Healthy Pizza... No way....

I absolutely LOVE PIZZA.... We have Pizza Fridays ever week at our home and sadly I haven't been able to participate since May of 2011.  After finding out my body had an intolerance to gluten, pizza and pasta and all my favorites went right out the door.  I know there are gluten free options out there but I kind of felt like it just wouldn't be the same.  However, I miss PIZZA terribly.  I came across a couple of different recipes for a Cauliflower Pizza Crust and decided to dig in and see just what it tasted like.  I guess I was finally that desperate... ha ha...  Well I can say that I really did ENJOY it.  Here's the honest part.  No one in my family is a fan of cauliflower and when made it can kind of have a not so yummy smell.  I decided to make the pizza and offer it to everyone.  Ok, no lie, I offered each of the kids a $1 just to try it.  The boys were not interested in the $1, but my sweet gal Reagan decided to go for it.  Her reaction, "Well, its not bad, but not real good either Mom."  Now understand that they aren't cauliflower fans, and I think if I would have made it without them knowing it was cauliflower, I may have had better reactions.  They were actually quite nervous going into it.  Gary's thoughts were that it indeed was good and something he would eat again.  I think that is a BIG thumbs up as Gary is very opinionated when it comes to food.  Well I loved it, and I definitely think it is something worth trying at home.  It is quite simple to make and the fun is all the great added toppings you can use.  For me, I tried fat free mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, ground turkey seasoned, and sauteed peppers and onions.  Note to all when you eat this pizza... It is not something you can easily pick up with your hands and eat.  It is a bit more flimsy and is better eaten with a fork.
Let me know what you think when you try it.  If I have to, maybe I will offer you a $1 too! Ha Ha.


Cauliflower Pizza Crust.

CRUST:
1/2 large head cauliflower (or 1 1/2 cups shredded cauliflower)
1 large egg
1 cup finely shredded fat free mozzarella cheese (or try another kind!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or fresh garlic)
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley.  
TOPPINGS:
1/2 cup tomato-basil marinara sauce (or pizza sauce)
1/2 cup finely shredded fat free mozzarella cheese
Add ground turkey, ham, mushrooms, veggies, etc.  All toppings should be pre-cooked as you will be adding these and quickly broiling.


1. Shred the cauliflower into small crumbles. You can use the food processor if you'd like, but you just want crumbles, not puree.  You may also use a cheese grater and grate the cauliflower.  This is actually quite simple to do.  You'll need a total of 1 1/2 cups of cauliflower crumbles (which is about half a large head of cauliflower. Place the cauliflower crumbles in a large bowl and microwave them (dry) for 8 minutes  Give the cauliflower a chance to cool. Use no water when microwaving.
2. Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray (or use a nonstick surface). In a medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups cauliflower crumbles with the remaining crust ingredients. Pat the "crust" into a 9 to 12-inch round on the prepared pan. Spray the crust lightly with nonstick spray and bake for 15 minutes (or until golden). Remove the crust from the oven and turn the heat up to broil.
3. Prepare the pizza: Spread the sauce on top of the baked crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese on top. Add the toppings you would like sreading it out around the pizza. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Broil the pizza 3 to 4 minutes, or until the toppings are hot and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cut into 6 slices and serve immediately.