Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Every now and then I see a recipe that intrigues me so much that I just have to try it.

Such was the case one day as I’m scrolling through my facebook page and I see this:

The first thing that occurred to me was….YUM.  Then I thought…what on earth is the crust made from?

Oh I found out alright…and let me tell you, it may sound odd, but this recipe is pure pleasure on a plate.

The crust of these delightful little discs is a concoction of finely chopped cauliflower, mozzarella cheese, egg, and spices.  They are easy to make….I, of course, made a few modifications.

I love pizza and this is an easy and low carb way to enjoy a favorite without feeling guilty or stuffed!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Modified from the blog girlversusdough.com via tablespoon.com

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower (about 4 cups shredded)
2 large eggs (I used egg white substitute)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (I used an Italian cheese blend – use any cheese you’d like!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 pint of grape tomatoes, chopped
Mozzarella balls, cut in quarters (one ball quartered for each pizza)
12 fresh basil leaves, sliced
Parmesan Cheese, to sprinkle
Note:  Please ignore the beer in the background.

1. Using a box grater or a food processor, shred cauliflower into crumbles. You need 4 cups.  I had some left over that I sautéed and tossed in some brown rice the next day.

2. Cook cauliflower in microwave in a large microwave-safe bowl for 8 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes.

3. Add eggs (or egg substitute), 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, oregano, basil and garlic and stir to combine. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

4.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets (or pizza pans); divide mixture into 10-12 balls. I used my trusty Pampered Chef pizza stone.  Place balls on sheets and pat each into a thin round about 4 inches wide. Bake in oven 15 minutes until golden brown.  The edges might burn a bit brown but to be honest, that added a nicely caramelized flavor.

5.  Remove sheets from oven and top each mini crust with the diced tomatoes, mozzarella, Parmesan and basil.

6.  Place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until the cheeses melt.  Let them rest for a minute or two before taking them off the pan…it will take a little coaxing to remove them!

What I would do differently (besides the changes I already noted):  Next time, I will add the chopped basil when the pizzas come out of the oven….it dried out and lost some flavor and color.

Absolutely delicious..and, bonus, a great way to camouflage vegetables for your finicky eaters.

Considering all the calories and carbs you saved, you can enjoy with a beer...just a suggestion.