In my quest to lose those last five pounds, I developed a very low fat and low calorie pizza recipe that satisfies my affinity for pizza without the guilt when I eat the whole thing. This quick and easy recipe is satisfying and deliciousand did I mention inexpensive? Everyone in my family loves pizza made this way and actually sometimes prefers it over traditional pizza from the local pizza parlor. I find myself coming back to this delicious pizza for lunch frequently.

You will need the following ingredients (as well as your own preferred ingredients):

Flour tortilla shell (corn tortillas do not taste the same, I wouldn't recommend them)

Pizza sauce of your choice

Fresh vegetables, such as onions, colored peppers, broccoli and mushrooms

Low or no fat shredded pizza cheese (you can also use the shredded Mexican or Italian cheese blends)

Begin by heating a pizza stone in a 425 degree oven for at least 15 minutes. This ensures a crisp and evenly cooked crust throughout.

Lay a flour tortilla shell on the counter and spoon your favorite pizza sauce over it, spreading it out with the back of a spoon. This recipe works best when you use just a small amount of sauce because too much sauce tends to make the tortilla a bit soggy.

Add your favorite vegetable toppings, sliced or chopped fairly small. Onions, mushrooms, broccoli, colored peppers, thinly-sliced tomato, sun dried tomatoes and black olives are all great choices. By using only vegetables as toppings, you save a lot of calories and fat. For added flavor, fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, oregano or rosemary can be added. If you wish to add a bit of protein without adding a lot of calories, you can add pieces of white chicken meat.

Top the pizza with shredded low or no-fat mozzarella cheese. A bit of shredded Parmesan cheese is especially good but adds a few calories.

Open the oven door and gently slide out the rack that holds the pizza stone and pizza shell. Gently pick up the pizza by sliding your hands under it and slide it onto the pizza stone. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking from time to time to make sure it doesn't burn.

A variation of this recipe is a Mexican Pizza. Using the same instructions assemble this pizza, but add jalapeno peppers, chopped onions, drained and rinsed black or red beans, salsa instead of pizza sauce and sprinkle some crushed red pepper over the toppings, but under the cheese. Fresh cilantro makes this a fantastic alternative to tacos. Use shredded Mexican cheese for this delicious alternative to regular Italian-style pizza.

How about Mediterranean Pizza, with olive oil, calamata olives, capers, sun dried or fresh tomatoes and fresh basil?

Be creative and you may surprise yourself with what you can come up with to not only please your palate but trim calories and a few pennies from your grocery bill. Kids love the freedom of being able to create their own pizza, and you'll find them requesting this recipe often.

Learn more about this author, Linda Batey.
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