|
|
|
| The following make-ahead is an Orange Puree that blends excellently in pizza (and pasta) sauce, to bring a big nutritional boost to meals that usually aren't thought of as health foods. ORANGE PUREE 1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and rough chopped 3 med-to-large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks 2-3 tablespoons water In medium pot, cover carrots and potatoes with cold water. Boil 20 minutes until tender. (Thoroughly cook carrots or they'll leave telltale nuggets -- a gigantic no-no for the Sneaky Chef). Drain vegetables. Puree on high in food processor with two tablespoons water, until completely smooth. Use rest of water to make a smooth puree. Makes about 2 cups of puree. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze 1/4 cup portions in plastic containers. POWER PIZZA My kids have never noticed that I'm sneaking carrots and yams into their sauce! I mix the healthy puree right into the bottled tomato sauce, then I let the kids add the toppings. You can even prepare this pizza ahead of time without cooking it, and then refrigerate for a day or two. Simply bake when you're ready to eat. Makes 1 large pizza or 4 smaller pizzas: 1 store-bought pizza dough or 4 " Greek style" pocketless pitas (whole wheat preferred) ¾ cup store-bought tomato sauce ¼ cup Orange Puree (see recipe above) 1 to 2 cups low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese Preheat oven to 400 degrees and preheat a pizza stone or spray a baking sheet with oil. Stretch pizza dough, or roll out with floured rolling pin on floured surface, to form a pie. Transfer to stone or baking sheet. If using pocketless pitas, place them on the prepared baking sheet. Combine tomato sauce with Orange Puree. Mix well. Spread 1/2 to 1 cup of the sauce mixture across the large pizza dough (1/4 cup for each pita), then top with 1 cup of mozzarella (1/2 cup per pita). Cover and refrigerate at this point, or bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. Allow to cool a few minutes, then cut into triangles and serve. © Missy Chase Lapine, all rights reserved.
|
