Making homemade pizza is easy, fun and delicious! It only takes a little advance planning to make your pizza dough at home. This dough can also be made a day before – if you want to do that, let it go through the first rise, and then put it in plastic bags. Let it come to room temperature when you are ready to use it. It will last about two days in the fridge.

The recipe for kale pesto on the pizza is also great on pasta or as a spread on sandwiches. It is a great and delicious way to incorporate more green into your diet. From Dr. Mercola, “Kale eases lung congestion and is beneficial to the stomach, liver and immune system. It contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect the eyes from macular degeneration. It also contains indole-3-carbinol, which may protect against colon cancer. Kale is an excellent source of calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and chlorophyll.”


HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH Makes 4 – 12” thin crust pizzas

1 cup warm water (105 – 115 degrees)
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons dry yeast
3 ¼ cups flour
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil

1. Combine water, sugar and yeast in a small bowl or measuring cup. Let proof until foamy, about 5 minutes.
2. Combine the flour and salt the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
3. Add the olive oil to the yeast mixture.
4. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and let the dough hook mix the dough for 10 minutes on low speed.
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until double in size, about two hours.
6. Punch down the dough and divide it into four smooth rounds of dough. Lay out the rounds on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic. Let rise another hour.
7. When ready to use, gently flatten the dough using your hands, or use a rolling pin to form a rough 12” round – it does not have to be perfectly round.

KALE PESTO VEGGIE PIZZA Makes two small pizzas

½ bunch fresh kale, washed well
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts, toasted
¼ cup olive oil
salt and pepper
4 large crimini mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
2 Tablespoons kalamata olives, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano
6 ounces smoked fresh mozzarella or regular fresh mozzarella

1. Place the kale, garlic, parmesan cheese and pine nuts in a food processor and puree. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the processor running to form a paste. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Stretch or roll out the pizza dough.
3. Spread the kale pesto across the surface of the pizza. Top with the mushrooms, tomatoes, kalamata olives and oregano.
4. Dot the top of the pizza with the smoked mozzarella.
5. If using a pizza stone and peel, place the pizza on the peel before assembling. Otherwise use a pizza screen or pizza pan.
6. Bake in the 450 degree oven for 8-10 minutes.
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