Butternut Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza

• Crust
• ¾ cup warm water
• 2½ teaspoon yeast
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoons salt
• 1½- 2 cups white whole wheat flour (or unbleached all purpose)
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• Topping
• 2 cups butternut squash puree
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 spring rosemary
• ½ cup blue cheese
• 3-4 ounces mozzarella cheese

1. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, yeast, and honey- stir with a wooden spoon until yeast is dissolved. Let sit until yeast begins to activate, 5-10 minutes. Once yeast is ready, add in oil, salt, and 1 cup of flour. Turn your mixer on low with the dough hook on and let mix, scrapping down the sides as needed. From here on out, add 2-4 tablespoons of flour at a time, letting the dough mix for a bit until adding more flour. When the dough starts to come together, continue to let the mixer run for 1-2 minutes and adding more flour until your dough has pulled away from the sides of the mixer. Remove from the mixer and place in a warm spot. Brush with oil and let rise for 1 hour.
2. If needing to make butternut squash puree, slice a butternut squash in half, remove the seeds, and place cut side down in a roasting pan. Fill with a ¼” of water and roast butternut squash at 425˚ until tender, 40-50 minutes depending on size. Remove and scoop out the squash. Alternatively, peel and cube butternut squash. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add butternut squash. Boil until tender and mash. In a food processor, pulse garlic and rosemary until broken into small pieces. Add the butternut squash and puree until smooth.
3. Once your dough has double in size, preheat your oven to 500˚. Return to your dough and punch it down. Let rise for 20 more minutes. Roll the dough out onto a surface covered in cornmeal (I used a large wood cutting board put some of you may have a pizza peel.) Roll it out to the size of your pizza stone.
4. Spread the squash puree over the pizza dough and top with mozzarella cheese and blue cheese.
5. Carefully transfer pizza to the stone and bake until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden, 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

**** You can substitute pre-made pizza crust/dough if you'd like *****

adapted from www.naturallyella.com

Asparagus and Blue Cheese Pizza

Ingredients:

16 oz. of ready-to-bake pizza dough

4 oz. of light whipped cream cheese

4 oz. of crumbled fresh salem blue cheese

12 oz. of asparagus spears, trimmed and chopped into bite-size pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Spread pizza dough over pizza stone or cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Spread the cream cheese over the dough (I let mine sit at room temperature for a bit to make it easier to spread).  Top with chopped asparagus and then sprinkle blue cheese over entire pizza.  

Bake for about 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and the crust is starting to brown.

Serves:  4

Serving:  1/4 pizza

Calories:  428

Fat: 16g

Carbs:  53g

Protein:  21g

Mexican Pizza

Ingredients:  
1 Package of ready-to-bake whole wheat pizza dough (16 oz)
1 container of salsa- your choice (I used the Salsa Especial from Trader Joes)- (30 g)
3 cups of Mexican shredded cheese
15 oz of black beans- rinsed and drained

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

Spread pizza dough evenly over a cookie sheet or pizza stone.  Top with salsa, spread evenly over dough extending to almost the edges, sprinkle with the cheese and then top with the black beans.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and edges of pizza dough are starting to brown.

Serves:  4
Serving:  1/4 of the pizza

Calories:  445
Fat:  13g
Carbs:  67
Protein:  18g

White Pizza with Broccoli and Mushroom

• 
  
• 
  
• 2 tbs. coconut oil
• 6 oz. mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
• 8 oz. broccoli florets (3 cups)
• 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, divided
• 1 13.8-oz. pkg. refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough (I get mine from Trader Joes)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place pizza stone or baking sheet in center of oven, and heat to 425°F.
2. Melt 1 1/2 tsp. coconut oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 4 to 7 minutes, or until beginning to brown, stirring frequently. Add broccoli and 1/3 cup water. Cover tightly, and steam broccoli in skillet 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 tbs. oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, and cook 2 minutes, or until pale golden, stirring constantly. Stir in milk, garlic, and salt. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until mixture thickens and begins to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/4 cup mozzarella and 2 Tbs. Parmesan until sauce is smooth and cheese is melted.
4. Shape pizza dough according to package directions. Remove pizza stone from oven, and place dough on hot stone.
5. Spread white sauce over dough to within 1/2 inch of edge, and top with broccoli mixture. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over top. Return to oven, and bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until edges of pizza are golden and center is hot and bubbly. Cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Serves:  4
Serving size: 1 slice

Calories:  401
Fat: 11.3g
Carbs:  65.8g
Protein:  23.4g

***** SO good!  My husband even asked for seconds which is rare AND he said I could make it again for him to take to lunch.  That, my friends, is a dinner well made!!!

Caramelized Onion Tart

2 Tbs. Olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced (6 cups)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 16-oz. ready-to-bake whole-wheat pizza dough
1 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated aged provolone cheese
20 green olives, halved

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onions, and sprinkle with salt, if desired.  Saute 5-7 minutes or until softened.  Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in thyme and pepper.   Cook 15 minutes more or until onions are browned and caramelized, stirring often.  Stir in vinegar and cook 5 minutes more.  Remove from heat.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Coat a 12-inch pizza pan or rectangular cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Press dough into 10-inch circle on pizza pan or sheet.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup provolone over dough.  Spread onions over top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese and olives.  Bake 20 minutes or until crust is golden.

Serves:  8 (1 slice) -  Serve with simple side salad

Calories:  287
Fat:  11g
Protein:  11g
Carbs:  37g