New Recipes for the Long Weekend: Part II

Over the long weekend, I spent a day visiting my parents in Baltimore. Because my type-A personality makes it such that I am the only one that can pack away our family Christmas ornaments in a manner that won't result in me having a heart attack when it's time to put them up the following year, this task has been reserved for MLK weekend for as long as I can remember. From birth, sister and I have acquired a new ornament each year (sometimes more than one if it was a big year). Although I greatly enjoy putting up these ornaments each Christmas and remembering years past, putting them away is a different story. Since we're both well into our 20s, the number of ornaments that we've amassed by this point in our lives is fairly large. Combine that with all the other ornaments that adorn our 7 foot tree and the process of putting every one of them back in the correct box because rather daunting, often resulting in my mood deteriorating rapidly along the way. This year, the only thing that got me through was getting to try out a new recipe on my family for dinner!

I'm convinced that no matter how old I get, rarely a weekend will pass that the 5 year old inside of me doesn't crave pizza. As I've gotten older, although my tastes have evolved (pepperoni used to be my pie of choice), my love of all things pizza remains. Since I'm always trying to make my favorite foods healthier, I was delighted to find this delicious white bean pizza recipe. Not only did it taste delicious, but it was a huge hit with my non-vegetarian parents as well! 

White Bean Pizza

Adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 20 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough, (I wasn't ready to undertake making my own this time around, but will definitely try next time)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed (see Note)
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (I used more, just because I love tomatoes on pizza)
• 1 cup finely shredded cheese

*I also added bell pepper and mushrooms to the pizza for some added veggie nutrients. If I'd been making it just for myself, I would've added my favorite pizza ingredient, spinach, as well....sadly, I couldn't get the others on board this time around.

Pre-Cooking/Cheese

Preparation

1. Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large noninsulated baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Combine oil, onion and salt in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Stir oregano and pepper into the onion. Transfer half the onion to a small bowl. Add beans to the remaining onion; cook over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the bean mixture to a food processor, add water and vinegar and pulse until a coarse paste forms.
5. Spread the bean paste over the pizza crust. Top with the reserved onion, tomatoes, cheese, and any other veggies. Bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes. Slice and serve.

Another new favorite to add to my repertoire

Enjoy!