It’s been a few weeks, but Meatless Mondays from A-Z is back and ready to roll! With 8 letters left in the alphabet, I dare say the best is yet to come. I hope you’re having as much fun as I am figuring out different ways to use the featured ingredient each week! New to MMAZ? Get all the details and see the past ingredients here.
This week, I’m focusing on a classic meal that (almost) everyone loves…Pizza! I think pizza is one of those foods that is often abused and becomes a greasy mess of yuckiness. Until we made pizza at home for the first time, it was hard for me to find a pizza in the I actually liked. When you’re at home, you’re in control of the ingredients and can make sure they are all high quality and delicious!
How about a new twist on your average pizza? You may have made your own crust before, but how about a spinach crust from scratch?! The simple addition of shredded spinach gives the typical pizza crust an extra veggie punch.
Who says pizza has to be junk food? Pile yours high with whatever healthy veggie (or even fruits) that you have on hand for a healthy pizza treat!
For this week’s pizza, I used toppings we had on hand. Starting with an easy, homemade pizza sauce, cheese, more spinach, vegan meat crumbles, and finally sriracha for a little extra spice (you know I love my spice).
I channeled my friend Kristina to create this animated graphic – pretty cool, huh?!
Super Spinach Pizza
by
Keywords: bake appetizer bread snack nut-free vegan vegetarian tomato spinach Italian
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1 batch spinach crust, uncooked
- 8 whole peeled canned tomatoes (about 1/2 30 ounce can)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 cup spinach, packed
- 1 cup non-dairy mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup vegan meat crumbles
- sriracha (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Prep spinach crust and place on prepared pizza stone.
In a small bowl, combine tomatoes through garlic powder. With clean hands, mash tomatoes and spices together (careful – the tomatoes will squirt!) until tomatoes are reduced to chunky pieces.
Pour tomato sauce onto pizza crust and spread with spatula leaving about a 1/2 – 1 inch around the edges. Sprinkle spinach over sauce, followed by cheese and “meat”. Squirt sriracha over top of pizza, if desired.
Bake for 12-16 minutes, or until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly. Allow to cool slightly, slice, and serve!
If you’re a fan of spice, that sriracha on top adds the perfect kick at the end of each bite. If not, just leave it off and enjoy the flavors without the extra spiciness. :)
For the pizza crust, make sure you find Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust Yeast or a similar variety that doesn’t require proofing or rise time. This really speeds up the prep time on the meal!
Spinach Pizza Crust
by
Keywords: bread entree snack vegan nut-free soy-free vegetarian Italian
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 2 cups spinach, packed
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 package Fleischmann’s Pizza Crust Yeast
- 1 /12 teaspoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2/3 cup very warm water
- 1-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a food processor, add the shredder blade and shred spinach.
In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add shredded spinach, scraping down the sides to get it all. Add nutritional yeast, if desired. Mix or stir until combined.
Add water and oil and mix on medium speed. Add flour a little at a time until dough forms a ball, just slightly sticky.
Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and kneed for several minutes, adding more flour as needed.
On prepared pizza stone, pull pizza with your hands from opposite sides to create pizza crust. Be careful not to spread too thin in one area, so the crust can support the toppings (about 1/4-1/2 inch thick).
Top pizza crust with desired toppings and cook for 12-15 minutes or until crust is browned. Allow to cools slightly, cut, and serve!
The finished product reflects my style of pizza – creamy, flavorful, and NOT greasy! Daiya mozzarella shreds are my preferred cheese for pizza, since it melts nicely and even gets that stretchy, cheesy texture.
Who else is in the mood for pizza now? ;)
And now it’s time to see what other creative uses for spinach everyone else came up with! Who’s recipe will be added to your “to-make” list this week?
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Questions for you:
- What toppings would you change on this pizza?
- Have you had spinach in your pizza crust before?
{ 53 comments… read them below or add one }
mmm looks great!
Thanks Michelle! Hope you’re having a great start to the week! :)
I’m sorry. I’m far too distracted by the awesomeness of that graphic to see anything else. Lol!
You pizza looks awesome! I had my cauliflower crust pizza this weekend… This makes me want to try it with spinach! Also, sriracha is the best topping ever.
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted..Pear-Ginger Tofu Surprise
Yay – the graphic was super easy, I found a website that you upload the images to and it creates it for me. But I DID think to take the photos with the camera in the same spot! :)
I bet this would be great in your cauliflower pizza crust!
This looks AMAZING! I LOVE spinach on pizza!
It’s my first official MMAZ today it’s located here!
http://blissfulyogajourney.blogspot.com/2013/01/meatless-monday-z-spinach.html
Looking for more Veg*n Blogging buddies, too! Anyone invited! Let me know if you want to exchange links :)
Jennifer recently posted..Meatless Monday A-Z: Spinach
Hey Jennifer. To add your link, you’ll need to add the MMAZ badge to your post, which includes a backlink to this site. You can get the instructions here: http://betterwithveggies.com/meatless-mondays-from-a-z/
http://blissfulyogajourney.blogspot.com/2013/01/meatless-monday-z-spinach.html
I edited my post! Thanks for the additional info/reminder :)
Jennifer recently posted..Colorful Paradise
Excellent – glad you joined the fun today! :)
Hot sauce on pizza is key! Nice. :)
I love broccoli and onions on my pizza, but no matter what, it has to have a great pizza sauce. That’s the best part!
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance recently posted..Friday’s Five
I’m glad you’re with me on the hot sauce – I’m such a hot foodie. :) Broccoli and onions, that an interesting combo that I’ll have to try! And yes, pizza sauce is very important…unless you use pizza hummus instead, which is also pretty yummy!
Awesome–just pinned the pizza hummus recipe to try! :)
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance recently posted..Orange Creamsicle (Green) Smoothie
this looks AWESOME! you know I love spinach in everything, pizza is just a natural.
the gifs are fun, right? you’ll want to make them all the time ;)
here’s my entry for MMAZ – http://spabettie.com/2013/01/07/lemon-basil-spinach-cakes/
That’s what I thought – I was worried this was actually too “normal” for a recipe, actually. :)
And I’m so glad you inspired me to try the gif – too easy and super fun!
I put dried basil in my Whole Wheat Yogurt Ale crust, but maybe I should have put SPINACH? ;) I normally love spinach as a topping actually, so this is awesome. I could make it vegan by just making a spinach beer crust. LOVE it.
I don’t like cheese on my pizza. I know, I know…weirdo. But I love TONS of sauce. I just like any vegetable you can give me with tons of tomato sauce.
That animation is tripping me out a little bit. Maybe I should have just gone to bed earlier last night…
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen recently posted..Greek Spinach Balls + Tofu Tzatziki [#MMAZ]
Yes – spinach would be a great addition – and spinach + beer sounds pretty freakin awesome, if you ask me!
I eat pizza without cheese pretty often, so you’re not weird in this crowd! :)
That looks fantastic. Loving the idea of that spinach crust too! I need to try that out. What flour did you use? Wondering if a wheat or wheat pastry would work.
Heather (Where’s the Beach) recently posted..Starting Over and 1st 5 by 5th
Comments were being slow today to post, but I did get both! I just used a normal self-rising flour, but I usually have good luck with whole wheat flours too. Give it a shot and let me know!
well phooey looks like my original comment didn’t make it (sorry if I end up double commenting). This looks so fantastic. Love the addition of the spinach. Which flour did you use?
Heather (Where’s the Beach) recently posted..Starting Over and 1st 5 by 5th
Sneaky ;) I love the spinach crust idea! Will come in useful one day when I’ll have kids ^^
Nadiya @ Milk and Honey on the Run recently posted..Balancing Running and Yoga
:) It works for anyone who doesn’t like veggies or just because it’s fun to add veggies to pizza crust!
I’ve never tried spinach in the crust, but I would definitely like it. I wonder if there’s any way of tricking the husband into not knowing it’s there? ;)
Natalie @ Free Range Human recently posted..I’m A Nerd Like That
I’m not sure where this idea came from, but I thought it was less unique than it seems to be. Yay! Just don’t tell the hubby that it’s spinach, just say it’s homemade and delicious!
Very yummy. My favorite veggie pizza is a simple spinach and mushroom. Pretty simple, but super good. Thanks for the recipes.
Pavement Runner recently posted..2013 Race Schedule (Part 1)
Great combination – simple can be very, very good!
love the pizza and the animated pic!
kalli recently posted..Silent Goals
Thanks Kalli! I was feeling pretty good about that animated gif, but it really was easy! :)
Oh I LOVE pizza!!! This looks sooo yummy! Thanks for sharing! I’m pinning! ;-)
Mindy @Road Runner Girl recently posted..Goal Getter 2013!
Thanks Mindy – you’ll have to let me know if you try it! Then you get to brag that you made pizza from scratch (and don’t tell anyone how easy it is!). :)
Heather this sounds SOO good! I haven’t ever put spinach IN a pizza crust before, but it sounds like a great idea. :)
Greg and I make pizza every Friday night- I’m going to have to put this one into the rotation to try out asap.
Thanks Lauren! This is what happens when you want to make a pizza recipe but know just topping it with spinach won’t count. ;)
This looks SO good. Will put my pizza to shame tonight!! I really need to learn all those gadgets for the food processors. Never knew you could shred with it!!
char eats greens recently posted..green in ’13 challenge
Nah – just different than your pizza tonight! Sorry I didn’t share the recipe in time to help with yours! :)
Meatless Mondays! I just posted a pizza recipe for my meatless mondays post as well. Yours looks delicious too. I am definitely going to try it!
xx Kait
You should join MMAZ next week – start thinking about a recipe for Turnips this week and I’d love to have you join us! :) Glad you found the blog today!
I will! That sounds like so much fun, thanks for inviting me to participate!
Kaitlin Welch recently posted..Meatless Monday: Whole Wheat Mushroom & Onion Pizza
I have never thought of adding spinach in the crust!! Great idea!! I love mushrooms and sundried tomatoes on my pizza!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted..MIMM: I’m Going to Bootcamp!
Thanks Brittany! And I love your mushrooms and sundried tomatoes, even though I always think of Monica from Friends when I hear sundried tomatoes. I still love them. :)
I really want to try that spinach crust… pinning! Looks delish!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast recently posted..#5bythe5th Link up and January winners
Yay – thanks Laura! :) You’ll have to let me know your thoughts!
I’m so happy that MMAZ has finally got to “P” for pizza! I love me some vegan pizza and yours looks delicious. And I really love your animated picture!
Debbie @ Live from La Quinta recently posted..Finally! 2013 Fitness Goals
Haha – no compound ingredients for letters around here! :) Vegan pizza is such a fun treat, especially with vegan cheese!
I have never heard of MMAZ but love the idea! What a great way to be fun and creatie in the kitchen! That pizza crust looks fantastic and I don’t like meat on my pizza but love pineapple pizza. So yummy!
luv what you do recently posted..Second Workout of the Year
Welcome to BWV & MMAZ – glad you stopped by today! And you’re exactly right, just trying to inspire a little kitchen creativity. :) Pineapples almost went on this pizza, it was a “Game-time” decision!
Ummmm me! Me! I’m in the mood for pizza now! :D Looks deLISH – definitely a recipe I’d make! I have this idea that homemade pizza takes so long with a make-it-yourself crust; I should get past that more often! I’d love to have one with spinach in the crust although I’ve never seen that before – great idea. My only changes to your fabulous pizza? Maybe throw some fruit on there (pear?) and something like goat cheese…yum!
I originally planned a seasonal pears and rhubarb pizza, but couldn’t find fresh rhubarb for some reason. With a nice balsamic drizzle, that would be fantastic!
This looks BEYOND incredible, Heather! I need to get to the store for some yeast! I’ve been craving pizza for weeks now and well, the man-friend is ALWAYS craving it…and spinach just happens to be his favorite veggie! Oh yeah, this is TOTALLY happening this weekend! Now I just need to figure out how to use my shredder attachment on my food processor! Lol
PS, love the animated picture, but I seriously canNOT quit drooling over the first one! :D
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli recently posted..Mushy For Mizuno!
Make sure you find the pizza yeast, no one likes waiting for dough to rise (at least I don’t). Let me know what you guys think if you make it – I’m always curious if things work out for everyone (especially since I’m at altitude now).
Ha, that flash graphic is awesome! And the pizza looks pretty dang tasty, too ;)
Paige @ Your Trainer Paige recently posted..Get Your Active On with Old Navy
Thanks Paige – I was pretty stoked that it worked out and it was so fun to make. :)
Oh my gosh, that spinach pizza dough sounds so freaking cool!!! My boyfriend loves spinach and he’s obsessed with pizza — I’m definitely going to bookmark this for later! What a great idea.
Let me know how you guys like it if you try it!! My hubby loved it, so it should be boy-approved. :)
This looks absolutely incredible! Also, I love the animated photo! How cool is that?!!
Kierston recently posted..#RECIPEFRIDAY {Low-Carb}: Chocolate Protein Fudge Berry Clusters!
Thanks Kierston – I hope to find an excuse to make more of those photos. :)