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

Spinach Artichoke Frittata

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I love breakfast, especially savory ones. Eggs, sausage, ham, and cheese - these are a few of my favorite things! Since I started following Intermittent Fasting (not eating between 9PM and 12PM), however, I don't eat during traditional "breakfast" meal time. Don't get me wrong, I love my current approach to nutrition and it works really well for me...but that doesn't mean I still don't miss my beloved breakfast!

The amount of "breakfast for dinner" I prepare has been on the rise. I noticed I have very few breakfast recipes on the site, and the ones that are posted are sweet baked goods like my Apple Cider Protein Donuts, Pumpkin Protein Waffles or Pumpkin Pronuts.

That's because breakfast is very often a quick scramble of whatever meats, vegetables, cheese and egg I have on hand.

This frittata may look involved but it couldn't be easier! While some may turn their noses up at just eating the egg whites (love the yolks!), I still believe it is just fine to eat them every once in a while when you are being mindful about your diet. In this case I balanced out the total fat in the frittata by adding butter and ham - who doesn't love that? 

With some frittatas, they can become overloaded with vegetables, making it heavy and dense. The spinach and artichokes keep this frittata light while also packing it full of veggies! This frittata is pleasing on the eyes, so it could be served at a brunch or breakfast party. No party? I made this for myself for multiple dinners and the leftovers re-warm perfectly!

Spinach Artichoke Frittata

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 pint egg whites (approximately 10 egg whites)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 4 oz ham steak
• 2-1/2 c spinach  
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
• 8 artichoke heart quarters, canned, water drained
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.  
2. Melt butter over medium high heat in a medium sized saucepan. Add garlic and ham, stir. Next add spinach and allow to wilt down. This only takes a couple of minutes.
3. Combine egg white, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Once spinach has cooked down, pour egg white mixture into pan. Stir to incorporate spinach and ham with egg whites. Cover with lid and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the eggs begin to set. Remove lid and arrange artichoke hearts in a ring around top of frittata. 
4. Transfer to oven and cook for 10 minutes or until frittata has set and cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. 

Nutritional Information (1/4 of Frittata):

138 calories - 20 g Protein, 2.5 g Carbohydrates, 5 g Fat