “Carbohydrates are Bad” statements are just that, Blanket Statements. Statements like these just confuse the general public. The reason people get confused, is that most don’t have a nutrition background or truly understand what qualifies as a carbohydrate. 95% of us look at food as simply that, FOOD. All blanket statements have done is cause people to adjust their diets in a way that keeps their bodies from functioning properly. This is why many people have been going out of their way to avoid certain foods, like bread, rice or potatoes. When in fact, these foods can have a place in a balanced nutrition plan and can play a role in helping you lose weight or gain lean muscle.

Now you know that carbs as a whole are not bad, BUT there are certain types of carbs that are not good for your body. Generally, these types of carbs will make you feel bloated and tired. These types of carbs often contain processed sugars, corn syrup, or are white flour based foods, and the list can go one with all the other processed crap available. If you cannot grow it, or it doesn’t come from minimally processed whole grains, it is not good. Yep, simple as that.

It comes down to the food manufactures like to confuse people. If they can get the general public to buy into what they are saying about a particular food, macronutrient, or diet, they make money and lots of it.

So back to the question at hand… Are Carbohydrates Bad?

NO, but all of us could gain a better understanding to guide our eating habits. Eating vegetables and fruit, as well as high quality, high fiber grains are an important part of healthy nutrition. If you truly want a balanced healthy nutrition plan that will aid in weight loss or muscle gains you really need to have at least 100 to 200 grams per day depending on your daily level of physical activity and exercise.

The overall message is, you cannot consume bucket-loads of refined low quality carbohydrates and chase them down with and extra-large soda and say, “well they said carbs aren’t bad”. I know you are smarter than the average bear and understand that you need to choose your carbohydrates wisely to have a healthy nutrition plan. It is about eating more good foods such as lean proteins, colorful vegetables, a variety of fruits, high-fiber grains, healthy fats, and cutting out the highly processed garbage such as candy, soda, sugar-loaded foods, poor quality breads, and boatloads of pasta.

Another important factor is choosing the correct portions of the carbs you consume. This can be as important as the kind of carbs you choose to eat. Grain and fruit carbohydrates should be smaller portions than vegetable carbs. If you need assistance with nutrition, portion sizes, and proper balance of carbs, proteins, and fats you may want to check out the 21 Day Fix on Beachbody On Demand. It has an amazing nutrition plan that creates the perfect balance of nutrients and portions. If you struggle with cutting out the crap, you definitely want to take a look at adding a total nutrition shake like Shakeology.

When it’s all said and done, if you are eating healthy and choosing wisely 85-90 percent of the time your body will be happy, you will have energy, and you will lose weight, gain muscle or maintain depending on your goals. You now know the truth to the question “Are Carbohydrates Bad?”

How Often Should I Eat?

Take a little trip in your time machine and head way back… I’m not talking about #tbt… seriously. Think the dawn of man. We ate for survival. Not for decadence and obviously as we have evolved and societies have formed/changes, etc. our eating habits have changed, drastically. Three squares a day right? Well studies have shown that is not the best way to eat throughout the day. Take a look at this article and then SHARE it with everyone you know. I wanna start an eating revolution.

How Often Should I Eat? Let’s face it, since the dawn of man the rule for consumption of food was simply to eat to survive. Well our modern society and lifestyle has changed and flipped that simple process.

Obesity rates continue to grow and will be affecting more than two-thirds of Americans in the next 5-10 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So you can see the simple rule has flipped and it appears that humans survive so they can eat.

Through the years we have seen nutrition and diet science, and programs change their design about what foods best suit our needs as a society, but you don’t hear about when to eat. The question that seem to arise most often is “How Often Should I Eat?”

The most popular approach to the question of How Often Should I Eat for general health and weight maintenance has been to spread calories throughout the day by consuming 5-6 smaller meals. The concept of doing this method is that you are most likely to feel less hungry at any particular time, and in turn you will not be apt to over indulge or eat in excess.

A study found in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shows data on this approach. It states that people who were of their ideal weight and able to maintain their weight reported eating more often than individuals who were overweight and obese.

How Often Should I Eat?

The overall hypothesis is eat small meals and snacks spread out every 3- 3 ½ hours from the time of breakfast. This proves to keep you sustained which avoids greater levels of hunger, and will limit overeating. Therefore control of caloric intake and, ultimately control of body weight.

Though we know that eating throughout the day with 5-6 smaller meals can benefit for weight maintenance, how does is measure up for weight loss.

According to a study done by Circadian Biologist Ph.D. Amandine Chaix, consuming meals 5-6 times throughout the day can aid in weight loss, but it needs to be meals that are healthy and portioned appropriately. It was found that if the foods were high-fat, sugar or highly processed that the individuals still became obese. The complete findings found that those fed in the 9-12 hour window with 5-6 smaller meals that were portioned and low in processed, high fat, and high sugar were leaner. “So, already being obese and switching to time-restricted feeding with healthier foods and portions, does create weight loss. That is powerful.” Chaix said.

The research of meal timing shows further benefits in addition to those who want to lose weight and maintain their weight, especially as it relates to the consumption of protein.

When spreading the protein consumption throughout the day in smaller doses the body is able to assimilate and use the protein for greater gains and recovery of the muscle tissue. This can help maintain muscle loss during weight loss, and through the aging process.

How Often Should I Eat?

The answer is 5-6 smaller meals per day. Spaced out every 3-3 ½ hours after the consumption of breakfast. Though you must also keep in mind that for weight loss and maintenance the number of calories at each meal and throughout the day still plays a very large role in this process.

If you are trying to lose weight, you need to consume smaller meals spread throughout the day, create a calorie deficit through portioned meals, and exercising appropriately 5-6 times per week. If you need assistance in implementing a meal plan and exercise regimen that will keep you eating throughout the day and exercising appropriately, Beachbody’s 21 Day Fix combines all of this in one package and you get a FREE Coach to help keep you on track and motivated.

Fixate! It's finally here!

It's HERE!! 

A few months ago, celebrity fitness trainer Autumn Calabrese (creator of the 21 Day Fix) announced that she was developing a cookbook to go along with her programs. Now you can get 101 recipes that are not only 21 day fix approved, but easy to make and easy to track!

Recipes include:

• Breakfast

• Lunch

• Dinners

• Snacks

• Desserts

• Paleo

• Veggie

• Vegan

Click here to buy your own copy. 

As always please share this information with anyone you know who is looking to clean up their nutrition, try some new healthy recipes and if they're looking for support in making clean eating and exercise part of their daily routine!

JULY GIVEAWAY: Anyone who becomes a new customer with me in the month of July with a 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme Challenge Pack, will be entered to win their own copy of FIXATE. Multiple drawings throughout the final 2 weeks of the month! 

Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss

When you start on your weight loss journey, one of the greatest challenges you’ll face is learning how to find Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss. While you can alter your existing diet and remove unhealthy food all you want, you’ll find that if you’re exercising hard and eating smart, you’ll be hungry throughout the day–and that’s when you’re the most likely to reach for unhealthy snacks that are completely against your diet plan. Luckily, healthy snacks for weight loss don’t have to be complicated, nor do they have to require a lot of preparation.

Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss

If you’re looking for a fast, portable solution to healthy snacking, try Shakeology. There are dozens of recipes that you can check out, including the ones highlighted here. The linked article will let you check out more than a hundred different healthy shake recipes, so not only is there sure to be something there that you’ll like, there’s no chance that you’ll ever get bored with Shakeology! Prefer to keep it a little simpler and want to know that you’re getting the healthiest shakes available? Check out these Seven Healthiest Shake Recipes that will act as meal replacements or fill in as a post-workout snack.

The great thing about Shakeology is that it’s already designed with a perfect balance of all your nutrition needs. You don’t have to worry about designing that perfect balance, or about measuring out only the amount of peanut butter you’re allowed to have on top of your apple (when really, you’d rather be munching on a chocolate bar anyway). Instead, you can create a shake that fulfills your sweet tooth while still keeping you on track with your diet.

Prefer something a little bit more solid? Check out these ten healthy snacks for weight loss, or take a look at these homemade sweet potato fries that will knock your socks off and leave you feeling as though you’ve indulged in something naughty while keeping your diet on track. Or, if you’re looking for a healthy snack idea that is a break from the norm–something that doesn’t leave you feeling like you’ve been munching on rabbit food when you really want something sweet and filled with fat, try these options:

Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss

• Spread peanut butter on a banana, dip it in melted dark chocolate, and freeze. This is the perfect healthy snack to help kick that “sweet” craving!
• Make a yogurt “bark” with the fruit of your choice: spread yogurt in a pan and sprinkle with fruit, then freeze. Once it’s frozen, break it into pieces and store in a bag in the freezer until you’re ready to indulge. It creates a wonderful bark much like the chocolate bark you love during the holidays, but for fewer calories.

• Hard boil eggs and bring them to work each day to help ensure that you’re getting enough protein.

• Make sweet hummus by placing chick peas or white beans, a tablespoon of coconut oil, and agave nectar or honey (to taste) in your food processor. Process until the texture is smooth, then add chocolate chips.

Preventing yourself from feeling deprived isn’t just about what you’re snacking on. It’s also about knowing when to snack. Immediately following an intense workout, you’re probably going to be hungry, and if you deny yourself until your next meal, you’re going to feel cranky and out of sorts–not to mention all too likely to break your diet as soon as someone walks through the door with a good suggestion.

Keep your Shakeology powder ready at hand so you can reach for a shake whenever you need one, or make sure that you’re keeping plenty of healthy, filling snacks right there with your gym bag. Know that you’re going to start craving junk food to keep you going when the three o’clock slump hits? Make sure that you snack around two or two thirty so that your body will still be going strong once that time rolls around. Healthy snacking is part of any good diet plan because it keeps you in tune with your body’s needs and demands. Don’t feel guilty about your snacks.

Just plan for them ahead of time so that you’re snacking the right way!

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/healthy-snacks-for-weight-loss/#!417

A Rocking Low Fat Diet Plan for You!

Yikes! I hate the word diet. It has so many negative connotations. Am I wrong? When you hear the word diet, do you think, depriving yourself, starving, not eating the foods you like? Well I do. I prefer to live a balanced healthy life which includes healthy nourishing foods, exercise and plenty of water. So when I saw this article with some simple information for you, I had to SHARE it. Give it a read and let me know what you think.

Let’s face it:  diets are boring, and the phrase, “Rocking Low Fat Diet Plan“, it just doesn’t sound right, does it…

It doesn’t take long before you’re missing your favorite foods, wishing that you had never started this stupid plan anyway, and wondering just how many “cheat days” are acceptable before it’s considered giving up completely.  Low fat diet plans can feel particularly difficult to live with–especially if your favorite foods are bacon, chocolate, and cake (not necessarily in that order).  Thankfully, there are plenty of ways you can put together a low fat diet plan that you can live with–and one that will work for you.

Don’t eliminate your favorite foods.  

Instead of denying yourself all of your favorite foods, which often leads you to splurge when you finally get the chance to eat whatever you want, consider looking for lower-fat alternatives.  For example, if your favorite meal is a big, greasy cheeseburger, check out a turkey burger instead.  Don’t think any junk food meal is complete without a heaping plate of fries?  Try this healthy sweet potato fries recipe, and you might just discover a new favorite.  You’ll be surprised by how many healthy alternatives to your favorite treats there really are out there–and before you know it, you may even discover that you like the healthy alternatives better.  

A Rocking Low Fat Diet Plan for You!

Can’t find a healthy alternative to your favorite treat, or think that the “real” version tastes about a hundred times better?  Allow yourself to continue to enjoy it both regularly and in moderation.  A small taste of your favorite treat on a regular basis will help keep you from splurging when you finally do get your hands on it, and knowing that you have your favorite treat to look forward to will help keep the rest of your eating habits under control. 

Shake it up! 

Consider a meal replacement shake or smoothie option that will let you have a fantastic treat without piling on the calories.  Meal replacement shakes can be made to taste just as good as a milkshake.  Need a little help getting started with a recipe that you’ll love?  Check out our collection of 101 Healthy Shake Recipes, which will allow you to try out a new shake recipe every day if that’s what you want.  

Don’t forget your healthy fats.  

When you’re on a low-fat diet, you may be wary of consuming any fats at all.  There’s a difference, however, between “healthy fats” and “unhealthy fats,” and you should be careful to remember the difference in your diet.  Avocados and coconut oil are two examples of healthy fats that certainly shouldn’t disappear from your diet; just remember to use them in moderation.

Remember portion control.  

Restaurant meals have gotten steadily larger, as has the American idea of an acceptably-sized meal.  It’s no coincidence, either, that the average American waistline has increased along with portion size.  The linked article has some great tips on keeping your portion sizes reasonable and your waistline slimmer.  

Don’t forget to exercise.  

While the weight loss battle is ultimately won or lost in the kitchen, your activity level will have a great deal to do with your final results.  The Beachbody On Demand library has a fantastic selection of 150 streaming workout videos that you can choose at your discretion, working out at home or on the road when it’s convenient for you.  

No matter what your low fat diet plans, remember:  you’re beautiful!  While losing weight and getting in shape is a great goal, it’s important to remember that your body is beautiful just as it is, and that you are fantastic the way you are.  As you go down the road of your weight loss journey, there will be peaks and valleys, successes and failures–and all of them are part of what makes you who you are.

Turkey Burgers That ROCK!

Now that it is FINALLY grilling season here in Boston, I am breaking out my apron, buying some charcoal and getting out there! This Turkey Burger Recipe from my friend Alice will make your mouth water, I had to share it with you!

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By Alice Conradt

Many people are used to DRY pre-made Turkey burgers that have no flavor and are nothing to write home about! Well this recipe will make you revisit (and re-think) picking up a frozen bag of burgers again! By making your own homemade Turkey burgers, you will get more protein, more flavor and a great juicy turkey burger in less time than it takes to thaw those frozen patties out. Plus, no preservatives, processed grains and fillers! We left out the breadcrumbs and substituted egg whites to bind the burgers together.

Turkey Burgers That ROCK!

In this version, I serve it on a sandwich thin but my favorite way is to eat it as a lettuce wrap. Pile leaves of bibb or butter lettuce together to make a top and bottom “bun” and you will get additional veggies and extra crunch too!

I like to make extras and freeze the burgers after I cook them. They are easy to thaw and take for lunch or dinners in a pinch!

Turkey Burgers        (Serves 4)

• 20oz Package lean ground turkey
• 2 Cloves garlic – finely minced
• ½ of a small yellow onion (finely diced)
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ Tbsp Sriraccha (these will not be hot)
• ½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 egg whites

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Take a small amount of mixture out and fry on griddle to make sure it is seasoned to your liking… taste. (I always do this before making the whole batch).

**Adjust seasoning if necessary. Divide mixture in 4 to make (4) 5oz patties. Fry on griddle until cooked through (approximately 6-7 minutes per side).

 Burger toppings:

• 4 Oroweat Sandwich Thins (or) bibb/butter lettuce wraps

Bibb lettuce, tomato, onion slices, pickles and favorite condiments. (Be careful to limit your condiments to a few teaspoons, as they can add significant calories to your meal quickly).

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/turkey-burgers-that-rock/#!417

Coconut Oil…Is It a Good Oil?

Do you use coconut oil? For about a year I have been using this oil as a replacement for olive oil and I have never looked back! So when my friend Mel wrote this post about it, I had to SHARE it with you!! Give it a read and you’ll see why I’ve made the switch and you should too!

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By Mel Batterman

It seems daily I have people contacting me about my thoughts on coconut oil… Is it a good oil? I am sure that you have seen coconut oil be more prominent in nutrition articles and other nutritional information. You may have also seen in be incorporated into nutritional shake recipes and specific nutritional plans.

Since I get questions often and there is so much information flooding all aspects of media, I thought I should set a few things straight by providing some proper information.

Coconut Oil…Is It a Good Oil?

Coconut oil is one of the only oils that could be classified under the “Superfood” Category. Coconut oil has a unique combination of fatty acids, which have been found to have positive effects on the body, brain function, and more.

In the past coconut oil has been classified as not being a nutritionally sound food because it is 90% saturated fat. Recently studies have changed this thought process because these saturated fatty acids are so different from the standard saturated fats found in red meat, cheeses, and other high saturated fat foods.

The saturated fats in coconut oil are actually MCT’s (Medium Chain Triglycerides). Since they are medium versus long, like most other saturated fats the body processes and metabolizes this fat differently. Which means that when digested they go directly to the liver to be used at energy versus being processed just as a fat that could potentially cause artery clogging issues.

Knowing that coconut oil metabolizes into energy and may potentially increase your overall energy expenditure by 5% over a 24 hour period makes this oil a cut above the rest. Research has also suggested that this overall heightened energy expenditure may help the body burn off more stored fats both in the adipose tissue (external fat), as well as the visceral fat (internal fat).

Another interesting feature that has been found with coconut oil is that is seems to have a hunger depressant quality to it. In a recent study done of men consuming a teaspoon of coconut oil at breakfast per day over a fourteen day period, found that on average their consumption of calories decreased by 256 calories per day.

Both of these studies can be very promising when many nutritional plans are starting to implement coconut oil into the overall plan.

The truth is coconut oil can really provide some extra advantages when added appropriately to your nutritional plan, and is clearly a much better oil choice overall for cooking and consumption.

 These reasons and more is why you may see coconut oil in some of our Beachbody nutrition programs that are associated with some of our top fitness programs. A couple of examples of programs that you will see coconut oil in the nutrition plan is the 21 Day Fix and 21 Day Fix Extreme. In the 3-Day shred portion of the 21 day fix, coconut oil is consumed 4-5 times per day. In the 21 Day Fix Extreme Count Down to Competition you will see coconut oil as a part of the program daily.

http://www.gettingfittogether.com/coconut-oil-is-it-a-good-oil/#!417

Upgrade Your Oatmeal!

For many of us, oatmeal is a great way to start your day. Heart healthy oats are now easier to prepare than ever and available for you in all sorts of different ways. 

Instant oatmeal, in self serve packets can be the choice for someone who is on the go and wants to just add water, pop in the microwave, stir and viola! You've got oatmeal. My favorite is to just add a little but of pure maple syrup, stir it up and yum! 

So when I came across a few fun ways to upgrade your oatmeal in the latest issue of "Eating Well" magazine, I was excited to try them out and share the concoctions with you! All of these start with 1 cup of cooked oatmeal.

Upgrade #1: Chocolate Banana

1/2 small banana

1 Tbsp. chocolate Hazelnut spread (I used Justins) 

Pinch of flaky Sea Salt 

I had this oatmeal this morning and LOVED IT. I added a bit of shredded coconut which made it super decadent. The heat of the oats melted the hazelnut butter and it spread around so evenly it was GREAT.  So much that I took a picture to show you what it looked like before I DEVOURED it. 

What do you think??

Upgrade #2: Coconut Chai Spice

3 Tbsp un-sweetened coconut milk beverage
2 Tbsp. toasted unsweetened coconut chips or flakes
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
Pinch of ground cardamom
Pinch of ground pepper

Upgrade #3: Fig & Ricotta

2 Tbsp. part-skim ricotta cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped dried figs
1 Tbsp. toasted sliced almonds
2 tsp. honey

Upgrade #4: Savory Cashew Curry

3 Tbsp golden raisins
2 Tbsp. toasted chopped cashews
1/4 tsp. curry powder


What are your favorite additions to your oatmeal?? Share with me in the comments!

Caprese Polenta Pizza

Life has been a bit crazy lately, January means that there's lots of hockey going on and I'm running around at games, practice, lifts, meetings, etc. It has made it really hard to dial in my nutrition and get to work in the kitchen. Luckily, I have my Shakeology around and I have been eating everything out of my pantry and fridge. Good thing I keep them both stocked with healthy foods!

Who doesn't love pizza? Seriously. I am in LOVE with pizza. Sometimes, I dream about it. I wish I was kidding. So today, when I had a hankering for a slice of deliciousness, I decided to make something at home, instead of ordering in!

Here's a sneak peak of the end product to wet your appetite. 

Have you guys ever cooked with polenta? It can come in a couple ways. Cooked and uncooked.
Cooked it looks like a log... I've seen it at Trader Joe's this way and made it baked and topped with olive oil garlic and some parmesan cheese. Yummmmmy.

Tonight, in order to make the polenta into my pizza crust, I needed to boil it with some milk, water and salt and lay it out on a baking sheet to cool.

Polenta meet people.... people meet polenta.

After letting it set for about 3 hours in the fridge, (you can let it cool up to 24 hours), bake it in the over at 450°F for about an hour or until the edges begin to brown and get all crispy.


While the polenta crust is in the oven, get the shallots and garlic cooking on the stove in some olive oil. Once those are ready add in the tomatoes and cook until they soften. I used heirloom cherry tomatoes because that's what I had and I love the different colors here.

Lets just take a moment to say hello to the cheese. How beautiful are you.... 

Now for my favorite part: MASHING the tomatoes!! Get in real good there with the back of your spoon and then cook a little bit longer to thicken. Make sure to season with some salt and pepper.

Spoon the sauce over the crust, add some sliced mozzarella cheese, and bake until nice and bubbly.


Then viola! Put on some basil. Cut into squares and eat up!

Watcha think? Would you try this pizza swap?

Here's a list of the actual ingredients:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cups 1percent milk
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 pints cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
3/4 lb fresh mozzarella, cubed
10 basil leaves coarsely torn


Do you have any fun pizza swaps? Let me know in the comments below!