Posted March 11, 2017

In Brunch, Cooking, Food, Nutrition, Pizza, Recipe, Recipe Redux

Disclosure: I received free samples of Toufayan Pita mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Toufayan Bakeries and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

Do you ever come home from work or school and crave an ooey gooey pizza? I know I do! While I love ordering a nice NY style, cheesy and greasy pie from my favorite neighborhood pizza joint, it’s just not healthy and I’m not exactly that great at eating mindfully when it comes to pizza. One slice turns into 2, which turns into 3….I’m sure you know what I’m talking about ! It’s just so delicious!

What if I told you that you can have your pizza and it will be healthy too! This is my favorite way of making pizza at home and it’s super easy! You can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. The secret? Make individual pizzas on pita bread! Add a saucy base, top with cheese, veggies and lean protein and you’ve got your very own gourmet pizza. Easy peasy! Eat your heart out California Pizza Kitchen!

Version #1 of my pita pizza that included hummus, basil and tomatoes! The flavor combo possibilities are literally endless!

uncooked pita pizzas with shrimp zucchini and spinach with bag of Toufayan oat bran pita bread

Uncooked pizzas ready to go into the oven!

I used Toufayan oat bran pita as my crust because it has the most fiber out of all of their many delicious flavors of pita. I love that the first wheat ingredient on their oat bran, whole wheat, low carb, sprouted whole wheat AND multi grain pitas is : “Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour”. You’ll run across many other bread products on the market with the terms “multi grain”, “12 grain”, “oat bran”, and others that aren’t 100% whole grain products. Too often, these phrases are only used as marketing terms to sell more product. It’s so deceiving and really pisses me off! Remember, you want that first wheat ingredient listed on the ingredients list to say “whole” or “100% whole” in terms of the wheat flour. That’s how you know you’re getting the most bang for buck in terms of whole grains!

By using a whole grain pita base, I can feel good that I’m contributing to my daily fiber intake. Remember that women need at least 25 grams per day and men are lookin’ at around 38 grams. The Toufayan oat bran pita contains 4 grams of fiber, which actually helps to fill you up. After eating one personal pizza, I was definitely full!

My Mediterranean Lemon Shrimp Pita Pizza with Balsamic Glaze is simple, yet elegant and still tastes nice n’ cheesy! The secret to big, bold flavor on this personal pizza is layering the various flavors such as salty parmesan cheese, tangy lemon, sharp black pepper and sweet balsamic glaze. Of course, I’ve added multiple types of veggies as well as a lean protein. When I tasted my first bite, I was blown away by the flavor explosion in my mouth! Do you ever have those moments when you pat yourself on the back for a job well done? Well, this was one of those moments! 🙂

The possibilities for flavor combinations of pita pizzas are seriously endless! Go ahead, clean out your fridge and see what delicious dish you can come up with!

Mediterranean Lemon Shrimp Pita Pizza with Balsamic Glaze

Mediterranean shrimp and zucchini pita pizza with balsamic glaze

Print Recipe

Individual pita pizzas are the perfect choice when you’re in the mood for pizza, but want a healthier option that’s still super tasty!

Yield: 2 pizzas 1x

Ingredients

Scale

12 medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined (defrosted if using frozen shrimp)
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 oat bran or other whole grain pitas
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
3 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced zucchini rounds
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
In a small mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and garlic powder. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
While shrimp is marinating, place pitas on a baking pan. Spread 1-1/2 teaspoons of olive oil onto each pita, going up to the edge. Grind some black pepper over the oil.
Divide the spinach evenly between the two pitas and place on top of the olive oil. Do the same with the mozzarella, then the parmesan, and finally the zucchini rounds.
Finally, place 6 shrimp on each pita pizza and drizzle the marinade evenly over the pizzas. Add a few grinds of black pepper over the top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and pita is toasty.
While pizzas are in the oven, place the balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan set over high heat. Reduce the vinegar until it is thick and syrupy, about 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons. Be sure to watch closely since this will only take a few minutes and can burn very quickly.
Drizzle the balsamic glaze over each pita.
Cut each pita into 4 slices.