Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Source: eat-drink-smile.com via Tara on Pinterest

If you stalk around on Pinterest like I do; you have most certainly seen numerous 'pins' for a Cauliflower Pizza Crust.  I of course 'pinned' it and wanted to give it a try.
I mean, really a sorta healthier version of pizza....YES PLEASE!
I very much enjoy pizza, my family very much enjoys pizza.  I've been making my own crust for some time.  We tend to like a nice thin whole wheat crust with a variety of toppings.
So with all my extra cauliflower this week I was determined to make the Cauliflower Pizza Crust.
It was really very easy to make.  I 'riced' the cauliflower and steamed it in the microwave earlier in the day so it would be cooler to handle when I was ready to make the pizza. 
My 'riced' cauliflower equaled about 3 cups so I made two pizza crusts, one smaller and one bigger.  I actually followed the recipe with the exception that I did mozzerella cheese and pepper jack cheese in the crust.
The crust came together nicely on my pizza stones and baked as the recipe indicated.  I assembled my pizza's and broiled them on the bottom rack as I had made them earlier in the day and they did need to heat thru.
The difference with the cauliflower crust, it doesn't hold up like a regular crust, you can't just pick the pizza up in your hand and eat it.  It is totally a knife and fork dinner.
My family really enjoyed it.  My kids didn't even realized it was cauliflower.  My boy had 3 pieces; with no cheese as he tells me cheese tastes like worms.  I'm not sure how he figures or knows that, but really, I'm not gonna argue about cheese on his pizza, I just make his half with out cheese and he pounds it back, no complaints; including the broccoli on it or what ever concoction I've put together that day.  So if he doesn't want the extra fat of the cheese, really why argue when he eats everything else and is happy with dinner....cheese-less.
My husband really liked it, but wanted to 'hold' the pizza and wonders if I can figure how to make firmer to hold together more like an actual pizza crust.
I am tired of cauliflower, I now realize why I really never buy it.  I'm not a big fan of it.  The crust was fine, it tasted fine.  BUT...I'm a carb lover and I missed the regular pizza crust.  The chewy goodness of the carbs, even with a thin crust....mmmmm.
I was very happy to have a cauliflower free dinner tonight....tomorrow night....cauliflower fritters....*sigh*

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Serves 2; Adapted from Your Lighter Side.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)
pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings*

Directions:

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. 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. There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself.
One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
To Make the Pizza Crust:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg and mozzarella. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt, stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round. Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.
Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).
Enjoy!
*Note that toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.

Note for those that don’ t have a microwave:
You can steam the florets on the stove before ricing them. The texture/consistency won’t be the same (It will be more like a puree) but it still works fine once you mix all the ingredients together! I know because I’ve tried it that way too!

Pita Pizza

I struggle
to come up with
healthy lunch ideas
for my kids
we sometimes have leftovers
but not to often
and I really try
not to use many
prepackaged foods
here is one lunch we enjoy

grab some pita shells
shop us some yummy
colorful veggies


I do buy from costco
premade pesto
I'm happy with the ingredient list
I can pronounce all of them
when basil is more available
I'll try my hand at making my own
until then we enjoy this one
I have used spaghetti sauce
but we really enjoy pesto


then load up your veggies
the more color the better
I also add some
diced up deli ham


add your cheese
as little
or as much
as you desire
any type you have on hand


bake at 350
15 - 20 minutes
then turn it to broil
for about 5 minutes
keep an eye on it
so it's not overdone


we love a thin crust
this comes out nice and crispy
and is super good
the next day cold


I love all your comments
here and on facebook
I would really enjoy
some of your ideas
for easy healthy lunches
I really struggle with it

Homemade Pizza Dough

Pizza
Who doesn't enjoy it?
I came across this
easy homemade dough recipe
a while back
and adapted it
for my family

Easy Pizza Dough
1 Tbl rapid rise yeast
1 C Hot Water from the tap
2 Tbl oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 C white flour
1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano


I use my kitchen aid mixer
with the dough hook
while you assemble the ingredients
put extra hot water
in your mixing bowl
to heat it up
and help the yeast

dissolve the yeast
in the cup of hot tap water
and the oil
I put it in my mixer on low
while the mixer is running
add the sugar and salt


stop the mixer
add the flour
start on low
it will be all crumbly
speed it up to about medium


let the mixer run
until all the dough
pulls away
and a ball forms
I had to add a bit
of extra water here
about 2 teaspoons
but do this slowly
and sparingly


Cover the mixing bowl
with plastic wrap
for at least 5 minutes
more if you can
this is when I cut
and organize the toppings


I used onions, tomatoes
peppers, zucchini
salami and ham


the recipe called for
one pizza shell
but we found it to thick
so I decided to make two
thin crust shells
we prefer thin crust
I put the dough
directly on my pizza stones
with a bit of flour on them
saves trying to transfer
the thin crusts once it's rolled out




I used jarred spaghetti sauce
for the pizza sauce
added my toppings
the shredded mozzarella
and chopped spinach


I sent my helper away
he was to busy
eating all the toppings


I cooked these at 350
until the cheese stared to brown



my helper came back
to clean up the cheese
that fell onto the counter


we totally enjoyed
this pizza
it was super yum


here is my girly
trying to wink

Tortilla Pizza

I am so excited to be
the feature recipe this week
Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Roast Veggies
The King's Court IV
What's Cooking Wednesday
Please stop by
and check out all
the great recipes
and be sure to
say Hi to them from me!

A few nights ago
I really wanted pizza
but I had no energy
to make the pizza crust

My husband and I both
like thin crust whole wheat pizza
I decided to try
tortilla shells
to see how they would hold up

I put some Pesto sauce
Monterrey jack cheese
mozzarella cheese
feta cheese
tomatoes
real bacon bits

I baked these on
pizza stones
wow oh wow oh wow
these were super YUM
I will totally use
the tortilla shells again

The kids
both loved them
I was pretty happy about that
my little man
every picture now
he must pose
as a dinosaur

It's Not Delivery

I made the dough
and made the pizza
frankly,
I'm amazed that I did
but after I had
a half hour nap
I was revived

I scoured the
Tasty Kitchen site
and found this
Five Minute Pizza Dough
it look promising
and easy
just to be clear
the five minute part
is the time to rise
not the time to assemble

I love my kitchen aid
it's so handy

I warmed up the bowl
with hot water before
I started
then I added
1 cup of hot water
1 Tbsp rapid rise Yeast
I turned my mixer on low
to mix it up


I then added
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
and mixed it up


Then I added
the 2 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup at a time
mixing on medium
the dough
it didn't look
to promising
I was nervous
it was very crumbly
it did not look promising


I took it out
and worked all
the bits together
threw it back into
the mixer
turned it on high
and let it work
it turned out
thankfully


and the yummy
toppings
ham
salami
3 cheeses
onion
tomato


the dough
after sitting
for five minutes


I'm really not sure
what happened to
my rolling pin
I have a feeling
it made it's way outside
when we had our
dog that chewed things
just a guess
that a little
dark haired boy
helped it outside
but I have no proof
just this


so I rolled out the dough
avoiding slivers
this dough was
easy to work with
it was very nice


oh and today
here was my helper
I'm sure she was
just around waiting
for me to drop food
but the company was nice
she doesn't talk back
she just watches me
with adoring eyes


and the assembly
of the yummy pizza




baked at 450
for about 20 minutes
and delicious
is served



and of course
my little man
needed to demonstrate
just how the stegogaurus
eats all the plants


later
I came down
to get the kidlets
ready for bed
and I found girly
like this
her hair was a disaster
but she wore
the glasses
for a good long time

Potato Pizza

Yes, you read the title correct
I made Potato Pizza
weird
odd
strange
a new one for me
but I need to use up these potatoes

I made two pizzas
the first with pepperoni
ham
and these veggies
very very good

the next pizza
I thinly sliced a potato
leave the skins on
trust me
boiled it with
a few dashes of hot sauce
these didn't take long
when done
I put them in cold water
until I needed them

I then put the pizza sauce
and some sour cream on the crust

I spread it all around
mixing it together
added chopped garlic
and some Parmesan cheese

put on the potato slices
that had previously been boiled
layered tons of onions
and chopped up some left over
zucchini and squash

I added some more Parmesan cheese
some mozzarella cheese
beautiful tomatoes
and real bacon bits

in the oven at 350
until it's done
how you like it
this was actually very
tasty
we did enjoy it
give it a try for something different
you just never know what you might enjoy

and of course
a post is never complete
with out my kidlets
here they are playing
on the slide