(Downloadable/printable version of this recipe)
When you’re trying to eat healthy or have a restrictive diet that requires you to eliminate certain foods (like being gluten-free), sometimes you need to get creative to satisfy your cravings. While these options may never quite replace an ooey-gooey slice from your favorite pizzeria, they are delicious alternatives for those looking for a gluten-free crust option for health reasons.
Even if you’re not gluten-free, they are also lower in calories, carbs and fat and higher in nutrients than traditional pizza crust. They’re a tasty meal to make on a meatless Monday, or any time you want to add more veggies into a meal.
We’ve come up with some flavorful and healthy topping combinations, but you can also follow the method for prepping the crust and then add with your favorite pizza toppings.
Personal Pizza Option #1: Eggplant Crust
Yield: 1
Ingredients:
4 slices from eggplant, sliced about ¼-inch thick
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 Tablespoons pizza sauce
2 Tablespoons, shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
4 teaspoons Parmesan, shredded
2 teaspoon bacon bits
4 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray each slice of the eggplant with vegetable oil cooking spray and dust with a pinch of Italian seasoning. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with oil mixture and place each round onto a baking sheet. Bake eggplant for 15-20 minutes or until it just starts to turn tender. Pull out of oven and flip. Top each slice with: 1 ½ teaspoons pizza sauce, 1 ½ teaspoons mozzarella, 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon bacon bits and 1 teaspoon basil. Place back in oven for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 140 Calories; 7 grams Fat; 3 gram Saturated fat; 15 mg Cholesterol; 398 mg Sodium; 11 grams Carbohydrate; 5 gm Sugar; 6 gram Fiber; 10 grams Protein
Personal Pizza Option #2: Portabella Crust
(Downloadable/printable version of this recipe)
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
1 large portabella mushrooms
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 tablespoons pizza sauce
4 spinach leaves, chopped
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Gently wash mushroom cap and gently pat dry with paper towels. Cut out the center stem and gently scrape out the gills with a spoon. Spray both sides of the mushroom with vegetable oil cooking spray. Place on an ungreased baking sheet open end up and bake for 5 minutes. Remove mushroom from oven and spoon pizza sauce into the cap, top with chopped spinach, minced garlic, mozzarella cheese and basil. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is lightly golden and melted.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 94 Calories; 4 grams Fat; 2 gram Saturated fat; 8 mg Cholesterol; 169 mg Sodium; 8 grams Carbohydrate; 3 gm Sugar; 3 gram Fiber; 7 grams Protein
Personal Pizza Option #3: Zucchini Crust
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
1 large zucchini
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons pizza sauce
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 tablespoons chopped black olives
4-6 sliced cherry tomatoes
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. If it doesn’t like flat, trim a thin portion for the bottom so it will. Scoop out the seeds and pat inside dry. Spray baking pan with vegetable oil cooking spray and place zucchini halves on pan. Divide the remaining ingredients between the 2 halves with equal amounts pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, red onion, olives and cherry tomatoes. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is lightly golden and melted.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: 135 Calories; 7 grams Fat; 4 gram Saturated fat; 15 mg Cholesterol; 325 mg Sodium; 9 grams Carbohydrate; 5 gm Sugar; 3 gram Fiber; 9 grams Protein
Looking for more info and want to make an appointment with a registered dietitian? Call 1-855-434-5483 or visit Nutrition Services on henryford.com.
