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Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites by Devin Alexander

Review by Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N.

I was eating my breakfast one morning and happened to see Devin Alexander on Good Morning America talking about her new book, Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites. Devin had actually taken 75 of her favorite and some of my favorite fast food recipes and developed recipe makeovers by lowering the calories and fat grams. The foods displayed looked very good and Charlie and the other Good Morning America personalities seemed to really like the taste of the foods featured.

I did a Google Internet search and found Devin's Web site. I e-mailed her to tell her I saw the segment and if her “book was as good as her segment was, it would become a best seller.” And, to my surprise, I got an e-mail from her immediately with a very nice note and a promise to send a review copy.

Devin, a Los Angeles food writer, chef, caterer and reformed fast food junkie, lost 55 pounds (and has kept it off) by swearing off fast food completely. Although she still yearned for the fast food taste — she decided to try for that taste that she longed for but in a low calorie, lower fat way. Having learned to cook at a younger age, Devin realized that she could recreate many of her favorite fast food indulgences with a fraction of the fat and calories. As a result of this transformation, Devin now specializes in delicious, flavorful, low-fat cuisine.

Fast Food Fix demystifies the special seasonings and secret sauces at the heart of signature fast food favorites — showing how to reproduce key flavors quickly and easily from common ingredients. Readers will learn how to lighten many dishes with new cooking techniques, such as the oven-frying method that yields incredibly crunchy popcorn chicken with 35 fewer fat grams than the original version from KFC. Throughout Fast Food Fix are time-saving “Drive-Thru” options for a number of the dishes and also notations on which recipes take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Not only does Devin's recipes provide lower calories and fat but also lower prices. For example, a Starbuck's Mocha Frappuccino cost an average of $3.55, whereas Devin's version costs $.82.

In addition, Devin will be releasing another cookbook, “ The Biggest Loser Cookbook,” which will be published in September 2006 by Rodale.

Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites by Devin Alexander. Paperback, original, $14.95. ISBN: 1-59486-310-5

Pizza Hut: Supreme Personal Pan Pizza

Save: 217 calories, 25 g fat, 12 g sat. fat

“Ask and you shall receive.” These are definitely words to live by … you just may be surprised at what you receive.

When I picked up my first Supreme Personal Pan Pizza sample, I was intrigued by the pans used to bake them, since the crisp yet chewy crust is such a signature feature of this particular pizza. I knew the pans were probably custom-made for Pizza Hut, but I was determined to gather as much information as I could so that I could provide a viable alternative in this recipe. Apparently, I asked a few too many questions (or in my opinion, the right number of them), because the friendly man behind the counter eventually grew tired of my inquiries. I asked, “Is the pan metal or …,” and before I was even able to finish my sentence, he looked at me like I was nuts, and kindly offered, “Do you want one?” Without hesitation, I said, “Sure.” He scurried to the back, then returned and handed me my very own Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pizza Pan.

Based on the fact that the restaurant logo is imprinted on the bottom of the pan, I was correct that the pans are custom-made. But don't get me wrong: I'm not suggesting that you, too, hound a clerk until he makes you go away by giving you your very own pan. There are plenty of alternatives. You'll find them listed on page 134 under “Before You Start.”

Prepare the dough. Set aside to rise.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 6" round nonstick individual pizza pan or other round nonstick baking pan with 1 teaspoon oil. Set aside. Lightly mist a nonstick baking sheet with oil spray.

Place the onion, pepper, and mushroom, not touching, on the baking sheet. Bake for about 4 minutes, or until partially cooked. Set aside.

Meanwhile, when the dough has doubled, gently punch it down and place it on a lightly floured surface. Pat into a 6" circle. Transfer to the reserved 6-inch pan. Press into the bottom and about 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan. Spoon on the sauce, leaving a bare 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the sauce. Top evenly with 3/4 of each of these toppings: the beef, pork, pepperoni, and the onion-pepper-mushroom mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Top evenly with the remaining one-quarter of the beef, pork, pepperoni, and onion-pepper-mushroom mixture.

Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust starts to crisp. If baking with a terra-cotta saucer (see “Before You Start” note below), adjust time to 20 minutes. Allow to sit in the pan on a rack for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut into quarters.

Makes 1 serving (6-inch pizza)

533 calories, 28 g protein, 81 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 3 g sat. fat, 6 g fiber

Original Pizza Hut Supreme Personal Pan Pizza (6-inch): 750 calories, 32 g protein, 73 g carbohydrates, 36 g fat, 15 g sat. fat, 6 g fiber

EVEN BETTER: The crust on this pizza is rich and oily. If you don't mind it without the oily flavor, just skip oiling the pizza pan. You'll save an additional 42 calories, 5 g fat, and 0.5 g sat. fat.

BEFORE YOU START: Specialty cookware shops and Web sites sell individual-size pizza pans, but you can use any 6" round nonstick baking or cake pan for this recipe. A dark metal pan will crisp and color the crust better than a shiny pan will. If you don't have one, you can purchase an inexpensive 6" round unglazed terra-cotta flowerpot saucer at a hardware or plant store. In fact, if you use the terra-cotta saucer, your pizza will come out the perfect shape since Pizza Hut's pans also have flared sides. If you opt for the saucer, season it by rubbing it with any vegetable oil. Use a paper towel to soak up any excess. Bake the saucer in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes. Allow it to cool completely before using. (You need to do this only once, not every time you want to use it.)

DRIVE-THRU: To make these personal pizzas pronto, you can shape one or more batches of the meat toppings to store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Spending some time making the toppings is a particularly fun project to do with children. Layer the prepared uncooked topping in a waxed paper–lined airtight plastic container between sheets of waxed paper.

If you don't care if the toppings look perfectly uniform, simply use your fingers to break the prepared meat mixtures into roughly 1/4 inch pieces. Spread out on a waxed paper–lined freezer-proof tray. Cover loosely with a sheet of waxed paper. Place in the freezer for about 2 hours, or until frozen solid. Transfer the pieces to a resealable plastic freezer bag. Return to the freezer for up to 2 months.

Also, the 3 extra dough balls (punched down after rising) can be frozen individually in resealable plastic freezer bags. To use, thaw for several hours at room temperature. Or, for even greater convenience, after the initial rising, the dough balls can be punched down and shaped into 6-inch round pizza pans (if you have extra). Set in the freezer for about 2 hours, or until frozen solid. With a butter knife, pop the dough out of the pan. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil before placing back into the freezer. When you're ready to make a pizza, just pop the frozen dough back into the pan.

When you want the pizza, it will come together really quickly because the crust and meat toppings need no thawing. Bake for about 25 minutes. You can definitely whip out these pizzas in less time than a trip to Pizza Hut. You'll save money on gasoline, too!

Pizza Hut Pizza Dough

Lightly mist a mixing bowl with oil spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Whisk until the yeast is dissolved.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade, or in a mixing bowl, combine 11/2 cups unbleached flour, the bread flour, and salt. Pulse several times or stir with a wooden spoon to mix. When the yeast mixture starts to bubble, add it to the bowl. Process or stir for about 1 minute, or until a sticky ball forms. If the mixture is too sticky, add up to 4 tablespoons unbleached flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Process or stir until a smooth ball forms. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead by hand several times, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in the reserved bowl. Lightly mist the dough with oil spray. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place. Allow it to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Makes dough for 4 Personal Pan Pizzas or 1 Meat Lover's Hand-Tossed style Pizza

Each serving (based on 1/4 of the recipe): 270 calories, 9 g protein, 56 g carbohydrates, <1 g fat, trace sat. fat, 2 g fiber

Pizza Hut Pizza Sauce

In a bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Whisk until smooth. Add the sugar, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir to blend well. Store in an airtight plastic container for up to 5 days.

Makes about 1 scant cup, enough for 4 Personal Pan Pizzas or 1 large Meat Lover's Hand-Tossed style Pizza

Entire recipe: 157 calories, 5 g protein, 35 g carbohydrates, trace fat, 0 g sat. fat, 5 g fiber

Pizza Hut Beef Topping

In a small bowl, combine the beef, egg substitute, bread crumbs, and salt. With a fork, mix to blend. At this point, the mixture can be crumbled into small pieces directly onto the pizza. If making ahead, scoop out balls with a 1/4 teaspoon measure and place, not touching, in a waxed paper–lined rectangular airtight plastic container. Continue layering between sheets of waxed paper. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Makes 2/3 cup, enough for 4 Personal Pan Pizzas or 1 large Meat Lover's Hand-Tossed style Pizza

Entire recipe: 124 calories, 19 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 1 g sat. fat, trace fiber

Pizza Hut Pork Topping

In a small bowl, combine the pork, egg substitute, bread crumbs, maple syrup, pepper, salt, garlic powder, sage, and cayenne. With a fork, mix to blend. At this point, the mixture can be crumbled into small pieces directly onto the pizza. If making ahead, scoop out balls with a 1/4 teaspoon measure and place, not touching, in a waxed paper–lined rectangular airtight plastic container. Continue layering between sheets of waxed paper. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Makes 1/3 cup, enough for 2 Personal Pan Pizzas or 1 large Meat Lover's Hand-Tossed style Pizza

Entire recipe: 89 calories, 10 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, <1 g sat. fat, trace fiber

Reprinted from: “Fast Food Fix: 75+ Amazing Recipe Makeovers of Your Fast Food Restaurant Favorites” by Devin Alexander  ©  2006 by Rodale Inc. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus , PA 18098 .

Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is a nutritionist with a masters degree in clinical nutrition who is also registered dietitian and has over 30 years of experience in promoting healthy active lifestyles to consumers. Barbara Day, M.S., R.D., C.N., is the publisher and nutrition editor of Kentuckiana HealthFitness and Kentuckiana Healthy Woman and a runner, cyclist and hiker.

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