Broccoli, Sun-Dried Tomato and Mushroom Pizza

Hi there! I'm Nancy, Megan's Mom and Katie's Aunt!  I love finding and trying new recipes.  Sometimes I even bravely try them out for the first time when I have guests over!  Sometimes I like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking and others I just want to get it done, quick and simple.  Any way you look at it thought I like to eat healthy and tend to go meatless most of the time.  I like to show others that you can eat yummy meals that are plant based only!  I'm also excited that Megan & Katie decided to let me be a guest blogger!  Enjoy my recipes!

The flavor in this pizza is really big for only a few ingredients!  The sun dried tomatoes are packed with flavor and roasted broccoli has a delicious, caramelized, seasoned taste to it.  Mushrooms are the perfect complement to this trio of veggies.  String cheese is probably not what you usually think of for pizza, but is a great innovative idea for pizza cheese!

Servings: 3
Serving Size: 1/3 of pizza
Points Plus: 6pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 12 inch thin whole wheat pizza crust (I used Golden Home Ultra Thin)
1 cup broccoli florets, roasted
1/4 cup. sun dried tomatoes, diced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced thin
6 light string cheese sticks

Directions:
Spread the broccoli evenly over the pizza crust.  Next, add the diced sun dried tomatoes and finally layer on the mushrooms.  Separate the string cheese into 8 pieces per stick and distribute evenly on top of the pizza.  Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  Slice and enjoy!

Tip:
I like to cut my pizza into narrow slices because it makes it seem like I have more to eat and dinner takes a little bit more time this way.

XOXO Nancy

Grilled Pita Pizzas

My husband actually came up with this idea for this recipe!  We are continuously finding new ways to use our grill and with a variety of different foods.  We love to make homemade pizza and thought why not try a grilled pizza of sorts.  Pitas worked great on the grill since they are already cooked and not just dough.  We went for a simple tomato, basil and cheese recipe, but you could easily make whatever kind of pita pizzas you feel like.  Be creative!

Servings: 2
Serving Size: 1 pita pizza
Points Plus: 7pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook/Grill Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pitas

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Fresh rosemary, chopped

Kosher salt

1 large tomato, sliced

4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese, reduced-fat

Fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Wash and chop the fresh rosemary. Slice the tomato into thin slices. Lightly brush 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil on each pita.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh rosemary.  Place the pita on the grill over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. After the pita has started to crisp up on the grill, add tomato slices, fresh basil leaves and top with 2 oz. of shredded mozzareall cheese.  Place back on the grill for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt.  Slice into quarters with a pizza cutter and serve immediately!

Tip:

Fresh herbs made such a difference!  We have a rosemary plant we've been using all summer long and it's amazing how much more flavorful the fresh variety is compared to a dried herb.

XOXO Megan

Tortilla Margarita Pizza

Using a tortilla as a pizza crust is a quick and easy way to whip up a thin crust pizza.  Like with any pizza, the topping choices are endless, for the one below I used the simple ingredients of fresh tomatoes, olive oil and feta to create a fun margarita version.  The tortilla creates the perfect thin crispy and crunchy thin crust texture!

Servings: 2
Serving Size: 1 pizza
Points Plus: 8pp
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
1 whole wheat tortilla
1 t extra virgin olive oil
1 tomato, cut into this pieces
10 fresh basil leaves
½ cup reduced fat feta cheese

Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place your tortilla on a pizza stone and top it with 1 t of olive oil.  Use a silicone brush to spread the oil around the pizza.  Next layer on the tomatoes, cheese and basil. Bake for 10-12 minutes until crispy.

Tip
You could easily swap out the feta for mozzarella to create a more traditional margarita pizza

XOXO - Katie

Caprese English Muffin Pizzas

Caprese is the first thing I think of when I think of fresh basil!  Here's a new twist on English muffin pizza... caprese salad style.  These are a delicious, easy weeknight dinner that comes together in a flash!

Servings: 2
Serving Size 2 open-faced English muffin halves
Points Plus: 7pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
2 English muffins
4 tsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
2 oz. fresh mozzarella
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
Fresh basil

Directions:
Toast the English muffins and lightly brush each half with 1 tsp. olive oil, salt & pepper.  Wash and slice the tomato.  Add tomato slices, fresh basil leaves and top with 1/2 oz. of fresh mozzarella on each English muffin half.  Broil in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese just starts to melt.  Serve immediately!

Tip:
You could also drizzle some balsamic vinegar on these caprese English muffin pizzas.  I'm not a huge fan, so I didn't add any to my version above!

XOXO Megan

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Homemade pizza is easily our favorite recipe when we don't feel like making something that takes a lot of time.  This past weekend we thought about making our usual pizza - turkey pepperoni and some veggies, but I said no let's think of something new.  The first idea that popped in both our heads was to try out a BBQ chicken pizza.  Let me tell you... this was SO good it might become our new staple!  I did some research to see what others put on their BBQ chicken pizzas and I came up with this recipe as a combo of a bunch of different ideas.

Servings: 8
Serving Size: 1 slice
Points Plus: 5pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury refigerated pizza dough, classic style

3/4 cup BBQ sauce, divided

6 oz. rotisserie chicken

1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, reduced-fat

1/4 cup red onion, diced

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Open the can of pizza dough and gently shape into a pizza shape on a lightly greased pizza pan. Pre-bake the crust for about 6 minutes in a 400 degree oven before adding toppings.  Once the crust is pre-baked, evenly spread 1/2 cup of of BBQ sauce almost to the edges of the dough.  In a small bowl, combine the rotisserie chicken with 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce and stir until the chicken is evenly coated.  Top the pizza with mozzarella cheese, BBQ chicken and sprinkle the diced red onion and chopped cilantro on top.  Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown.

Tip:

Rotisserie chicken is a great easy way to have fresh chicken on hand for a variety of recipes!  Pizza, tacos, add to a pasta dish etc. 

XOXO Megan

Mushroom & Mozzarella Tart

Its FRIDAY ya’all! So let’s splurge a little shall we?  Also – I will teach you a little lesson.  Read on…

I saw this recipe on ‘I am a food blog’ a few weeks ago and knew instantly that I had to try.  I tried to calculate the pp from my phone and was delighted to see that a whole puff pastry sheet was only 7pp.  How could it be?  Puff pastry is pretty much like eating a doughnut!  Instantly I began concocting recipes that included my newest low point find! Of course homemade doughnuts, but croissants and pizzas as well!  I bought all of the ingredients for this tasty recipe (subbed a few), came home, cooked it up and popped it in the oven.  I decided to recalculate the pp from my home computer, just to be on the safe side.  And you know what I found?!?! I was totally wrong about the pp, and the sheet of puff pastry was actually closer to 37pp.  Yikes! I quickly reconfigured my dinner but cutting down my portion of this tart and adding a salad. Needless to say this tart is the bomb, but what isn't when puff pastry is involved?  So splurge a little, make this tasty, flaky, mushroomy, tart…and call it a day.

Servings: 6

Serving Size:  1/6 of Pizza

Points Plus: 8pp

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Cooking spray

White onion, thinly sliced with a mandolin or sharp knife

1 cups shitake mushrooms, sliced

Salt + pepper to taste

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425.

Spray a large nonstick skillet and add your sliced onions. Cook until soft and caramelized, stirring occasionally, or about 20 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are cooked and deep brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lay your thawed puff pastry on a SPRAYED (VERY IMPORTANT) cookie sheet. Top the puff pastry with the mushroom onion mixture and sprinkle on the cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and pastry is puffy and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Enjoy with a sprinkling of flat leaf parsley.

Tip

I truly truly truly believe that you can sauté veggies and even caramelize onions without oil or butter.  The key is using a low heat.  Be patient and give it a whirl! 

XOXO - Katie

Pepperoni & Green Olive Pizza

Okay I can’t resist sharing ONE more Valentine’s day recipe with you!!!  This is a fun little tradition my husband and I started on our first Valentine’s day together.  We’ve continued it for the past three years and I just think it’s so fun!  Instead of going out for an expensive dinner when it’s impossible to get a reservation unless you thought ahead and booked something a month in advance, why not just stay home and make dinner?  Better yet, make a HEART-shaped pizza! :)

I also know that I’ve posted a few variations already of our homemade pizza, but this combo was so delicious that I had to share with all of you.  Both Paul and I love green olives, but if you are more of a fan of the black olive variety feel free to sub those in instead.

Servings:  6

Size:  1/6 of the pizza

Points Plus: 7pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time:  15-20 minutes

Ingredient List:

1 can of Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough, classic style crust

1 can pizza sauce (4 oz)

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

18 slices of turkey pepperoni

8 large green olive, sliced

1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella, park-skim

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cooking spray

Directions:

Lightly grease a pizza pan.  Open the can of pizza dough and shape into a heart shaped pizza, gently working the dough outward.  Cook the crust according to the directions on the package, which suggests you pre-bake the crust for 5-7 minutes first before you add sauce and toppings.  After the crust is pre-baked, take the pizza out and evenly spread the can of pizza sauce on top of the crust.  Sprinkle oregano over the pizza sauce.  Next, add the cheese and place the pepperoni slices and green olives on top.  Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown.

Tip:

Katie recently introduced me to the wheat Pillsbury crust and I have to say… I might like it even better than the regular white flour kind!  Try it out and see what you prefer. 

XOXO Megan

Pancetta & Asparagus Pizza

I love to take my standard homemade pizza recipe and come up with a new variation!  As we were trying to use up things from our fridge a few weeks ago, I came up with the idea of pairing asparagus and pancetta for a non-traditional pizza.  The possibilities really are endless, see what you can come up with to use up ingredients from your own fridge!

Servings:  8

Size:  1 slice of pizza

Points Plus: 6pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time:  15-20 minutes

Rating: 4 stars – Very good

Ingredient List:

1 can of Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough, classic style crust

1 can pizza sauce (4 oz)

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

5 slices of pancetta

½ lb. asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella, park-skim

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Open the can of pizza dough and shape into a pizza shape, gently working the dough outward on a lightly greased pizza pan.  Cook the crust according to the directions on the package, which suggests you pre-bake the crust for 5-7 minutes first before you add sauce and toppings.  While the crust is baking, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the prepared asparagus pieces.  Boil for 3 minutes; then drain and rinse with cold water.  Take the pizza out and evenly spread the can of pizza sauce on top of the crust, spread almost to the edges of the dough.  Sprinkle oregano over the pizza sauce.  Next, add the cheese, then add the cooked asparagus and slices of pancetta on top.  Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown.

Tip:

A good tip to make sure the asparagus stays crisp is to immediately rinse your cooked asparagus with cold water to stop the cooking process.  I thought this really helped to keep the asparagus from getting too mushy before they finished cooking with the pizza.  It’s kind of a variation of the blanching technique with vegetables!

XOXO Megan

Polenta Pepperoni Pizza

Hello everyone!  As you know it is that busy time of year, where food and drinks are the focus and you are too busy to do anything, let alone meal planning!  I don’t know about you but I ate way too many holiday goodies this past weekend (including more pieces of homemade fudge than I care to admit – recipe coming next week)! Are you hosting any holiday get-togethers?  Megan and I thought it would be fun to feature some easy and healthy holiday inspired appetizer ideas this week to make your party planning a breeze.  One of the most popular posts on EAT ME is for our mini polenta pizzas.  I thought I would do a twist on these by making them Christmas colored (red, green and white!) and adding meat.  They turned out really tasty – enjoy!  Also they are extremely easy.  Make these for your holiday party – people will be impressed people!

Servings: 12

Serving Size: 2 polenta pizzas

Points Plus: 3pp

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Rating: 5 stars - Excellent

Ingredient List

1 log of polenta

12 pieces turkey pepperoni

1 cup marinara sauce

¼ cup fat free feta

1 cup arugula, chopped

Italian seasoning

Cooking spray

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. Cut polenta log into 12 equal rounds. Lay the rounds on a baking tray and spray them with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove tray from oven, flip rounds, and layer with toppings, starting with about 1 T. of sauce, then 1 turkey pepperoni, about 1 T. of raw arugula, about 1 t. of feta and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning.  Return the tray to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Tip

Of course you could make these polenta rounds into any type of pizza your little heart desires! I chose these toppings because they were holiday-esk, but experiment! (and let us know what you do)

XOXO - Katie

Greek Pita Pizzas

This is a recipe I found on Pinterest a long time ago and was curious how it would turn out.  We made this for dinner on Friday night and it was a perfect light meal to kick off the weekend.  I wasn't sure if one pita would be satisfying enough, but you will be surprised at how filling these pita pizzas are. The original recipe can be found on this blog.  I made a handful of adaptations when I made my version - mostly using pitas instead of making your own pizza crust.  Either way would be delicious!

Servings:  2

Size:  1 pita pizza

Points Plus: 9pp

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Rating: 4 stars – Very good

Ingredient List:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 pitas
1 cucumber
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup feta cheese

Homemade Tzatziki Sauce:
1 cup Greek yogurt, plain, reduced-fat
1/2 cup shredded cucumber
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. minced garlic
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat up the olive oil and cook the chicken.  You may want to cut the chicken breasts into smaller strips to speed up the cooking time.  While the chicken is cooking, you can make the homemade Tzatziki sauce and prep the veggies.  For the Tzatziki, combine the Greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, lemon juice, garlic and salt & pepper in a small Pyrex measuring cup.  Whisk together until well mixed.  Wash and prep the Roma tomatoes by dicing and dice the remaining cucumber.  Once the chicken is done cooking, allow to cool for a few minutes before you cut into bite-sized pieces.  Assemble the pizzas by brushing each pita with a little olive oil - then layer veggies (tomato and cucmber), feta and chicken.  Drizzle the Tzatziki sauce over the top of each pita pizza.  Cook in a 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes.  You are really just warming up the pizzas and making sure the pitas crisp up a bit.

Tip:
For the shredded cucumber, using a zester worked well for me.  You will end up with more juice than actual shredded cucumber pieces, but it will help to flavor the Tzatziki just the same.

XOXO Megan

Sunday Night Pizza Party!

It has been quite a weekend ya'all! Laying by the pool, celebrating a very special bachelorette, dinner at a few of my FAV restaurants of all time and wine...lots and lots of wine.  I decided, the best way to get back into the swing of things and prep for the full work week ahead was to have a pizza party tonight (just me and my husband mind you)! I had two mini Bobloi crusts in my pantry (so cute!) so created two contrasting pizzas.

Servings: 4
Size: 2 pieces (1/2 mini Boboli crust)
Point Plus: 10pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 4 stars - Very Good

White Pizza
1 Boboli 8 inch crust
1/4 cup alfredo sauce, light
Red pepper flakes, to taste
3 oz. chicken breast
3 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, part skim

Buffalo Chicken Pizza
1 Boboli 8 inch crust
1/4 pizza sauce
3 oz. chicken breast
1/4 cup Franks buffalo sauce
1/4 c. blue cheese crumbles
2 scallions, white and green, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut chicken (6 oz. total) into small pieces and saute in a non-stick skillet until cooked through, about five minutes. Remove 3 oz. of chicken from pan and set aside.  Add Franks to the remaining chicken in your pan and cook until warmed.

To assemble - put crusts on a cookie sheet and add respected sauce to each.  Layer toppings in the order listed above. Bake for 10 minutes, until tops of pizza are browned!

Tip:
Using a small pizza crust is perfect for creating more variety!

XOXO Katie

Supreme Pizza

Homemade pizza is one of Paul and my favorite meals to make together!  Actually this was the first meal we ever cooked together on our 4^th date. :) We make a lot of different pizza varieties, but here is a recipe for a modified version of supreme.

Servings:  8

Size:  1 slice of pizza

Points Plus: 5pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time:  15-20 minutes

Rating: 4 stars – Very Good

Ingredient List:

1 can of Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough, classic style crust

1 8 oz can pizza sauce (my favorite brand is Pastorelli)

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

16 slices of turkey pepperoni

1 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup shredded mozzarella, park-skim

1 cup shredded cheddar, reduced-fat

Directions:

Open the can of pizza dough and shape into a pizza shape, gently working the dough outward on a lightly greased pizza pan.  Evenly spread the can of pizza sauce on top of the crust, spread almost to the edges of the dough.  Sprinkle oregano over pizza sauce before putting in the oven to pre-bake the crust.  Cook the crust according to the directions on the package.  It works best to start cooking the crust with just the sauce and no toppings to result in a crispier pizza crust. Bake the un-topped pizza crust for 5-7 minutes.  While the crust is baking, prepare your onions and peppers.  Take the pizza out and top with cheese first, then your veggies and finally place the slices of turkey pepperoni on top.  Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown.

Tip:

At only 5pp per slice, don’t feel bad if you eat 2 slices of this supreme pizza.  I typically end up eating two slices when we make this!

XOXO Megan

English Muffin Pizzas

This is such an easy, quick dinner for when you are short on time!  Mini pizzas in the form of English muffins are a fun take and a lighter, healthier option if you are craving pizza.  Topping options are unlimited with this recipe too – just substitute whatever you are in the mood for or whatever is in your fridge.

Servings:  2

Size:  2 open-faced English muffin halves

Points Plus: 6pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time:  5 minutes

Rating: 3 stars - Good

Ingredient List:

2 English muffins

2 Tbsp. pizza sauce

Dried oregano

2 oz. mozzarella cheese, reduced fat

12 slices turkey pepperoni

Directions:

Toast the English muffins in your toaster.  Spread pizza sauce on each half.  Sprinkle some dried oregano on top of the sauce, this really helps bring out the pizza taste to these mini pizzas.  Next, top with cheese, split evenly across the 4 halves. Finally, add 3 slices of turkey pepperoni to each mini pizza.  Place pizzas on a cooking sheet and broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Tip:

Turkey pepperoni is a healhty option and a great way to save points!  If you haven't tried it before, you should.  You will be amazed at how much it tastes like regular pepperoni.

XOXO Megan

Taco Pizza

You may not know it, but pizza can be healthy! I like to make all kinds of combos, but just recently, when craving Doritos, I had the idea to make taco pizza.  Sub re-fried beans for pizza sauce, and top with your taco toppings.  This recipe is pretty basic, but the possibilities are endless!

Servings: 4
Size: 2 pieces, 1/4 of pizza
Points Plus: 8pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Rating: 3 stars - Good

Looks Better in Person!

Ingredient List:

1 whole wheat Boboli pizza crust

1 cup fat free re-fried beans

1 cup lettuce, chopped 

1 tomato, cubed

1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar

1 cup raw onion, any kind

1 cup jalapenos

9 Doritos, nacho cheese, crushed

Toppings (optional but calculated into Points Plus)

8 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream

Salsa!

 

Directions: Preheat oven to package directions. Open pizza crust and smear on beans until evenly covered.  Add lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cheese, jalapenos and crushed Doritos. Put on pizza stone and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked to desired crispness. Top with sour cream and salsa!

Tip:

When making home made pizza it is easy to get carried away on toppings and overload your pie causing it to be soggy and limp.  Err (had to look up the spelling of that!) on the light side so you can enjoy a crispy crust!

XOXO - Katie