This Chinese Eggplant and Bell Pepper Gluten-Free Pizza with Cheddar and Fresh Herbs is a healthy and delicious meat-free meal!
What do you do when you receive a package of creamy reduced-fat Cabot cheese in the mail, and you are encouraged to create a recipe for the Recipe ReDux Contest sponsored by Cabot, using said cheese, plus a “new to you” vegetable, grain, or fruit you have never tried before?
You panic.
Yes, that’s what you do.
Not because you can’t figure out a fabulously cheesy dish to make.
No.
As a self-proclaimed cheese lover, I can think of a zillion hundred and one ways to eat it.
It’s just finding a “new to me” grain, veggie, or fruit that was a bit more challenging.
I could have driven across town to an ethnic grocery store and come up with a new fruit or veggie, but being the occasional procrastinator that I am, I, of course, waited until the last minute and had to make a run for the closest Whole Foods in hopes of finding something new.
I almost bought a cone cabbage.
It was pretty cool.
But, I finally settled on some gorgeous Chinese eggplant {aubergine}.
Yes, I know it looks quite similar to “regular” eggplant, but it is slimmer, less seedy, and less bitter than its American or Italian cousin.
I swear, to my knowledge, I had never tried Chinese Eggplant before today.
On my honor!
Even the checkout clerk had to look up the code.
Apparently, it’s not a super popular veggie at Whole Foods.
No matter…
I broiled it up and paired it with brilliantly hued red and orange bell peppers…
Pizza crust topped with tomato sauce and reduced fat Cabot cheese…
And a smattering of fresh herbs {oregano, thyme, and basil}, plus a hefty sprinkle of crushed red bell pepper flakes, ’cause you know I like to make it spicy!
This pizza is simple to make, yet a fabulous combination of roasted and crunchy healthy veggies, creamy reduced fat and calorie cheese, and zippy herbs and pepper.
Trust me…
You won’t miss the meat or extra calories one bit!
If you’ve never tried Cabot 50 percent reduced-fat Cheddar Cheese before, you are in for a real treat.
I typically eat and cook with full-fat cheese because I prefer the flavor and texture to many of the reduced-fat cheeses on the market. However, this was my first time trying Cabot’s award-winning reduced-fat cheddar, and I was delighted by the delicious taste. It melted beautifully on my pizza, not something many reduced-fat kinds of cheese can do!
The bonus, in my mind, of using reduced-fat cheddar is not only do you get a delicious pizza, but you also get a savings of 86 calories per serving {assuming 2 ounces of cheese per 2 slices}, while still getting a hefty amount of calcium {~40% of your daily needs} and protein {16 grams}.
If you want to learn more about award-winning Cabot cheese and their family-owned farms, I encourage you to check out the Cabot website.
Chinese Aubergine Pizza with Cheddar and Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 chinese eggplant, sliced in to 1/8 inch rounds
- Olive Oil, as needed to drizzle on eggplant slices
- Sea salt to taste
- 2 8 or 9 inch pre-made pizza crusts, or make your own favorite pizza crust recipe
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce or your favorite marinara
- 8 ounces Cabot 50 % reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 bell pepper {red or orange, or a combination of the two}, sliced in to 1/8 inch rounds
- 1 tablespoon each fresh thyme, oregano, and basil, finely chopped
- Crushed red pepper, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Turn broiler on. Slice eggplant and place on a tin foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil on top of eggplant slices, and sprinkle with sea salt. Place baking sheet in oven, and broil for 3 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and carefully turn over eggplant slices. Return to oven and broil for 3 more minutes.
- While eggplant is broiling, slice bell peppers and set aside. Next spread 1/4 cup tomato or marinara over each pizza crust, then top each crust with 4 ounces of the shredded Cabot cheddar cheese.
- Remove eggplant from the oven, and turn heat to 400 degrees. Top each pizza with half of the eggplant rounds, then do the same with the sliced bell peppers. Place pizza crusts on a parchment lined baking tray, or for crispier crusts, place directly on oven rack. Bake for 81-2 minutes, or until cheese is melted and desired crispiness of crust is achieved.
- Remove pizza from oven, and it cool a little. Top with fresh herbs and crushed red pepper if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
For a low FODMAP version, use plain tomato sauce or a garlic & onion free tomato sauce like Rao’s Sensitive formula.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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