Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Who doesn't love pizza?! 

Pizza is delicious, but when you buy it at a restaurant, chances are it's not very healthy. It's loaded with grease, refined carbohydrates, and empty calories. I enjoy experimenting with food and creating healthy versions of things that I love. Even homemade crusts can make a pretty big dent in your calorie and carbohydrate intake if you're being careful about your diet. I first heard of the cauliflower pizza crust last summer and I've been making it since then, trying different methods each time (using parmesan instead of mozzarella, adding flour, different oven temps, etc.). This is the recipe that I have found works best and I've had consistently good results, even my dad who notoriously doesn't like anything that "tastes healthy" admitted to liking it, albeit reluctantly. His reaction: "Huh, not bad. Cauliflower usually tastes like s***,  but this is pretty good."

Ingredients: 

1 head of cauliflower (FRESH!! not frozen) 

1/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese 

1 egg 

salt, garlic, or whatever seasonings you choose to add 

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Wash and prepare the cauliflower, make sure you dry it well. Put all of the ingredients in a food processor until well-blended. There shouldn't be any large chunks and it can be anywhere from the consistency of lumpy pudding to cookie dough depending on the ratio of cauliflower to egg. I've made this same recipe many times and the texture of the raw dough has been different each time, it'll be fine once it's cooked.  Line a baking sheet with foil and then parchment paper (two sheets are important because you will use one to flip the crust over, but you can use 2 layers of foil and grease the top one if you don't have parchment paper). Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and bake until cooked most of the way, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using the parchment layer or top layer of foil, carefully flip the crust over. Return it to the oven and bake until desired doneness, 10-20 more minutes.

I like mine pretty crispy- golden brown throughout and darker around the edges. 

Warning: If you use frozen cauliflower, the cooked crust will be mushy and gross. When I did it, it was uncooked in the middle and burnt around the edges. Blegh. 

Once the crust is done, you can top the pizza with whatever you want! Here are some of my healthy favorites: 

Mexican Inspired Pizza

1/2 can of refried black beans (gotta have that fiber) 

1/2 cup of Greek yogurt

1/3 cup of thawed frozen chopped spinach (frozen is cheaper and in my opinion more convenient, but fresh spinach works just as well)

some chives or green onion to taste

1/2 pound of cooked lean ground turkey breast seasoned with chili powder, turmeric, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper

3-5 chopped jalapeños

1/2 bell pepper, diced 

1/3-1/2 cup of shredded pepper jack or mozzarella cheese

Spread the beans on the crust first. In a bowl, mix the yogurt, spinach, and chives and then spread over the pizza, then spread over the beans. Add the remaining ingredients and bake for 15-20 minutes, until desired doneness. 

Mediterranean Inspired Pizza

1/2 cup of Greek yogurt 

1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes 

1/3 cup of thawed frozen spinach 

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms 

1/2 pound of cooked seasoned lean ground turkey 

2-3 artichoke hearts, quartered 

1/2 cup of feta cheese 

1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese 

Mix the yogurt, tomatoes, and spinach and use as the sauce. Top with the remaining ingredients and bake. 

Hawaiian Inspired Pizza 

1/2 cup of marinara/pizza sauce 

1/2 cup of sliced pineapple 

1/2 cup of thawed frozen spinach

1/4 pound of cooked chicken breast, cubed  

1/4 pound of Canadian bacon or thick sliced ham 

1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

Have fun and be creative with your pizza! Thanks for stopping by!