Tired of Holiday cooking? Rushed for dinner? Ahh, pizza!  Always a quick favorite. Wait! Put down the phone. You can have a better pizza on the table faster than the pizza man can deliver a pie. Make your own. This Tortilla Pizza costs less, tastes better, is healthier and faster. Cut down on the carbs and calories with a thin crust as you increase the taste with toppings you love. Surprise your family. Try different cheeses, sauces, and “things” on the top.

Basic Tortilla Pizza

Start with a quick and easy pie. Then get creative with the toppings. Make individual pizzas with smaller tortillas or use half a large tortilla for each person. 

Ingredients:

• Tortillas

• 4 ounces of sauce for each tortilla (pizza sauce, regular pasta sauce, even barbeque sauce or enchilada sauce)

• 2-3 ounces of cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, goat, feta, or your favorite)

How to make:

• Heat the oven to 450°

• Lightly brush the bottom of the tortilla with olive oil, place on a cookie sheet

• Add thin layer of sauce and sprinkle on the cheese

• Add the toppings you want

• Bake 8-10 minutes or 15 minutes for a crispier crust.  

Pizza can be the healthy “fast food” depending on what you put on top of the basic pie.  Tomatoes and tomato sauce gives you lycopene that fights certain cancers. Cheese has calcium and protein for strong bones. Onions, peppers and mushrooms, those pizza topping favorites, have vitamins A, C and E to boost the immune system. Pile on the veggies. Chopped kale, spinach or broccoli give you the delicious taste of roasted veggies, plus iron, fiber and vitamin C. Got “must-have-meat” lovers? A few slices of chorizo or pepperoni or chopped up cooked chicken can satisfy them. Sprinkle on whatever you like.

RECIPE: TORTILLA PIZZA VARIATIONS

California Style Pizza: 

• Add delicious health with small bits of vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower or carrots. 

• Use up leftover chicken, cook up a little bit of chorizo or add a few slices of pepperoni for the meat lovers. 

Western Style Pizza:

• Use Barbeque sauce instead of tomato sauce. 

• Add mozzarella cheese or sharp cheddar

• Top off with red onion and fresh jalapeno pepper  

• Shredded pork makes a great addition

Mexican Pizza:

• Spread a thin layer of refried beans on the tortilla

• Add a layer of enchilada sauce instead of tomato sauce

• Use Mexican blend cheese for the next layer

• Top with tomatoes with green chilies 

• Add cooked ground beef or turkey for that meat lover

       OR use leftover taco filling

• Try sliced avocado on top!

Add meat for a hardier meal: Try browned ground turkey or beef and add between the tomato sauce and the cheese or sprinkle on the top. 

TIPS AND TRICKS

Turn leftovers into a new meal:  Put  already cooked meat or vegetables cut in small pieces on the tomato sauce  and sprinkle with cheese

More favor, more veggies & more health: 

• Add chopped pepper, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes cut in half, corn, very small pieces of cooked broccoli or Brussel sprouts  

• Chopped kale or spinach adds extra color and health. Add either on top of cheese or under it

• Add small pieces of veggies on top of the cheese. Roasting veggies adds flavor.   

Crispier Crust: Brown the tortilla before you make the pizza.  Heat a very small amount of oil in a frying pan. Brown the tortilla on one side for 15 seconds.  Flip over and brown the other side. Place on paper towel to remove oil.  Add topping & bake.

Have fun: Make eating healthy FUN! For the whole family. Get family members to grate the cheese or cut up the veggie toppings while you prepare the crust.  They get to make pizza with their favorites and you get some kitchen help!  

Video of the Week:

Healthy Pizza