If you’ve run out of creativity before you’ve run out of squash, fear not. I’ve got a unique recipe your whole family will love.
Squash is deliciously versatile and can be prepared in casseroles, as croquettes, stir-fried, stuffed, baked, boiled or as the “crust” for my recipe for Summer Squash Pizza. It not only tastes great, but it’s good for you. Summer squash is low in calories and a good source of fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins and minerals, plus omega-3 fatty acids. But the nutrients are in the peel, so never peel summer squash.
This all-veggie pizza is full of flavor on its own, but you can add two or three ounces of sliced pepperoni, cooked sausage or cooked, diced, chicken, if you’d like. Any leftover sauce can be used on pasta, refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for three months.
Summer Squash Pizza
Makes 6 servings
Crust:
3 cups grated zucchini
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce:
1 cup canned, unseasoned pumpkin puree
1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon stevia
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
Topping:
1 cup thinly sliced zucchini and/or yellow squash
1/2 cup sliced black olives
½ thinly sliced purple onion
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1- ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 whole basil leaves
Directions
Generously oil a 9×13-inch baking pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Preheat oven to 450 °F. Place grated zucchini in a colandar and press out as much liquid as possible. You can also roll grated zucchini tightly in a clean dish towel and twist it to wring out any excess water to ensure a crisper crust. Place zucchini in a mixing bowl.
Add beaten eggs, flour, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Mix well and spread evenly in baking pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and reduce temperature to 350 °.
To make sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, stevia, ground nutmeg and cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes until well combined. Spread sauce evenly over baked zucchini crust.
Combine vegetables with ½ tablespoon of olive oil and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle vegetables over sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle cheese with remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with basil leaves and serve immediately.
The Kitchen Diva is Angela Shelf Medearis, a regular guest chef on “The Dr. Oz Show” and “The Today Show.” She is the author of many cookbooks, including, “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook.”