Healthy Pizza?

Do you LOVE pizza? Do you HATE the guilt you feel after eating a whole pizza all by yourself?  We've all been there...the cheesy goodness, delicious sauce and all those toppings...one piece, then two and oh just one more and before you know it you've eaten the whole thing! Well, how would you like to enjoy a whole pizza without the guilt??? Yes?  Read on...

Lavash Pizza

First things first!  What is Lavash???

 

Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Lavash Bread

Made from Stone Ground Whole Wheat!

**Lavash bread is a soft, thin flatbread. It is also known as "lahvash" or "cracker bread". It is the most widespread type of bread in the Middle East. Traditionally, the bread is rolled out flat and slapped against the hot walls of a wood oven to bake it. While flexible like a tortilla when fresh, lavash dries out quickly and become brittle and hard. Lavash can be kept soft and fresh for weeks if stored in a sealed plastic bag and kept in the refrigerator. 

It can be used as a "utensil" when eating pieces of meat or vegetables, as a wrap or in this case as a pizza crust.  

This particular brand is fairly low in calories and very low in fat and sodium. The Trader Joe's version, shown here has just 110 calories per piece, 0.5 grams of fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 160mg of sodium, 22 grams of carbs with 2 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Much better than your traditional pizza dough! (see note at the bottom of the post)

...and now the recipe!

There is no rhyme or reason to this recipe...no specific measuring, be creative, just go with it!
Note: There is no sauce on this pizza - the large pieces of fresh tomato take the place of sauce here.
This is a fun and easy recipe to make with kids too!

Caprese Lavash Pizza

Caprese Lavash Pizza

Makes 1 pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet whole wheat lavash bread
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Granulated garlic powder (optional)
• Shredded low moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese (or Lite mozzarella)
• 2 ripe Roma tomatoes, seeds removed, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds 
• Fine sea salt (to your personal liking)
• Freshly ground black pepper (to your personal liking)
• 1 tsp crushed, dried oregano
• 10-12 fresh basil leaves cut into ribbons (do this at the last minute or they will turn black where they were cut)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place the sheet of lavash on a baking sheet and using a pastry brush (or your hands) brush it with extra virgin olive oil making sure to cover the entire surface of the bread. 

3. Sprinkle with garlic powder if you wish.

4. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the surface of the bread, be as generous as you like.

5. Place the tomato slices on top of the cheese making 4 rows of 3 or 4 slices depending on their size.

6. Sprinkle the sea salt and grind fresh black pepper all over the toppings, as much or as little as you like.

7. Place your pizza in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.Cut into squares (1 tomato per square).

There are literally millions of ways to make this Lavash Pizza!

Have fun with this...be creative...

then share your variations in the comment section!

**Lavash bread can be found in most supermarkets today - check the label to make sure that the bread you are choosing has been made with Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour and not enriched flour of any kind.