Homemade Pizza

So, I am trying really hard to eat more natural foods and eliminate as many processed foods as possible. I'm not giving up my ketchup or a few other things though. Baby steps!

Today I went to Ingles and did the "edge" shopping and tried to remember a few other tips like:
more packaging means less nutrition
read at least the first 3 ingredients to know the main ingredients
if you can't pronounce it don't eat it
think "rainbow"
and buy lean meats

It took a lot longer to shop than normal and it definitely cost more.
I think by buying and freezing fruits and veggies I'll be able to cut on costs. It's a compromise that I'm willing to take!

I had the boys chopping, pureeing, washing, and bagging food. We also made a homemade pizza sauce as we went. (recipe below) The great part was that I threw it all into the blender and the boys couldn't taste any of the "yucky stuff". But the best part was hanging out with them. They are great helpers!

Not sure about breakfast. Makes me nervous b/c I love cereal. Like I said, baby steps. If I dive in head first I'll hate it and give up. Everyone asks how I lost all my weight and I tell them, baby steps. I'm not good with dramatic changes. Anyways, we'll see how I feel in the morning.

As for our dinner, here's the recipe. By the way, Derek liked it and he is not one who likes the idea or usually the taste of "healthier" foods. Score!

Pizza sauce:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
oregano to taste
minced garlic to taste
onion powder to taste
red cooking wine, about 1/4 c
carrot puree
handful of chopped green pepper
handful of chopped mushrooms

blend together and wha-la!

I served it on Whole Wheat pizza crust with turkey pepperoni, lean ground beef, and 2% milk four cheese Italian mix.

Yes, I know this is not all clean and includes processed foods, but it's a start. It's better than what we'd buy at Pizza Hut anyways! I'm excited that the boys and I got in some veggies w/o gagging! I can't very well force veggies down there throat when I can't stand them myself, but I know it's important that they eat them so this worked out perfect for us. I felt good about what I was feeding them.

I would love tips on how I could make this better, but if you tell me to make my own crust, you've gone too far! I am not ready to start making my own breads, buying chickens for eggs, or owning a cow named Sue to milk every morning! Farmer is my last name, not my occupation or a talent I have.

Hope everyone enjoys the pizza if you try it. :0)