Zucchini Pizza... Two Ways!

Our team and two individuals are getting ready to head to the Central East Regionals for CrossFit. There is a whole group of us going down to watch and what I know from hearing about it last year is it will be a blast. I don't have Charlie this weekend so it will be a good distraction for me since it is her second birthday. I know that she doesn't know it is her birthday, but it is still hard to face the fact that I won't get to spend her birthday with her every year. Wondering how other single moms who split from their children's other parent early in the kids' lives cope?? Either way, I am making sure I spend a lot of time with her this week and even let her sleep in bed with me last night because she was afraid of the thunderstorms... she never slept in bed with me so this is a big deal for both of us. :)

I'm on a zucchini kick... who knows why. I am starting to like it better than actual pasta as far as noodles are concerned. I never peel it because I am lazy and it is cheaper than spaghetti squash right now so I am going to keep up the trend. Don't skip the step of draining some of the water out of the zucchini... it will make your dough really mushy if you skip this!
I made two different pizzas with it tonight... one as a crust more typical pizza-y and the other just sliced and topped. Both delicious... one more time consuming than the other but neither are hard. Neither recipe is technically paleo because of the cheese. I used raw dairy so my pizzas are considered primal. Omit the cheese, use different toppings... it's your pizza!

Zucchini Crust Pizza

- 2 Zucchinis

- 1 tsp. Salt

- 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning (basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram, etc.)

- 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

- 2 eggs

Toppings:

- Pizza Sauce (check for sugar products on the label! or use crushed tomatoes)

- Pepperoni (again... check the labels)

- Raw Cheddar Cheese

Preheat the Oven to 415 degrees

1. Shred the zucchini on the second largest shredder on your box grater. Place it in a fine mesh sieve or on paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit at least 20 minutes. I press mine against the side of the sieve to make sure it is extra dry. Squeeze it in a towel if you are pressed for time. I don't know how to better explain the size of the grater so see below :) This is my box grater. 

2. Mix the zucchini with the seasoning, eggs, and pepper. Pour onto a greased  cookie sheet or parchment paper. 

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes until it is firm and edges start to crisp up.

4. Take it out of the oven, top it, and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the toppings are bubbling to your liking.

Zucchini Boat Pizzas

I bake these on a rack on top of a cookie sheet because the zucchinis have a lot of liquid in them... it keeps them from getting soggy on the bottom.

- 1 Zucchini per person

- Pizza Sauce (see notes above)

- Toppings (see above)

Preheat to 425 degrees.

1. Slice the zucchini in half and scoop out a little so there is a "boat" appearance. Add your sauce and toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes. I like my zucchini still a little crunchy so bake longer or pre-bake your zucchini for 5 minutes if you don't.