Healthy food doesn't have to be bland or boring.
Maria Marlowe, who is a certified nutrition health coach and the founder of her own series of cooking courses, loves to upgrade comfort foods with a healthier-for-you twist. Marlowe packs in ingredients that are as big on flavor as they are on nutrition, she said.
Marlowe showed ABC News' Ginger Zee how to make her paleo and vegan recipe for roasted tomato and pesto pizza live on "Easy Eats" on the "GMA" Instagram account.
Get the full recipe below and enjoy!
Total Time: ~20-23 Min
Ingredients for the Roasted Tomatoes:
4 plum tomatoes sliced ¼-inch thick
½ pint grape or cherry tomatoes sliced in half crosswise
½ tsp. olive oil
pink salt pinch
For the Pizza Crust:
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp. avocado or olive oil
6 Tbsp. water
1 box Simple Mills pizza dough mix
For the Cashew Basil Pesto:
2 cloves garlic
1 cup cashews (soaked overnight or at least 1 hour, and drained)
juice of half a lemon
¼ tsp. pink salt or to taste
2 cups fresh basil tightly packed
⅓ cup olive oil or more to desired consistency
Additional Toppings:
1 cup baby arugula or baby spinach (optional)
6 pitted green olives sliced (optional)
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
First, roast the tomatoes. Lay the tomatoes out flat on one of the trays. Drizzle or spray with olive oil and pinch of salt. Put in the oven to roast on the top rack while you prepare the crust.
Next, make the pizza crust. In a large bowl, whisk apple cider vinegar, oil, and water together. Add pizza dough mix, stir well until a sticky dough forms.
Divide dough into two equal portions. Lightly oil hands to prevent sticking, roll into balls, then press out into two 8-inch circles on the second baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes on the bottom rack.
Meanwhile, make the pesto. Add the garlic, cashews, lemon and salt to the food processor or blender and process until well chopped but a little chunky. Add the basil and process again until combined. Then, continue to pulse while drizzling the olive oil in until thoroughly combined. You can leave the cashews a little chunky, or continue pulsing for a smoother consistency. Set aside.
Take the pizza crusts and tomatoes out of the oven. Top the crusts with a layer of arugula/spinach, then pesto, tomatoes, and olives. Return the pizza to the oven an additional 5 minutes. When ready to serve, top with red pepper flakes, if desired.
Pro-tip: Use a serrated knife to chop your tomatoes (the kind of knife used for bread with the wavy edge). It will prevent you from crushing the tomato and delivers nice clean slices.
Tools Needed:
Cutting board
Knife
Serrated knife for chopping tomatoes (optional)
Large or medium-sized bowl for mixing pizza crust
Measuring spoon
Food processor or blender for the pesto
2 Baking sheets with parchment paper (or lightly oiled)
Fork for whisking