Home > Food and Drink, Recipes, Women's Health > Pepperoni Pizza Crisps Recipe

Pepperoni Pizza Crisps Recipe

May 4, 2010 Written by JP    [Font too small?]

I’m a big fan of some of the cooking shows that have recently been popularized on cable and satellite television. I find it interesting to see how notable chefs reinvent classic recipes in order to set themselves apart from the culinary pack. One way they do so is by “deconstructing” a meal. This essentially entails shuffling around the typical ingredients contained in a popular or classic dish and presenting them in a new and interesting way. That’s what I’ve tried to do with this recipe that would be a delicious, but healthful appetizer or hors d’oeuvres.

When I was thinking about how to formulate a healthier version of pepperoni pizza, two ideas came to mind. The first is that I’d need to ditch the crust. In my opinion, this is the worst element of this Italian delight. The next step was to increase the vegetable quotient. As we know, most pepperoni pizzas are essentially crust, tomato sauce, cheese and cured meat. This doesn’t offer much for the eater from a nutritional standpoint.

My solutions to the shortcomings of conventional pepperoni pizza are as follows: 1) replace the refined flour-based crust with another crispy element and 2) add nutrient-dense vegetables to the mix. I knew that this recipe could not work without a crunchy component. This has been accomplished by using large pepperoni slices as the crust. The vegetables I’ve selected are healthful, but they’re also mild enough to be masked by the stronger taste of the pepperoni and the assertive Italian cheeses.

Pepperoni Pizza Crisps

7 ounce package of (large) natural pepperoni slices (no nitrates/nitrites)

8 oz Vitamin D-rich, fresh mushrooms

8 oz organic Arrrabiatta tomato sauce

6 oz shredded Italian cheese blend

1 large orange or red bell pepper

4 oz of pitted black olives

Nutritional Content: Calories: 300. Protein: 15 grams. Fat: 24 grams. Fiber: 2 grams. “Effective or Net Carbs”: 5 grams. Note: Based on a serving size of 4 crisps.

Begin by chopping the bell pepper and black olives and slicing the mushrooms. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a non-stick pan over low-medium heat. Saute the diced pepper and sliced mushrooms until they’ve cooked down and tender.

Preheat the oven to 425 ° F. Line a baking pan/sheet with parchment paper and spread out the pepperoni slices in a single layer. Once the oven is fully heated, bake the pepperoni for 8 minutes. Remove the cripsy pepperoni slices and drain on unbleached paper towels. Combine the olives, sauteed vegetables and tomato sauce in a bowl. Place a heaping spoonful of the veggie-sauce mixture onto each slice of pepperoni and then top it with a small mound of the shredded Italian cheese. Place the baking sheet back into the oven for 3 minutes followed by 1 minute under the broiler. This final step will allow for the cheese to become bubbly and slightly golden. Make sure to keep a close eye on the crisps to prevent them from burning. Remove from oven and enjoy.

If you’d prefer a recipe that’s a bit lighter and easier to prepare, you might also consider a culinary creation by Giada De Laurentiis of the Food Network. She recommends simply combining high quality sour cream and fresh basil as a topping for her “salami crisps”. Since Giada uses a slightly different cured meat, she also bakes the slices using a lower and slower method (350 ° F for 15 minutes). (1)

Mushrooms Provide a Good Source of Bioavailable Vitamin D
Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 69, No. 1, 95-98 (link)

The most recent studies published about mushrooms indicate that they possess certain “bioactive constituents” such as antifungal proteins, immunomodulatory proteins, lectins and polysaccharides which may yield medicinal properties re: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, irregular immune function and beyond. In fact, an examination published in this month’s edition of Nutrition and Cancer reports that premenopausal women who regularly consume mushrooms appear to be at a lower risk for breast cancer. (2,3,4)

Olives are nutritional superstars in their own right. Phytochemicals present in these savory fruits may confer meaningful anti-inflammatory activity without the damaging consequences typically associated with synthetic NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). It’s also important to remember that many of the health benefits of olive oil are probably translatable to olive fruit consumption as well. Current scientific research confirms that olives are an excellent source of potent antioxidants such as oleuropein which may be partially responsible for the heart healthy reputation of olive oil. (5,6,7)

Last but not least, I need to mention the under-acknowledged power of cooked tomatoes. Tomato sauce is perhaps the healthiest aspect of most pasta and pizza meals. But what’s most interesting about tomatoes is that their medicinal properties are predominantly located in the seeds and skin rather than the flesh. Fortunately, the seeds and skins of tomatoes are taken along for the ride in the sauce-making process. This is especially relevant because newly published works indicate that whole tomatoes offer significant protection against a variety of common malignancies. (8,9,10)

Although I referred to my Pepperoni Pizza Crisps as an appetizer or hors d’oeuvres that doesn’t mean they can’t play a different role in the context of a meal. Alternatively, you could very easily serve them along side a lightly dressed green salad and a glass of red wine. There’s also nothing wrong with just enjoying them as a snack. But what I’m really hoping is that you’ll make these deceptively healthy treats for the people in your life who are “veggie-phobic” or otherwise just plain old picky eaters. Hiding vegetables and/or enhancing/masking their flavor is an effective strategy when all else fails. Please give it a try and let me know how it works out.

Be well!

JP


Tags: ,
Posted in Food and Drink, Recipes, Women's Health

14 Comments & Updates to “Pepperoni Pizza Crisps Recipe”

  1. anne h Says:

    Can’t wait to try this JP!

  2. JP Says:

    Hope you enjoy it, Anne!

    Be well!

    JP

  3. Nina K. Says:

    Good Morning, JP 🙂

    yummy…. when should i be there for dinner JP? 😉

    Nina K.

  4. Anonymous Says:

    This sounds delectable & I plan to try it out! I’ll be back to check out some of your other recipes too ~ thanks for posting!

  5. DLM Says:

    According to Dr Michael Eades (Protein Power and his blog Health and Nutrition) nitrates are not to be feared and are just fine to eat. Vegetables have nitrates too!

  6. Donald Says:

    For people who like pepperoni, but prefer not to eat pork, you can find turkey pepperoni in most deli cases in most major supermarkets. Its delicious, less fat, and all the flavor.

  7. JP Says:

    Any time, Nina! See you soon! 😉

    Be well!

    JP

  8. JP Says:

    DLM,

    I really enjoy the work of Dr. Eades. I think he makes so many valuable contributions to the world of integrative medicine and nutrition. But I must admit that I disagree with him on this topic.

    I think there’s simply too much smoke surrounding the nitrate/nitrite issue for it to be a coincidental passenger on the cancer train.

    Here’s one recent example:

    http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2009.28415v1?papetoc

    In this study, red meat (or any other animal-derived food source) was not associated with a greater risk of ovarian cancer. In fact, fish and poultry were linked to a lower incidence of malignancies. But “processed meat” (cured meats containing nitrates/nitrites) were correlated with a “a significantly increased risk of ovarian cancer in the 2 case-control studies”.

    Dr. Mike would probably argue that this is solely based on a series of population studies. He’d be right in saying so. However, there have been many epidemiological studies that have found similar findings. I think the sum total of the research points establishes strong suspicion re: added nitrates/nitrites in the food supply.

    I’ll close by saying this: I try to avoid these additives whenever possible in our household. I also suspect that the bacon served at the Eades’ home lacks these preservatives. Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to visit them and find out. 🙂

    Be well!

    JP

  9. JP Says:

    Donald,

    That’s a great point. Thank you for making it.

    Turkey bacon is a good alternative to traditional bacon for those with cultural/religious and dietary restrictions.

    I should also add that turkey bacon can be quite tasty. Last week I enjoyed a cheddar, tomato and turkey omelette at a local coffee house. Delicious!

    Be well!

    JP

  10. Low Carb Daily ~ Angie Says:

    WOW!~ Now I want pizza!! LOL.

  11. Low Carb Daily ~ Angie Says:

    and by that, I just mean the good part of the pizza… THE TOPPINGS!!! The best part of a low carb diet is that you never have to sacrifice FLAVOR!!

    Thanks for posting!

  12. JP Says:

    Thank you, Angie! 🙂

    Be well!

    JP

  13. Anavar Says:

    Great recipe! And the pizza looks delicious! Good appetite 🙂

  14. JP Says:

    Thank you, Anavar!

    Be well!

    JP

Leave a Comment