Make Healthy Pizza That Also Tastes Amazing: Part Two

The second part in this series explores a simple, yet satisfying gluten-free option.

If you read part one in this series, then you already know we’re here to prove that pizza doesn’t have to choose between tasting good or being healthy — it can be both! The really beautiful thing about pizza is that it’s so versatile — you can easily swap out toppings, sauce and even crust. So in this installment, we’ll teach you how to trade a traditional crust for an equally delicious gluten-free base.

Gluten-Free and Guilt-Free Margherita Pizza

Yields: Two mini pizzas.

Whether you’re baking for a celiac friend or you’re trying out an elimination diet, it’s always nice to have a gluten-free option available. For this recipe, we used grain-free paleo baking flour, which is a mix of almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca flour. But if you have nut allergies, there are lots of other flour options out there. So without further adieu, let’s bake!

Crust ingredients:

• 2 cups grain-free paleo baking flour
• 2 egg whites
• ½ cup 2% milk
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sauce ingredients:

• ½ can of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (14 oz)
• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Dash of crushed red pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Topping ingredients:

• 2 medium tomatoes (sliced)
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella (sliced)
• A handful of fresh basil (about 10-15 large leaves)

Instructions:

First, let's build a strong foundation for our pizza’s future (aka the crust):

1. Mix together grain-free paleo baking flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2. Separately, combine milk and water in a small saucepan. Stir and heat until warm.

3. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in yeast and sugar. Add this mixture to the flour mixture.

4. Add egg whites and extra virgin olive oil. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

5. Split your dough in half and roll each half into a ball on top of parchment paper. Drizzle a little olive oil on top and flatten each ball out into a 9-inch circle.

6. Crimp the edges to make the true crust of your pizza.

7. While these rise for 25 minutes, add a pizza stone to the oven and preheat to 400° F.

Now it's time to throw together a sauce that's easy as (pizza) pie:

8. Add crushed tomatoes to a blender.

9. Crush your cloves of garlic and remove the skin. Add these to the blender too.

10. Add in salt, crushed red pepper and black pepper.

11. Blend it all together. Bbbrrrrrr!

Okay, now back to your crusts, assuming it’s been a solid 25 minutes.

12. Place one of your crusts onto the hot baking stone (with the parchment paper still under it).

13. Bake it by itself for about 9 minutes or until the bottom is almost golden brown.

14. Repeat for the second crust.

Give those beauties a few minutes to cool, and then get ready for the most important part: toppings.

15. Slice your tomatoes and fresh mozzarella to your desired thickness.

16. Wash and dry your basil. Roll the leaves from the tip of the leaf to the stem (widthwise) and slice to create thin strips of basil. (This video will give you a quick tutorial.)

17. Using a large spoon, ladle several spoonfuls of sauce onto your crust and spread evenly to the edge.

18. Adorn with tomato, mozzarella and basil, distributing evenly at your own discretion.

19. And now for the final step: Bake for another 10-12 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is a darker shade of golden brown.

20. Repeat steps 17-20 with your second crust.

Bon appetit! Now you have two perfect little pizza pies — both gleefully gluten-free. All that’s left now is to invite over a friend and show them your new favorite dish.