Sweet Pepper Pizza with Pesto

$1.92 total / $0.64 per serving

Sweet. Savory. Delicious. This pizza is so simple and yet so tasty. I honestly prefer food that isn't too far from its original form. Keep it simple and keep it healthy -  the two typically go hand in hand. Usually, the simpler the food the better it is for you. In this pizza, the red bell peppers are really the star. The pesto gives a nice salty savory base that allows the sweetness of the peppers to really stand out.

Nutritional Highlight: the combination of ingredients. A little fat from sources like olive oil are a great companion to nutrient dense fruits & vegetables. This combination of foods complement each other and help the body to absorb many nutrients more efficiently. This is true for the carotenoids, like beta-carotene and lycopene, found in the red bell peppers as well as other carotenoids found in spinach. 

Sweet Pepper Pizza with Pesto (serves 2-3)

1 tsp Sugar
3/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Bread Flour, plus 2 Tbsp
1/2 cup Water (110-115 degrees)
1/3 cup Pesto
1/4 Red Bell Pepper, sliced in small strips
1/3 cup Mozzarella, finely shredded


Bloom the yeast in a liquid measuring cup filled with the warm water and dissolved sugar for about 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the olive oil and salt to the yeast mixture. In a mixing bowl combine flour and yeast mixture until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Knead until the dough comes together in an elastic ball, about 2 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled - about 45 minutes. Punch down the dough and cover again so it can rise for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll dough to desired size and thickness. Let rest for 15 minutes. Lay dough out on a greased pan, spread pesto over the top, layer with peppers and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 475 for 10 minutes or until browned and bubbly on top.

Nutritional Analysis:

Per serving: 343 calories, 15g fat, 37g carbohydrates, 15.6g protein and over 15% daily value of Vitamin A, Calcium, Copper, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin and Zinc