On Saturday evening I ate pizza for the first time in a while. On Sunday morning I had one of the best swim practices in a while. So much energy! Swam 4500m and spent another half hour mucking around practicing SDK's, turns, etc....just didn't want to get out of the water.
Just wondering if the pizza and the increase in energy were related in any way or was it purely coincidental? Does pizza perhaps have the perfect protein to carbohydrate ratio?
It was a three cheese, thin crust Magherita with a sprinkling of smoked sausage. There wasn't a lot of cheese either. Just the right amount. Had a glass of Coca Cola with it. The only time I ever drink coke is when I eat pizza or BBQ.
Anyone had a similar experience or have a different favourite energy-giving meal.
Syd
Parents
Former Member
Pizza can be a good source of nutrition the day before swimming. In a previous thread, I posted a recipe (below). Recently I tried the pizza with goat cheese and arugula pesto with basil and mint. It was incredible.
The keys to my homemade pizza are: making the crust with part whole wheat flour and part white, rolling it very thin, and baking it on a very hot pizza stone.
Enjoy!
Basic recipe for Pizza Dough
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour (approx) -- I use 1 cup whole wheat and a little less than two cups white
1 cake yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. Add flour 1 cup at a time, and mix until it starts to come together. If you are adding other sesonings to the crust (dried basil, rosemary, oregano), add them with the flour so that they will be well distributed. Turn dough out on a wooden bread board dusted with flour. Knead until you get a smooth, elastic dough. Form a ball, and place in a bowl that has been lightly greased with olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 45 min to an hour, until doubled in size.
Punch-down dough to get the air out, divide dough into three smaller balls, and store the two unused portions in ziploc bags in the freezer or refrigerator. Roll the remaining ball very thin (@ 1/4 to 1/8th inch). Place the rolled dough on a pizza paddle that is well-dusted with cornmeal, add your toppings, and bake in a pre-heated oven (hot - 475-500 degrees) for 8-10 minutes on a pizza stone. For toppings, I recommend using a lot less cheese than usual. Use a flavorful cheese, and a smaller amount. If you use mozzarella, try a very light sprinkling just as the "glue" to hold the other toppings in place.
I have experimented with all types of flavored crusts, including Italian herb, sundried tomato, curry, and saffron/currant. Let your imagination run wild!
Enjoy!
Swimmer Bill
Pizza can be a good source of nutrition the day before swimming. In a previous thread, I posted a recipe (below). Recently I tried the pizza with goat cheese and arugula pesto with basil and mint. It was incredible.
The keys to my homemade pizza are: making the crust with part whole wheat flour and part white, rolling it very thin, and baking it on a very hot pizza stone.
Enjoy!
Basic recipe for Pizza Dough
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour (approx) -- I use 1 cup whole wheat and a little less than two cups white
1 cake yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. Add flour 1 cup at a time, and mix until it starts to come together. If you are adding other sesonings to the crust (dried basil, rosemary, oregano), add them with the flour so that they will be well distributed. Turn dough out on a wooden bread board dusted with flour. Knead until you get a smooth, elastic dough. Form a ball, and place in a bowl that has been lightly greased with olive oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 45 min to an hour, until doubled in size.
Punch-down dough to get the air out, divide dough into three smaller balls, and store the two unused portions in ziploc bags in the freezer or refrigerator. Roll the remaining ball very thin (@ 1/4 to 1/8th inch). Place the rolled dough on a pizza paddle that is well-dusted with cornmeal, add your toppings, and bake in a pre-heated oven (hot - 475-500 degrees) for 8-10 minutes on a pizza stone. For toppings, I recommend using a lot less cheese than usual. Use a flavorful cheese, and a smaller amount. If you use mozzarella, try a very light sprinkling just as the "glue" to hold the other toppings in place.
I have experimented with all types of flavored crusts, including Italian herb, sundried tomato, curry, and saffron/currant. Let your imagination run wild!
Enjoy!
Swimmer Bill
