Low-Calorie Jalapeno Popper Pizza

Low-Calorie Jalapeno Popper Pizza

Before we get to the Jalapeno Popper Pizza Recipe, let me give you a little backstory about my love of pizza. When I was a kid, every Friday night my dad would bust happily through the front door and ask, “Who wants pizza?” We all did, of course, so we’d get some and eat to our hearts content, as a family. It doesn’t get any better than eating one of the best foods in the world, on the best night of the week.

My undying love for pizza eventually led to my need to diet. Ugh, dieting. Need I say more? The Achilles heel to all of the diets I attempted was always pizza. My BFF – best food friend – who comforted me through life’s many woes was recast into a villain that would inevitably foil my mission to shed some pounds. I was like a chubby moth to a cheesy flame, and would have to retreat to my room at mealtime to escape its pull. I thought I’d have to break up with pizza for good if I ever wanted to be skinny.

Diet “Pizza”

Now, I am well aware of the diet “pizza” out there. The ones that masquerade around on cauliflower crust claiming to be just as good. Or the ones topped with offensive fat-free cheese. Lots of different diets say these impostors will fulfill your deepest pizza desires and you won’t even miss the real deal. They’re liars.

It’s not their fault they lie…they have simply been fooled. I have been there, so deep into a diet, I actually didn’t remember the taste of legitimately delicious food. For example, say you have a friend name Sam, who cleaned up his diet and hasn’t eaten a french fry in a year, DO NOT TRUST SAM when he tells you something is delicious! He is too far removed from good food.

You Can Trust Me

But why should you trust me when I tell you THIS pizza is delicious and worth making? Why should you believe me when I say you really won’t miss the “real” thing? Why should you take me seriously when I say this pizza is so good you can eat it while your family chows down on greasy pizzeria pies right in front of you, and you won’t even bat an eye?

Well, because I am a recovering pizzaholic, and a struggling dieter. That basically means that I’m about two seconds from throwing it all away. Every. Single. Day. This pizza has been my weight loss ally. Without its strong hand supporting me during my darkest hours of cravings and temptation, I would not be this far into my weight-loss journey and 60 pounds down.

So trust me. Take my hand. No, take our hands (mine and the imaginary hand of my healthier pizza), and let us show you that you can have it all. You can lose weight and get in shape while eating the food you love. You can have your pizza, and eat it, too. It’s not uncommon for me to enjoy non-”diet” cookies, burgers, fries, and milkshakes. I just ate ALL of those foods this week alone, and here I am, currently at my all-time lowest weight. You can trust me.

Now let’s get to the good stuff

Without further adieu, on to this particular pizza. I don’t know where the craving came from, but one day I found myself Googling recipes for jalapeno popper pizza. The ones I found had more calories in one slice than is in this entire pizza. I “lightened up” the recipe with a few simple, undetectable tweaks, and it was love at first bite. I was hooked. Now, like the pizza junkie I am, I make it whenever I get the itch and need my pizza fix. I make pizza between 2 and 7 times per week. You probably think I’m joking or exaggerating. Please know I am not.

Why 2 Ingredient Dough?

While it’s true that traditional pizza crusts have around the same calories, they are nowhere as easy to make as 2 Ingredient Dough. Not only is this the easiest crust recipe I have ever made, but it’s a very tasty little crust to boot. Is it the world’s best crust? Of course not. Is it a non-offensive, dare I say enjoyable pizza topping delivery system? Absolutely! And that extra 7-10 grams of protein it provides compared to a “regular” crust really helps keep you full.

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Must Haves

I tell everyone to make this pizza crust because of its simplicity. Then I inform them they need to purchase this and these to make it even easier. Perhaps disposable parchment paper would be less clean-up, but I like that I will never run out of my silicon mat. I will not tolerate running out of anything or for something to stand between me and my ability to bake pizza. The pastry roller is non-negotiable, so go root around your couch cushions for the change to buy it. If you are as pizza-crazed as me, this will be the best investment of your life. Also, I weigh my ingredients because it’s easier and less dishes. This is the food scale I use.

Nutrition Tips

The recipe below using full-fat ingredients has around: 575 calories, 28.2 g fat, 51.3 g carbs, and 30 g protein. Options to lower those numbers are below next to the ingredients listed. I understand that if you are counting macros or on WW, you will want to use some of the suggestions listed. I lose weight with Noom. Since I completely disregard the color coded food labels (green, red, yellow) to help you make healthier choices, I easily work this pizza into my day exactly how it is written whenever I want. Food freedom is truly amazing.

A Note about WW:

I did Weight Watchers 10 years off and on losing a total of 45 pounds. I quit WW last year and switched to calorie counting. You can easily make this pizza WW friendly by doing the ol’ WW swaps: light cheese being the main one. However, please know that I lost 20 pounds last year eating this pizza just as it is written at least weekly. (I’m down a total of 65 pounds now!)

https://youtu.be/fwIS0DG4C4o

This is just one of many pizzas I frequently make, and I will dazzle you with further pizza recipes in the near and/or distant future, so stay tuned. Once you master the dough recipe, there is literally no end to the pizzas you can create. I could make a new pizza every day of the week – some weeks I actually do. I’m an unstoppable pizza recipe machine. If you get creative and find a winning topping combination, please drop it in the comments. Friends don’t let friends suffer from the fear-of-missing-out on good pizza.

I started integrating more pizza into my life and diet, and I finally started losing weight. True story. I realized I didn’t need to sacrifice the foods that I love in the name of weight-loss. The happiness and motivation I gained from that realization paved the way to weight-loss success. I want that for you, too. Please don’t let dieting ruin your life. Life must be enjoyed, whether or not you’re at your goal weight. Lucky for you, you can lose weight AND enjoy life, with this healthier pizza recipe by your side.

Follow my weight loss and fitness journey on Patreon, and watch my stories to get an idea of just how much pizza I actually eat!

2 Comments

Gabriel says:

August 16, 2020 at 3:23 pm

Sounds like a winner of a pizza

1. Martha Cameron says:
  
  August 16, 2020 at 8:52 pm
  
  Seal of approval by someone who would know!

Low-Calorie Jalapeno Popper Pizza