Mini Mexican Pizzas

I am a sucker for Taco Bell... and all things that are actually Mexican food. So, I saw this healthy option for a new Mexican dish, and decided it was worth a shot. SO good! And, as usual, incredibly easy to make.

You'll need:
 - 3-4 large whole wheat tortilla’s, or enough to cut out 12 small circles (I use La Tortilla Smart & Delicious LowCarb/High Fiber Tortillas)
- 1 pound of hamburger (or turkey meat)
- 1/2 cup salsa of choice
- Dry taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup low fat mozzarella
- Optional Toppings: sliced black olives, bell peppers, chopped tomatoes
- Muffin pan

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook the hamburger meat, and mix in the taco seasoning.

Use an empty can, glass cup, or cookie cutter to cut 3-4 medium circles out of each tortilla. Make sure to spray the pan! Press the circles into each muffin cup using your fingers. It doesn't have to go reach up to the rim of each cup, but it'll make it cleaner! Mix together the meat, salsa, and toppings. Stir until well combined. Scoop a tablespoon (or so) of the mixture into each tortilla. Top with cheese and olives.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. (My oven can be a little crazy sometimes, but I only cooked mine for five...)

Rating:

Butternut Squash and Red Onion Pizza

I got this recipe out of a Rachael Ray magazine. There were a few ingredients that I did not want to spend money on, so I just left them out (radicchio and parsley). I also used butternut squash that came pre-cut, and in a bag. It was much easier than having to buy a whole stinkin' squash and then peel and cut it.

1/3 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
1/4 radicchio, cored and cut into 1/2 inch strips (optional)
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 pound refrigerated pizza dough at room temperature
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Serves 4; Prep time - 20 minutes; Bake - 15 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment, toss butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Roast butternut squash in oven until golden (about 12 minutes).

4. In a small bowl, combine garlic and parsley with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

5. In a larger bowl, combine radicchio and onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the butternut squash and toss.

6. Line the baking sheet with new parchment (I just spread flour over the baking sheet). Stretch dough out on baking sheet and smear the garlic mixture on the dough.

7. Sprinkle with the cheese and then the squash mixture.

8. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

When tossing the butternut squash with the olive oil, I accidentally used a 1/4 of a cup instead of a 1 tablespoon. Oops. It turned out fine, I just had to drain the excess olive oil.

This recipe tasted really good and was very different from any pizza I have had. You could make it healthier by using a low-fat cheese or a whole wheat pizza crust. Also, not using 1/4 cup of olive oil wouldn't hurt either. Overall, this is a good recipe if you want something healthier and a little more unique than delivery pizza.

 

Rating:  The ingredients weren't too expensive. But just so the rest of the garlic and red onion don't go to waste, I would recommend finding other recipes that use those ingredients.

Cauliflower Crusted Veggie Pizza

I know, it sounds weird, maybe even gross. If you eat turkey burgers, or ground turkey, instead of hamburger meat - and think it tastes the same... this is the same way. There is a little different texture, but same taste. We ate the entire pizza between two of us (shhh...)

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)

choose your preference of pizza sauce, shredded cheese and toppings.

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:

Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater). Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.

One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

To Make the Pizza Crust:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round.

Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).
Enjoy!

*Note that toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.


Rating: Since we made ours veggie only, there was no meat and, obviously, no bread - so healthy!