Recipe: Grilled Garden Goodies Pizza

While it's still close enough to summer to find fresh eggplants and peppers at the farmer's market, and warm enough to grill out, try this delicious homemade pizza with lots of fresh veggies and unique grilled flavor. Great for "Meatless Monday," or if you must have meat, grill up a few natural sausages, slice, and add those for a protein boost.

Grilled Garden Goodies Pizza
(Serves 2-4.)

Ingredients:

Fresh pizza crust. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 (12 inch) pizza crust (purchased or homemade)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small eggplant, scrubbed and sliced into thin circles
1 small sweet potato,  peeled and sliced into thin circles
1 sweet red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin circles
salt and pepper to taste
1 can (6 oz) tomato sauce (pizza sauce, marinara, or anything you like), or homemade sauce
6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
chopped fresh basil

Directions:

• Prepare grill to medium heat.
• Put the prepared eggplant, sweet potato, and red bell pepper in a large bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, and toss to combine.  
• Heat grill and put the veggies on and grill until softened but still a little firm; set aside.
• Flatten the pizza dough out on a work surface and brush with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Grill for about 2 minutes, flip then grill another 2 minutes; remove to a pizza pan or baking sheet.
• Spread the tomato sauce over, then add mozzarella evenly over the top and the grilled veggies next, then top with the basil.
• Put pizza (on pan) back on grill just long enough to melt the cheese, then remove.
• Let sit for a few minutes before cutting and serving.

Recipe-Shitake & Spinach Pizza

Here is an absolutely yummy one I came up with last week, to use up some of my CSA veggies. To be fair, it's not ENTIRELY from scratch, as I did buy the crust - Giant Eagle was having a sale, and I couldn't resist (it was a really good crust, too). But it was super easy and pretty fast, and absolutely delicious! (Note: This week we are focusing on vegetarian cooking; this recipe is meatless, but not strictly vegan, as there are animal products in the crust, and it is topped with cheese; you could, of course,  make your own crust without animal products, and top with soy cheese if you want it vegan.)


Shitake Mushroom & Spinach Pizza

Ingredients:
1/2 lb shitake mushrooms, cleaned, sliced, stems removed
10-12 oz fresh spinach, rinsed and chopped
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 TB shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large pizza crust (from scratch or purchased - you can cheat, since I did!)

Directions:

1. In large skillet, heat 3 TB of the olive oil just until hot. Add sliced mushrooms, lower heat to medium-low, and saute, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. 
2. In the meantime, place crust in oven directly on oven rack, at 350-degrees (F), just until slightly crusty. Remove and place on baking sheet.
3. Add minced garlic to mushrooms and saute 1 minute more, stirring frequently.



Ready for oven.

4. Add spinach, cover, and let cook a few more minutes, 'til spinach is cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, brush top of crust all over with remaining 1 TB olive oil.
6. Stir vegetables, and spread evenly over crust.
7. Sprinkle with cheeses.
8. Place baking sheet in oven and bake at 375-degrees for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted, and crust is golden brown.
9. Devour! 

Wine pairing: Goes well with a Reisling or other lighter fruity white.