Homemade pizza is a great go to meal when living the clean living life style. It is a simple vegetarian option if needed during the week or add on some healthy lean meat. I have found that clean pizza crusts are hard to come by so I have a no fail whole wheat pizza crust that your whole family will love. It is obviously more time consuming to make your own crust so I make a few at a time and freeze them for when I need them on a Wednesday after a full work day, soccer, and shuttling the family around. Included with the pizza crust recipe I am also going to include two of my favorite pizza recipes.
Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Makes 2 crusts
Prep time: 2 hours
- 1 tsp granulated cane sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 T. active dry yeast (I like the packets, they insure freshness every time)
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all purpose white flour
In a large bowl dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top of sugar water and let stand 10 minutes, until sugar water is foamy. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup all purpose flour. Dough will begin to form. Knead until all the flour has been absorbed and your ball of dough is smooth. Place dough ball into a large oiled bowl turning to coat the surface of the dough ball with oil. Cover bowl loosely with a towel and let stand on your counter until dough ball is doubled in size, approx. 1 hour.
When doubled, tip onto lightly floured surface and divide in to two pieces. Form into two balls and place balls into two oiled bowls, cover with towel and let rise an additional 45 minutes until both dough balls are again doubled in size. Once doubled, dough balls are ready to be formed in to two pizza crusts. Pizza crusts will bake in the oven at 425’ after toppings placed.
If not using crusts and they need to be frozen, form into desired pizza crusts, cover with wax paper, and wrap well. Freeze up to three months for freshness.
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Serves 4
- Olive oil spray
- 1 whole wheat pizza crust
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup bbq sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 cup cooked chicken breasts, sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Preheat oven to 425’
Spray your pizza pan with olive oil spray to help prevent sticking and assist with browning. Place uncooked whole wheat pizza crust on prepared pizza pan. In a small bowl combine tomato sauce and bbq sauce, mix well. In a separate bowl add sliced chicken breasts and 2 T. of the prepared tomato bbq sauce, toss to coat. Take remaining bbq sauce mix and spread on pizza crust, leaving 1 1/2 inches around the edge. Layer pizza with mozzarella cheese, chicken, red onion, and cilantro. Place in the oven and bake 15-20min until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly.
Mediterranean Chicken Pizza
Serves 4
- Olive oil spray
- 1 whole wheat pizza crust
- 3/4 cup pesto sauce
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast, sliced
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup black or Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Preheat oven to 425’
Spray your pizza pan with olive oil spray to help prevent sticking and assist with browning. Place uncooked whole wheat pizza crust on prepared pizza pan. Spread 1/2 cup pesto sauce on pizza crust. In a medium bowl add sliced chicken breasts and 1/4 cup pesto sauce, toss to coat. Next apply mozzarella cheese, red onion, pesto chicken, olives, and artichokes to pesto prepared pizza crust. Sprinkle the top of pizza with feta cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes until crust and feta is golden brown.
- For vegetarian option omit the chicken.
