All the way down to the crust.....get ready to make your own personal pan pizza!
As you know, I just love pizza and I think I have found every way to enjoy pizza that isn't delivered to my door.
I've made pita bread pizza
I've made french bread pizza
I've made dressed-up frozen pizza
I've even made Fruit pizzaa
Well, now I took it one step further. I made my own crust and it turned out amazing. I get excited to make new creations but when they turn out super yummy (sometimes they don't but those recipes don't end up on my blog) I get really excited. I hope you share the same enthusiasm for your home-cooking as I do :) It is one thing to take care of your body through physical activity but when you prepare the food in a special way in order for it to look pretty on your plate, you should take great pride that you are taking that extra step in taking care of your body.
Enjoy my latest creation! This one is sure to re-fuel from your workout and will make you feel great about your healthy lifestyle!
Homemade vegetarian pizza
*quick, easy and yummy...and cost-friendly for your healthy budget!
*this is perfect for parents who want to get the kids in the kitchen. If your kids (or you) have trouble eating veggies, chop the veggies really small before cooking.
Crust:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp corn meal
1 tbsp flax seed
1 tbsp all purpose flour (used at the end)
1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup warm water (heat water for 3 minutes in microwave)
Seasonings: A dash of Italian, oregano, pepper and basil
1. Combine whole wheat flour, corn meal flax and yeast in a bowl. Add seasonings.
2. Stir in oil and warm water until flour is well mixed (clumpy).
3. Spray your clean counter (or large cutting board) with a squirt of non-stick spray.
4. Kneed dough http://www.wikihow.com/Knead-Dough for 5 minutes. After 3 minutes o kneading dough, add 1 tbsp all purpose flour until dough becomes smooth and elastic.
5. Toss dough back and forth in your hands to form a ball. Cover dough in a bowl (a towel work fine) for 10 minutes.
Toppings:
*use whatever toppings you like and however much. You can never go wrong with leftover veggies or too many veggies for your pizza. I suggest around 1/8-1/4 cup of each topping. These are favorites for Karel and myself.
Chickpeas
Onions
Mushrooms
1-2 cloves Garlic
Green pepper
Jalepenos
*Preheat oven to 450-degrees for your pizza
1. While you are waiting for your dough, heat a non-stick pan to medium heat and add 2 tsp. olive oil.
3. Cook toppings until they are soft and golden (stir occasionally). Remove from heat.
Preparing pizza:
*you will need marinara sauce, spinach and shredded cheese
1. Take half of your dough and press in a round baking dish (lightly sprayed with non-stick spray or rub 1/2 tsp olive oil in baking dish). Be sure to press the dough from the center to the outside so that you form a nice, crunchy crust.
2. Spread 2-3 spoonfuls marinara sauce on your pizza dough (sometimes I add a little salsa to my marinara sauce).
3. Top pizza with toppings.
4. Finely chop 4-5 spinach leaves and sprinkle over pizza.
5. Cook pizza for 15 minutes, until crust is stiff and crunchy.
6. Finish pizza with 1/8 cup of your favorite shredded cheese.
15 minutes later....
And what recipe is complete without mini muffins??? How about pizza muffins??
Pizza bites
1. In a mini muffin pan, sprayed with a little non-stick spray, press a small piece of your dough (about a tbsp. size) in the muffin tin. Press down so that the dough covers the edges of each tin and there is space for your toppings in the center of the dough.
2. Spoon a tsp or two of marinara sauce and add a pinch of shredded spinach, chopped mushrooms and cheese.
3. Cook in the same oven as the pizza (450-degrees) for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted and dough is firm enough to remove from each muffin tin.
*You can be super creative with the mini muffins. You could do lean ham and pineapple, feta, pine nuts and spinach, tomatoes and spinach, veggie burger and cheese or just cheese and marinara sauce. *These mini muffins will be perfect for your next party/event..what a yummy, healthy and cute appetizer.
(how cute are those???) :)
As you know, I just love pizza and I think I have found every way to enjoy pizza that isn't delivered to my door.
I've made pita bread pizza
I've made french bread pizza
I've made dressed-up frozen pizza
I've even made Fruit pizzaa
Well, now I took it one step further. I made my own crust and it turned out amazing. I get excited to make new creations but when they turn out super yummy (sometimes they don't but those recipes don't end up on my blog) I get really excited. I hope you share the same enthusiasm for your home-cooking as I do :) It is one thing to take care of your body through physical activity but when you prepare the food in a special way in order for it to look pretty on your plate, you should take great pride that you are taking that extra step in taking care of your body.
Enjoy my latest creation! This one is sure to re-fuel from your workout and will make you feel great about your healthy lifestyle!
Homemade vegetarian pizza
*quick, easy and yummy...and cost-friendly for your healthy budget!
*this is perfect for parents who want to get the kids in the kitchen. If your kids (or you) have trouble eating veggies, chop the veggies really small before cooking.
Crust:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp corn meal
1 tbsp flax seed
1 tbsp all purpose flour (used at the end)
1 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup warm water (heat water for 3 minutes in microwave)
Seasonings: A dash of Italian, oregano, pepper and basil
1. Combine whole wheat flour, corn meal flax and yeast in a bowl. Add seasonings.
2. Stir in oil and warm water until flour is well mixed (clumpy).
3. Spray your clean counter (or large cutting board) with a squirt of non-stick spray.
4. Kneed dough http://www.wikihow.com/Knead-Dough for 5 minutes. After 3 minutes o kneading dough, add 1 tbsp all purpose flour until dough becomes smooth and elastic.
5. Toss dough back and forth in your hands to form a ball. Cover dough in a bowl (a towel work fine) for 10 minutes.
Toppings:
*use whatever toppings you like and however much. You can never go wrong with leftover veggies or too many veggies for your pizza. I suggest around 1/8-1/4 cup of each topping. These are favorites for Karel and myself.
Chickpeas
Onions
Mushrooms
1-2 cloves Garlic
Green pepper
Jalepenos
*Preheat oven to 450-degrees for your pizza
1. While you are waiting for your dough, heat a non-stick pan to medium heat and add 2 tsp. olive oil.
3. Cook toppings until they are soft and golden (stir occasionally). Remove from heat.
Preparing pizza:
*you will need marinara sauce, spinach and shredded cheese
1. Take half of your dough and press in a round baking dish (lightly sprayed with non-stick spray or rub 1/2 tsp olive oil in baking dish). Be sure to press the dough from the center to the outside so that you form a nice, crunchy crust.
2. Spread 2-3 spoonfuls marinara sauce on your pizza dough (sometimes I add a little salsa to my marinara sauce).
3. Top pizza with toppings.
4. Finely chop 4-5 spinach leaves and sprinkle over pizza.
5. Cook pizza for 15 minutes, until crust is stiff and crunchy.
6. Finish pizza with 1/8 cup of your favorite shredded cheese.
15 minutes later....
And what recipe is complete without mini muffins??? How about pizza muffins??
Pizza bites
1. In a mini muffin pan, sprayed with a little non-stick spray, press a small piece of your dough (about a tbsp. size) in the muffin tin. Press down so that the dough covers the edges of each tin and there is space for your toppings in the center of the dough.
2. Spoon a tsp or two of marinara sauce and add a pinch of shredded spinach, chopped mushrooms and cheese.
3. Cook in the same oven as the pizza (450-degrees) for 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted and dough is firm enough to remove from each muffin tin.
*You can be super creative with the mini muffins. You could do lean ham and pineapple, feta, pine nuts and spinach, tomatoes and spinach, veggie burger and cheese or just cheese and marinara sauce. *These mini muffins will be perfect for your next party/event..what a yummy, healthy and cute appetizer.
(how cute are those???) :)