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Health & Fitness

Recipe: Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Pizza doesn't always need to be ordered or taken from your freezer. Here's a new and healthy spin on creating a pie that boasts a lot of great flavor and just so happens to be good for you.

 

So you're in the mood for pizza?? Whether you are ordering it or making a frozen one at home, pizza just seems like a food that most people eat because it's easy and saves some time. But easy, oftentimes means unhealthy. The crust can get heavy, the grease can wreak havoc on your gut and if you over indulge you just feel like crap afterwards. Although I do enjoy stuffing my face and dealing with those consequences, sometimes you need a change. And for anyone who knows me, I am not a complete health nut/freak; I loooooooooove food, the greasier the better, but do consciously try and make an effort to opt for healthier choice. But again, that is not always the case. Work in progress...

So thanks to my co-worker and friend Shannon, she emailed me a healthy alternative to your average, everyday pizza.

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Cauliflower Crust Pizzas. Like what?! Who knew you could create a crust out of cauliflower and some cheese? Definitely not me. But boy can you and they turned out fantastic! And the entire process took us about an hour. Not too shabby.

A few notes before you get started... As far as the toppings go, you have free reign - I love recipes that give you the freedom to customize to your likes and taste. Why on earth would you make something for yourself, a spouse/partner, family, friends, or kids that no one would like or eat?! You wouldn't. You shouldn't. In my opinion of course.

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This was our first go round and we kept it simple and sans meat (plus, we had all of the toppings already on hand;saves us a trip to the store). However, we hope that we can add some ground turkey or grilled chicken breast at another time to get our meat fix yet keep it healthy. Also, the measurements I listed below are tripled from the recipe found at Mimosas in the Morning. Since we are cooking for two, it seemed to be the better option and we enjoy leftovers to take for lunch or when we're in need of a quick dinner. So keep in mind you can adjust the measurements accordingly.

I also included other notes along the way of what we did compared to what the other blogger did. Don't be afraid to make it your own! And I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, changes, additions or whatever.

Here you go! Please enjoy!

 

CAULIFLOWER CRUST PIZZA

Recipe compliments of Mimosas in the Morning Blog

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of fresh cauliflower
  • 3 cups cooked, riced cauliflower
  • 3 cups cheese (ie: Parmesan, Mozzarella)
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 3 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 ½ tsp crushed garlic. We are heavy handed when it comes to garlic, so we used much more!
  • 1 ½ tsp garlic salt
  • Olive Oil – Optional, yet highly recommended!
  • Toppings: Pizza sauce, shredded cheese and whatever else you prefer!

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:

  • Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. One large head produced just over 3 cups of riced cauliflower.
  • Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. (If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater.).
  • Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes – some microwaves are more powerful than others, so you may need to reduce this cooking time. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.

 

To Make the Pizza Crust:

  • Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl – Stir together 3 cups cauliflower, eggs and mozzarella and parmesan; we did a half and half mixture.
  • Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt. Stir.
  • Transfer to the cookie sheet and form. We created 6 mini pizza crusts about 4 inches in diameter at about ¼ inch thick. Or you can make one large pizza, whichever you prefer.
  • Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning. Although optional, we found it necessary and would highly recommend this step!
  • Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Cooking times vary, so keep an eye on it to avoid burning.
  • Remove from oven.  

 

Helpful Tip: We will make them a tad bit thicker next time to help avoid the edges burning. Although slightly burnt, still tasted fab!

  • To the crust – Add sauce, toppings* and cheese. We went with spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.  *Note that toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.
  • Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted; approximately 3-4 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, allow to cool. Cut and consume!!  Bon appétit.

 

Cheers from g. :)

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