Carb cycling?

So I've been studying a fair amount of literature on carb cycling as a more effective (at least, as it relates to muscle-sparing) method to reap the benefits of carb reduction than a traditional low carbohydrate diet. I adopted a 3-4 day low carb stretch, followed by no more than 2 days of ingesting higher carbs.  I try to time the lowest of the low carb days with periods of either low or no weight training, and try to sync the highest of the high carb days with my more intense training sessions.

I've taken the last 2 days off from weight training due to my quads not being back to 100% between workouts, so today is back on the reduction portion of the cycle.  You definitely gain some water weight back on the high carb days, so I'll be hitting it hard to dry out a bit and get the numbers on the scale moving back in the right direction.  That being said, I can see the difference in the look of my muscles, which validates at least a portion of the science behind this plan.

In the kitchen, one thing that I've done recently is to search for and prepare lower-carb versions of a few of my favorite recipes. One that I believe will be a keeper is cauliflower crust pizza.

This one is the 2nd I've made this week, and was much simpler version topping-wise than the first. It also has a bite taken out of it, but snapping a photo was an afterthought to the desire to munch. It's also straight from the fridge, which I believe is an improvement to this style of pie versus straight from the oven.

Cauliflower Pizza

2 cups cauliflower
2/3 cup mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbs honey
1/4 cup water
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tbs garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flake

Process cauliflower in food processor into fine granules.  Place in a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Heat on high for 4-5 minutes; uncover and allow to cool, then wring out as much liquid from it as possible.

Once cooled, combine 1/3 cup mozzarella, the Parmesan, egg, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 1/2 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Mix well, then spread evenly in a 1/4 inch layer over a parchment lined baking sheet.  Lightly spray the top with vegetable oil and bake for approximately 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

In a small saucepan, combine tomato sauce with the rest of the herbs, spices and seasonings, as well as the vinegar, honey and the water. Simmer over medium heat for at least 20 minutes, reducing the sauce slightly and allowing the flavors to come together.

[Note: I prefer to cook everything in the order shown and let the crust cool a bit while the sauce is cooking. However, if time is an issue you can start the sauce first so that it's ready by the time the crust is finished.]

When the components are ready, slather the top of the crust with as much or as little sauce as you'd like and top with the rest of the mozzarella and your toppings of choice.  The first time I added about 10 turkey pepperoni, 1/3 cup each of sliced white onion and green bell pepper, and about 1/4 cup each of sliced black olive and sauteed mushroom.  It was nice, but had WAY too much in the way of toppings - my priority with that meal was more about nutrient intake than it was about satisfying that itch.

The attempt shown in the pic above was better, as it was solely about the mouth-feel and flavors that I associate with good pizza as a comfort food. On that day I'd already had plenty of fresh veggies leading up to dinner, so I made this attempt all about the 'nom'.

Time to hit the road and get some cardio in, then a short workout before Santa pics for the kids and maybe a bit of Christmas shopping. The cold weather makes me think that a big pot of soup may be in order; if so, expect pics and/or recipes to follow shortly.