Low-Carb Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cream cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (not from package, firmly packed)
¾ cup super fine almond flour
½ tsp salt
 
Directions:
 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Microwave cream cheese for 35 seconds to soften.
In a pot, mix together the softened cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, almond flour, and salt.
Heat, just until the cheese starts to melt, stirring the mixture constantly until it forms into a dough.
Using food gloves, shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough on parchment paper.
Cover the dough with another sheet of parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into an 11 ½ inch diameter circle.
Slide the dough onto a pizza pan (or large sheet pan) using the bottom piece of parchment.
Remove the top piece of parchment paper.
Using a fork, poke holes in the dough.
Place the pan on the center rack of preheated oven.
Bake for 12 minutes.
Add a clean sheet of parchment to the top of the crust.
Fit a second pizza pan over the parchment.  Using oven mitts, hold both pans tightly and flip them.
Carefully slide the crust (on the parchment) onto the first pan. Remove the top parchment.
If the crust is not golden, bake for 5 more minutes.
Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Allow crust to cool for 10 minutes before topping.
 
With toppings, bake for 10 minutes until the cheese melts.
 
Adapted from https://simplysohealthy.com/the-best-low-carb-pizza-crust-recipe/
 
Serves 6 – 8
 
Topping ideas:
 
¼ cup of pizza sauce cooked a bit to thicken.
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella or sharp cheddar cheese
½ pound of cooked ground chicken, turkey, beef, pepperoni, or Italian sausage
½ cup sautéed sweet chopped onion
1 sautéed chopped green or red pepper
½ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup Romano cheese
sun-dried tomatoes

Mexican Zucchini Boats

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
4 medium zucchini
½ cup chopped Vidalia onion
1 small red pepper (chopped)
3 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 pound ground chicken
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8th tsp. black pepper
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
¾ cup of fresh cilantro (chopped)
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice zucchini in half lengthwise.  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Rub the zucchini halves with oil.
Place them in a 9 X 13 inch metal pan and bake for 25 minutes.  Set aside.
Place the ground chicken in a pot and brown the meat, stirring often.
Remove the meat from the pot, and discard the extra liquid.
Add the remaining oil to the pot, along with the chopped onion, red pepper, and garlic.
Saute’, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent, and red pepper is soft.
Add the ground chicken back in, along with the tomato paste, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
Stir until combined and remove from heat.
Spoon the ground chicken mixture into the zucchini boats.
Top with shredded cheddar.
Bake for 25 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
Remove from oven and let set for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle chopped cilantro on zucchini boats and serve.
 
Serves 4