Clams don’t always have to be eaten with white sauce. How do I know that? Because this Pizza Clam Arrabbiata with a light spelt crust will make you fall to your knees like It made me!

Anyone who knows me is well aware of two things: 1) my insatiable love for pizza; 2) my quest to make the perfect pizza, and I’m talking lightly puffed edges with selective browned spots around a soft and thin crust. I’ve literally been trying out different ways to make the best pizza with the perfect crust, and I’m guessing that by the tone of this post so far, you’re thinking I’ve finally achieved that with this recipe. Well, nope! But close enough.

Don’t get me wrong, this Pizza Clam Arrabbiata was amazing on all levels. However, being the perfectionist that I am which a slight case of OCD, I’ll be 100% content when I create my dream pizza, and believe me, you’ll hear about it. I just purchased a pizza stone, so stay tuned!

When you think arrabbiata, you think spicy red sauce tossed with penne or any pasta, or even a great dip for bread. Although it’s not uncommon to find arrabbiata pizza, it definitely adds a unique touch as a pizza sauce because of that extra spicy kick you get from the chili. Arrabbiata mainly consists of tomatoes, onions, garlic, dried chili, red wine and olive oil. That’s it! So simple and yet so satisfying.

Finally, the addition of the clams takes these mini pizzas to a whole new level. I add protein to all my meals, even pizza! But being pescatarian, I’ve added shrimp and scallops to my pizza recipes before, and they didn’t quite do it for me. There’s something about the texture of shrimp and scallops that don’t quite mesh well with pizza, at least according to my palate. Plus, if you’re using them as toppings before adding the cheese, they have a high chance of being overcooked and chewy, which is a no no. However, clams already have a meaty texture, so they make a great pizza topping for pescatarians like myself. It checks on flavor, texture, and of course, extra protein.

Don’t forget to tag @mydigitalkitchen or #mydigitalkitchen on Instagram or leave a comment below or on my Facebook page when you try this recipe. I’d love to see what you come up with!

PIZZA CLAM ARRABBIATA

 

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Prep time

1 hour 15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

1 hour 40 mins

 

Pizza Clam Arrabbiata with a light spelt crust and low sodium tomato sauce.

Author: Valerie Azinge

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• For the crust
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon cane sugar
• 2 cups light spelt flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• For the sauce
• 1 teaspoon virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup red wine, like cabernet sauvignon
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 small chili peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
• Toppings:
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup steamed clams
• Pea shoots (optional)

Instructions

1. Start by making your pizza dough. In a small bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar and let it stand until it foams at the top.
2. Attach a dough hook to a stand mixer and combine flour and salt. Increase the speed to medium and add yeast mixture until a soft ball forms. You want to mix for at least 3 minutes, otherwise, the dough will be really sticky and hard to handle.
3. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes to prevent sticking. Your dough should be soft but not sticking to your hands. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a clean cloth. Let the dough rise in a warm or humid area for about 30 minutes – 1 hour.
4. While the dough is rising, prepare your arrabbiata sauce. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic or 5 minutes. Stir in wine, basil, chili pepper, tomato paste, lemon juice, black pepper and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Set your oven to 525°F and spread out two mini cast iron skillets. Sprinkle some cornmeal in the skillets. Divide pizza dough batter and place half of the dough in the freezer sealed in an airtight bag. This will be stored for later use. Divide half of the other dough between the two skillets and press until all edges are covered. Lightly brush the edges with a little bit of olive oil. Top with arrabbiata sauce, clams, and mozzarella cheese and place the skillets in the bottom rack of the oven. Bake for 5-8 minutes.
6. Top with pea shoots or basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 4 servings Calories: 293 Carbohydrates: 38g Sodium: 19mg Protein: 11g

3.5.3229

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Valentine’s day is just around the corner! Create a delicious meal straight from the heart by starting with my Classic Pizza Margherita. Made with spelt flour crust and fresh toppings, you can’t go wrong with this healthy meal on a hearty day!

Now in case some of you are wondering if I’m only going to only post Valentine’s Day themed recipes for the rest of the month, the answer is not really. I will be sharing some recipe ideas which you guys can create for the occasion, but these recipes can also be used for many other occasions as well. After all, I believe that Valentine’s Day should be celebrated everyday with the people you love, at least that’s how I celebrate mine! Although I wouldn’t mind celebrating it everyday with a slice of classic pizza margherita. Yum!

The best part about making this pizza was having ready made dough to work with which saved a lot of time. I had left over dough from the Chicken Parmesan Pizza I made a couple months ago and it still maintained its freshness. Since making the pizza dough alone takes about two hours or more, I was quite pleased that the pizza dough recipe I used made two servings. I find that left over pizza dough could last you for 2 to 4 months in the freezer, provided it is sealed properly. All I had to do was thaw the pizza dough in the refrigerator overnight, roll it out onto the pizza pan, layer it with my toppings and bake! Easy peasy and oh so cheesy!

In other exciting news, I *drumroll* will be starting YouTube tutorials on how I make my recipes! It definitely has been in the works for a while now but it’s finally happening and I couldn’t be more ecstatic. I will also be featured on The Young Pros podcast talking about what it’s like to be a young professional in the food industry. The Podcast will be released in February so I will keep you guys posted! A lot of things are looking up for me this year and all I can do is keep my optimism moving in the positive direction. Wishing everyone an amazing week!

yield: ONE 12-INCH PIZZA
 
prep time: 3o minutes
total time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

Half of one homemade pizza dough
2/3 cup homemade marinara sauce or pizza sauce
2 chopped garlic cloves
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
5-6 slices mozzarella Fresca
1 medium tomato, sliced
Fresh basil leaves, for topping
Black pepper, optional

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 475 degrees F and line a pizza pan with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl or plate, mix garlic and olive oil together and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

3. Sprinkle some flour on the lined pizza pan and a rolling pin. Gently roll out the thawed pizza dough on the pan until all the edges of the pan are covered. Brush garlic and olive oil mixture on the pizza dough and poke all the edges of the dough with a fork.

4. Top with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and sliced tomatoes. Place the pizza in the oven and make for 16 minutes until the edges are brown. Remove the pizza from the oven and top with basil leaves and black pepper. Serve this classic pizza margherita with your favorite beverage!

The post CLASSIC PIZZA MARGHERITA appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.

This Spicy Tuna melt and naan bread come together beautifully in this recipe I’ve made for you guys! This is the quickest and easiest pizza I have made thus far. I may even go as far as calling it the best pizza I’ve made. Although I enjoy naan bread occasionally, it’s nice to know that there are other unique ways to enjoy it.

Naan bread can be quite high in calories, ranging from about 300 to 500 calories per serving. However, opting for whole wheat tandoori naan contains about 240 calories per serving. Plus, the whole wheat version is higher in fiber than the regular naan.

Then, there’s the tuna melt. I love tuna melts, actually I love tuna in general. But how cool is it to put tuna melt on pizza? I’d say it was a huge yummy success, but its up to you guys to try it out and let me know your thoughts!

Recipe:

1 tandoori whole wheat naan bread (I used Trader joes)
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used cheddar and Monterey jack)
half a can of albacore tuna
1 cup sautéed spinach
a handful of chopped onions, yellow bell peppers and sliced tomatoes
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp garlic powder
olive oil (for dusting)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. place tuna, chili pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix until well combined.

3. Place naan bread on the baking sheet and dust lightly with olive oil. Layer with tuna, chopped veggies, cheese and spinach.

4. Place naan in the oven and bake for about 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges form a brown crust.

5. Enjoy when ready!

The post SPICY TUNA MELT NAAN PIZZA (WHOLE WHEAT) appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.

Hey everyone! Winter is coming and so is Christmas! I’ve had such a busy year with nonstop activities which unfortunately derailed me from blogging my recipes and I apologize. I should be back on track really soon since things are starting to calm down a little bit, but in the meantime, let’s talk about this pizza!

For starters, let’s just say this didn’t last over 24 hours. I used the left over pizza dough from this pizza recipe I made a couple months ago and I was actually impressed with how well it preserved. If anything, the aging of the dough made the pizza taste a lot better.
 
This recipe is very easy to make, well actually it’s easier to put together when the pizza dough is already made, which takes a long time so….Good luck lol. Alternatively, you could try my cauliflower crust recipe if you would prefer an easier and paleo friendly crust recipe.

Recipe: yields 4 servings

Half of my homemade pizza dough

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup organic tomato sauce (smooth)
½ pound peeled shrimp
¼ cup chopped red onions
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 sliced jalapeno pepper
A handful of grape tomatoes (sliced)
½ tsp hot sauce (I used sriracha)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or cheddar)
Cilantro leaves (optional, for topping)

Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Season shrimp with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper and set aside. In small mixing bowl, combine tomato sauce, hot sauce, and garlic; set aside. Press dough into a 12-inch circle on a baking sheet with floured fingers (it may not cover all the edges unless you make a new batch of pizza dough).
Spread sauce onto dough evenly, leaving a 1-inch border. Top with cheese, peppers, onions, and shrimp.
Bake in preheated oven 12 to 17 minutes or until crust is golden brown. When ready, top with cilantro leaves and serve

The post CAJUN SHRIMP THIN CRUST PIZZA (NEW ORLEANS INSPIRED) appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.

Happy Monday everyone! I apologize for being absent, but I’m back! My summer was quite busy and between working a lot and also trying to get in as much summer fun as possible, I didn’t just fall off the wagon, I got hit by it. Now that summer has almost come to an end, things can calm down slightly, which means more yummy and healthy recipes for your lovely faces! Now let’s talk about this pizza…

I’ve always been a fan of experimenting with different kinds of pizza crust recipes, from the traditional cauliflower crust to quinoa, butternut squash, zucchini and even eggplant crust recipes. However, I’ve never made a traditional pizza crust recipe because for starters I felt the process was way too lengthy, and I didn’t believe it could be healthy. After making this delight for my aunt yesterday, I will say that the first reason still stands because it took almost 4 hours to make, including the prep time and making the pizza sauce, but the second reason was completely thrown out the window!

This soft and chewy crust is made with light spelt flour 100% from scratch, topped with low sodium homemade pizza sauce, organic smoked turkey sausage (MSG free), organic mozzarella and cheddar cheese and fresh oregano. So enjoy! Moderation is the key.

Pizza Dough (yields enough for 2 13-inch pizzas)

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp organic coconut palm sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water, 110 degrees, divided
3 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp white vinegar
3 1/2 cups light spelt flour

Sauce: (I used 2/3 a cup for topping)

1 small can organic crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tsp sea salt
2-3 tbsp raw honey
½ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
pinch crushed chili peppers
Pinch ground cinnamon

Topping
2/3 cup pizza sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (1 oz)
4-5 smoked turkey sausages, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh oregano (chopped if using larger leaves)
Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)

For the pizza dough:

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 cup warm water and whisk until yeast has dissolved. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Add in remaining 1 cup warm water, olive oil, salt and vinegar.

Fit mixer with whisk attachment, set on low speed and slowly add in 1 3/4 cups of the flour and mix until combined. Switch to a dough hook and slowly add in remaining 1 3/4 cups flour, then knead mixture on medium-low speed about 5 – 7 minutes, adding in up to an additional 1/2 cup flour as needed, until dough is smooth and elastic (dough should be slightly sticky but should not stick to a clean fingertip).

Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

For the sauce:

To make the sauce, add onions, garlic and seasoning to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until fragrant and the onions become translucent, 2-3 minutes.

Add crushed tomatoes and honey if using and bring to the boil then lower heat and simmer, partly covered, for about 15-20 minutes, until sauce is thickened and all water has evaporated. Reduce to a fine puree with a stick blender, if desired. Set aside and grate your cheese.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and set a pizza baking sheet aside. While oven preheats assemble pizza. Punch down pizza dough (divide into two equal 16 oz portions, freeze one in a resealable bag for a later use or make 2 pizzas right away).

Place a sheet of parchment paper over a pizza peel, and then lightly dust parchment paper with flour. Pat/roll and stretch dough on pizza peel to a 13-inch round, while creating a rim along edge of dough. Using a fork (without piercing all the way through) pierce dough many times over surface. In a small bowl stir together 1 Tbsp olive oil with 1 clove garlic and brush evenly over top and edges of pizza, then evenly spread about 2/3 cup of the pizza sauce over pizza (leaving rim uncoated).

Top evenly with cheeses (again leaving rim uncoated). Carefully slide pizza (on parchment paper) onto the baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then bring out the pizza and top with smoked turkey slices. Slide the pizza back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes until crust is golden.

Remove the pizza from oven, sprinkle top with oregano and optional red pepper flakes. Cut into slices and serve.

The post SMOKED TURKEY SAUSAGE AND CHEESE PIZZA appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.

It’s been a while since I made cauliflower pizza because to be honest, working with cauliflower can be a messy chore, but worth it! I decided to create my version of a meatball pizza with a healthy twist. This recipe is paleo, uses lean turkey, and full of flavour, and all the ingredients are organic ?

Recipe:

The Crust:
• 350g cauliflower, grated
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 2 tbsp almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tsp all purpose seasoning of choice
• 2 large organic cage free eggs

Turkey:
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• ½ a cup almond meal/flour
• 1 organic cage free egg
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• ½ cup pizza sauce

Toppings:
• 1 cup organic baby spinach
• 1/4 pizza sauce
• sliced onions, mushrooms, scallions, and grape tomatoes
• ¾ cup grated mozzarella cheese

The Turkey:

Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Combine all turkey ingredients in a bowl. Roll mixture into palm size meatballs and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes. When ready, toss the meatballs in the pizza sauce and set aside, then make your crust.

The Crust:

Preheat oven to 475F.

Rice cauliflower in a food processor, then transfer to a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave for 5 minutes.

When ready, let it cool for 10 minutes before handling or it will burn you. Place cauliflower in several sheets of paper towel and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. This will prevent the crust from being mushy.

Transfer cauliflower back into the bowl and add remaining crust ingredients.

Line a pizza baking pan with parchment paper and dap it with a little bit of coconut oil. Spread out cauliflower crust batter in the pan, but make sure it’s not too thin.

Place in the oven and bake for 8 – 11 minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown, then remove from oven and place the baking pan on your kitchen counter. Top with topping ingredients and as many turkey meatballs as you’d like, then place the pizza back in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

The post PALEO TURKEY MEATBALL AND SPINACH PIZZA (WITH CAULIFLOWER CRUST) appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.

I think it is quite accurate to say that I am obsessed with finding and creating new pizza crust recipes. But hey, I believe variety is the spice of life, and we all need a fix of it every now and then

Recipe for crust:

2 organic medium sized zucchinis (grated)
2 organic cage free eggs
1 cup fresh parmesan cheese (or mozzarella or cheddar, grated)
A dash of sea salt and pepper

Recipe for Shrimp:

1.5 cup raw shrimp (peeled)
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
*toppings of choice

First, combine shrimp and remaining ingredients in a bowl until well incorporated. Cover with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to marinate.

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Squeeze excess moisture out of the grated zucchini using a paper towel. When most of the moisture is squeezed out, transfer to a bowl.

Add eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper to the bowl and mix until a dough like texture forms.

Lightly grease a non stick pizza pan with coconut oil or butter and spread out the dough on the pan. It should be thin, about 1 inch thick.

Place in the oven and let it bake for 12 minutes.

Take out the pizza from the oven and place the cajun shrimp and toppings of choice on top.

Return back to the oven and let it bake for 6 minutes.

When ready, take the pizza out of the oven and let it cool for about 5 minutes.

Top with additional cheese and enjoy!

The post CAJUN SHRIMP ON ZUCCHINI PIZZA CRUST (FLOUR FREE) appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.

I actually made this last night, and it was amazingly delicious! There are so many genius recipes you can create with vegetables, and this eggplant pizza crust was one of those yummy creations. I had to go to my friends bachelorette party last night and I knew that it was going to get out of control (in a good way), and since we are all party veterans, I decided to make something light and filling to give me some energy to party! It was my first bachelorette party ever and it was amazing!

Did I also forget to mention that I almost ate the whole thing? The crust was that thin and light but also full of flavour. You can also play around with your toppings to give your pizza more attitude, express yourself

Ps: I know this is a food blog, but I couldn’t post this recipe without giving you a little sneak peak of my outfit

Cheers amigos! Have a great week!

Recipe: serves 2

1 whole organic eggplant (grated)
1/4 cup organic almond flour
1/4 cup organic flax/chia seed meal (or flax meal)
1 organic cage free egg
1 tsp organic extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

1/2 cup organic wild scallops (thinly sliced)
Half an organic zucchini (sliced)
A handful of organic grape tomatoes (sliced)
Salt and pepper to taste/seasonings of choice
A handful of organic skimmed mozzarella (optional, eliminate cheese for strict paleo)

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Grate the eggplant into a bowl. The eggplant will be a little watery but don’t worry about it.

Strain excess moisture from eggplant by placing it on a 4 layered paper towel. Place strained eggplant back in the bowl (it will be about 1/4 a cup and the tiny portion might be bizarre, but it’s fine).

Add in almond flour, flax/chia seed powder, egg, salt, and pepper and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Place crust batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread out crust until it’s about 1/8 inch thick. The batter won’t cover the whole pizza pan.

Bake crust for 30 minutes. When ready, remove from the oven and lightly brush the crust with 1 tsp of olive oil.

Place toppings of choice on the crust and return to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.

When ready, remove from the oven and let it cool for about 2-3 minutes. I topped mine with a few dots of sriracha sauce and a dash of chilli flakes.

Consume and enjoy!

The post SPICY SHREDDED SCALLOPS AND ZUCCHINI ON AN EGGPLANT PIZZA CRUST (PALEO) appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.

I’m sure i’ve said this ten thousand times, but I absolutely LOVE the various ways you can get creative using sweet potato. So sweet potato pizza anyone? I’m enjoying my first slice while making this post and i’m in all kinds of heaven

See? There’s a yummy slice to please your eyes, and hopefully if you decide to try this recipe it will please your tummy

Recipe: serves 7-8

Crust:

1.5 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 organic cage free eggs + 1 egg white
1 tsp gluten/aluminum free baking powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp mrs dash salt free spice blend
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
A dash of sea salt
Toppings of choice + 1/2 organic partly skimmed mozzarella cheese

Shrimp scampi:

1 lb raw shrimp (peeled)
2 small garlic cloves (minced)
3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
Spices of choice
Chilli flakes and a dash of sea salt to taste

First, make your shrimp scampi. Place shrimp in a ziplock bag and place remaining ingredients in it. Shake the bag until the shrimp is well incorporated with the rest of the ingredients. Place your shrimp in the refrigerator and let it marinate for an hour.

Next, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl expect toppings, and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Lightly grease a non stick pizza pan. Using a spatula, spread out sweet potato dough until all sides of the pan are evenly coated.

Bake the dough for 25-30 minutes or until all edges are evenly browned. When ready, remove from oven and assemble your toppings of choice and marinated shrimp on the baked crust.

Place crust back in the oven and bake for another 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.

When ready, let pizza cool for a couple minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

The post MARINATED SHRIMP SCAMPI ON SWEET POTATO PIZZA CRUST appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.

Another saturday night calls for some girlie fun! I’m heading out to see the best house DJ of all time Benny Benassi perform, and I will be raving all night until morning! (Without the drugs or the alcohol of course). I definitely needed the energy for tonight and this definitely hit the spot A burst of colour for your eyes and flavour for your tastebuds! Lets just say I went to heaven while devouring these. Time to party!

Recipe for crust:

1/2 a medium cauliflower head
1/4 cup almond flour
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 organic cage free egg
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp curry
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Pinch of sea salt

Toppings:
1 cup shredded lobster tail (boiled or steamed)
Homemade pesto sauce (type in “pesto” in the search bar for recipe)
A handful of:
Diced eggplant
Parsley
Carrots
Red and green onions
Green peppers
Yellow peppers
Grape tomatoes
Broccoli
Jalapeños
Mushrooms
Green olives
Organic party skimmed mozzarella cheese.

Slice cauliflower florets into small pieces and place in food processor or blender until rice texture forms, then place rice blend in the microwave for 5 minutes.

Mix other ingredients together and add to cauliflower when ready.

Place cauliflower batter mixture on a non stick pizza pan and spread out to make crust.

Top with toppings of choice and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes (mine took 35 minutes).

Let it cool when ready and enjoy!

The post SPICY SHREDDED LOBSTER AND PESTO CAULIFLOWER PIZZA appeared first on My Digital Kitchen.