Pancetta & Asparagus Pizza

I love to take my standard homemade pizza recipe and come up with a new variation!  As we were trying to use up things from our fridge a few weeks ago, I came up with the idea of pairing asparagus and pancetta for a non-traditional pizza.  The possibilities really are endless, see what you can come up with to use up ingredients from your own fridge!

Servings:  8

Size:  1 slice of pizza

Points Plus: 6pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time:  15-20 minutes

Rating: 4 stars – Very good

Ingredient List:

1 can of Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough, classic style crust

1 can pizza sauce (4 oz)

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

5 slices of pancetta

½ lb. asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella, park-skim

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Open the can of pizza dough and shape into a pizza shape, gently working the dough outward on a lightly greased pizza pan.  Cook the crust according to the directions on the package, which suggests you pre-bake the crust for 5-7 minutes first before you add sauce and toppings.  While the crust is baking, bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the prepared asparagus pieces.  Boil for 3 minutes; then drain and rinse with cold water.  Take the pizza out and evenly spread the can of pizza sauce on top of the crust, spread almost to the edges of the dough.  Sprinkle oregano over the pizza sauce.  Next, add the cheese, then add the cooked asparagus and slices of pancetta on top.  Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown.

Tip:

A good tip to make sure the asparagus stays crisp is to immediately rinse your cooked asparagus with cold water to stop the cooking process.  I thought this really helped to keep the asparagus from getting too mushy before they finished cooking with the pizza.  It’s kind of a variation of the blanching technique with vegetables!

XOXO Megan

Red Sauce

Here is a yummy and simple red sauce that you can use for anything! Pizza, pasta, dip for your polenta fries!

Servings: 4
Serving Size: 1 cup
Points Plus: 2pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 4 - Very Good

Ingredients:
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tomato fresh from the garden, diced
4 cloves of garlic, cut small
1 T. olive oil
1 T. dried basil
1 T. dried parsley
1 T. dried rosemary
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a saute pan and add onions and garlic.  Saute about 4 minutes. Grind dried spices and sugar in a pistol and mortar until combined. Add tomatoes to saute pan, along with spices, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce heat and loosely cover and saute for 30 minutes. Add the fresh basil about 5 minutes before you are done.  Enjoy!

Tip:
Using the pistol and mortar will help to bring out the flavor of the dried spices.  If you don't have one, feel free to just sprinkle the spices on top when you add the tomatoes to the pay.  Also, if you like your red sauce creamy, get out your immersion blender and give her a few pulses!

XOXO Katie

Bruschetta + Cherry Tomatoe Tapenade

This recipe is so delicious.  This is a recipe my mom found, here is the original recipe.  It is a fun take on the traditional bruschetta by turning the normal mixture into a tapenade instead.  Yum-o!

Servings: 8

Size:  2 slices of bread/bruschetta

Points Plus: 6pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes (to grill the bread)

Rating: 4 stars – Very good

Ingredient List:

2 cups cherry tomatoes
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
6 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
Fresh ground pepper
Kosher salt
8-10 fresh basil leaves, torn
½ cup olive oil
2 oz. block Parmesan cheese, cubed
1 French baguette

Directions:

Slice the baguette into 1 inch slices.  Brush olive oil onto each slice and lightly sprinkle with salt.  In a grill pan over medium-high heat, grill the bread slices until they have grill marks and are lightly browned.  In a food processor, combine the tomatoes, olives, green onions, pine nuts, a dash of salt and pepper, basil, olive oil and Parmesan cheese cubes.  Lightly pulse the food processor until all ingredients are chopped and well combined.  Scoop the tapenade into a medium bowl for serving purposes.  Serve each bread slice with a generous helping of tomato tapenade and enjoy!

Tip:

Be careful not to over-pulse in the food processor!  It can easily happen, but your tapenade should resemble more of a chunky texture.

XOXO Megan

Caprese Salad

Everyone loves a caprese salad, especially during the summer months when fresh tomatoes are EVERYWHERE!  A caprese salad can be an appetizer, side dish or even sometimes a full meal.  I served this as the first course to a multiple course Italian feast, and it was the perfect size to get things rolling.

Servings: 4
Size: 1 caprese stack
Points Plus: 3pp
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: n/a
Rating: 4 stars - Very Good

Ingredient List:
1 Heirloom tomato
4 t. olive oil
5 basil leaves
4 oz. fresh mozzarella
Kosher salt and pepper

Directions: 
Slice your tomato into four thick pieces horizontally, saving the top and bottom piece for personal consumption (0pp)! Slice your mozzarella ball into 4 1 oz slices horizontally.  Clean your basil leaves.  Layer on each serving plate 1 tomato slice, 1 basil leaf and 1 mozzarella slice. Drizzle each serving with 1 t. olive oil and then salt and pepper to taste.

Tip:
This is hands down the BEST cheese knife ever.  It works best for soft cheese, and makes cutting nice and clean.  The knife is a little pricey but for sure worth the investment!

XOXO - Katie

Supreme Pizza

Homemade pizza is one of Paul and my favorite meals to make together!  Actually this was the first meal we ever cooked together on our 4^th date. J  We make a lot of different pizza varieties, but here is a recipe for a modified version of supreme.

Servings:  8

Size:  1 slice of pizza

Points Plus: 5pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time:  15-20 minutes

Rating: 4 stars – Very Good

Ingredient List:

1 can of Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough, classic style crust

1 8 oz can pizza sauce (my favorite brand is Pastorelli)

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

16 slices of turkey pepperoni

1 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

1 cup shredded mozzarella, park-skim

1 cup shredded cheddar, reduced-fat

Directions:

Open the can of pizza dough and shape into a pizza shape, gently working the dough outward on a lightly greased pizza pan.  Evenly spread the can of pizza sauce on top of the crust, spread almost to the edges of the dough.  Sprinkle oregano over pizza sauce before putting in the oven to pre-bake the crust.  Cook the crust according to the directions on the package.  It works best to start cooking the crust with just the sauce and no toppings to result in a crispier pizza crust. Bake the un-topped pizza crust for 5-7 minutes.  While the crust is baking, prepare your onions and peppers.  Take the pizza out and top with cheese first, then your veggies and finally place the slices of turkey pepperoni on top.  Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the crust is a light golden brown.

Tip:

At only 5pp per slice, don’t feel bad if you eat 2 slices of this supreme pizza.  I typically end up eating two slices when we make this!

XOXO Megan

English Muffin Pizzas

This is such an easy, quick dinner for when you are short on time!  Mini pizzas in the form of English muffins are a fun take and a lighter, healthier option if you are craving pizza.  Topping options are unlimited with this recipe too – just substitute whatever you are in the mood for or whatever is in your fridge.

Servings:  2

Size:  2 open-faced English muffin halves

Points Plus: 6pp

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time:  5 minutes

Rating: 3 stars - Good

Ingredient List:

2 English muffins

2 Tbsp. pizza sauce

Dried oregano

2 oz. mozzarella cheese, reduced fat

12 slices turkey pepperoni

Directions:

Toast the English muffins in your toaster.  Spread pizza sauce on each half.  Sprinkle some dried oregano on top of the sauce, this really helps bring out the pizza taste to these mini pizzas.  Next, top with cheese, split evenly across the 4 halves. Finally, add 3 slices of turkey pepperoni to each mini pizza.  Place pizzas on a cooking sheet and broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Tip:
Turkey pepperoni is a healhty option and a great way to save points!  If you haven't tried it before, you should.  You will be amazed at how much it tastes like regular pepperoni.

XOXO Megan

Polenta Pizzas

It's polenta time again!! This is a fun appetizer and interesting take on pizza.  Using a polenta 'crust' you are able to customize and top with whatever pizza toppings you like!  I chose to use marinara, mushrooms, onions and cheeeese.  This conbo of flavors is sure to impress your guests!

Servings: 6

Size: 2 Pizzas

Points Plus: 4pp

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 4 - Very Good

Ingredient List:

1 tube polenta

1 cup marinara sauce (I love Trader Joes brand!)

1 cup raw mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup raw onion, chopped

1/2 cup reduced fat shredded Parmesan cheese

Dried basil

Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut polenta into 12 even round slices.  Place plenta rounds on top of sprayed cookie sheet.  Bake 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, spray a sautee pan and cook onions for about 2 minutes.  Add mushrooms and sautee another 3 minutes.  When polenta has baked for 20 minutes remove it from the oven and evenly distribute marinara, veggie mixture then cheese on each one.  Tip with a quick shake of dried basil. Place little pizzas back into oven and bake for 10 more minutes.  Place on a pretty tray and serve hot!

Tip: 

Another great variation to try would be small caprase pizzas!  Use marinara, mozzarella and fresh basil for a delish summertime appetizer!

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

The combination of shrimp and lemon is so refreshing, and so spring. Even though we are on a very long rain streak here in MN, I would still like to hope spring (and maybe even summer?) is on it's way. I mean it IS Memorial Day and all.  This dish is really simple, pair it with a salad and you have a quick and decadent meal.

Servings: 4
Size: 1/4
Points Plus: 10pp
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 4 stars - Very Good

Ingredient List:
Kosher Salt (yum!)
Fresh ground pepper
8 oz. whole wheat linguine
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
3 T. minced garlic
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3/4 c. fresh parsley
Grated zest of one lemon
1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
Pinch of shredded Parmesan

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add a pinch of kosher salt and linguine and boil according to package directions.

In another large pan (dutch oven), melt butter and heat oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add shrimp, another pinch of salt, and pepper.  Saute until shrimp has just turned pink (about 2 minutes per side). Remove from heat, add parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes. Toss with  pasta and serve! Add a pinch of parm if you would like.

WARNING: The lemon proportions for this recipe make the lemon flavor pretty strong.  If you would prefer a more subtle lemon flavor cut the juice and zest in half.

Tip: I like to buy deveined shrimp, mainly because the concept of veining shrimp grosses me out. I do however like to peel my own shrimp, I think the kind you have to peep seems fresher than that kind that is already peeled.  Happy Memorial Day!

XOXO - Katie

Pesto Chicken

Pesto, mozzarella and tomato is such a great flavor combination!  It combines classic Italian flavors to add something extra to baked chicken.  This is a quick and easy weeknight dinner.  Pair it with a veggie (I chose frozen peas because we didn't have anythign else on hand) or a side salad.  The original recipe comes from Skinnytaste - her version includes a recipe for making your own pesto.  I don't have a food processor so I went with a store-bought pesto, but I would love to try out making my own some day!

Servings: 4

Size: 1 piece of chicken

Points Plus: 6 pp

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 5 minutes 

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Rating: 3 stars - Good

Ingredient List:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tsp. pesto

1 medium tomato, sliced

6 Tbsp. shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the chicken breasts horizontally in half to get 4 thinner chicken cutlets. Season each cutlet with salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with foil (this saves a TON of time when cleaning up/doing dishes later!). Put the chicken cutlets on the baking sheet. Spread 1 tsp. of pesto on each cutlet. Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Remove from oven to add tomatoes slices and mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes to make sure the cheese is melted. 

Tip:
Slicing the chicken breasts in half can be a kind of difficult task.  I made my fiance do it. :)  Another great option is to ask the butcher at your local grocer to cut them for you.  These are people who are much more experienced at cutting meat, so why not ask for the favor and save yourself some time?

XOXO - Megan

Taco Pizza

You may not know it, but pizza can be healthy! I like to make all kinds of combos, but just recently, when craving Doritos, I had the idea to make taco pizza.  Sub re-fried beans for pizza sauce, and top with your taco toppings.  This recipe is pretty basic, but the possibilities are endless!

Servings:  4

Size:  2 pieces, 1/4 of pizza

Points Plus: 8 pts

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time:  10-15 minutes

Rating: 3 stars - Good

Looks Better in Person!

Ingredient List:

1 whole wheat Boboli pizza crust

1 cup fat free re-fried beans

1 cup lettuce, chopped 

1 tomato, cubed

1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar

1 cup raw onion, any kind

1 cup jalapenos

9 Doritos, nacho cheese, crushed

Toppings (optional but calculated into Points Plus)

8 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream

Salsa!

Directions:

Preheat oven to package directions. Open pizza crust and smear on beans until evenly covered.  Add lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cheese, jalapenos and crushed Doritos. Put on pizza stone and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked to desired crispness. Top with sour cream and salsa!

Tip:

When making home made pizza it is easy to get carried away on toppings and overload your pie causing it to be soggy and limp.  Err (had to look up the spelling of that!) on the light side so you can enjoy a crispy crust!

XOXO - Katie

Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta

Ina Garten is one of my favorite chefs. Although her recipes are usually far from healthy, they are usually pretty easy to ‘lighten up’.  Limiting excessive oil and other fats is an easy way to cut down on pts without sacrificing flavor.  This recipe was also a good excuse to use my mini food processor for the first time!  It brought the feta to a very creamy consistency and helped bring this recipe together fast!

Servings: 8

Size: 4 pieces

Course: Appetizer

Points Plus: 4 pts

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes
Rating:  4 – Very good

Ingredient List:

3.5 ounces reduced fat feta, crumbled
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/8 cup good olive oil
2 Tbps. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. minched shallots (2 shallots)
2 tsp. fresh minced garlice (2 cloves)
2 Tbsp. good red wine vinegar
2 lbs. ripe heirloom or cherry tomatoes, 1/2 inch, diced
3 Tbsp. julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving
25 (1/4 inch thick) diagonally cut baguette slices, toasted

Directions:
For the whipped feta - Place the feta and cream cheese in athe bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.  Pulse until the cheeses are well mixed.  Add 1/8 cup of olive oil, lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; process until smooth.

For the tomatoes - Up to an hour before you're serving, combine the shallots, garlic and vinegar in a medium bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes.  Add 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Add the tomatoes, stir gently andn set aside for 10 minutes.  Stir in the basil and taste for seasonings.

To assemble the crostini, spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta.  With a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes on top.  Put the crostini under broiler until tomato mixture is warmed.  Sprinkle with extra basil and serve immediately.

Tip:

Canned, pre-cut garlic can come in handy when you are in a pinch, but I  would always recommend using fresh garlic when possible.  This is especially important when the garlic is not going to be cooked.  Uncooked canned garlic can overpower your dish and leave a weird flavor.  Also, buy a food processor if you don't have one - there are so many uses for this kitchen tool!

XOXO - Katie