Gluten Free Grilled Tomato & Basil Pizza

02 Oct Gluten Free Grilled Tomato & Basil Pizza

Most households order pizza at least once a week.  While I’m all about the occasional indulgence, take- out pizza is loaded in artificial ingredients, excess fat and carbs.   So, I found a way to make the easiest, most flavorful pizza with fresh ingredients while keeping the carbs in check.  This allows me to indulge in my favorite pizza without all of the excess bloating and weight gain.  And bonus- I made it gluten free!  How?  Glutenfreeda Artisan Flat Breads/ Pizza Crusts are easy to defrost and throw on the grill for an awesome smoky flavor.  Just look up their website online to find a retailer near you.   But before that crust even makes it to the grill, I have a few flavor tricks…

I like to rub a fresh garlic paste (just chop the hell out of fresh garlic until it forms a paste) and fruity olive oil onto the crust. I then add a layer of real mozzarella cheese, sliced grape tomatoes which are full of disease-fighting Vitamin C and lycopene and finally sweet basil.  I then top it all off with a drizzle of rich balsamic vinegar glaze (don’t worry, it only sounds fancy).  The end result?  A restaurant-style, slightly sweet and smoky, cheesy grilled pizza that helps me stay in shape.  Yum.   P.S. If you’re interested in learning all of my favorite healthy food products like the Glutenfreeda Pizza Crust that you should buy at the supermarket, check out my Healthy Shopping Guide & Product List here.

Gluten Free Grilled Tomato & Basil Pizza

Makes 4 smallish pizzas / about 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (use gluten free if you’re avoiding gluten)
• 2 cups organic grape tomatoes, sliced in half length-wise
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 4 Glutenfreeda Artisan Flatbreads / Pizza Crusts (or your favorite pre-cooked gluten free pizza crusts)- defrosted
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced into a paste (or grated)
• 1 and 1/2 cups shredded organic mozzarella cheese
• fresh basil leaves, washed and dried

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pot over low heat until it gets thick and is reduced by half (about 15 minutes).  Set aside.
2. In the meantime, heat the grill on medium.
3. Season grape tomatoes with a little sea salt and fresh ground black pepper and let them marinate.  This really brings out their flavor.
4. Lay the defrosted pizza crusts out on a large sheet pan. Brush gently with olive oil (especially the outer edge). Using your hands rub the minced garlic all over the crusts. Season the crusts with salt and pepper.
5. Top the crusts with cheese, then tomatoes and freshly torn basil, setting aside a few basil leaves for garnish.
6. Grill on medium for about 5 minutes or so, keeping a very close eye as the bottom tends to burn! I don’t know if crusts are quick to burn because they are gluten free but I saved mine just in time!
7. Remove from the grill and let pizzas cool down and “set” for a few minutes.  Drizzle with about a tablespoon of the reduced balsamic glaze and freshly torn basil leaves.  Enjoy!

SO, WHAT’S THE NUTRITION BALANCE?

These pizzas contain mostly carbs and fat. They have a little protein from the cheese. If you’re indulging, just go for it and enjoy these as they are! If you want to make the meal even more balanced, eat a little protein on the side like chicken breast or even whip up a quick protein shake made of protein powder and water). The protein will help balance the carbs and will keep your body in fat burning mode.