Cauliflower Crust Pizza

[jopaul]

I saw a picture of this on pinterest. I found the recipe on the following website. It has great pictures. It is a hawaiian pizza recipe. I'm sure you could substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ham (for those who don't eat ham).

Here's the web address:

http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/ ... auliflower Crust Hawaiian Pizza

Yield: One 9 to 12-inch pizza (feeds 2 to 3 people)

Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 18 min
Ingredients:
CRUST:
1/2 LARGE head cauliflower (or 2+ cups shredded cauliflower)
1 large egg
1 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese (or try another kind!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (or fresh garlic)
1/2 teaspoon onion salt

TOPPINGS:
1/2 cup tomato-basil marinara sauce (or pizza sauce)
1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
3 slices Canadian bacon, cut into strips
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits

Directions:
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'll need a total of about 2 cups or so 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 (see Tips below if you do not have a microwave). Give the cauliflower a chance to cool.

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 the cauliflower crumbles (about 1 1/2 cups since they shrink after cooking) 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 bacon and pineapple, spreading 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.
Tips:
From Eat, Drink, Smile (tip from Beth): For those who don’ t have a microwave: You can steam the florets just until they are tender (not mushy) on the stove and then let them cool before grating them. The texture/consistency won’t be the same (It will be more like a puree) but it still works fine once you mix all the ingredients together.

*Other topping ideas:
Marinara or pizza sauce with your favorite toppings
Pesto with thin sliced tomato and fresh mozzarella
Alfredo with sausage, mushrooms, Provolone & Asiago cheese
Barbecue sauce with shredded chicken, green onions and smoked gouda
*This pizza is best served on a plate with a fork.

[LINDA RN]

Mary J's version!

[jopaul]

I made the pizza and enjoyed it. I didn't have pizza sauce, so I made my own. Thank goodness for bing and google. I'm one to google a substitute for a single ingredient that I'm without, rather than take a trip to the store.
Tina

[SweetRose]

I'm making this cauliflower crust Saturday~ I'm adding sliced black olives, green onions, fresh spinach, fresh tomatoes, green pepper and mushrooms. Also, I'll saute the veggies first with garlic and oregano in evoo. I'm not making hawaiian style, but florentine style. I'll make my own LDL pizza sauce. I'll also top it off with lower fat jarlsberg cheese and parmesan cheese.  :drool:

SweetRose

[jopaul]

I've eaten this 3 times so far and loved it everytime. Gotta love no guilt pizza.
Happy Mother's Day!
Tina

[SweetRose]

Tina, did the pizza slice hold it's shape like regular pizza?

I have all the ingredients to make it today- I'm using low-fat cheese for the crust- hope it works! Any hints will be appreciated~


SweetRose

[jopaul]

I did make some changes to the original recipe. I cook the crust at 350 degrees. I just realized that the last time that I made it, I forgot the microwaving of the cauliflower and it turned out fine.
Happy Mother's Day!
Tina

[SweetRose]

I'll try 350 degrees and see how that works~

SweetRose

[SweetRose]

WOW! I just made this pizza and it was delish! I made the crust with Weight Watchers reduced shredded cheese and it was perfect! Not oily at all- a perfect crust. I was able to pick it up like regular pizza slices, but it was messy, like overloaded regular pizza slices!

Sauteeing the veggies first was the best thing to do,too. When it came out of the oven I let the pizza "set" for awhile for easier handling. Then I topped it with fresh sliced tomatoes sprinkled with himalayan salt, oregano and freshly ground black pepper. Wonderful!!!

SweetRose

[LINDA RN]

Here are the pictures, tried to make them smaller but no go.

[SweetRose]

Thx Linda for showing this delicious- looking pic! That's what it looked like, with different toppings. I  didn't use meat on it this time, but may use low-fat cajun sausage slices next time, depending on my mood. Also, I think I'll try fat-free cheese in the crust when I make it again. I'll play around with the recipe until I have a still great-tasting but lower fat version. I want to make mock pizza often!

SweetRose

[jopaul]

SweetRose,
I am or used to be a pizza finatic. It is one of my favorites. I especially like this recipe.
Tina

[SweetRose]

Tina, while I was consuming this tasty pizza I was thinking of all the things that could be made with these "crust" ingredients! How about "breadsticks" served with faux spaghetti! Or jalapeno cheese biscuits! Just shape the "dough" into biscuits and bake! Or, flatten the dough out into bread- like squares for sandwiches! Yum! I can see a meat loaf sandwich in my near future!

Like I said earlier I'm going to try nonfat shredded sharp cheddar cheese next time. And I think I read on one of these cauliflower crust sites that someone used lowfat cottage cheese in place of the shredded cheese. ( or maybe nonfat cottage cheese would work?)

Anyway, I'm going to experiment with this tasty crust. And BTW, I didn't detect a smidgin of cauliflower taste. It wasn't like flour dough, of course...but still soooo yummy!

SweetRose

[Sharolyn]

I used to make this when I low carbed. I never thought about making it for LDl! I guess because of the cheese! I will try it again very soon.

[Charlotte C.]

I cant wait to try this. Sounds yummy.
                                Char.

[Joyful Friend]

I am ready to make it.  Hope to do it tomorrow.  It looks and sounds delicious.  I plan to use ff cheese.  I hope it works.    JF

[SweetRose]

A funny thing happened today ~

I was making cauliflower "biscuits" with fat free cheese. I used the original recipe for the crust except for using fat free cheese. When I made the crust for pizza last weekend I used low fat cheese and it turned out to be wonderful. So I thought since I had FF cheese I'd try it. Ok, so I assembled the ingredients and patted into"biscuit" shapes. It just wouldn't hold together. So I added a little EVVO- no improvement. Then I added another egg- still fell apart. So I shaped them the best I could and baked until golden brown. I scooped some into my plate and they did kind of hold their shape, but didn't taste like last Saturday's crust- though very good, almost like hash browns....but sort of raw tasting. Then it dawned on me! I forgot to microwave the cauliflower after grating!! Jeesh! Mind you, these hashbrown cakes were still very good, but if I'd have microwaved the raw cauliflower they may have held together! Maybe like faux biscuits??

Just thought I'd share!

SweetRose

[Deborah D.]

Went to the store to get cauliflower today and they were out of the fresh, so I ended up getting frozen cauliflower, so will try that and see how it works.  Hope it turns out ok.

Deborah D.

[Joyful Friend]

JoPaul, thanks for this recipe.  Finally, I made it today.  It is absolutely delicious.  I grated my cauliflower on an old fashioned hand cole slaw cutter.  I used the whole head.  I microwaved it.  The I mixed two eggs, 1 7oz package of morzff cheese and the seasonings.  I have a large rectangular stone pan.  I greased it, and made two crusts.  It spread like dough.  Then I sauteed my mushrooms, and onion.  I put a small jar of pizza sauce and my toppings.  I had some turkey bacon, so I crumbled it on one side.  I put a couple of slices of ff cheddar on the top.  My DH wanted some, then he wanted another piece.  My granddaughter who is a vegetarian  stopped in.  She and her dad finished it.  They liked it a whole lot.  I plan on making it again soon.  I need to get two packages of morz ff cheese next time.  My granddaughter took the recipe.. She will make it.  Thanks again.    JF

[MsHeirloom]

Wanda- I want to come eat at your house!!!!!  Pam