Eat Clean-Spaghetti Squash Pizza Sliders

Richard Collins, MD
The Cooking Cardiologist^®

Yes, it is time to think about a “naked kitchen”. Go as natural as you can and  Eat Clean in your kitchen without a lot of pantry foods with nutritional labels. This crust uses fresh veggies and the toppings are loaded with fresh veggies too. The crust is gluten free and the options are endless. Here is a secret to fresh quick pizza toppings: go to the veggie salad section of a full service natural grocery store. Pick organic, fresh vegetables and up-to-date food ingredients. The next time you create a recipe, try to keep the number of “FDA Food Labels” to a minimum.

For the pizza “dough”
1 medium sized spaghetti squash
1 egg
2T gluten free flour such as C4C
2T fresh finely chopped basil
1/2t salt and pepper to taste
For the toppings:
Pasta or pizza sauce of preference or purchased pre-made pesto sauce. My favorite tomato sauce is Mia’s Bistro Kitchen, Sonoma, CA available at most grocery stores
Toppings include: mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, artichokes, cherry tomatoes, sautéed onions, olives, spinach, hot peppers, tofu, grilled zucchini, peas, carrots, sprouts, cheeses…parmesan, reduced fat Italian cheeses, Buffalo mozzarella.

For the “dough”, slice a spaghetti squash in half. Be careful, it can be tough cutting. Scoop out the seeds. In a large microwave safe casserole dish, add 1/8-inch water. Place the squash cut side down. Cover with parchment paper. Put it in a microwave, like that on https://www.theapplianceguys.com.au/collections/microwaves, for 12 minutes. Let cool and using a fork, scrap out the strands of squash. Place in a strainer with cheesecloth. Squeeze out excess moister. When squash has drained, transfer to a bowl with 2 T of flour. Toss to coat. Add the whisked egg and combine, mixing like a pizza dough, although wetter. Preset oven to 400⁰ F. On a large cookie sheet, lay down a sheet of parchment paper. Using a 2” round cookie cutter, fill each with a tablespoon of squash mixture. Press firmly and lift cutter. Continue until 12 are made. Place in an oven for 20 minutes until edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Add toppings. Return to the oven for 10 minutes until cheese has melted.

Serves 4. Serving size: 3 pizza sliders. Note: Nutritional analysis is for the pizza dough only with comparison to standard pizza dough for 2 slices.
Nutrition Facts:  Calories: 50, Total Fat: 2 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 40 mg, Sodium: 320 mg, Carbohydrate: 8 g, Fiber: 2 g, Protein: 2 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1.2 Carb

Compare to 1 serving of 1/8 crust prepared store bought pizza dough:
Calories: 130, Total Fat: 1.5 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 240 mg, Carbs: 24 g, Fiber: 3 g, Protein: 4 g
If you would like to learn more about how to eat clean and limit chemicals in your diet, Susan Buckley RDN, CDE, CLT can help. Call for an appointment today.

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South Denver Cardiology

Randy Cupps Graduated from Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado, in 1983 with a degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology. Randy started his medical career in 1980 as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) working on an ambulance and in an emergency room. He then joined South Denver Cardiology in 1986 when it was South Denver Cardiac Rehabilitation as an Exercise Physiologist conducting a wide variety of Graded Exercise Testing on a diverse patient population. Randy continues to keep his EMT current, and he is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist. In 2012 Randy acquired the role of business development, marketing, and physician relations manager at SDCA.

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