Chart It, Black Bean Nacho Pizza, Thigh Exercise

Tip of the Day:

Chart your progress! From the very beginning, chart your weekly weigh-ins. You can make your own line chart on Microsoft Excel, or go to livestrong.com. When you click on the daily plate (which is a great place to keep track of your calories!!) There will be a tab that will bring you to your weight goals, and it'll make a line graph for you. It'll be the best motivation ever, seeing the line on the chart start plummeting to the bottom!

Healthy Recipe: Black Bean Nacho Pizza

Sound fattening right? Nope, this pizza is loaded with healthy veggies, and just a little cheese for flavor! Only 317 calories a serving (this makes 6)

• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers
• 1 medium clove garlic, quartered
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Yellow cornmeal, for dusting
• 1 pound Easy Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough (in earlier post), or other prepared dough
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 medium plum tomatoes, diced
• 4 medium scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted ripe black olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños

1. Preheat grill to low. (For charcoal grilling or an oven variation, see below.)
2. Place beans, peppers, garlic, chili powder and salt in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Sprinkle cornmeal onto a pizza peel or large baking sheet. Roll out the dough (see Tip) and transfer it to the prepared peel or baking sheet, making sure the underside of the dough is completely coated with cornmeal.
4. Slide the crust onto the grill rack; close the lid. Cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Using a large spatula, flip the crust. Spread the bean mixture on the crust, leaving a 1-inch border. Quickly layer on cheese, tomatoes, scallions, olives and pickled jalapeños.
6. Close the lid again and grill until the cheese has melted and the bottom of the crust has browned, about 8 minutes.

• Pizza on a charcoal grill: Light 6 quarts (about 1 large chimney starter full) of charcoal and burn until the coals are mostly white, about 20 minutes. Spread the coals in an even layer. Place a grate over the coals. Let the coals burn until they are about medium-low. (Grill any toppings for the pizza while the coals are burning down.) To test the heat, hold your palm about 5 inches above the grill rack; if you can hold it there for about 8 seconds before you need to move it away, the fire is medium-low. Transfer the crust to the grill rack, cover the grill and cook the crust, checking once or twice, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the crust, quickly add the toppings, cover the grill and cook until the toppings are hot and the bottom of the crust has browned, 5 to 8 minutes. If your crust browns faster than your toppings are cooking, slide a baking sheet under the pizza to keep the crust from burning while the toppings finish.
• Pizza in the oven: Place a pizza stone on the lowest rack; preheat oven to 450°F for at least 20 minutes. Roll out the dough and place on a cornmeal-dusted pizza peel or inverted baking sheet, using enough cornmeal so that the dough slides easily. Slide the dough onto the preheated stone and cook until the bottom begins to crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven using a large spatula and place it uncooked-side down on the peel or baking sheet, making sure the underside of the crust is completely coated with cornmeal. Quickly add the toppings and slide the pizza back onto the stone. Continue baking until the toppings are hot and the bottom of the crust has browned, 12 to 15 minutes.

Individual variation: (such a fun family dinner!)

• The dough can be turned into 4 or 6 personal-size pizzas. After kneading, divide the dough into 4 or 6 equal balls. Brush with oil and place 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Roll each portion into a 6-to-8-inch circle.

Exercise: Thigh Exercise

No one likes to have flabby thighs! Tone 'em up with some cardio and some exercises! Here's one that's effective, and has the ability to be done anywhere!

Side Lift
Lay on your side and slowly lift your top leg as high as you can without bending your knee. Hold for five to 10 seconds and slowly release.