Pesto & Goat Cheese Pizza

This is one of my favorite recipes and a lunch favorite! It's so light, with all fresh ingredients that will make you feel good and guilt free, even if you eat half the pizza! I love goat cheese and the taste blends great with these ingredients, but you can also use mozzarella or feta. You can also save the remaining pesto sauce for any of your favorite pasta dishes! This takes about 30-45min prep time and having a food processor definitely helps with the accurate consistency. This specific recipe makes enough dough for a small pizza for 2 people.  Get all your ingredients out and get ready for a delish slice!


Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
Prep this first. As it is rising, you can make the pesto. This is the best and easiest pizza dough recipe I have used!

-1 1/2 C. Whole Wheat Flour
-1 small single pkg Quick Rising Yeast
-3/4tsp Salt
-1/4 tsp Sugar
-1c. Hot Water (estimated)
-2tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In the food processor combine flour, yeast, salt & sugar on pulse. Add in oil and water as it is mixing. If it is too dry, add more water. If it's too wet, add a pinch more flour. Mix until it forms a sticky round ball inside the processor. Then process for and additional minute to knead the dough.
Next, transfer dough to floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place dough and wrap in plastic wrap with the oil side touching the dough. Let sit and rise for about 10-20min before rolling.

Now make pesto sauce.....
Preheat oven to 500- When dough is ready, unwrap and take a rolling pin and roll into pizza shape on pan. Roll until it's on the thinner side, because it will rise in the oven. Add a thick layer of pesto sauce, fresh sliced tomatoes and cheese. Put baking sheet on lowest rack and bake 8-10min... Enjoy!!!!!



Pesto Sauce
Makes about 3 Cups

-3C. Fresh Basil
-1C. Fresh Parsley (dried works too)
-3 Garlic cloves or 1tblsp chopped garlic
-3/4C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-2/3C. Pine Nuts (toast lightly in sauce pan on low beforehand w/ no oil, careful they don't burn)
-2tblsp Lemon Juice
-2/3 C. Parmesan Cheese (grated works fine, but fresh is always better)

In the food processor, mix the basil, parsley, nuts, garlic, olive oil & lemon until pasty. Add a pinch of salt and more lemon to taste. Then pour into mixing bowl and fold in cheese.
(Add more lemon if needed, more salt shouldn't be needed as the cheese will be salty as well.)