Salad Topped Pizza

I recently got a chance to try salad topped pizza as inspired by the King Arthur Flour blog.  It turned out well and tasted great, but Mark and I agree that this would be best as an appetizer or perhaps as part of a bigger pizza party where there were lots of different types of pizzas.  As a main course, we'd prefer one of our other favorite pizzas.

I still wanted to share it here though because I think it is a fun idea!  It's essentially like having a salad and bread all in one.  And with way less cheese on this than a traditional pizza, it's much healthier.

If you do make this, the best way to reheat is in a skillet or on a griddle.  This heats and re-crisps the crust without cooking the toppings.

Salad Topped Pizza

I'm not going to post a recipe here because this is really more of an idea than a recipe.  You can top the pizza with whatever salad ingredients you like!  My general method was:

1. Make pizza dough and form crust
2. Bake pizza crust for 10 minutes at 450F
3. Top pizza with 1 cup of ranch style dressing, return to oven for 2 minutes
4. Top pizza with salad ingredients, return to oven for 1 minute
5. Sprinkle with asiago cheese
6. Slice and serve!

Here is the original full recipe:  Greens and Grains Pizza

If you need a faster pizza crust option, you could always buy pre-made dough or a pre-made crust, or try this recipe: Pizza Crust

I made a ranch type dressing out of greek yogurt and spices [dill, salt, pepper, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, beau monde seasoning] that was vaguely inspired by this recipe and the homemade ranch spice mix recipe link: Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing

Pizza Topped Quinoa + Bean Burgers

These fun burgers are sort of like bagel pizzas except switch out the bagel for a quinoa bean burger.  Weird description?  Perhaps.  They really are just burgers made with beans, quinoa, and Italian flavors that are topped with your favorite pizza toppings.  Mark devoured three of these pretty quickly.  They are delicious! Our only complaint is that they don't hold together very well when you are eating them, so you really do need to eat them with a fork.  I found this recipe over at edible perspective, and she ate these on a piece of bread so that is an option as well.  I opted to skip the bread since the quinoa felt like enough carbs.

I topped these with a spicy homemade tomato sauce, sauteed mushrooms, black olives, and mozzarella cheese.  Of course you could top them with whatever pizza toppings sound good to you.  And don't let the long ingredient list scare you- I've included my recipe for my pizza sauce, but you don't have to use that!  I served these with roasted kale, because Mark and I both LOVE kale, but I recommend serving these with your vegetables of choice.  These pizza burgers really are a great way to satisfy your pizza cravings in a different (and healthy!) way.  As the weather continues to get cooler and warm comfort foods sound like the perfect dinner, give these a try!

Pizza Topped Quinoa + Bean Burgers 

yield: 8 burgers (serves 4 or more, depending on how and with what they are served)

INGREDIENTS:
Burgers:

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 14 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large egg + 1 egg white (or 1 duck egg), whisked
• 6 tablespoons ground rolled oats (You can grind them in your food processor.  Use gluten-free if desired.  Or try substituting a different type of flour)
• olive oil for cooking

Spicy Tomato Sauce (or use your favorite pizza sauce):

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (no salt added if possible), juice drained out
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Toppings:

• 10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• black olives, sliced
• mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1) Start by cooking the quinoa.  Combine dry quinoa and 1 cup of water in a small pot.  Set over medium high heat and bring water to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce hit to low and cover the pot.  Let cook for 15 minutes (while you prep other ingredients), until all water is absorbed.  Set quinoa aside to cool slightly.

2) Next start the spicy tomato sauce.  Puree the diced tomatoes (without the juice) in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender.  Heat olive oil in a small pot with garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat.  Once garlic begins to brown, add tomatoes, salt, and oregano.  Stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low/medium-low until ready to use.

3) Process beans in a food processor, or mash thoroughly with a fork.  In a large bowl, combine beans, cooked quinoa, onion, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Add olive oil and eggs and mix.  Add ground rolled oats and mix to combine.  The mixture should be wet, but you should be able to form it into balls that stay together.  If it's too wet, add a couple tablespoons more ground oats (or flour).

4) Divide burger mixture into 8 equal portions and shape into burgers that are about 3/4 inch thick.

5) Heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, use a spatula to carefully transfer half of the burgers to the skillet.  Cook for five minutes until dark brown on the bottom.  Carefully flip over and cook for another five minutes until browned and cooked through.  If burgers are browning too quickly and not cooking on the inside, lower the heat! Repeat with remaining burgers.  Preheat your oven to low broil in the last few minutes of cooking.

6)  While burgers are cooking, heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is released and evaporated.  Set aside.

7) Place burgers on a baking sheet.  Top each burger with spicy tomato sauce, mushrooms,  olives, and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.  Place in the oven under the broiler for 2-4 minutes until cheese is starting to brown (watch carefully!!).  Enjoy!

(recipe slightly adapted from edible perspective)

Grilled Pizza with Spinach, Portobellos, and Sausage

I first heard about grilling pizza a few years ago, and couldn't understand how the dough wouldn't fall through the cracks on the grill.  I just couldn't wrap my mind around it!  But I finally decided to give grilled pizza a shot during one of the recent 90F+ days, and it worked super well and was delicious.  A special thanks to Mark, the resident grill expert, for implementing my plan for this meal. :)

You can definitely top with your favorite pizza toppings.  I went with sliced portobellos and sausage that Mark pre-grilled, as well as some spinach, onions, garlic, and cheese.  It's important to not over-do it with the toppings on grilled pizza.  I was able to get the cheese melted and the spinach slightly wilted, but nothing else really cooked once it was on the pizza.

We loved the grill marks on the crust and the fact that this cooks fast!  Get your grill ready and start grilling any toppings you want to grill while you prep everything else.  You'll be in pizza heaven before you know it.  We are excited to experiment with other toppings throughout the summer (pesto anyone?).

I also think that this will be a great method for making flatbread for sandwiches or to have alongside salads during the hot summer months when you don't want to turn on the oven.  Instead of topping with lots of pizza toppings, just sprinkle the cooked pizza crust with some spices and eat however you want!

If you would appreciate more pictures of the process, King Arthur Flour did a blog post on grilled pizza a few years ago that might be helpful.  

Grilled Pizza with Spinach, Portobellos, and Sausage

serves: 2-4 (depends on what you serve along with it-- salad is great!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ball of pizza dough  (mine was about a pound of dough)
• olive oil
• 3 portobello mushrooms
• 2 links chicken sausage
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 10 cloves garlic, sliced
• handful fresh baby spinach
• 3 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
• salt + pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1) Heat up your grill to a medium heat.  On a piece of parchment paper or a silcone baking mat, roll the pizza dough into a rough rectangle (consider the size of your grill....) and brush with olive oil.  Set aside.

2)  Grill the mushrooms, sausage, and onion until they are cooked to your liking.  Slice the mushrooms and sausage and set aside.

3)  Meanwhile, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat.  Cook garlic until golden.

4)  Once all toppings are prepped, turn the heat on your grill to medium-low and start to grill the pizza.  Flip the pizza dough rectangle onto the hot grill so that the oiled side is touching the grill.  Close the top of the grill and let cook for 1-4 minutes until browned on the bottom.  Carefully flip the crust over and top with toppings.  Start with the garlic, then the cheese, then the spinach, and finally the mushrooms, sausage, and onions.  Close the grill and cook for a few more minutes until the cheese is melted and the bottom of the pizza is brown.

5)  Carefully remove the pizza from the grill.  Sprinkle with salt and/or pepper if desired.  Slice and enjoy!

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

A pizza with strawberries?  I have to admit that I much as I love strawberries, I never would have thought to put them on a pizza until I saw this recipe last year.   I was immediately intrigued by the spicy sweet balsamic sauce and the bacon and strawberries that topped this pizza.  Of course, it turned out delicious!  The flavors really do work well together.  I also like that there is chicken on this pizza for an extra boost of protein.

Though I am happy to eat a couple of large slices of this pizza for a meal, whenever I eat it I think that it would also be great as an appetizer cut into mini pieces.  Or perhaps make a light lunch of a slice of this pizza and a salad?  So many options!

After first trying this pizza last year, I waited ALL year until strawberry season arrived again.   Luckily, this pizza was every bit as good as we remembered.  It is a perfect summertime pizza to highlight the super flavorful strawberries that are everywhere right now.  Try it this summer!

Strawberry Balsamic Bacon Pizza

Yield: 1 14 inch pizza (serves 2-4)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves (I used Trader Joe's reduced sugar)
• 1-2 teaspoons sriracha 
• 1 ball pizza dough (I used a half batch of sourdough starter pizza dough)
• olive oil cooking spray (optional)
• 4 slices applewood smoked bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
• 6-8 ounces boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cooked and shredded (I cut into chunks, boiled, and shredded in my stand mixer)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup hulled strawberries, sliced
• 3-4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
• small handful of Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh cilanto [optional]

DIRECTIONS:
1)  Take the ball of pizza dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for a couple of hours to come to room temperature (if you forget to do this, microwave covered on the lowest power for a couple minutes, checking every 30 seconds, to warm up).   About an hour before you want to eat, start prepping all of the ingredients (cooking chicken, cooking bacon, etc).

2) Preheat oven to 450˚ F.  Once the ball of pizza dough is room temperature, shape it into the correct shape for your pan of choice.  I prefer a 14 inch round pizza pan.   I use a rolling pin and my hands (lifting up the dough) to help it into the right shape.  Transfer to your pan of choice coated with cooking spray and let sit while the oven is preheating.  Once the oven has preheated, spray the crust with olive oil cooking spray and put it in the oven for 5 minutes to pre-bake the crust.  (Note:  if you are using a pizza stone, make sure the oven has been preheated for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pizza.  You do NOT need to pre-bake the crust if using a pizza stone.)

3)  In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add balsamic vinegar.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for about 4 minutes until vinegar is thicker and syrupy.  It should have reduced to about 2 tablespoons.  In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, preserves, and sriracha.  Taste and add more sriracha if desired. 

4)  To make the pizza, spread a thin layer of sauce over the pizza crust [you might not use all the sauce depending on how big your pizza is-- you don't want too thick of a layer].  Top with the cooked chicken, bacon, onion, and strawberries.  Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese (a light layer is fine) and Parmesan cheese.

5)  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese and crust has some light brown spots.

6) Transfer to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes (to help make sure the crust doesn't get soggy).  Sprinkle with fresh thyme or cilantro.   Cut into pieces and serve!   

(recipe barely adapted from Annie's Eats)

Veggie Sausage Pesto Pizza

Like many people, we really like pizza around here.  And as I've probably said before, I love making my own pizza because I can put exactly what I want on it.  I tend to load up on bold flavors and hold back on the cheese.  One of our favorite pizzas for the past couple of years has been the Spicy Kale, Pepperoni, and Mushroom Pizza that was one of the first recipes on this blog.    This past week I decided to modify that pizza a bit because I was having a craving for pesto.   The result was this pizza topped with pesto, mushrooms, red peppers, kale, chicken sausage, and mozzarella + Parmesan cheeses.  Of course it was delicious (it's hard to go wrong with pizza!) so I figured I should document it here on the blog.  

For my birthday I got a pizza stone which has been so much fun!   Because it retains heat very well, it makes the bottom of the pizza crust nice and crispy.  As I've been doing for the past six months or so, I used a half batch of sourdough starter pizza dough  for the crust (every couple of times that I feed my sourdough starter I make a batch,  divide it in two, and put it in the freezer for future pizzas).  I realized that a half batch of that dough is actually perfect for a relatively thin crust pizza to serve 3-4.  The thin crust cuts down on the carbs a bit, but it's not so thin that it's like a cracker.  I definitely recommend it!

Pizza is definitely the sort of thing that you can easily change based on what you have on hand or your preferences.  Skip the sausage, or change up the veggies or cheese and this would still be delicious.  Just remember- when you make your own pizza, you really can make it a lot healthier!

Veggie Sausage Pesto Pizza

yield:  1 14-inch pizza (serves 3-4)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ball pizza dough (see what I use above; if it's been in the freezer, put it in the fridge the night before)
• 1 batch pesto, made with kale and walnuts (you will likely not use all the pesto on the pizza; if you use store-bought, it will have a lot more oil so you will want to use less)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 10 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 2 links chicken sausage (we like all varities that Trader Joe's makes), sliced 
• 2 cups kale leaves, stemmed and roughly chopped
• salt + pepper
• about 4 oz. mozzarella, shredded
• Parmesan cheese
• red pepper flakes (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Take the ball of pizza dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for a couple of hours to come to room temperature.  

2) Preheat oven to 450˚ F.  Once the ball of pizza dough is room temperature, shape it into the correct shape for your pan of choice.  I prefer a 14 inch round pizza pan.   I use a rolling pin and my hands (lifting up the dough) to help it into the right shape.  Transfer to your pan of choice coated with cooking spray and let sit while the oven is preheating.  Once the oven has preheated, put the pizza crust in the oven for 5 minutes to pre-bake the crust.  (Note:  if you are using a pizza stone, make sure the oven has been preheated for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pizza.  You do NOT need to pre-bake the crust if using a pizza stone.)

3)  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms, red bell pepper, and sausage to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and mushrooms have released moisture (about 8 minutes).  Add the kale to the pan and cook, continuing to stir occasionally, until all the kale is wilted.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

4)  To make the pizza, spread a thick layer of pesto over the pizza crust.  Top with the cooked veggies and sausage.  Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese (a light layer is fine) and Parmesan cheese.

5)  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese and crust has some light brown spots.

6) Transfer to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes (to help make sure the crust doesn't get soggy).  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired.   Cut into pieces and serve!   

Greek Inspired Pizza

I've never had a Greek pizza before, so this was a bit of an experiment.  I really like Greek salad with tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, etc and I thought it would be neat to make a pizza inspired by those flavors.  I did some research about what goes into Greek salad, and came up with a list of ingredients I thought I could make work in a pizza including spinach, tomatoes (I decided on sundried), red wine vinegar, olive oil, olives, red onion, feta cheese, chickpeas, green pepper and artichoke hearts.  I created a pesto out of the spinach and sundried tomatoes that acts as the "sauce".   The pesto along with the olives, feta cheese, and artichokes add a ton of flavor to this pizza.  I think it turned out really well and was a fun way to have Greek flavors!

Like with my other pizzas, I used a ball of pizza dough that I made from my sourdough starter.  You can use any pizza dough that you like of course.  This is a whole wheat recipe that I like.  I think a thin whole wheat crust would taste particularly good with this pizza... maybe even better than a white flour pizza crust.  I also think using pitas and making individual pizzas would be good, and even more Greek inspired!  The next time I make this pizza that's what I will try for sure.

Greek Inspired Pizza

yield: 1 14-inch pizza (serves 4 with a salad on the side)

INGREDIENTS:

For Tomato Pesto:

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, not in oil
• 2 cups packed baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons walnuts
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

For Pizza:

• 1 ball pizza dough (see note above; if it's been in the freezer, put it in the fridge the night before)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 green pepper, julienned
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• zatar seasoning (optional)
• 1/2 cup chickpeas (if from a can then rinsed and drained)
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 1 cup artichoke hearts, rinsed and roughly chopped (I used artichoke hearts from a can)
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 4 ounces feta cheese
• handful spinach leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1)  Take the ball of pizza dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for a couple of hours to come to room temperature.  If you are in a rush, you could try to microwave it on LOW power, but check frequently.  

2) Preheat oven to 470˚ F.  (Note: If using a pizza stone, make sure that it is in your oven before you start preheating.)  Once the ball of pizza dough is room temperature, shape it into the correct shape for your pan of choice.  I prefer a 14 inch round pizza pan, but you could also use a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet for a rectangular pizza.  I use a rolling pin and my hands (lifting up the dough) to help it into the right shape.  A silicone mat is super helpful for rolling and making sure the pizza is the right size.  Transfer to your pan of choice coated with cooking spray and let sit while the oven is preheating.  Once the oven has preheated, put the pizza crust in the oven for 6 minutes to prebake the crust.  (Note:  if you are using a pizza stone, make sure the oven has been preheated for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pizza.  You do NOT need to prebake the crust if using a pizza stone.)

3) Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine all tomato pesto ingredients and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.   Set aside. Note:  if you have sundried tomatoes packed in oil, don't add olive oil to the pesto.

4)  In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add green pepper, red onion, sliced garlic, and chickpeas and cook, stirring frequently, until chickpeas are starting to brown.  Season with 1/2 teaspoon of zatar seasoning if desired.  Remove from heat.

5)  To make the pizza, spread the tomato pesto over the pre-baked crust in an even layer, leaving about a one inch crust uncovered.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (you are not using  a lot!).  Add cooked pepper/onion mixture, olives and artichoke hearts.  Lay baby spinach leaves over the other ingredients as shown the pictures.  Finally, sprinkle with feta cheese.  

6)  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese and crust has some light brown spots.  Check to make sure that the bottom of the crust is also brown in spots. If it's not and the top of the pizza is getting too brown, lay a piece of foil over the pizza and cook for a few more minutes until the pizza is lightly brown on the bottom.

7) Transfer to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes (to help make sure the crust doesn't get soggy).   Cut into pieces and serve!

(this recipe is a Food for the Week original!)

Thai Chicken Pizza

I first had this type of pizza at the Bryn Mawr dining hall back in college.  I remember whenever I would be over there for a class or music lesson around lunch time I got so excited that I got to have this type of pizza for lunch! It is also a type of pizza served at California Pizza Kitchen.  This recipe is one that I have basically made up based on the various times I have had it and other recipes I have seen.  If you like Thai food, specifically peanut sauce, you will probably love this pizza.  It's a nice variation on the normal pizza with red sauce and I highly recommend it (and so would a lot of others who have tried it)!


Like with my other pizzas, I tend to use a ball of pizza dough that I've made from my sourdough starter.  You can use any pizza dough that you like of course.  This is a whole wheat recipe that I like.  Trader Joe's makes good pizza dough as well that they have in the refrigerated section by the prepared foods.  The great thing about pizzas is that they can easily be modified and still taste great.  Feel free to leave off the chicken and increase the amount of vegetables if you want a vegetarian pizza.

Thai Chicken Pizza

yield: 1 14-inch pizza (serves 4 with a salad on the side)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ball pizza dough (see note above; if it's been in the freezer, put it in the fridge the night before)
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (I use natural peanut butter)
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons sriracha (depending on how spicy you want it)
• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1/2 pound), cut into small, bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced (green and white parts)
• 1 large handful bean sprouts
• 1 large handful part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
•  chopped peanuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

• 1)  Take the ball of pizza dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for a couple of hours to come to room temperature.  If you are in a rush, you could try to microwave it on LOW power, but check frequently.  
  
  2) Preheat oven to 450˚ F.  (Note: If using a pizza stone, make sure that it is in your oven before you start preheating.)  Once the ball of pizza dough is room temperature, shape it into the correct shape for your pan of choice.  I prefer a 14 inch round pizza pan, but you could also use a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet for a rectangular pizza.  I use a rolling pin and my hands (lifting up the dough) to help it into the right shape.  A silicone mat is super helpful for rolling and making sure the pizza is the right size.  Transfer to your pan of choice coated with cooking spray and let sit while the oven is preheating.  Once the oven has preheated, put the pizza crust in the oven for 5 minutes to prebake the crust.  (Note:  if you are using a pizza stone, make sure the oven has been preheated for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pizza.  You do NOT need to prebake the crust if using a pizza stone.)
  
  3) Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sriracha to make the peanut sauce.  Whisk until smooth.  Set aside.
• 4)  In a small skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat.  Add chicken and season with salt and pepper.   Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through.  Remove from heat.
• 5)  To make the pizza, spread the peanut sauce over the pre-baked crust in an even layer, leaving about a one inch crust uncovered.  You might not use all of the peanut sauce depending on how big your pizza is.  I usually end up with a few tablespoons left over.  Add the chicken, julienned bell pepper, grated carrot and sliced scallions evenly over the peanut sauce.  Next add the bean sprouts, distributing them evenly around the pizza  Finally, sprinkle on the cheese.  You don't need a lot, because everything else on this pizza has a lot of flavors.  Make sure you can see all the veggies through the cheese!
• 6)  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes, until the cheese and crust has some light brown spots.  Check to make sure that the bottom of the crust is also brown in spots. If it's not and the top of the pizza is getting too brown, lay a piece of foil over the pizza and cook for a few more minutes until the pizza is lightly brown on the bottom.
  
  7) Transfer to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes (to help make sure the crust doesn't get soggy).  Sprinkle with chopped peanuts if desired.  Cut into pieces and serve!
• (recipe inspired by various Thai chicken pizzas I have had over the years!)  

Spicy Kale, Pepperoni, and Mushroom Pizza

 I love a good pizza, and I have tried many variations over the years.  Homemade pizza is good because it can actually be relatively healthy compared to what you would get at a restaurant.  You have complete control over the toppings and can cut back on the cheese for some other flavorful toppings instead.  Recently Mark and I have been liking pizzas without red sauce.  This is a recipe I made up that was inspired by one on Annie's Eats.

For the pizza dough, I use a ball of sourdough pizza dough that I usually have in my freezer from the last time I fed my sourdough.  It makes an extra large thick crust pizza.  You could use any pizza dough and it would work well.  Another pizza dough recipe I like that is whole wheat is this recipe from King Arthur Flour (it's good with the sesame seeds!).
Though we probably could, it wouldn't be wise for Mark and I to eat this entire pizza for one dinner.  I would say this serves 3-4, depending on what else you have with the pizza.  Lately I give each of us a huge carrot on the side (super easy, and almost comical given how big these carrots are).  To reheat the pizza, warm in the microwave and then put in the toaster oven to crisp up.  Another trick I've heard is to crisp pizza up in a nonstick skillet on the stove.

Spicy Kale, Pepperoni, and Mushroom Pizza

yield:  1 14-inch pizza (serves 3-4)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4  tsp. red pepper flakes (or less if you don't like it that spicy)
• 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cups kale leaves, stemmed and roughly chopped
• 1 ball pizza dough (see note above; if it's been in the freezer, put it in the fridge the night before)
• about 30 slices of turkey pepperoni (or however many looks good :) )
• 4 oz. mozzarella, shredded
• 1 oz. Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

• 1)  Take the ball of pizza dough out of the fridge and let it rest on the counter for a couple of hours to come to room temperature.  If you are in a rush, you could try to microwave it on LOW power, but check frequently.  
  
  2) Preheat oven to 450˚ F.  (Note: If using a pizza stone, make sure that it is in your oven before you start preheating.)  Once the ball of pizza dough is room temperature, shape it into the correct shape for your pan of choice.  I prefer a 14 inch round pizza pan, but you could also use a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet for a rectangular pizza.  I use a rolling pin and my hands (lifting up the dough) to help it into the right shape.  A silicone mat is super helpful for rolling and making sure the pizza is the right size.  Transfer to your pan of choice coated with cooking spray and let sit while the oven is preheating.  Once the oven has preheated, put the pizza crust in the oven for 5 minutes to prebake the crust.  (Note:  if you are using a pizza stone, make sure the oven has been preheated for at least 30 minutes before putting in the pizza.  You do NOT need to prebake the crust if using a pizza stone.)
  
  3)  Meanwhile, in a small skillet or saucepan, combine 1.5 tablespoons of the olive oil with the garlic and red pepper flakes.  Warm over low heat for about 10-15 minutes to infuse the oil with the flavors of the spices.  Set aside.
  
  4)  In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat.  Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to release moisture.  Then add the kale to the pan and cook, continuing to stir occasionally, until there is not much, if any, moisture left in the pan.  Remove from the heat and set aside.
  
  5)  To make the pizza, lightly brush the pre-baked crust with the garlic-red pepper oil.  Sprinkle with some of the parmesan cheese.  Layer with the wilted kale and mushrooms.  Layer with the turkey pepperoni.  Finally, sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese (a light layer is fine), and some more parmesan cheese.
  
  6)  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese and crust has some light brown spots.
  
  7) Transfer to a wire cooling rack for a few minutes (to help make sure the crust doesn't get soggy).   Cut into pieces and serve!