Pizza, the crowd pleaser of crowd pleasers. This dish dates back centuries to ancient Greece, France, and of course Italia. In making this Veggie Pesto Pizza, I attempted to channel the culinary artistry of the Italians by using a thin crust, and a variety of fresh veggies, herbs, and spices. The Smart Flour Crust is made with whole grains, allowing it to have a thin, chewy texture and nutty, rich flavor. It’s also gluten free, for any of you with allergies. The pesto sauce is a classic mixture with a little twist – combining fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil with baby greens, cashews and lemon juice. The toppings are just a hodge podge of veggies, spices, balsamic, and a bit of wine. The end result is a savory, healthy, pizza packed with flavor and a whole lot of antioxidants, fiber, and color!
VEGGIE PESTO PIZZA
Ingredients:
- 1 Pack of Smart Flour Pizza Crusts (holds 2, available at WF Lafayette)
- 1 cup red onion, diced
- 1/2-1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 cup zucchini, thinly sliced
- 2 roasted red bell peppers, diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed and diced
- 1 cup chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- pinch of Himalayan salt to taste
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- splash of wine (optional)
- Basil & Baby Greens Pesto (see recipe below)
- sprinkle of cheese (Follow Your Heart shredded mozzarella is the best), or use cashew crumbles (ground cashews)
Directions:
For toppings:
- In a large sauce pan, sauté red onion with olive oil over low-medium heat until lightly browned and caramelized.
- Add cremini mushrooms and cook until golden brown.
- Stir in zucchini and sauté until zucchini becomes tender and light brown on the edges.
- Add roasted bell peppers and garlic, cook until garlic becomes aromatic.
- Pour in chickpeas, salt, red pepper flakes, balsamic and wine.
- Allow mixture to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
For Pizza:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place plain crusts in oven and bake for about 4-6 minutes or until the center becomes crispy -this will ensure that the pizza won’t be soggy.
- Remove crusts from the oven and spread on a generous amount of pesto sauce.
- Add vegetable mixture.
- Sprinkle on cheese or cashew crumbles.
- Bake for another 4-6 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is crisp. Be careful not to burn.
BASIL & BABY GREENS PESTO SAUCE
- 1 cup packed basil leaves
- 1 cup packed baby greens (kale, chard, collard greens)
- 1/4 cup cashews, pine nuts or walnuts
- 1/4-1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Directions:
- Combine basil, greens, nuts, garlic, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Slowly add olive oil while blending the mixture until the texture becomes creamy and smooth.
Happy cooking!
Coach Jentry
Gumsaba Outdoor Fitness Class schedule Thursday 3/12/15
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Womens only class – Coach Briana – Sets n Reps
5:30AM Sunrise Danville Mens only class – Coach Joel – Circuit
6AM Sunup Lafayette Co-Ed class – Coach Jentry – Circuit
9AM Sunshine Walnut Creek Womens class – Coach Briana – Sets N Reps
9:35AM Rose Court Co-ED – Coach Michelle – (private class) Kickbox + Cardio
11:00AM Cytosport HIIT Training – Coach Briana (private class)
12:00PM Cytosport Power Yoga – Coach Jentry (private class)