CARAMALISED ONION, BEETROOT AND RICOTTA PIZZA

Everyone loves pizza and the best ones are definitely home made! I've even converted some meat loving males to this pizza because it's just so damn delicious. And for all of my gluten free friends out there, rejoice; a pizza base that actually goes crunchy! The key to keeping pizzas a regular meal in your diet is to balance the meal by having half a pizza with extra salad on the side. 

Thanks to the beetroot you will be getting plenty of fibre, folate and manganese  from this pizza and when caramalised with the onions they bring sweetness to the meal. Combine this with the saltiness of the ricotta which is also a good source of protein, calcium and  phosphorus, and your taste buds will go crazy! There is also a spread of tomato paste which gives us a concentrated source of lycopene that has been reported to have heart, blood pressure and prostate benefits. Like always we can't forget our greens so there is also zucchini and kale for antioxidant support. My favourite part of this recipe however is definitely the base which is higher in protein than any store bought varieties due to the use of quinoa, almond meal, egg and parmesan. 

Serves 4 (1/2 pizza each)

Ingredients

1 x red onion, sliced
1 large beetroots, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon honey
3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 heaped tablespoons tomato paste
1 small zucchini, sliced thinly on a mandolin
2 x kale leaves, stems removed, torn into small leaves
2/3 cup ricotta
2 tablespoons pine nuts

Quinoa Base (makes 2):

3 cups cooked quinoa
2 eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Serve with side salad: Rocket, tomato, avocado and lemon dressing.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Combine the quinoa, egg, almond meal, parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the quinoa mixture into a circle, pressing to ensure there are no gaps. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the base is starting to go crispy.

Heat a pan on low heat with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Stir in the onion, beetroot, honey, thyme leaves of 2 sprigs and salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and add the balsamic vinegar and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until the onions and beetroot is soft and the mixture is thick. Set aside.

Spread the bases with tomato paste. Scatter the onion and beetroot mixture over each pizza, add the zucchini slices, kale, ricotta, pine nuts and extra thyme leaves.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the ricotta is starting to brown. Serve half a pizza with the green salad.