For my meal modification project, I decided to go with the classic pepperoni pizza recipe. Pizza is almost a weekly meal for me at home, whether I am heating up a premade frozen pizza when I do not feel like cooking or ordering delivery. The decision also seemed like a no-brainer because pizza is a meal that almost everyone loves and is relatively simple to make. That being said, this was my first time ever making pizza completely from scratch since I usually buy store-made dough or premade crust, so I was excited for the opportunity to make my own fresh dough for the recipe.
The modifications that I choose to make for the pizza recipe were to decrease the amount of total fat in one serving by at least 50% and increase the fiber of one serving by at least 5 grams. I wanted to reduce the fat content in the recipe because my family has a history of heart disease, so I aim to consume foods full of healthy fats (vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, fish, etc.) compared to those that contain high amounts of saturated and trans fats (most processed products). I wanted to increase fiber in this recipe because diets high in fiber are known to reduce the risk of many common diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity just to name a few. In order to modify the original recipe to meet my fat and fiber goals, I changed the traditional flour pizza crust to a cauliflower crust and I then proceeded to replace the pepperoni with fresh vegetables (bell pepper, spinach, mushroom, and onions). I decided to go with cauliflower crust because I have never tried it before and was curious about how it impacts the taste. I replaced the pepperoni because although I love the way it tastes, it always gives me heart burn and indigestion, so I personally need to stay away from triggering foods such those that are spicy and acidic. Using less cheese and choosing a low-fat, partially skim milk mozzarella made sense considering my objective to decrease fat, and dairy is the obvious source of remaining fat once the pepperoni was removed.
The nutritional impact of modifying the original recipe by using cauliflower crust, healthier mozzarella and fresh vegetables was outstanding. Not only was I able to hit both goals of decreasing fat and increasing fiber, but the nutritional value of the pizza skyrocketed. The modifications significantly increased the percent daily value of B vitamins, choline, folate, vitamin A, C, D, E, and K, and also increased important minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. In addition, this recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free, which are good options for those with Celiac disease or food sensitivities.
The modified recipe ended up tasting better than the original. The pizza had so much more flavor and was much more nutrient dense. Everything went well with the recipe, but the only comments I have about the cauliflower crust substitution are that it was labor intensive and more expensive. I used pre-riced cauliflower so that probably contributed to the cost increase, but I would not advise this substitution for those on a strict budget. Additionally, having a food processor and cheesecloth greatly reduces the required labor, however these are not kitchen staples for those living on a budget. The vegetable toppings added much needed variety and flavor, so I would recommend using your favorite vegetables and healthy toppings when making this recipe to personalize it. In conclusion, I highly recommend this recipe and I cannot wait to make it again.
"Cauliflower Crust Veggie Pizza"
Yield: 2 Pizzas /12 slices total
Serving Size: 2 slices per serving
Ingredients:
Tomato Sauce recipe
· 1/2 12 oz. can of Hunts Tomato Paste
· 1 teaspoon dried oregano
· crushed 1 teaspoon dried basil
· crushed 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
· 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
· 1/4 teaspoon sugar
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cauliflower Crust
· 4 12oz bags of frozen cauliflower
· 2 large eggs
· 1 teaspoon dried oregano
· 1 teaspoon of dried basil
· 1/4 tsp salt
· 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese
Nonstick Cooking spray
Pizza Toppings
1 cup baby spinach/chopped
1 cup fresh red or orange bell pepper, cut into narrow 2″ strips
1 cup red onion, cut into thin wedges
1 cup of mushrooms sliced
Instructions:
1. For sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients with 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl; set aside for flavors to develop while making crust. Freeze remaining paste.
2. Preheat Oven: 375℉ and line baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper or silicone mat.
3. Cook “rice”: Transfer frozen cauliflower rice on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 mins. Remove cooked cauliflower rice from the oven, transfer to a large bowl lined with a double/triple layered cheesecloth or linen towel, and let cool for 10-15 minutes or until safe to touch.
4. Squeeze: Then squeeze the liquid out of the ball (cauliflower inside the cheesecloth) as hard as you can. Be patient and do this a few times until barely any liquid comes out.
5. Make dough: Increase oven temperature to 450℉. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg with dried herbs, salt and pepper until evenly combined. Add 1 cup of cheese and squeezed cauliflower; mix very well with spatula until combined.
6. Form crust: Line 2 pizza pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Transfer cauliflower pizza dough in the middle and flatten with your hands until thin pizza crust forms.
7. Bake crust first: Bake for 20 minutes, carefully flip with spatula, and bake 5 more minutes.
8. Bake pizza with toppings: Spread pizza sauce evenly on top of the pizza. Then top cauliflower pizza base with your toppings; split bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, onion and remaining cup of mozzarella cheese evenly between 2 pizzas and bake again until cheese on top turns golden brown (approximately 10-15 minutes).
9. Enjoy! Take out of oven and cut into 6 slices with a pizza cutter and finally enjoy!
10. Add additional toppings such as fresh basil, red pepper flakes, or finely grated parmesan to preference.
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