FULLY LOADED VEGETABLE PIZZA

This vegetarian pizza recipe is so easy to make it is perfect for a quick weekday dinner.  I LOVE homemade pizza dough, but, when you do not have time to make it, it’s ok to take a short cut with a good quality product like Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat Ready to use pizza dough.  You can boost the nutritional value of the pizza by making your own Vegetable Pizza sauce or take an easy route by buying it.  I like to make up a big batch of homemade pizza sauce and freeze it in 1/2 c servings so I can just grab and go whenever I need it.

Anyone can make a quick vegetable pizza, however, I have included a few tricks I use that really add to the the flavor and pizza success.

1.  Make sure you saute ALL your veggies first to release the water content.  This will help to keep your pizza from getting soggy.

2.  Add a little garlic and olive oil to your crust to add yet another level of flavor.  Don’t forget to poke holes in the crust to keep it from bubbling up.

FULLY LOADED VEGETABLE PIZZA

INGREDIENTS:

1 Trader Joe’s Ready to Make Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Pizza Sauce ~ I LOVE TJ’s to buy &  Roni’s Veggie Pizza Sauce to make

1 zucchini, quartered

1 summer squash, quartered

1 1/2 c sliced mushrooms

1/2 green and 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil

2 c finely shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

2 Tbsp shaved or shredded fresh parmesan cheese

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Italian Seasoning

Sea salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees or according to your pizza dough instructions.

2.  Cut up your vegetables, add 1 clove of minced garlic, sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.  Cook in a nonstick skillet with nonstick spray over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes or until slightly softened.  Drain any liquid from the pan using a colander.  This process releases the juices so your pizza does not get soggy. 

3.  While your vegetables are cooking, prepare your pizza dough.  Roll our your pizza onto your pan (stones work best).  Use a fork to randomly poke holes in the crust (this keeps it from bubbling up).  Combine remaining garlic clove and oil and brush over pizza dough.

4.  Build your pizza.  Start by adding sauce.  Then, add your vegetables and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  Top with cheeses and bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and your crust is browned.

Makes 8 BIG slices.

Calories 241.5, Total Fat 9.3 g, Saturated Fat 0.4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g, Cholesterol 15.9 mg, Sodium 738.9 mg, Potassium 177.2 mg, Total Carbohydrate 29.0 g,Dietary Fiber 3.5 g, Sugars 1.2 g, Protein 12.5 g

** NOTE: You can find a VEGAN/GLUTEN FREE version of this recipe on my site HERE.

Saute your veggies.

Poke holes in your crust to keep it from bubbling up.

Combine your oil and garlic then brush it over your pizza dough.

Add your sauce, veggies and spice.

Top with cheeses and bake for 15 minutes.

Bake until the cheese is melted and the crust is browned.

Makes 8 HUGE slices that are fully loaded with veggies and whole grains!

Add turkey pepperoni for your picky eaters and they won’t mind all the veggies you are giving them

Enjoy all the cheesy goodness without the guilt!

I LOVE a healthy pizza especially when you can use it to sneak in your vegetables.  This recipe works fantastic with any toppings ~ get creative and have fun with it!

Tagged as: Pizza, Vegetarian