Perfect Pairing

Combine the Perfect Pairing to Get this Salad Pizza

By Mary Curnette

Pizza and salad – the finest combination. Make them one with this perfect pairing. Pizza is my favorite food and no willpower will change that.  Make it with a delicious wheat crust and some veggies and it’s still a well-rounded meal. Health versus taste should never define your meals. Rather, they should always work together.

For many people, food can be a source of guilt or punishment. It is a battle between “I should have this” and “I want this”, but it is not meant to be a negative part of our lives. Food is always good. Yes, food nourishes our body, but it is also important to allow it to nourish our spirit.

So take this food, pizza, that many associate with “bad”, and change it into this positive experience. Make this, eat it, and love every bite. (And if you’re craving a not-so-healthy version, that’s okay, have it.) On most days, you can have a salad-like pizza instead.

Servings: 2 12” pizzas

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Crust:

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon active yeast

1 ½ cups warm water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

Handful of cornmeal

Pizza toppings:

1 cup ricotta cheese

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup sliced mozzarella cheese

6 cups mixed greens

¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1.      Combine the sugar, yeast, and warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy and dissolved. This is known as “proofing” the yeast. If this does not occur, the yeast is dead and you should start again with active yeast.

2.      Whisk in the olive oil, honey, and salt.

3.      Add 3 cups of whole wheat flour and mix with a large rubber spatula until the dough starts to come together.

4.      Once the dough holds together, knead by hand for 5 minutes. Add flour as needed if the dough is too wet. Your dough is done when it is smooth and will slowly bounce back when poked.

5.      Place the dough in a bowl lightly coated with olive oil. Cover and allow to rise (in a warm environment if possible).

6.      The dough will have doubled in size in about 1-2 hours. When this occurs, punch the dough down to release the air, then cut into two. These are your two crusts. Roll them each into a ball. If you want to save a crust for future use, wrap this one now and put it in the freezer. It will stay good for a couple months.

7.      Preheat oven to 475F degrees. Oil your baking sheets and dust with cornmeal.

8.      Roll out the dough and place on baking sheet.

9.      Mix together ricotta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

10.  Spread ricotta mixture on to pizza and top with mozzarella slices.

11.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.

12.  In the meantime, make a salad by chopping mixed greens and sundried tomatoes, placing them in a bowl, and dressing with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

13.  When the crust with cheese has been baked, top with the “salad”. Cut and serve.

Nutrition:

For 1/3 of 1 pizza: 348 calories, 17 g fat (0 g trans fat, 7 g saturated fat, 8 grams monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat), 36 g carbohydrates (6 g fiber, 7 g sugar), 14 g protein