Spinach and Artichoke Dip French Bread Pizza
PIN IT!I got a wonderful comment on this happy blog of mine today. Someone said “How can you have a healthy blog when you’re so fat?” It took almost everything in me not to write back a string of expletives and report that a-hole to the google police. But instead, I’m just going to shake it off, a-la Taylor Swift, and post about pizza today.
I gots my priorities in check, y’all!
Back in the day, those kinds of comments would have probably broken me. I would have spent hours going over all of my personal photos on my site, wondering if I did really “look fat.” I would have spend days crafting a thoughtful, yet stern, response to this spam-bot internet troll and would have finally sent it a week later. The sad thing, even writing a response and judging myself in every photo didn’t bring me peace. I still found myself haunted by one disgusting person’s stupid subjective opinion.
Now, I just laugh and move on. It’s weird because I am bigger than I was 3 years ago. In fact, I’m at a weight I’m very, VERY unhappy with. Yet those ridiculous comments don’t bug me now as they did 20 pounds ago. Maybe because even though I’m heavy, I’m actually happy with who I am inside. I know that sounds cheesy and very “After School Special” but it’s true. I’m doing awesome things with my job, I’m fulfilled personally and professionally and, truthfully, I’m just so tired of letting a number on the scale or in my pants define me.
That doesn’t mean I’m going to sit around all plumply without making a change toward my health. In fact, I’m feeling more motivated than ever lately to shed these pounds and go back to a weight I look good at. And finally, for the first time in, well, ever, I’ll feel as good inside as I look outside.
Oh and expect an onslaught of “before and after” bikini bod pics when that happens. Just for that stupid, idiotic, troll face internet monster.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip French Bread Pizza
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Serves about 8. Adapted and Inspired by Rachael Ray.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 16 – 18 minutes
Total time: 28 minutes
Ingredients:
For the low-calorie white pizza sauce:
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup low-fat (1% – 2%) milk
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
For the pizzas:
- 1 whole wheat baguette, quartered (so you have 4 equal size pieces)
- 2 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 (9 ounce) can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 1/4 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh mozzarella, cut into small chunks
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet or rimmed baking pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- To make the sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 – 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour until you get a thicker paste. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in the milk. Let sauce simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the italian seasoning and cheese.
- Evenly spread the cheesy bechamel sauce over the four baguette quarters. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the four quarters. Top with equal layers of spinach and artichoke hearts. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the tops of the artichoke hearts and top with the small chunks of fresh mozzarella.
- Add a dash of salt and cracked black pepper over the tops.
- Bake for about 16 – 18 minutes or until cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.
Nutritional information per 1/2 pizza:
Calories: 230
Fat: 11.25 grams
Carbohydrates: 19.75 grams
Fiber: 2.75 grams
Protein: 12.5 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 6
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