Today is pizza day in my kitchen–but with a little twist. How can you have a quick pizza that you make yourself? When I’ve got a load to do, I don’t always have tons of time to be in the kitchen. But that doesn’t mean I have to skimp on flavor or be stuck eating leftovers again. I can have a tasty lunch by tweaking a favorite recipe–making it more simple and maybe trying out a new way to enjoy it.
This week, I was craving for some pizza–but not the traditional kind. Not even the traditional vegetarian pizza that’s covered with lots of cheese. I was craving something new. I still wanted a creamy topping on my pizza, but I also wanted some veggies that I had on hand. Remember, this is one of those busy days and I needed something easy.
It was time for a Pizza Twist. How about some pizza on pita bread?
Why I Love Tomato Lover’s Pita Pizza
- It’s a quick way to have a pizza lunch.
- It’s an easy way to make a personal pan pizza.
- It’s topped with a creamy, tomato-lovers topping.
- I can load it up with my favorite pizza veggies.
- I can give each member of the family their own personal pizza.
- It’s a guilt-free way to enjoy pizza–no high calories here!
- It’s packed with plant-rich fiber–helping me to keep my waistline small.
- It’s pizza–what’s not to love?
What’s in a Pita Pizza?
- Whole wheat pita bread
- Pizza hummus (recipe included)
- Your favorite pizza veggies–today we’re featuring black olives, small onion rings, and red bell pepper.
- Add your favorite garnish–fresh chives or basil makes a delicious touch.
Why a Pizza Hummus?
Hummus can come in a rainbow of flavors these days. When I first discovered this Middle-Eastern food in the first leg of my plant food journey, hummus was made with garbanzos, tahini, olive oil, and lots of garlic. But now, there are as many ways to enjoy it as you can think of. I’ve even seen a beet hummus! So why not pizza hummus?
Pizza Hummus is what makes this pizza a tomato lovers’ dream. It still uses garbanzos, but it has plenty of tomato to rev up the flavor and put a smile on your face. You’ll find a zesty marinara, tomato paste, and ketchup in there–all tasty ways to give boost your heart health. Of course, you’ll also find many other pizza flavors in there, like garlic, onions, oregano, and basil. They’re all whizzed up in the blender in just a few minutes, then spread out on your pita bread. Check out the recipe below to see how easy it can be!
Chef’s Notes
- Pizza Hummus makes a great chip dip. So bring it along to parties for a real crowd-pleaser.
- Use it as a sandwich spread.
- Mix it in brown rice for an easy Italian side dish.
- If you want a lighter hummus, feel free to leave out the tahini. This is totally optional. And it tastes just as good!
Health-Bites for Tomatoes
Studies have shown that our heart loves the lycopene in tomatoes. High lycopene levels in women lower their risk for heart disease by a whopping 50%. Stroke risk in men has been lowered 39-55% when there is high levels of lycopene in the blood. As lycopene levels go up, the risk for heart disease goes down.
Research also shows that when people consumed tomato products on a daily basis — roughly 1 cup of tomato juice or 3-4 tablespoons of tomato paste –LDL cholesterol went down 10%. Like statin drugs, lycopene inhibits the enzyme responsible for making cholesterol but without the side-effects. In addition, lycopene has several anti-inflammatory properties that may prevent excessive proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, which contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaque.
Tomato Lovers' Pita Pizza
Ingredients
- 1-2 whole wheat pita bread
- 1/2 cup Pizza Hummus
Pizza Toppings
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives drained
- 1/3 cup sliced onion rings
- 1/2 cup red pepper slices
- 2 tbsp snipped chives (optional)
Pizza Hummus
- 2 cups chickpeas, drained
- 1 3/4 - 2 cups water
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup marinara (see recipe below)
- 3-4 tbsp New-Start ketchup (see recipe below)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2-3 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1-2 tsp salt or salt substitute
- 1-2 tbsp tahini (optional)
Basil Marinara Sauce
- 3 tbsp water or vegetable broth
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 28 oz can whole or crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- salt or salt substitute to taste
HealthBites Ketchup
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 - 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 - 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 - 1 tsp salt or salt substitute
Instructions
Pizza Hummus
- Add drained chickpeas to your blender or food processor.
- Add all liquid ingredients--water, lemon juice, marinara, ketchup, and tomato paste. Blend well. Add additional water, as needed, to keep machine processing.
- Add tahini (if desired) and nutritional yeast flakes along with seasonings. Blend til mixed in and smooth.
Basil Marinara Sauce
- Add water or broth with the minced garlic to a skillet. Saute' for a few minutes, until onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil.
- Turn down heat to medium heat; cook for about 10-15 minutes, until marinara begins to thicken.
HealthBites Ketchup
- Combine the tomato paste, lemon juice, and water in a small bowl.
- Mix together until the tomatoes blend with the liquids.
- Stir in the sweetener.
- Add remaining ingredients; mix until well blended. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Additions for pizza toppings: sliced mushrooms, chopped pineapple, chopped broccoli florets, sliced zucchini, sliced tomatoes, baby spinach, etc.
- Gluten Free Pizzas can be made by using gluten free flatbreads.
- Omit tahini for a reduced fat hummus. I have used it both ways and they are both delicious.
- You can make the marinara and the ketchup ahead of time to make these pizzas quick and easy. Marinara is a basic ingredient I keep on hand. It can also be frozen and then thawed when you need it. The ketchup can be too.
