Lose Weight by Eating!

Like most people I have about 50 or so recipes that have their turn in the weekly rotation depending on grocery sales, the season and my mood. I have published over 100 recipes so it’s about time I start tossing in a repeat once in a while. Homemade Margarita Pizza is my most popular recipe both on the blog stats and in my home. I make it 2-5 times a month and have been getting more creative with toppings. Here are my 3 current favorites, two new and one old favorite, there will be many more to come. Any requests or personal favorites? Comment at the bottom.

First my Pizza Dough and Sauce recipe this makes 3 pizzas:

Dough:
1 package yeast
¼ cup water (to dissolve yeast in)
3 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp salt
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup warm water

Sauce:
15 oz can tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
3 tbsp Italian seasoning or fresh basil
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste, tiny pinch of sugar to cut the acid of the tomatoes

Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. Combine flour and salt in your big fancy mixer with the dough hook, spin to mix and make well in the middle. Add yeast mix, oil and 3/4 cup water
turn that sucker on, once it balls up around the hook it is done (you may need to add more warm water) you can also just use a large bowl and your hands to knead the dough, it just takes a little longer, but it is a great stress reliever. Dust bowl (same bowl you just used in the mixer, because it is toasty warm) with flour, put back in dough and cover with BOTH plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel. Let rise for at least 2 hours, 4 or 6 hours is even better.
Mix everything for sauce together in a medium size bowl, cover with plastic wrap until you are ready to use.

Time to make the pizzas. Punch the dough, HARD! Then a quick 3 second knead in the mixer, separate it in to three softball sized balls. Cover surface and rolling-pin with flour and roll our each dough ball.  Then top with sauce and desired toppings (SEE BELOW). Stick it in an oven at 500 for 10 min, watch closely I have to spin it 1/2 way through. Let sit for 3 min, use a pizza wheel to cut  into 8 slices then insert into face

Now comes the fun (and new) part, the toppings:

Toppings for a Sausage Pizza a Margarita Pizza and a Spinach and Goat Cheese Pizza-

1- 8 oz ball of Mozzarella Cheese

2 Spicy Italian Sausages

2 cups Shredded Spinach

2 tbsp Goat or Chevre Cheese crumbled

Garlic Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 large bunch of Basil

Sausage topping- Remove the meat from the casing by slicing down the middle with a knife or scissors. In a medium skillet heat 1 tsp of olive oil and add the sausage meat breaking up as you add it and cook until just done, remove to a paper towel lined plate. Once you have topped the pizza dough with sauce and cheese add the sausage and bake.

Margarita topping- This one is so easy, after you top the pizza with the sauce just add some mozzarella (just a little you want some sauce showing) then add basil and you’re ready to bake..

Spinach and Goat Cheese topping- Top dough with olive oil instead of sauce, add the spinach a little more oil then basil and goat cheese and bake. If you like add some balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper after you remove from oven and slice. Also try my 3 Minute Garlic Arugula Pizza.

My personal favorite is the margarita pizza, the sausage is much higher in calories and fat, but also higher in protein. I make the sausage for my hubby and enjoy the margarita for only 125 calories per slice! The spinach and goat cheese pizza is probably about the same in calories as the margarita but higher in fat (this is good fat from the olive oil), spinach raises your metabolism so this one is a very good choice.