The Buffalo Veggie Lover’s Pizza… ITS ABOUT TIME!

Doesn’t the title sound like a Domino’s ad?  Haha!  You know how Domino’s has a Veggie Lover’s Pizza, I decided to incorporate those ingredients into my Buffalo Veggie Lover’s Pizza.  My husband hates mushrooms and olives, but I still added them because they are good for you and he said he’ll pick them out.  Well, guess what?  He loved the pizza with all the toppings.  Mushrooms and olives are my favorite veggie pizza toppings and my husband’s are onions and green peppers.  Go figure!   

One of my favorite types of pizza is the Buffalo Chicken Pizza and this summer in Ocean City, NJ, I had one of the best slices of Buffalo Chicken Pizza.  How would I describe it?  Uhmm… a long thin slice with hot buffalo sauce, grilled chicken, melted cheese, and drizzled blue cheese on top.  It was spectacular.  At that point I mentioned to my vegetarian members of my family, you guys are seriously missing out, but they didn’t seem to care.  I really wanted them to try the flavors of the Buffalo Chicken Pizza so I suggested we ask the pizza guys to make a vegetarian version of the pizza, you know, without chicken.  No one listened to me, of course.

Well, whatever!  Recently at the grocery store I found whole wheat pizza crust and decided to give it a try.  This brand tasted good, not amazing like fresh homemade dough.  It was basically a round flatbread whole wheat pizza crust that tasted more like a whole wheat pita bread.  

I checked out Frank’s Red Hot website and their Buffalo Chicken Pizza recipe.  Their sauce required hot sauce and butter, I skipped the butter and decided to use Marinara sauce – it’s pizza after all.  I used 50% hot sauce and 50% Marinara sauce… this combination of spice was just right for me, although it may be spicy for many people.  Next time though, I will consider using 2 parts hot sauce and 1 part Marinara sauce – I love spicy food.  My husband and I loved the results of my Buffalo Veggie Lover’s Pizza and I hope you do too.  This is a healthier alternative to ordering greasy, delicious pizza.  🙂
  

TELL ME: Have you ever tried a Buffalo Veggie Pizza?  How do you make yours?

NUTRITION: Bell Peppers are a great source of Vitamins A, B6, and C.  Mushrooms are a very good source of Vitamin B6 and Protein.  Tomatoes are a good source of Vitamins A and C.  Cheese is a good source of Calcium and Protein.  Whole Wheat Pizza Crust adds fiber and protein to this pizza.

INGREDIENTS (enough to make 2 pies = 12 small slices, I made 2 pies, but baked 1 pie at a time):

• Mama Mary’s Pizza Crusts Gourmet 100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crusts with Honey – 2 pizza crusts
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 to 3 tsp (spread on each crust)
• Barilla Marinara Sauce – 1 cup (next time I will use 2/3’s cup)
• Frank’s RedHot Wings Sauce – Buffalo – 1 cup (next time I will use 1 1/3 cup)
• Onion – 1 medium (sliced)
• Green Pepper – 1 medium (sliced, halved)
• Mushrooms – 6 to 7 buttons (sliced)
• Olives – One 2.25 ounce can Black Pearls
• Reduced Fat 4-Cheese Pizza (combination of… Mozzarella, Provolone, Romano, & Parmesan) – 3/4 cup to 1 cup
• Garlic Powder – sprinkle on top
• Italian Seasoning – sprinkle on top
  

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. In the meantime, make the sauce.  Add Marinara sauce and Frank’s Red Hot WINGS sauce in a container.  Mix.  Adjust flavors based on your taste.  Set aside.

3. Chop up all the veggies, except the pearl black olives. 

ASSEMBLE
4. Place the pizza crust on a flat tray covered with foil.  

5. Spread a couple teaspoons of EVOO on the crust.

6. Spread the sauce.  

Should look as follows:

7. Add veggies – looks so pretty.  🙂

8. Top with some more sauce – just 3 regular sized spoons.

9. Add cheese.

10. Sprinkle garlic powder and Italian seasoning to taste.  

11. I topped with a couple more spoons of sauce, I forgot to take a picture.  


12. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.  The instructions on the back of the pizza crust packet suggest 8 to 10 minutes, however I like my cheese slightly golden brown.

13. This is what you should have…. so so good!  

14. Wait about 15 minutes before you eat, I burned my tongue cause I’m impatient.  🙁  

15. Cut each pizza crust into 6 slices and serve. 

16. You should have enough leftovers to make another pie.  Bake it immediately or freeze it for later.




TELL ME: Have you ever tried a Buffalo Veggie Pizza?  How do you make yours?