Pizza Zucchini Boats {Keto + Low Carb}

Pizza Zucchini Boats
 

 

These adorable Pizza Zucchini Boats are the perfect remedy for a #keto and #lowcarb diet when you’re craving some major comfort food but don’t want to get weighed down with carbs. Especially during this #coronavirus nightmare when all I want to do is eat a huge bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Salt and Vinegar potato chips in one sitting to calm my anxiety.
 
Pizza Zucchini Boats

 

And they’re really easy to make! They’re basically a cross between #lasagna and #pizza and stuffed zucchini all in one lovely concoction. They have a cheesy, creamy filling made with ricotta (or cottage cheese), parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella and seasonings like sea salt and pepper, dried basil, minced onions and garlic, all baked into a bubbly tray of love in the oven. 

Hollow Zucchini

 

First I washed and halved the zucchini (I used 4 medium-large ones), cut the ends off first then cut in half, and scooped out the flesh and chopped it up a bit.

Saute Zucchini

 

Next I mixed in some dried onion flakes and garlic powder with some dried basil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and sautéed the mixture in some olive oil for a few minutes. You can also use fresh onion, garlic and basil here if you have it on hand. Red pepper flakes could be fun too for some heat.

Mix cheese + marinara

 

Then I added the cooked zucchini mixture to a medium prep bowl with the cottage cheese (or ricotta if using), 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded parmesan cheese and mixed it together with the  marinara sauce for the filling.

Fill Zucchini Boats

 

I stuffed the zucchini shells with the mixture then topped them with additional 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese.

Top with cheese and pepperoni

 

I topped them off with baby pepperoni slices and placed them on a foil-lined baking sheet. Baked at 425 degrees F for 20-30 mins until the cheese was melted, bubbly and golden.

Pizza Zucchini Boats

 

Let them cool for a few minutes before serving (they are super hot!), and garnish with more basil and a dash of sea salt and extra pepper or Parmesan cheese if you like. (the more cheese the better in my opinion!)

Pizza Zucchini Boats

 

You guys! These are so good you’ll never miss the crust. I promise. Look at all the bubbly cheesy goodness.

Pizza Zucchini Boats
 

And you can stuff your face during the #pandemic guilt-free. Grab a glass of wine to go with them while you’re at it to make the experience even more amazing….Whoo Hoo! Your life will seem somewhat normal again, at least for a moment. 

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Enjoy.

Pizza Zucchini Boats

 

Other Zucchini Recipes you may enjoy:

Stuffed Zucchini 

Zucchini Pizza Bites

Zucchini Pizza Bake

Fat Head Pizza {Low Carb, Keto, Gluten Free}

Fathead Pizza

Fat Head Pizza

So you can take a girl out of New York but you can’t take the New York Pizza out of the girl. True story. New York #pizza is one of my favorite things in the world but I’ve been doing my #lowcarb/#keto diet the past 2 weeks and its definitely not on the list of acceptable foods, and is one of those things I truly miss.

Fat Head Pizza

This Fat Head Pizza has only 10g of carbs and is really easy to make (and really tasty too!) The crust is made with almond flour, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, egg and white balsamic vinegar, and pre-baked in the oven for 10-12 minutes before adding the toppings. I made a traditional pepperoni pizza because I was starving last night and wanted to keep it simple, but next time I’m definitely going to experiment with some other fun ingredients now that I have the base crust recipe.

DelGrosso Pizza Sauce

I also found a great low sugar/low carb pizza sauce at Publix called La Famiglia DelGrosso (Pappy Fred’s Old Style Pizza Sauce) that has only 3g net carbs per 1/4 cup and it’s really good! You have to be careful with premade and jarred or canned sauces because there are usually a lot of hidden sugars in them which will blow your carb count if you’re trying to stick to 20-25g per day on #Keto or #Atkins Induction phase 1..

Fat Head Pizza

Feel free to switch up the toppings to whatever veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc.) or proteins you wish (sausage, chicken, bacon, ham, etc.) and if you want to make a white pizza just use Alfredo sauce instead. Top with any garnishes you like (fresh herbs, arugula, pepper flakes) and enjoy pizza without the guilt!

Enjoy! xx, kristen

Fat Head Pizza {Low Carb, Keto, Gluten Free}

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Serves 2

Serving Size: 1/2 pizza (2 slices)

Super delish low carb pizza crust made with almond flour, cheese, egg - topped with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese and lots of pepperoni! With only 10g of carbs, it's a great way to satisfy your pizza fix on a low carb/Atkins or Keto diet!

Ingredients

  • Crust
  • 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tbsp sour cream (or cream cheese)
  • 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¾ cup almond flour
  • 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp garlic salt
  • olive oil (for hands)
  • Toppings
  • 1/2 cup low carb/low sugar pizza sauce (DelGrosso brand)
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • Pepperoni
  • Any other additional toppings you like (veggies, sausage, etc.)
  • Red pepper flakes, garnish
  • Italian seasoning, garnish
  • Parmesan cheese, garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Heat mozzarella and sour cream and parmesan cheese in a small bowl in the microwave oven for a minute, stir together, heat for another 30 seconds, stir together until melted.
  3. Measure out the almond flour, balsamic vinegar, egg and garlic salt into a mixing bowl and add the melted cheese/sour cream mixture.
  4. Moisten your hands with olive oil and pat the dough out into a 6-8 inch circle onto a greased baking pan. You can also use a rolling pin to flatten the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and remove the parchment before baking. Try to pat or roll out the dough evenly and patch up the thin spots on the edges or they may get too dark/burn.
  5. Prick the crust all over with a fork, and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
  6. Spread the sauce on to the baked crust and add the pepperoni or desired toppings.
  7. Bake the pizza for 10 minutes. Remove, and turn the heat on broil, up to 450/500 degrees.
  8. Broil the pizza for another 2 minutes until cheese is bubbly and pepperoni is crispy.
  9. Garnish with red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and additional grated parmesan cheese.
  10. Serves 2.

Notes

Feel free to switch up the toppings to whatever veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc.) or proteins you wish (sausage, chicken, bacon, ham, etc.) and if you want to make a white pizza just use Alfredo sauce instead. Top with any garnishes you like (fresh herbs, arugula, pepper flakes) and enjoy pizza without the guilt!

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2019/01/fat-head-pizza-low-carb-keto-gluten-free/

Recipe adapted from original Fat Head Pizza 

Homemade Rustic Pizzas: Chicken, Garlic, Spinach & Sundried Tomatoes :: Pepperoni, Ham, & Sauteed Veggies

Rustic Pizza

Rustic Pizza

Pizza is probably one of my most favorite things on the planet. Seriously. Who can resist that crispy crunchy crust topped with melted gooey cheese and fresh, savory baked toppings? A pizza is a creative endeavor that is only limited to your imagination. The pizza dough is like a blank canvas just waiting for the artist to paint a masterpiece on.

Speaking of dough, you can certainly take a stab at making your own – here is a basic pizza dough recipe that’s easy enough to make. If you don’t want to bother making your own and want to save time, you can use pre-made refrigerated pizza dough from the grocery store (I get mine from Fairway stores, or you can try Pillsbury pizza dough which is inexpensive and easy to use. They even have Artisan, thin and gluten-free crusts now which is kinda cool.)

I made these rustic pizzas the other day in an attempt to use up some fresh veggies, pizza dough and ingredients from my kids cooking show I taped last week – we made all kinds of fun pizza on set but i couldn’t bear to waste the leftovers!

So here’s how easy these babies are to make…I divided the pizza dough and patted out the dough on to pizza pans to make four rustic pizzas – one of them topped with sauteed garlic, spinach, olive oil, savory chicken,  sun dried tomatoes and plenty of mozzarella gooey cheese. The other one I made with sauteed bell peppers in different colors, broccoli, pepperoni, ham, tomato sauce and two gooey cheeses – mozzarella and muenster, great for melting. The trick to a great pizza in my experience is to saute your veggies in some olive oil and garlic BEFORE you put them on the pizza (the chicken too!). This gives them a deeper flavor and keeps them from drying out in the oven when you bake the pizzas. Throw them in a preheated oven on 400 degrees for about 15-17 minutes, let them cool on a baking rack for about 5 minutes, and then top them with some fresh torn basil, some extra parmesan cheese and pepper flakes and you’ve got some serious deliciousness going on.

Sauteed Chicken, Garlic, Spinach & Sundried Tomato Pizza

Chicken, Spinach, Garlic and Sundried Tomato Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

This is a tasty and healthy pizza made with sauteed garlic and spinach, red pepper flakes, sauteed chicken breast, sundried tomatoes and Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 package refrigerated pizza dough (or handmade)
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 package fresh spinach, chopped
  • 6-8 thin chicken cutlets, cut into 1" chunks
  • 1 tablespoon seasoned salt or poultry seasoning
  • Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned (thin strips)
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Divide pizza dough in half and shape into two oval or rectangular pizzas on a greased pizza pan.
  3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese on to the base of each pizza dough.
  4. Heat an additional tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and saute minced garlic and red pepper flakes for about a minute.
  5. Add chopped spinach and stir. Saute together for another 3-4 minutes until spinach starts to wilt.
  6. Remove spinach garlic mixture from pan and set aside in a mixing bowl.
  7. Heat additional 2 tablespoons olive oil in the same pan, add seasonings and saute the chicken for approximately 8 minutes until golden brown. Remove pan from heat.
  8. Top pizza crusts with spinach-pepper-garlic mixture, sundried tomatoes and sauteed chicken (divided into equal portions for both pizzas).
  9. Top both pizzas with shredded mozzarella cheese and place pizza pan in oven.
  10. Bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden brown.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

Pepperoni, Ham & Sauteed Veggie Pizza

Pepperoni, Ham, & Sauteed Veggie Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 2-4

This is a healthy and hearty version of classic pizza made with sauteed garlic, bell peppers and broccoli with diced ham and pepperoni topped with gooey mozzarella and muenster cheese.

Ingredients

  • 1 package refrigerated pizza dough (or handmade)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup yellow pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup tomato sauce or puree
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 cup pepperoni, chopped
  • 1/4 cup ham, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup Muenster cheese, torn into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Divide pizza dough in half and shape into two oval or rectangular pizzas on a greased pizza pan.
  3. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan and saute minced garlic for about a minute.
  4. Add diced bell peppers, chopped broccoli, salt and pepper and stir. Saute together for 5-7 minutes until vegetables get tender and soft.
  5. Remove pan from heat.
  6. In a small mixing bowl, mix together tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and garlic salt to make tomato sauce for pizzas.
  7. Top pizza crusts with tomato sauce, pepperoni, ham and sauteed vegetables (divided into equal portions for both pizzas).
  8. Top both pizzas with shredded mozzarella and muenster cheeses, sprinkle with garlic salt and place pizza pan in oven.
  9. Bake for 15-17 minutes until cheese starts to get bubbly and golden brown.
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

***Stay tuned for my new cooking show – Cooking with Color 4 Kids© airs live on Oct 26th at 9:30 am EST on cable TV in NYC!!

Cooking with Color 4 Kids© by Kristen Hess

Channels: Time Warner 34/ Cablevision 67/ RCN 82/ Verizon 42 and the Internet: Channel 1
BCAT TV Network cablecasts in all five boroughs of NYC on Verizon FIOS cable.

If you don’t live in NYC and want to watch the show live online on 10/26, please use this link and watch Channel 1:
http://bricartsmedia.org/community-media/watch-brooklyn-public-network

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE PILOT TV COOKING SHOW TAPING