Greek Cauliflower Crust Pizza

To Celebrate My Engineered Nutrition's 2nd Birthday, I'm bringing it back with another Cauliflower Crust Pizza! The first recipe I started the website with, enjoy!

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Can you believe that My Engineered Nutrition just turn TWO on May 5th?! 

If you are thinking "Wow! No I can't believe it!" you are in good company, as I couldn't believe it either. So much so, that the actual birthday came and went before I even realized it...

But after shortly realizing it was my baby website's birthday, I got to the kitchen and created something I hope you love as much as I do. It seemed fitting to celebrate the 2nd year of my blog with an original: Cauliflower Crust Pizza. That's right, I love my original BBQ Chicken Pizza so much I had to do a spinoff! While I would love to take credit for coming up with this idea all on my own, it was actually a recommendation by my bestie. I often turn to her to ask her what I should make next because she's made many of my recipes and we share similar tastes (i.e. we both love food...a lot). 

She mentioned that she's been into making Greek pizzas lately and I knew I had to copy that. I am part Greek after all, and I grew up eating this familiar profile of flavors. There is no traditional pizza sauce to be found on this pizza, instead the cauliflower crust is topped with olive oil and fresh garlic. Then, it is really a free form of whatever toppings you are feeling or have on hand! For this little number, I used feta cheese, artichoke hearts, kalamata olive, pepperoncini, red onions, grape tomatoes and basil...whew, that's a mouthful. You'll notice I don't have exact measurements for the ingredients below - let's not overcomplicate things. I've made things extra simple too with my step-by-step guide to making the Cauliflower Crust. 

Seeing that it IS My Engineered Nutrition's 2nd birthday, I figured I'd share some fun stats! I am an engineer after all, and I love nothing more than looking at analytics and numbers.

In total, I've had over 104,000 page views in the last 2 years. Wow. Just wow. THANK YOU to everyone who supports me in my fun little hobby. It means the world to me.

My Top 10 Recipes over the last 2 years were:

1. Pumpkin Protein Donuts (over 18,000 views!!)
2. Cajun Baked Salmon
3. Sweet Potato Stacks
4. Fluffy Protein Pancakes
5. Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins
6. How to Build an EPIC Cheese and Charcuterie Board
7. Coffee Cake Protein Muffins
8. Roasted Chicken Breast
9. Chocolate Coconut Protein Donuts
10. BBQ Chicken Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

Some of these really surprised me for being in the Top 10 and others I'm not surprised at all. I did slow down at posting and only brought you 14 new recipes this year. I'm hoping to be more regular this year and my goal is to post at least two recipes per month! 

As always, I'd love to hear your suggestions for recipes! Shoot me an email at myengineerednutrition@gmail.com

Greek Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Prep Time: 20-25 minutes

Bake Time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients

For the cauliflower crust

• 1 small to medium head of cauliflower, yielding about 3.5 cups flowerets (350g)
• 1/3 cup shredded fat-free or low-fat monterey jack cheese (1.5 oz)
• 1 egg white
• 1 tbsp coconut flour
• 1 tsp italian seasoning (equal parts dried oregano, basil, thyme and rosemary)
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the pizza toppings

• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
• Salt
• 1 oz feta cheese, crumbed
• Artichoke hearts (about 2 whole canned, sliced)
• Red onion, sliced
• Pepperoncini, sliced
• Grape tomatoes, halved
• Fresh basil, sliced
• Kalamata olives, halved

Directions

First, start with the the cauliflower crust. You can follow my step-by-step instructions here: Cauliflower Crust How-To

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 
2. Chop cauliflower into small flowerets, discarding of leavings and stem. Place cauliflower into food processor and pulse until you get a "cauliflower rice" constancy.
3. Transfer cauliflower to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 3 minutes. This steams the cauliflower.
4. Once cooked, transfer cauliflower again to a tea towel lined bowl. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, gather up the towel and squeeze the cauliflower into a ball -- and continue to squeeze! I can't stress enough how important it is to squeeze ALL the liquid out of the cauliflower. You should have about 1/2 cup of liquid when you are done. The end result is a ball of cauliflower "flour".
5. In a mixing bowl combine cauliflower, shredded monterey jack cheese, egg white, coconut flour, seasonings and salt. Mix with hands until ingredients are well incorporated.
6. On a parchment lined baking sheet flatten out dough, shaping into a thin round disk, about 1/4" thick.
7. Bake in a 450° oven for 10-15 minutes or until it begins to turn golden.

Assemble the pizza.

1. Once baked, rub olive oil, minced garlic and salt over the crust.
2. Add the remaining toppings to the pizza..
3. Bake again at 450°F for 10 minutes or until cheese has melted slightly and onions have cooked.
4. Remove pizza from oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing.

Nutrition Information (approximate for 1 whole pizza):

330 calories - 20g Protein, 31g Carbohydrates (11g Fiber), 14g Fat

Spinach Artichoke Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

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Squeezing in one last recipe for 2015!

What a great year it has been. Even though I didn't start this website until May of 2015, I still managed to bring you 48 (yes, FORTY EIGHT) recipes this year. Oh man! Since I started off this blog with my BBQ Chicken Pizza with Cauliflower Crust, it seemed fitting to close out the year with another cauliflower crust pizza.  

Recently, I figured out the sad truth that I'm allergic to nightshade vegetables. What is a nightshade? It is a plant family (Solanaceae) including tomatoes, peppers (bell pepper, chili peppers, tomatillos, cayenne, etc), white potatoes, eggplant and goji berries. The term “nightshade” may have been coined because some of these plants prefer to grow in shady areas, and some flower at night. 

I've narrowed it down that when I eat tomatoes and peppers (two of my most favorite things) my face begins to itch where my psoriasis is located and I begin to turn red. I'm not 100% sure this is what causes that, but there is a strong correlation and I don't want to chance it by continuing to eat them.

That being said, eating traditional pizza presents a dilemma. The base of most pizzas, after all, is tomato sauce.

My mom recently saw a jar of Spinach Artichoke Pizza Sauce in Williams-Sonoma. I loved the idea of using that as the  base of my pizza! So yes - this isn't an original idea to use spinach and artichoke as the pizza sauce - gasp!

My mom always used to make (and still does) her spinach artichoke dip using canned artichokes, spinach, Miracle Whip and Kraft Parmesan Cheese. I tweaked this formula just a bit and made my spinach artichoke base using garlic, spinach, artichokes, nonfat Greek yogurt and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Seriously, you could eat this stuff by the spoonful.

I spread that all over the top of my perfected Cauliflower Crust and finished things off with some turkey bacon and fresh mozzarella. The result is a super creamy pizza that tastes so decadent but is much better for you than eating traditional spinach artichoke dip, which can be loaded with fat. If you loved my BBQ Chicken Pizza then you must try this Spinach Artichoke Pizza today!

Spinach Artichoke Pizza

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15-25 minutes

Servings: 4 slices

Ingredients: 

• 1 Cauliflower Crust  (see this post on how to make!)
• 1/2 tbsp grass-fed butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• 5 oz baby spinach, roughly 4.5 cups or one small package of spinach
• 1/2 cup artichokes hearts, chopped (75 g)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (2 oz)
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (1 oz)
• 1.5 oz fresh mozzarella
• 2 slices turkey bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare Cauliflower Crust per instructions, baking at 450°F for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.
2. While Cauliflower Crust is baking, melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and brown for 1 minute. Next, add baby spinach and salt and allow to wilt, about 2-3 minutes. Once wilted add the artichoke hearts, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute to warm through. 
3. Transfer spinach and artichokes to a mixing bowl, along with the Greek yogurt and Parmesan cheese. Mix until well incorporated.
4. Once the Cauliflower Crust has finished baking, spread spinach artichoke mixture evenly over top the crust. Finish with a sprinkle of the turkey bacon and slices of fresh mozzarella. Bake at 450°F for 5-10 minutes, until cheese has melted. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. 

Nutritional Information (1 slice, 4 total slices in pizza):

163 calories - 16 g Protein, 9 g Carbohydrates (3.8 g Fiber), 7 g Fat

Whipped Cauliflower with Caramelized Onions

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Mashed potatoes are great, don't get me wrong.

But with all the other deliciously-heavy side dishes to choose from at Thanksgiving, wouldn't it be nice to have at least one lighter alternative? Or, what if you are like me, and cannot tolerate night-shade (white potatoes)?

Cauliflower to the rescue!

To start things off, any dish you add these caramelized onions to will be a hit. The Kitchn does a great tutorial on how to caramelize onions. It make take a bit of extra time and planning up front, but the results is well worth it.

Cauliflower is great a great low carb substitute, and if cooked correctly can have almost an indistinguishable texture compared to white potatoes. I haven't loaded these down with butter and heavy cream, instead I snuck in non-fat Greek yogurt to provide that bit of creaminess to this side dish. Your dinner guests won't know the difference!  

Whipped Cauliflower with Caramelized Onions

Prep Time: 1 hour (caramelized onions) + 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 small/medium heads of cauliflower, about 8 cups chopped
• 1-1/2 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1-1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 6 oz non-fat Greek yogurt
• Caramelized onions (1 whole onion)  - follow The Kitchn instructions

You will also need: 

• Blender or immersion blender
• Electric hand mixer

Directions: 

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. While the water is warming, chop cauliflower into florets. Once  water is to a boil, add cauliflower. Continue to boil for 10 minutes, until the cauliflower becomes very tender. Drain cauliflower.
2. Return large pot to stove top. Over medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and rosemary and allow to become fragrant but be sure not to let the garlic become too brown, about 1-2 minutes. Add cauliflower and mix to combine. Allow to cook for an additional 8 minutes.
3. If your blender is large enough (or you have an immersion blender) you can do this next step in one batch. If not, this can be done in batches. Transfer cauliflower mixture to blender and add chicken stock. Blend but do not completely liquify - we want a 'mashed potato-like' texture.
4. Return cauliflower to large pot (no heat). Add Greek yogurt and caramelized onions. Whip the cauliflower with the hand mixer until all ingredients are well incorporated. 
5. I like to finish things off in the oven so that the cauliflower is warmed through and this also creates a bit of a crisp layer, which is a nice touch :) This would be a great dish to prepare ahead of time on Thanksgiving and just re-warm in the oven before sitting down to eat. 375F for about 15 minutes should do the trick!

Nutritional Information (1 serving)

120 calories - 6 g Protein, 13 g Carbohydrates, 5 g Fat

Faux-tato and Leek Soup

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Comfort food.

We all have our own definition of what comfort food is for us. Regardless of the dish, more than likely it is something warm and inviting. For me, stews and soups come to mind as 'comfort food'. Slow cooked, rich dishes that are filled with love. What this also means is that comfort food and healthy food very rarely apply to the same dish. 

Most recently, completely out of the blue, I had a craving for loaded baked potato soup. But again, while comforting for the soul, it is not comforting for my diet.

Potage Parmentier (Leek and Potato Soup) is a classic French soup. I used this basic recipe as inspiration for my loaded Faux-tato and Leek Soup. So...what is faux about this? 

No potatoes. (GASP!)

I've swapped the white potatoes for cauliflower in this soup, and I'm here to tell you this is just as delicious. I managed to keep the thick and creamy consistency while cutting the carbs and fat normally found in a potato soup, in half. Now THAT is some comfort food I can get down with! 

Faux-tato and Leek Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 10 cups **this makes a LOT of soup, recipe could easily be cut in half

Ingredients: 

• 2 small heads of cauliflower, florets chopped (about 10 cups)
• 1 large leek, white base thinly sliced and green tops removed and set aside
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 cups chicken bone broth - homemade or I love Pacific Organic Bone Broth when I'm in a pinch
• 1 cup half and half
• Optional toppings: reduced-fat or non-fat cheddar cheese and turkey bacon

Directions: 

1. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks, celery and garlic, cooking until soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Don't rush this step, we don't want to caramelize the leeks and garlic. 
2. Next, add cauliflower, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and chicken broth. Increase to high heat and bring to boil, about 10 minutes.
3. Once at a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. 
4. Remove bay leaves and blend the soup. This step can be done with either with an immersion blender or regular blender. If using a normal blender, remove soup and batches and blend, pouring smooth soup into a secondary bowl.
5. Once all soup has been blended, return to large pot and add half and half. Bring to a boil and simmer for another 10 minutes, uncovered. 
6. Serve as is or top with shredded cheese and turkey bacon!

Nutritional Information (1 cup)

110 calories - 7.5 g Protein, 9.5 g Carbohydrates (2.9 g Fiber), 4.8 g Fat

Roasted Cauliflower & Piquillo Pepper Soup

Last week I received a text from my mom, with a photo very similar to the one above, that read:

"OK so if you want a guest blog item...cream of roasted cauliflower, parsnip and piquillo pepper soup!"

YUM. I immediately reply back, asking for the recipe ASAP. Her response was no surprise to me.

"Well you know me..." and she proceeded to tell me her process and the ingredients, but of course didn't measure anything out. 

This is exactly how I learned how to cook. Doing everything on the fly, tasting along the way, and then creating a dish that was delicious...but I could never tell you how exactly it all came together. 

Starting My Engineered Nutrition has helped me combat this problem and I've gotten much better at my recipe documentation. I'd best describe this soup as roasted and smokey, having a texture similar to potato soup. However, unlike potato soup which is thick, heavy and usually high in fat, this soup is creamy yet light and low in both carbs and fat! So without further ado, here is Dorinda Gunther's recipe (with measurements and interpretation by yours truly) for Roasted Cauliflower and Piquillo Pepper soup.

Roasted Cauliflower & Piquillo Pepper Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes 

Servings: 6 cups

Ingredients

• 2 medium parsnips
• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 1 1/4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt (I used BACON SALT I found at a local spice shop, Kosher salt will also work here)
• 2 tsp garlic, chopped
• 3 roasted piquillo peppers (these come in a jar in the grocery aisle with the pickled condiments), chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• Optional: additional pureed piquillo peppers to garnish soup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Loosely chop parsnips and cauliflower into large pieces and toss with 3/4 tbsp olive oil and salt. Spread evenly in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for about 25 minutes or until vegetables have turned golden brown. 

2. In a large soup pot over medium high heat, sauté garlic in remaining olive oil for 1 minute. Add cauliflower, parsnips, piquillo peppers, cumin and pepper. Stir in chicken stock and bring mixture to a boil. Once at a boil, cover pot and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes. 

3. Once the soup has reduced down, carefully blend mixture until pureed (or reaches your desired consistency). This can be done in a blender, food processor or with a hand-held immersion blender. I used my blender and scooped the soup cup by cup from the pot to the blender. 

4. Return soup to pot and mix in coconut milk. No need to turn on heat for this step. Soup is now complete! I also topped my soup with a spoonful of additional purée of the remaining jar of piquillo peppers.

Nutritional info (1 serving)

160 Calories - 5 g Protein, 17 g Carbs, 8 g Fat