Tasty Bites: Pizza Margherita

By Candy, RN (Steele the Day)

This is one of my favorites because it’s so simple and I always have the ingredients on hand. With the end of summer, I’m finding myself with more basil and tomatoes than I can find recipes for, but after a 30 mile bike ride today, all I wanted was pizza! You can make this with my very favorite crust (I use half whole wheat and half white flour) or you can buy an already prepared crust, which I did in this case. I used a gluten-free crust I’d purchased with a coupon, and was pleasantly surprised with how good it tasted.

Goat cheese is not a usual ingredient for this classic dish, but it added a wonderful creaminess to each bite. I was able to use less mozzarella this way, as goat cheese is less fatty than mozzarella. The flavors in this dish blend together beautifully.

It’s good to replenish the carbs after strenuous exercise, but I also wanted healthy toppings. Tomatoes absolutely loaded with nutrition. They deliver lots of lycopene, a phytochemical that acts as a powerful antioxidant. They are also a good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), Vitamin K, thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and opper, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium and manganese.

Pizza Margherita – easy peasy. I’m sure you’ll understand why there are no measurements – add them to your heart’s content!

Pizza Margherita

Pizza crust

Extra virgin olive oil

Fresh minced garlic

Red, ripe tomatoes, sliced thin

Mozzarella cheese, fresh or bagged

Goat cheese

Fresh basil, chiffonade

Fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Brush crust lightly with olive oil and sprinkle garlic on top. Place mozzarella cheese on next, and top with sliced tomatoes. Place a several dollops of goat cheese over tomatoes. Bake at 375° until golden brown on edges, about 10-15 minutes. Top with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Eat every last bite.

Candy Steele is a registered nurse who has worked with cardiac patients for over thirty years. “Functional foods” have become her passion, and she enjoys sharing her love of cooking, a random life and a faithful Jesus with her friends at Steele (the Day). She is blessed with three grown children, a new daughter-in-law, and a kind and patient husband who only knows how to fix popcorn (but she’s OK with that).

Comments

[Beth E.]

This looks delish. I forgot to have lunch to day, so I'm practically drooling over you picture. Yummm!