Cheeseburger Pizza with a Fiberful Secret

Who doesn't love a good cheeseburger?  This recipe is adapted from a dish I used to cook when I worked in a skilled nursing facility.  The residents loved it and requested it weekly, so I thought it was time it got some attention again! 

The crust for this pizza is made from the all purpose baking mix.  The baking mix is made from bleached white flour and has no fiber so we are going to up the nutrition in this recipe by adding beans to the crust!  Fiber is very important in the diet because it:

• Helps you feel full so you eat less
• Adds bulk and helps food move through the digestive tract
• Helps maintain stable blood sugar levels

These are just a few of the many reasons fiber must be eaten daily.  The USDA recommended amount of fiber an adult should eat in a day is 25 grams.  One apple contains 4 grams so if you got your fiber from apples alone you would have to eat 6 a day!  Since none of us want to eat apples all day we must incorporate other sources of fiber.  Beans are a great source because they have 7 grams per 1/2 cup serving.  The beans in this recipe add about 3 grams of fiber to each slice.  That's great news for the colon!  But enough about digestion, let's get to the food! Here is the recipe:

Cheeseburger Pizza
-Makes 12 pieces

3 3/4 cup low fat baking mix (or bisquick-type mix)

1 1/2 cup cooked white beans

3/4 cup water

1 lb. ground beef

half an onion, diced

salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried parsley

spaghetti sauce

cheese

-Brown ground beef and onions in a pan until cooked through. Drain fat. (But NOT in the sink!) (My husband is a plumber and takes it personally when anyone disrespects their kitchen pipes by pouring grease in them!) Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

-Puree the beans and water in the blender until smooth.  Measure baking mix in a bowl then add blended beans to dry mix and stir together.  Sprinkle dough with garlic powder and dried parsley. 

-Dough will be sticky, but manageable.  If dough is too wet, add more mix or coat hands in mix to handle dough.  Place dough in greased 9x13" pan and flatten until it is about 1/2" thick.

-Bake crust at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes until top and sides start to brown

 -Remove crust from oven and add spaghetti sauce

 -Shred cheese and sprinkle over crust.  Add cooked ground beef and sprinkle with parsley and any other toppings you like.

 -Return to oven and bake at 400 degrees for another 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted.

Cut, serve and enjoy!  We had this tonight with a side salad that I made from a bag of iceberg lettuce that I mixed with baby romaine and spinach leaves.  The salad cost $1.50 to make.  You could serve this with canned or frozen vegetables as an alternate vegetable option. 

Delivery Day!

Today we received our first ever supply of commods!  I am really excited because I teach nutrition and cooking classes in a community where many members receive commoditites so I often hear about the food, but have never actually seen the whole package.  My husband's brother is currently staying with us and he received commods only for himself so here is what one person receives a month:

I plan to use these items along with some household staples to create meals to feed the three of us.  Here is a sample of some household staples I will be using in my recipes.  I am aware that people may not have the same brand names as these products, but the general idea is that I will be using condiments, spices and baking items that most people have in their home in making my recipes.

I will also be incorporating fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables that I will purchase on a weekly basis.  I understand that many people who receive commods live in locations where they cannot purchase fresh fruits or vegetables so the recipes will account for this and provide alternatives. 
The fun begins tomorrow with our first recipe!  See you then!