Tag: Healthy Cooking

Posted in Grilling

Mouthwatering Grilled Whole-Wheat Pizzas

Posted on by Denise Lewis
Grilled Pesto Pizzas on Whole Wheat Dough

Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Pizza

and Grilled Individual Pizzas

Summer is for grilling. Bratwurst, burgers, chicken, and pizza. Yes, pizza is a great food for grilling. Most of us do not have a pizza oven in our backyard to create delicious wood-fired pizza, but we do have a grill, and that grill can create crispy, smokey individual pizzas sure to tempt even the pickiest of eaters.

My family loves pizza so I keep a stash of my Delicious Homemade Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough in the freezer. This is the base for the Pesto Sun-Dried Tomato Pizzas and the Individual Grilled Pizzas.

Step 1- The Dough

The first step is to make or thaw the Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough. Next, create 8 balls of dough. Roll out each ball into a circle or oval and then spray each side with cooking spray or brush with Olive or Avacado Oil. Place each round on a tray. I place parchment paper or plastic wrap between each layer.

Dough Prep

Step 2- Toppings

Once the dough is on the grill the cooking process is very fast. You need to have all of the toppings chopped and ready to go before you place the dough on the grill. My family likes a combo of veggies, meat, and cheeses. Each person gets to add what they want to their individual pizza.

Pizza Toppings

Step 3- Grilling

Take a moment and pre-heat the grill. About 5-10 minutes is enough to get the inside hot and ready for your crusts. While the grill is preheating, take all of the crusts and toppings outside. Place 4 crusts on the grill and let cook for 1-2 minutes. The dough will puff up slightly and stiffen. When ready, flip the crust. To make the Grilled Pesto Pizza, place 1-2 Tablespoons of Pesto on the crust and then top with sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes, and small chunks of goat cheese. Close the lid and let the toppings heat. Goat cheese will not melt like mozzarella, so you will know when it is done when the cheese is gooey. Top with fresh basil leaves.

For the individual pizzas, cook one side of the dough, and then once flipped, spread 1-2 tablespoons of pizza sauce on each pizza and add toppings. Put the lid down and let cook for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. It is fun to let each person build their own pizza.

Grilled Pesto Pizzas on Whole Wheat Dough
Mouthwatering Grilled Pesto Pizza

Grilled pizza is a fun activity for friends and family. Make your favorite type tonight.

Grilled Pesto Pizzas on Whole Wheat Dough

Grilled Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat-Cheese Whole-Wheat Pizza

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Mouthwatering Grilled Pesto Pizza with creamy goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes on a healthy Whole-What Crust. Great dinner for family or for impressing friends.

Ingredients

  • 1 Recipe Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough (link below)
  • 1 Jar of Pesto
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Raw Cherry Tomatoes
  • 4 oz. Goat-Cheese broken into small chunks
  • Basil Leaves for Garnish

Instructions

  1. Make or thaw one recipe Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough

Pre-Grill Prep

  1. Break the dough into 8 equal parts.
  2. Roll each dough ball into a round/oval disk and spray each side with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
  3. Stack the pizza crusts on a tray. I place parchment paper in between each layer so they don't stick together.
  4. Prep the toppings by dicing and chopping the sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. Put into bowls for easy transport to the grill.
  5. Create a tray with all of your toppings: Pesto, goat cheese, basil leaves, toppings, etc.

Grilling

  1. Pre-Heat the grill and close the lid. Let the grill heat for about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Place 4 crusts on the grill.
  3. Cook for about 1-2 minutes or until dough puffs up and stiffens.
  4. Flip the crust top with 1-2 tbsp of Pesto, sprinkle with the tomatoes, and then drop small pieces of goat cheese on top.
  5. Close the lid and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until the cheese is gooey (goat cheese does not melt like mozzarella).
  6. Remove from grill and top with basil leaves before serving.
  7. Repeat with remaining crusts.

Notes

* Place the first round of completed pizzas on the top of the grill if the crust is getting crispy but the cheese still isn't melted.

** Add bacon or chicken to increase the protein for the carnivores in your family.

**If thawing dough, place in the fridge for a few hours or defrost in the microwave on a low setting for 1-2 minutes.

© Denise Lewis
Cuisine: American / Category: Healthy Meals
Grilled Pizza

Grilled Whole-Wheat Pizza

Yield: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Individual Grilled Pizzas for the entire family to enjoy. Made with whole-wheat pizza dough, topped with mouthwatering veggies and meats, these grilled pizzas are sure to be a hit at your next party.

Ingredients

  • 1 Recipe Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough (link below)
  • 1 Jar of Pizza Sauce
  • 8 oz. of Mozerella Cheese or cheese blend
  • Toppings

Instructions

  1. Make or thaw one recipe Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough

Pre-Grill Prep

  1. Break the dough into 8 equal parts.
  2. Roll each dough ball into a round/oval disk and spray each side with cooking spray or brush with olive oil.
  3. Stack the pizza crusts on a tray. I place parchment paper in between each layer so they don't stick together.
  4. Prep the toppings and put them into bowls for easy transport to the grill.
  5. Create a tray with all of your toppings.

Grilling

  1. Pre-Heat the grill and close the lid. Let the grill heat for about 5-8 minutes.
  2. Place 4 crusts on the grill.
  3. Cook for about 1-2 minutes or until dough puffs up and stiffens.
  4. Flip the crust and top with 1-2 tbsp of sauce, desired toppings, and then 2 Tbsp of cheese.
  5. Close the lid and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
  6. Remove from grill and top with any desired greens (Basil, Arugula, Spinach) before serving.
  7. Repeat with remaining crusts.

Notes

* Place the first round of completed pizzas on the top of the grill if the crust is getting crispy but the cheese still isn't melted.

** Add bacon or chicken to increase the protein for the carnivores in your family.

**If thawing dough, place in the fridge for a few hours or defrost in the microwave on a low setting for 1-2 minutes.

© Denise Lewis
Cuisine: American / Category: Healthy Meals
Posted in Healthy Meals, Meal Planning

Fresh and Festive Weekday Meals

Posted on by Denise Lewis

January brings a slew of dietary goals and most of us are re-committing to healthy eating and cooking. Sure baking cookies, pies, and cakes are a great way to celebrate the Holiday season, but the crisp days of January bring a yearning for food that is both comforting and healthy. Yet, this week we are celebrating my husband’s birthday and watching the Buckeyes play in the National Championship. O-H-I-O!. How do you create healthy, daily meals that are still celebratory?

food restaurant brunch dinner
Photo by Jackie Jabson on Pexels.com

Healthy Celebration Food

We have a birthday tradition that the person turning a year older gets to choose dinner on the night of his or her birthday. My husband has requested Loaded Chicken Quesadillas. My son wants pizza for the National Championship and my daughter asked for her favorite salad this week. What do they all have in common? Chicken! This week’s menu focuses on comfort food and flavor, and allows you to prep your protein once and use it for 3 different meals. Having the protein prepped speeds up the nightly cooking process and helps get dinner on the table in 30 minutes. On Sunday night or even Monday afternoon, toss some chicken in the crockpot or a pressure cooker and cook it until it is tender. I plan on using about 4-5 chicken breasts, but thighs or tenders would work as well. Once the chicken has cooked shred it and store it for later use. I don’t season at this point, so I can use it for multiple dishes and flavors. This week I will use the chicken in Individual Homemade Pizzas, Loaded Chicken Quesadillas, and a Mexican Flavored Cobb Salad.

Fun and Festive Weekly Meal Plan

Pizza and football are American traditions. My family loves pizza, but we all don’t like the same toppings. The solution? Individual homemade pizzas. I keep homemade pizza dough in the freezer in individual balls to use for this type of occasion. You can easily substitute your own favorite healthy pizza crust and even buy them in the store to save time. The next step is to prep your toppings. I place the toppings in individual bowls or on various cutting boards and then everyone creates their own pizza. Our favorite topping combinations include: Barbecue Chicken with Mozzarella and Cilantro–Pesto, Chicken, Bacon, and Tomato– Black Olives, Peppers, Onions, and Cheese– and –Just Cheese.

I love this because everyone gets what they want and everyone is happy. Once the pizzas are cooked (about 16-20 minutes at 425) I will cut them and then move them to platters to take downstairs for the game.

  • Dough
  • pepperoni pizza with basil leaves

Quesadillas and a Cobb Salad

Tuesday’s Loaded Chicken Quesadillas also allows for individual choice. At this point, I will reheat the chicken in a bit of Olive Oil and add about 3 Tablespoons or Taco Seasoning. Dinners for both Tuesday and Wednesday have a Southwestern, festive flavor, and this small step punches up the heat. As with Monday’s pizzas, the Quesadillas allow for individual choice. Chop up the toppings and place in bowls, and have a variety of different tortillas (family favorites include, whole wheat, spinach, and cauliflower tortillas). Topping choices include: chicken, bacon, black beans, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and cheese. I set these up on the griddle and cook each to order. Create a nice side salad or fruit salad to complement the Quesadillas and you have a quick healthy meal. You can also use left-over pizza toppings for Monday to save time. 

Wednesday’s meal uses the last of the chicken and will use the last of the toppings from earlier this week. I will heat some frozen grilled corn, boil a few eggs to chop for the top and each person will make a salad. You may ask why I have so many dishes that allow for individual choice, and the answer is that we do not always eat together during the week. My husband teaches two nights a week, my daughter has dance, my son has basketball practice and we all have gym workouts at various times during the week. These types of meals let everyone build a fresh dinner when they get home from their various activities.

Quinoa and Veggie Bowls

photo of sliced vegetables on ceramic plate
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com

Thursday’s meal is a Quinoa and Veggie Power Bowl. I will roast whatever vegetables we have left from the week, make a batch of Quinoa and again, everyone will build a bowl, with their favorite ingredients. If there any chicken left from the week that can be added or this can be a vegetarian dish is preferred.

Weekend Cooking

Weekends give me a little more time to cook and experiment, so I can make dishes that take a little more time. Saturday’s dinner is a Ramen Stir Fry with fresh vegetables and Sunday is a Vegetable Pot Pie with Homemade Whole Wheat Bread. Ramen you might think? How is that healthy? There are various types of Ramen available other than the dry, seasoned packs you might remember from your youth. My ramen noodles are Brown Rice and Millet and can be picked up at a natural grocery store. You could easily substitute Soba Noodles for added protein if you can’t find whole-grain ramen. On Sunday, I will toss a cornucopia of root vegetables into the crockpot with vegetable broth and seasoning and let them cook for 5-6 hours. I may try to convince my daughter to make the bread, but it will depend on how much homework she has. If not, I’ll get it started and our afternoon will be filled with the delicious smell of baking bread. Yum! 

Fun, festive meals with individual choices make for a happy and healthy family. Happy New Year.