Favorite Healthy(?) Pizzas

[Gourmet_Mom]

Jean, I know this is going to hurt your brain! I'm sorry! (Laura and Maryann, you're getting to be almost as bad! HAHA!). So many ideas, so many pizzas. Just remember, I'm trying to please the kids while trying to respect William's dietary restrictions.

I'm planning to make some of the vital gluten pizza dough this week to age for a pizza party Sunday.

I've got a request out to William, and I know he would prefer a traditional meat pizza. But he is coming to learn that he also likes things like my tomato, spinach, and goat cheese pizza. And that kind of pizza is much better for him. I will probably make one of his meat pizzas, but that one will be for the kids, mostly.

One thing, shrimp is out. His rehab people told him it was a no no....so he won't eat it....which is sad. His favorite indulgence has always been fried shrimp.

Jean I know you started a thread like this before. Hopefully, someone will bring it to the top? Labs?

But I also know you guys have tried other stuff since then! Maybe we could add to it? Or start anew?

[Mare749]

Funny how our tastes evolve over time. Years ago, we used to love a deep dish pizza with lots of sauce and cheese. Now we like a thinner crust and are finding that less is more. Only my opinion, but the flavors seem more intense on a thinner crust. That said, we like a tomato paste based sauce with a lot of garlic. Top that with a sprinkling of onions, peppers, mushrooms, a light sprinkle of parm and some cubes of mozz and we are completely happy. Naturally, Ron would prefer to have sausage and pepperoni on his, but is getting used to less meat. And, his favorite cooking method is grilled whenever possible. We also love margherita pizza when we have good tomatoes.

Let me know if you would like the recipe I use for garlic lovers sauce.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Garlic lover sauce? Do tell! We LOVE garlic!

[cjs]

Maryann's been holding out on us, Daphne.

I mentioned a pizza I made last week out of Jacques Pepin's "Short Cut Cooking" that we just loved. Simple, helathy and yes thinner crust than I usually like, but I'm learning.

This one was layered with:\
thin tomato slices
couple cloves garlic, thinly sliced
herbes de Provence
salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper
mozz (I used 1/2 mozz/1/2 provolone)
Red pepper flakes

So simple, so good.
-----------
couple of other ideas from his book that I haven't tried yet - one is use tortillas in place of dough.

with a tortilla
combine kidney beans, scallions and salsa - first layer
top with cheddar cheese

Look thru your healthier cookbook and note combinations that could be used on pizza.

[Mare749]

No, I wouldn't do that after all the great recipes you have all shared with me! I'm pretty sure that I have posted this recipe before, but it didn't seem to generate much interest. We really like it. Some mushrooms and cheese is about all you really need to finish the pizza.

Daphne, is William allowed to have turkey sausage? That might be an option, too.

[Gourmet_Mom]

I totally forgot about the turkey sausage!!!! You've saved the day, Maryann!! William will be thrilled to indulge in his favorite!!!!

Now, about that sauce?

[cjs]

I think I posted my turkey/chicken sausage (spicy) for you didn't I, Daphne?

[labradors]

Even with the carnivore that I am, if you put enough mushrooms on a pizza, I'll have no problem with the lack of meat.

In that case, the pizza doesn't even have to be thoroughly laden with Mozzarella. Just a moderate dusting of freshly grated smoked Gouda will work.

Lots of thinly sliced garlic also helps.

Thus, imagine a nice, thin (but not cracker-crunch) crust with homemade tomato sauce, pesto or sun-dried-tomato pesto, the Gouda, a generous layer of sautéed mushrooms and a very visible amount of thinly sliced garlic.

Then, if you wish (and if you have it), you could top it all off with some crumbled goat cheese, but that's getting back to adding more cheese/fat again.

Either way, I'd be very happy with that pizza - even though it has no meat.

[karyn]

Labs, you've just about described John's favorite pizza! The only thing he leaves off is the tomato sauce, but since he won't even eat ketchup, his aversion to tomato sauce on pizza isn't a real surprise... He always tops it with goat cheese or feta, however.

[Gourmet_Mom]

Maryann, I searched for that garlic lovers sauce and didn't find anything by that name?

And I think I may do a Margharitta Pizza. The tomatoes I used for the Caprese Lasagna Roll Ups were actually very good. (BTW, a dish you guys may like....I didn't use the marinara from the recipe.) And I think I'll try your mushroom version as well. Hoping to have two kids and their SO for dinner! YAY!!!!!