Snacks

We interrupt your regularly scheduled whatever-it-is-you’re-supposed-to-be-doing something to bring you this sweet, tangy, spicy bbq chicken pizza ring. *commence drooling*

Today, we are all about the pizza without the pizza. Huh? Don’t leave yet– I’m gonna guide you through this confusion.

This is the sort of thing that happens when you want a spicy bbq chicken pizza but happen to see a beautiful meatball pizza ring from Pinch Of Yum at the same time, after coming off a full month of no-sugar//no processed carbs clean-eating 30-day marathon. I fully appreciate all things yum- bread related. But first you have to consult with Google, where you end up with 10,000 crescent roll rings but nothing that satisfies that yeasty, doughy crust craving that can only come from hand-tossed pizza.

It’s also the sort of thing that happens when I mention to The Mister that I saw something like it on a blog post for a cheesy meatball pizza ring and I have add it to the my longish list of recipes to make and then ask him again the week of the Super Bowl what he wants to have for dinner this week. And he digs deep into his mental bulletin of all conversations foodstuffs and pulls out the pizza ring I mentioned. Mister– if you’re reading this- well played sir, well played.

This situation works out especially well, if you’re a procrastinator like me, and haven’t actually thought about what you’re making for that Super Bowl party you’ll be hosting on Sunday, this little-work-big-payoff-pizza ring fits the bill as a totally portable, handheld sandwich type thing you can grab and wave animatedly at the TV, you know, for the love of all things football. Because isn’t that what you’re supposed to do during the Super Bowl, other than eat a little too much? So, I being the internet addicted blogger, turned this sweet and tangy goodness into a post, to encourage future procrastination of all things food and cooking.

Friends, while biscuit dough and crescent dough in a tube that explode when you release pressure with a spoon– BTW, is that scary to just me or do you kinda fear that explosion of dough too?- I don’t love the flavor or texture. My advice: save those rolls and biscuits for whatever else you’re supposed to use the cans for- please someone tell me when you figure it out? I’ll stick to my real-ish pizza dough.

I prefer pizza dough made with minimal, whole ingredients; refrigerated pizza dough is fine here but keep in mind that the texture and flavor will vary greatly, depending on the dough and brand. As for this specific ring, I ended up making my own one hour pizza dough, which I included as an alternative, if you have the time//burning desire//obsession to make pizza dough like I do.

I set out to make the pizza ring exactly as written- first time for everything, right?- but I had this idea that was either going to be a huge disaster OR I could creative football-y food and wow my guests with my outside-the-box thinking. I went rogue on this one. And before I could even second guess myself, even after I’d made the meatballs for the meatball pizza ring, I defrosted chicken breasts and pulled out the bbq sauce because I want that sweet and spicy combo in pizza form but I’m really not into committing a pizza form of bbq chicken right now.

Guys, this shredded chicken smothered in sweet and tangy (when it’s me- spicy-) bbq sauce, thinly sliced red onions, gooey mozzarella are #squadgoals right now. And you know what that pizza dough does to that sauce that no dough in a tube can do? It ABSORBS that sauce. Like legit starts to be the stuff (my) dreams are made of. In the end, the pizza dough wears it way better. Be warned- you will need napkins.

So now, you have a chewy pizza crust, perfectly cooked but with tangy goodness, on top of the melty mozzarella. Forget the game– I’m way into this pizza ring right now. What about you?

Other things to make for your epic Super Bowl party:

cheeseburger pizza
caramelized onion and butternut squash pizza
hot oven baked sliders
homestyle game-day chili
baked honey sriracha wings
accidentally outrageous brownies (Buzzfeed featured)

Shredded BBQ Chicken Pizza Ring

Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

prepared refrigerated pizza dough (enough for 1 10-inch pie)
1 chicken breast, shredded
1 cup bbq sauce of choice (I like a sweet and spicy sauce)
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
sea salt to sprinkle on top
1 egg beaten (for egg wash)
bbq sauce/ ranch dressing for dipping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, combine chicken, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, onions, and 1/2 cup bbq sauce. Mix well and set aside.
Roll out pizza dough into a 10-inch circle.
Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, make 3 intersecting cuts in the center of the pizza 1/3 of the way, that looks like you’re cutting the dough into 6 pieces. DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE.
Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of bbq on the crust.Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese evenly. Top with bbq chicken mixture and cilantro. Top with remaining cheese.
Take the points of the previously cut sections in the center and fold them over the chicken mixture, overlapping with the outer edge of the pizza ring. Pull dough tight along edges to create tight pockets. Tuck neatly and press the overlapping edges to seal.
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Place a bowl filled with more bbq sauce or ranch dressing in the center of the ring and serve hot.

Adapted from Pinch of Yum’s cheesy meatball pull-apart pizza ring.

Friends- today’s post is a little different; it’s not just a recipe today. It’s about life. Because you see, though food is my life- it is my love, my passion- good, delicious food is how I connect with people, how I build relationships, there are other parts of my life I tend to neglect when life gets going even faster than normal. And I suspect a lot more of you do the same thing, even if you don’t realize it. A part of why I blog and write about food so with each post, I give you a little part of my life, but don’t actually paint the full picture.

But today goes beyond the love of food. It’s about self-care. It’s about being kind to myself so that I may be kind to the rest of the world; so that I can continue doing what I do and give it my 100%. Does that sound cliche? Probably. But it’s been a serious game changer- I have to remind myself that I ~~deserve~~ need self-care. And my self-care is making the time- no matter how busy I get, or how many boo b00s there are to be kissed, lunches to pack, or meals to prepare- to exercise/workout/run/walk/sweat. Sometimes it means waking up at 4 AM and sometimes, it means squeezing in a run on the treadmill at the end of the day, after everyone has been tucked into bed (but still whispering so loud I can hear them two doors down). But it means that time is just for me. Because let’s face it: life can be exhausting. Life can be challenging. And life can be brutal if you never pause to give yourself a breather.

My wonderful friends, I see us struggling, constantly juggling so many hats/children/significant others/friends/family/pets/addictions in our lives, and I hear you when you say there aren’t enough hours in the day. We have to make time for ourselves. Working out may not be your self-care and that’s completely okay. Treat yourself to a facial, pedicure, manicure, meditate, write, read, reflect, do a head-stand, create a one-(wo)man play, take up bowhunting or nunchucking. Whatever you choose to do, it’s your self-care so own it. Demand it of yourself and don’t apologize for it. Because, ladies (and the one man who frequents this blog), a lot of us are guilty of putting everything else first, and in the process, forgetting that we need a little TLC too.

Another component of that self-care for me is eating wholesome, REAL food. I need fantastic, delicious, unadulterated food that will suppress the hunger I sometimes feel after an extra long workout session. I need protein. I need fiber. I need deliciousness. I need something already made. Lately, for that, I’ve been eating this fan-tab-u-lous wholesome vanilla chia seed pudding. This pudding is my magical superfood. It has so much texture, so much flavor, so much wow-look-at-me-I-just-ate-like-a-responsible-healthful-grownup-and-it-was-delicious factor but it is a minimal effort sorta thang.

I learned about the awesome powers of chia seeds recently- ya’ know, when it became uber trendy. It’s packed with fiber and protein and oh so versatile. I add it to things like marinara sauce and kababs where the chia seeds not only acts as a nutritional boost, but it also acts as a gluten-free binder. Yes, please! I’m always in awe of these tiny little seeds that seem so insignificant but, the joke’s on me for underestimating them.

Guys, when I say wholesome, I mean capital W-H-O-L-E-S-O-M-E. Chia seeds, (unsweetened) vanilla almond milk, honey, and an abundance of coconut flakes, plump medjool dates (always medjool), sweet, ripe banana slices, and/or any other toppings you can think of. The chia seed pudding itself is the perfect blank canvas for so many different toppings. Oh, someone please, pretty please, try different combinations and tell me about it!

sliced strawberries
blueberries
blackberries
dried cranberries/blueberries
almonds/cashews/pecans/walnuts/any kinda’ chopped nuts
chocolate chips (yes, yes, yes!)
peanut butter/almond butter/cashew butter/sunbutter
unsweetened coconut flakes

Chia seed pudding isn’t exclusively a post-workout snack/meal kinda food. It’s the perfect breakfast that won’t betray you mid-morning, urging you to hit the vending machine or reach for those oh-so-tempting muffins in the breakroom. Soak the chia seeds overnight in the milk, prepare your toppings in advance and you have a perfectly portable, to go, breakfast. OR give it to the kids as an afterschool snack and have them pick and choose their toppings. They’ll thank you for letting them “cook” and you can feel good about feeding them a wholesome, nutritious snack.

You’re looking at the screen skeptically because this doesn’t sound like something you crave/deliciousness you normally have when you really want to satisfy hunger. But, this chia seed pudding is truly spectacular. It gets a richness from the sweet, succulent dates, crunch from the coconut flakes, creaminess from the banana. And the pudding itself is silky, slightly sweet with a bit of a bite, similar to tapioca. The seeds plump up when they’re soaked in the milk and absorb the flavors of the milk and honey, take on a texture to hearty jello and natural sweetness. But way better!

Wholesome Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Yield: 3 1x

Scale

Ingredients

3 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk*
2 tbsp plain non-fat greek yogurt**
2 tsp honey (or more if desired)
TOPPINGS:
2 tsp sliced almonds
4 pitted & chopped medjool dates
2 tsp unsweetened coconut flakes
1 sliced banana

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together almondmilk and honey, until honey is fully dissolved. Stir in yogurt until lumps disappear. Stir in chia seeds and set aside for 15 minutes, at room temperature. Stir again after 15 mins to break up any lumps that may have formed. Cover and refrigerate overnight.***
When ready to serve, divide evenly bowls, add equal amounts of toppings per serving and serve immediately.

Notes

*any kind of milk works, but it will change the nutritional values.
**to make dairy-free, omit yogurt and reduce milk to 3/4 cup.
***when stored in an airtight container, vanilla chia seed pudding keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge.