Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

I was recently invited to be a part of the Cape Cod Select Food #Blogger Recipe Challenge and I’m so excited to share my delicious new #pizza recipe using their frozen cranberries with you!

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

This Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza is a delicious and healthy pizza made with frozen cranberries sautéed in a lovely reduced balsamic glaze, shredded rotisserie chicken, caramelized onions, ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, topped with fresh arugula and basil on a crispy, thin cauliflower crust. You guys..this is the most delicious pizza I’ve ever made..It’s a sweet and tangy savory delight all in one bite!

Rhodes Family Farm

For over 70 years, the Rhodes family has been harvesting cranberries in Southeastern Massachusetts, the heart of “Cranberry Country”. In 2009, Cindy Rhodes founded Cape Cod Select, the retail face for the Edgewood Bogs Cranberry Growers.

Cape Cod Select Cranberries

They select only the ripest, freshest fruit to package and are proud to provide a premium quality product. From flower to package, they strive to integrate all the latest sustainable technologies and pledge to do their share in protecting the environment.

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

I used a pre-made frozen cauliflower pizza crust (Caulipowr brand is great) which is super thin, crunchy and saves a lot of time. You can also make a homemade crust with riced cauliflower, egg, mozzarella, parmesan cheese, with a dash of dried basil or italian seasoning which is included in the recipe.

First slice your onions and sauté them over low heat on the stove in a large sauté pan with a pinch of sugar or stevia for about 30-40 minutes until caramelized. Set aside.

Bake the crust

The cauliflower pizza crust is topped with all kinds of goodies: a creamy base of ricotta topped with flavorful shredded rotisserie chicken, mozzarella, and caramelized onions, then popped in the oven for 11-13 minutes to crisp it up and melt the cheese.

Roughly chop cranberries

While the crust is cooking, chop your cranberries and sauté the cranberries for a few minutes in a little bit of olive oil.

Balsamic Glazed Cranberries

Reduce the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat on the stove to create a delicious glaze, then add the cranberries to the glaze and set aside.

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

Once the pizza is done cooking, add the balsamic glazed cranberries and top it with fresh baby arugula and torn basil leaves, with a drizzle of additional olive oil and balsamic glaze for an extra hit of flavor.

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

Cut it into 4-8 slices (depending on the size of your crust) and serve immediately.

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

Healthy, delicious and perfect for a light, gluten-free meal. Enjoy!

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 8

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories per serving: 166

Fat per serving: 9.7g

This Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza is a delicious and healthy pizza made with frozen cranberries sautéed in a lovely reduced balsamic glaze, shredded rotisserie chicken, ricotta, Parmesan and mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions and fresh arugula on a crispy, cheesy cauliflower crust. Healthy, delicious and perfect for a light, gluten-free meal.

Ingredients

  • For the crust:
  • 1 medium head cauliflower (or 12 ounces/3 cups frozen pre-riced cauliflower)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • For the pizza:
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced thin
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar, plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons stevia (or 3 tablespoons honey)
  • 3/4 cup Cape Cod Select frozen cranberries, thawed and drained
  • 2 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
  • 1 cup baby arugula
  • Fresh torn basil, for garnish

Instructions

  1. For a homemade cauliflower pizza crust:
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  3. Working in batches as needed, pulse cauliflower in a food processor until rice-like consistency. If using pre-riced cauliflower, microwave according to package directions (3-5 minutes) and let cool 5-10 minutes. Drain in a large colander, squeezing out extra moisture with paper towels.
  4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine cauliflower, beaten egg, garlic powder, 1 cup mozzarella and parmesan cheese, dried basil and oregano, salt and pepper. Stir and fold until mixture holds together.
  5. Press cauliflower mixture into a 10-inch circle (1/4” thick) on the parchment lined pizza stone or baking sheet.
  6. Bake cauliflower crust for 15 minutes, then flip it over and bake another 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown and crust is crispy; remove from oven and brush with a small amount of olive oil.
  7. For the pizza:
  8. While pizza crust is baking, caramelize onions in a sauté pan over low heat with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, sea salt and pepper, for about 20-25 minutes until soft and golden brown. Remove pan from stove and set aside.
  9. Reduce the balsamic vinegar on the stove by bringing vinegar and stevia (or honey) to a boil in a small pan. Reduce heat to medium-low; let simmer for 8-10 minutes.
  10. Stir the vinegar occasionally as it simmers and let reduce by half until the consistency is thick and syrupy.
  11. Roughly chop the cranberries and add to a small pan with ½ tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Sauté for 5 minutes, then toss them in the balsamic reduction and set aside.
  12. Remove pizza crust from oven and spread ricotta cheese in an even layer, leaving 1-inch border on the outer crust. Sprinkle with caramelized onions and shredded rotisserie chicken, top with 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
  13. Slide pizza back into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes (or broil it at 450-500 degrees for 2 minutes) on the upper rack, until cheese is bubbly and browned. Remove pizza from oven.
  14. Sprinkle the sautéed balsamic cranberries evenly over pizza, and top with arugula and fresh basil.
  15. Drizzle pizza with additional olive oil and balsamic reduction, if desired.
  16. Slice into 4-8 pieces and serve immediately.
  17. NOTE:
  18. If using pre-made or frozen cauliflower pizza crust:
  19. Place pizza stone or baking sheet on middle rack of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line pizza peel or large round baking sheet with parchment paper.
  20. Spray the crust with olive oil cooking spray and top with ricotta, mozzarella, shredded chicken and caramelized onions. Bake for 10-12 minutes and remove from oven. Top with the balsamic cranberries, fresh basil, arugula and drizzle with extra balsamic glaze for garnish.

Notes

To save time and effort, use a pre-made frozen cauliflower pizza crust and top with ricotta and mozzarella cheese, onions, chicken and bake for 11-13 minutes, then top with arugula, balsamic cranberries and basil and additional olive oil and balsamic glaze to garnish and cut into slices and serve.

You can make the crusts ahead, wrap well with plastic, and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.

Macros per serving: 166 calories 9.7 g fat 3.3 g saturated fat 46mg cholesterol 211 mg sodium 7 g total carbs 1.3g fiber 4.1g total sugars 12.4 g protein 5.7g net carbs

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes
https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2020/05/balsamic-cranberry-chicken-cauliflower-pizza/

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

Feel free to share this post and please include a link back to this blog post and tag Cape Cod Select using hashtags #FrozenCranberries #YearOfTheCranberry #CapeCodSelect #SelectTheBest and #artfulgourmet @artfulgourmet

I’d also love to hear your comments below if you made the recipe!

Balsamic Cranberry Chicken Cauliflower Pizza

For more information, recipes and where to buy Cape Cod Select Cranberries, follow them online: 

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Spinach Artichoke Chicken & Bacon Flatbread Pizza

Pizza-hero2

If there was one last thing I could eat before my last day on earth yes, it would be pizza. Italian food is one of my favorite things to eat and cook – in fact my Techniques of Italian Cooking course at the Institute of Culinary Education got me hooked on making homemade pizza and pasta from scratch.

Pizza Hero 3

But sometimes making pizza dough at home is time-consuming and labor intensive and all I want to do is eat pizza. Sure, I live in NYC and it’s easy enough to walk downstairs and get a slice or two at the local pizza shop. But when I want pizza but don’t really feel like paying $6 a slice or $25 for a whole pie, I make my own. And, I’m absolutely in love with thin crust pizza and honestly, it’s the toppings and flavor combinations that are so much fun to experiment with. It’s also Summer and beach days are calling, so using up all my carbs and calories with one slice of pizza is no fun. Alas, I discovered FlatOut flat breads that you can prepare yourself with the use of bread machines that you can get easily online at sites like Village-Bakery.com. They’re thin and light and bake up into a crispy shell in minutes and are the perfect base for any pizza. And they’re only 130 calories and 2 g of fat in each one. And that’s pretty awesome.

Pizza-hero1

So today I made a Spinach Artichoke, Chicken and Bacon flatbread pizza on one of these cuties. And it’s absolutely delicious. And not too filling. And I don’t feel so guilty eating it that I want to hide under the covers and never put on a bathing suit again. Or fall asleep on my laptop after eating while writing this. I used the Honey Wheat thin flat breads which are perfect for one person, but you could also try another flavor (plain, whole wheat, spinach) or try one of their pizza flat breads which are a little longer and bigger if you’re feeding a crowd.

Spinach Artichoke Dip base

This flavor bomb pizza has a layer of spinach and artichoke dip on the base of the flatbread which I baked for a couple of minutes on the oven rack to get it crispy and lightly browned before adding the dip as a base for the other ingredients.

Onions-Bacon-base

Then I topped it with some crispy bacon, sauteed onions and mozzarella cheese..

Add Chicken

some cooked chicken breast (seasoned with Old Honey Barn Kentucky Seasoning that I bought in Louisville KY),

Top with Grated Cheese

and a touch of garlic powder and a healthy dose of grated parmesan cheese.

Baked Pizza

I popped it in the oven for about 5 minutes until the cheese melted, then topped it off with some chile flakes, green onions and more parmesan cheese as a garnish, and a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper. OMG> so delicious and so easy.

PizzaHero4

I’m thinking this will be my new thing for Summer and I’ve already thought of a million pizza combinations and ideas I’m planning to make. In fact, you could use the same ingredients to make a kick butt quesadilla on the stove or a healthy chicken wrap. Sayonara gut bomb thick crust pizza, hello thin and crispy skinny pizza.

You’ve made my life. ;)

Spinach Artichoke Chicken & Bacon Flatbread Pizza

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Makes 2 flatbread pizzas.

Serving Size: 1/2 flatbread pizza

This flavor bomb pizza has a layer of spinach and artichoke dip on the base of the flatbread (I had some leftover from last night but you can certainly make your own) which I baked for a couple of minutes on the oven rack to get it crispy and lightly browned. Then I topped it with some sautéed onions, crispy bacon, seasoned cooked chicken breast, and parmesan cheese. I popped it in the oven for about 5 minutes until the cheese was melted and then topped it off with some chile flakes, green onions and more parmesan cheese as a garnish, and a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper. OMG> so delicious and so easy.

Ingredients

  • 2 FlatOut 100% Whole Wheat flatbreads
  • 1 cup Spinach and Artichoke Dip (homemade or store bought)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • ½ large onion, chopped
  • Seasoned salt or Kentucky Chicken seasoning
  • 1 pound thin chicken cutlets (or breasts pounded thin)
  • 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
  • Dash of red chile flakes
  • ½ cup green onions, sliced
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place two FlatOut flatbreads on a cookie sheet (or directly on oven rack for crispier crust). Bake crust for two minutes. You can also grill the flatbread with a little olive oil in a grill pan or on the grill for a couple of minutes.
  2. Remove flatbreads from the oven and spread the spinach and artichoke dip onto the flatbread and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese.
  3. Cook the onions in some olive oil over medium heat and remove from sauté pan. Add the additional tablespoon of oil into the pan and season the chicken breast. Cook chicken for about 5-6 minutes until cooked through, cut into strips or large chunks. Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crisp, then drain and crumble, and set all ingredients aside.
  4. To make the pizzas, sprinkle the cooked onions, chicken and bacon on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with garlic powder, parmesan cheese, more mozzarella cheese and chili flakes.
  5. Bake for 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove flatbread from the oven, and top with sliced green onions, red chile flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and additional grated parmesan, to taste.

Notes

You can substitute any flatbread you like for this pizza or even use real pizza dough if made super thin.

Feel free to experiment with the toppings too - the sky is the limit!

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2017/06/spinach-artichoke-chicken-bacon-flatbread-pizza/

Pizza Hero 5

The Most Popular Posts of 2015 :: Happy New Year 2016!

2015 Happy New Year

So here it is, the last day of the year 2015..oh how time flies, and so much has happened! I’m so thankful for all the wonderful opportunities that have come into my life and the lessons learned along the way.  Here are some of my Top / Most Popular posts from The Artful Gourmet blog this year — and wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year 2016!

Neapolitan Pizza

The Secrets to Making Neapolitan Pizza like a Master Pizzaiolo –https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/08/11/neapolitan-pizza-making-with-the-pros/

Crab Salad

Refreshingly Light Get in My Bikini Salad – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/05/21/refreshingly-light-get-in-my-bikini-crab-salad/

Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2011/11/02/classic-comfort-food-beef-stroganoff/

Homemade Rustic Pizzas

Homemade Rustic Pizzas: Chicken, Spinach, Garlic & Sundried Tomato Pizza & Pepperoni, Ham & Sautéed Veggies Pizza – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/10/02/homemade-rustic-pizzas-chicken-spinach-garlic-sundried-tomato-pizza-pepperoni-ham-sauteed-veggie-pizza/

holiday dinner menu

An Intimate Gathering Holiday Dinner Party Menu: https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2010/11/28/an-intimate-gathering-holiday-dinner-party-menu/

Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini

Rochester-Style Chicken French & Lemon Broccolini – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/03/17/rochester-style-chicken-french-lemon-broccolini/

Mario Lopez & Avocados from Mexico

Food Styling for Mario Lopez and Avocados from Mexico – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/12/17/food-styling-mario-lopez-avocados-mexico-nbc-live-bethenny-shows/

pasta fagioli soup

Big Pot O’Goodness: Pasta Fagioli – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2011/12/11/big-pot-o-goodness-pasta-fagioli/

Truffle-Pancetta-3Cheese-Pasta

Truffled 3-Cheese Pasta with Pancetta and Garlic – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2011/10/25/crazy-good-truffle-oil-pancetta-three-cheese-pasta/

BDTChowder

Black Dog Tavern’s Quahog Chowderhttps://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2011/09/24/a-taste-of-marthas-vineyard-the-black-dog-taverns-quahog-chowder/

Asparagus-Garlic-3-Cheese Tart

Baby Asparagus, Garlic & Three Cheese Tart – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/11/24/asparagus-three-cheese-tart/

Spicy Cajun Chili
Spicy Cajun Chilihttps://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/11/09/spicy-cajun-chili/

Shrimp Scampi Pasta

Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/05/13/shrimp-scampi-pasta/

Spinach Artichoke Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

Spinach Artichoke Pizza with Cauliflower Crusthttps://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/06/03/spinach-artichoke-ricotta-pizza-with-parmesan-garlic-cauliflower-crust/

Recipes Worth Sharing Cookbook

Recipes Worth Sharing: A Collection of Favorite Regional Recipes – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/03/21/recipes-worth-sharing-a-collection-of-favorite-regional-recipes/

Sun Noodle Ramen Lab

Top Ten {Things I Love} :: Spring 2013 – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/04/07/top-ten-things-i-love-spring-2013/

Southern Feast

A Dose of Southern Comfort & Down-Home Recipes – Part 1 – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/05/08/a-dose-of-southern-comfort-down-home-recipes-part-1/

spicy fish tacos and wine

Cool off with some Spicy Fish Tacos & Summer Wine Pairings – https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2012/06/01/cool-off-with-some-spicy-fish-tacos-summer-wine-pairings/

Hope you enjoyed these posts and looking forward to sharing more fun stories with you in the New Year!

Rustic Pizza with Ham, Grapes, Shallots, Honey & Thyme

Rustic Pizza with Grapes, Shallots, Ham & Thyme

So it’s Friday. And a lovely Spring day. I was in the mood to make something lovely to eat, preferably with a sweet and savory twist. I’ve also been on a baking kick lately, not sure why but I’m loving experimenting with different flavors and textures of pizzas and tarts and pies.

Rustic Pizza with Grapes, Shallots, Ham & Thyme

I decided to make a delicious rustic pizza made with some red grapes, shallots, sharp white cheddar and mozzarella cheese, and some thin cut Italian ham. I simply rolled out some refrigerated pizza dough and then topped it off with some olive oil, all the pizza ingredients, and some fresh thyme.

Rustic Pizza with Grapes, Shallots, Ham & Thyme

I popped it into a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes until all the cheese and crust was bubbly and golden brown, then finished this beauty off with some sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, some fresh basil and drizzles of honey.

Rustic Pizza with Grapes, Shallots, Ham & Thyme

This is the best thing I have ever tasted in my life. Seriously. The contrast of the sweet grapes, shallots and honey with the sharp and tangy cheddar cheese and salty, crispy ham are like a true love affair…in Paris.

I’m thinking the only thing better than this would be an actual trip to Paris..on the top of the Eiffel Tower at sunset. With a chocolate croissant and cafe au lait in hand. With a really cute French guy. Ooh La La.

Aaah – a girl can dream, can’t she? (Happy Friday!)

Rustic Pizza with Grapes, Shallots, Ham & Thyme

Rustic Pizza with Ham, Grapes, Shallots, Cheese, Honey & Thyme

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 6-8

Serving Size: 1 slice/wedge

Ingredients

  • 1 package of refrigerated pizza dough (or homemade if you prefer)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 shallot, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere or Mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded extra sharp White Cheddar cheese
  • 4-6 thin slices Italian ham or prosciutto
  • 1/2 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Fresh thyme
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Honey for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Spray a pizza sheet with oil and stretch out pizza dough to the edges making a thin crust.
  3. Drizzle the dough with olive oil and sprinkle with the shredded Mozzarella cheese. Add the sliced shallots, ham, grapes and White cheddar cheese on to the dough evenly. Top with some fresh thyme leaves and red pepper flakes.
  4. Bake for about 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.
  5. Top with fresh basil, sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper and drizzle with honey.
  6. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Notes

You can also substitute prosciutto or bacon for the ham, and top with some fresh ricotta cheese if desired.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2015/04/rustic-pizza-with-ham-grapes-shallots-cheese-honey-thyme/

 

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

Spinach Artichoke Ricotta Pizza with Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Cauliflower-SpinachArtichoke-Pizza-hero

Spinach Artichoke Ricotta Pizza with Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Summer has quickly arrived and it’s that time of year again to shed a few pounds and hit the beach. I’ve decided to muster up some will power and started experimenting with a low carb diet with grand visions of lazy days on the beach in that bikini I need to fit back into. The bad news is whenever I decide to go on a diet, my brain automatically starts thinking about all the evil foods I CAN’T eat – pizza being one of the first things I start craving.

I decided to make a low-carb pizza using a parmesan garlic cauliflower crust. It sounds weird, but it’s absolutely delicious and healthy and a great substitute for traditional pizza dough when you want a healthier option to cut some carbs out of your diet (while satisfying your cravings for pizza which are absolutely NOT allowed when you’re doing low carb!) I’m absolutely in LOVE with spinach artichoke dip and thought I would make a lighter version mixed with some fresh ricotta, garlic, onion and parmesan cheese to top the pizza.

I found a gorgeous head of bright yellow Carnival cauliflower and simply shredded and chopped it into a fine crumble (you can also do this in a food processor or blender). Then I chopped up some garlic and threw them both in the microwave for about 8 minutes, then drained and let cool.

You simply need to mix in some grated parmesan cheese (or any other shredded cheese you like), an egg, garlic, dried minced onion, herbs de Provence (or dried oregano or basil), a few sesame or chia seeds (optional), some yeast, almond flour and sea salt and black pepper. Then pat the mixture on to a greased pizza sheet or Silpat mat, then bake for about 10-15 minutes until the crust is lightly golden brown.

In the meantime, to make the luscious (and healthy) spinach, artichoke and ricotta topping – simply sauté the spinach with some garlic and olive oil, mix in some chopped up artichoke hearts (precooked), fresh minced garlic, ricotta cheese and shredded parmesan cheese, then top the pizza crust spreading the mixture in an even layer. Top with some additional shredded cheese (I used sharp white cheddar but you can use mozzarella or Monterey jack or any other cheese you like that melts well), and then scoop some light and fluffy ricotta cheese on top of the mixture and bake for another 7-10 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbly.

In my experiment I found that you shouldn’t spread the pizza crust out on the pan too thin, as it is more fragile than a traditional dough crust and needs to be a bit thick to hold up the ingredients. So try to keep the crust about ¾” to 1 inch thick evenly all around to the edges or it will burn.

Also, let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes or so before slicing it. Top with additional salt and pepper, red pepper flakes if desired, and grated parmesan cheese.

Devour. Repeat.

Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Preheat the oven to 425. Prepare the cauliflower crust ingredients and pat down on a greased pizza pan.

Baked Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Bake at 425 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until it starts to get golden brown around the edges.

Pizza Ready For Oven

Top pizza crust with spinach artichoke mixture, shredded cheese and ricotta. Bake for another 10 minutes.

Spinach Artichoke Ricotta Pizza with Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Let pizza cool down for 5-10 minutes and cut into slices.

Spinach Artichoke Ricotta Pizza with Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Garnish with additional salt and pepper, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Spinach Artichoke Ricotta Pizza with Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Devour.

Spinach Artichoke Ricotta Pizza with Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Repeat.

Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower Crust

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 6 (or 1 large 9-10\" pie)

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower (about 2 ½ cups shredded)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon sesame or chia seeds
  • ½ teaspoon herbs de provence (or dried basil or oregano)
  • ½ teaspoon dried minced onion
  • sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425.
  2. Grease a 9-10” round pizza pan or place Silpat mat on a rectangular baking sheet.
  3. Shred and chop cauliflower into fine crumbles (either by hand with a large Chef’s knife or with a food processor).
  4. Mince the garlic and add to the cauliflower in a microwave-safe large bowl.
  5. Microwave covered with plastic wrap for about 7-8 minutes.
  6. Uncover, drain and let cool for about 5-10 minutes.
  7. Add the next nine ingredients and mix together well.
  8. Bake the crust for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove the crust from oven and set aside.

Notes

In my experiment I found that you shouldn't spread the pizza crust out on the pan too thin, as it is more fragile than a traditional dough crust and needs to be a bit thick to hold up the ingredients. So try to keep the crust about ¾” to 1 inch thick evenly all around to the edges or it will burn.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/06/spinach-artichoke-ricotta-pizza-with-parmesan-garlic-cauliflower-crust/

Spinach & Artichoke Ricotta Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6 (or 1 large 9-10\\\" pie)

Ingredients

  • 1 parbaked cauliflower crust (see attached recipe above)
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 package frozen spinach, defrosted (or 1 bag fresh baby spinach)
  • 1 package frozen artichokes, defrosted (or 1-14 oz can, drained)
  • 1-15 oz container ricotta cheese, divided in half
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup white cheddar cheese (can sub Monterey jack or mozzarella), shredded
  • dash of red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.
  2. Place the spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cook for about 8 minutes on HIGH.
  3. Mince the shallots and garlic cloves and drain the spinach (pressing out extra liquids).
  4. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the shallots for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.
  5. Add the additional tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the spinach for another few minutes, mixing all ingredients together. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
  6. Microwave the artichokes in a large microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cook for about 5-6 minutes on HIGH and drain. (if using canned artichokes, simply drain).
  7. Chop the artichokes up into small pieces and place into a large mixing bowl.
  8. Add half of the container of ricotta cheese, 1 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix well.
  9. Stir in the spinach, shallots and garlic mixture.
  10. Drizzle or spray some olive oil lightly on to the parbaked cauliflower pizza crust.
  11. Spread the spinach, artichoke and ricotta mixture evenly over the crust.
  12. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and scoop out a few large tablespoons of ricotta cheese and place on top of the pizza.
  13. Bake at 425 degrees for another 7-10 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbly and the crust edges are light golden brown. (Watch crust edges to make sure they don't burn).
  14. Remove pizza from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
  15. Slice into wedges (or squares if making rectangular pizza) and top with additional red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese.

Notes

In my experiment I found that you shouldn't spread the pizza crust out on the pan too thin, as it is more fragile than a traditional dough crust and needs to be a bit thick to hold up the ingredients. So try to keep the crust about ¾” to 1 inch thick evenly all around to the edges or it will burn.

https://www.theartfulgourmet.com/2013/06/spinach-artichoke-ricotta-pizza-with-parmesan-garlic-cauliflower-crust/

More pizza recipes you might enjoy:

Two Peas and Their Pod Spinach Artichoke Pesto Pizza

Real Simple Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

Gluten Free Spinach and Artichoke Pizza Better Batter

Recipe Girl’s Hawaiian Cauliflower Pizza

Closet Cooking’s BBQ Chicken Cauliflower Crust Pizza