Mini Pesto Pizzas with Chickpea Flour

Every healthy recipe certainly deserves to be delicious. Healthy eating also warrants being budget-friendly! As a way of kicking off 2017, I’m sharing my recipe for Mini Pesto Pizzas. It’s one of my favourite economical meals that cost under $3 per serving. My Cheap and Healthy Meals post will also give you lots of ideas for nutritious meals that won’t break the bank.

Be sure to make extra’s because these mini pesto pizzas make terrific leftovers and are a big hit for both big and little kids. By using chickpea flour, you will benefit from extra protein and fibre to keep you feeling full for longer. So what’s the deal with fibre anyway? Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that passes through the digestive system without being digested. It helps to keep you regular and can also lower cholesterol. For more information on fibre, check out this post by Unlock Food called Focus on Fibre.

• Serving: 2- 3 (total yield 12 mini pizzas)
• Prep time: 15-20 minutes
• Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup chickpea flour
• ¾ cup warm water (not hot)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ½ cup pizza sauce
• ¼ cup pesto
• Toppings of choice (my favourite: sundried tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, prosciutto)
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese or crumbled goat cheese

Garnish: Fresh parsley

Instructions for Mini Pesto Pizzas:

1. Firstly, preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Secondly, in a small bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, warm water, olive oil and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 20-40 minutes.
3. Grease or spray 12 cups of a standard muffin tin. Divide chickpea flour evenly by portioning about 2 tablespoons of chickpea batter into each muffin tin. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven.
4. Remove muffin tray with chickpea crust and top with tomato sauce, pesto, toppings and cheese.
5. After your pizzas are decorated, return muffin tins to the oven and cook for another 6 or 9 minutes until cheese is melted and vegetables softened slightly.
6. Finally, remove tray from oven and allow to cool for two minutes. Use a knife to lift pizzas from the muffin tin and place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

Buon appetito!

Mini Pesto Pizzas with Chickpea Flour

Yield: 12 pizzas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

These Mini Pesto Pizzas are less than $3 a serving!

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Ingredients

• ¾ cup chickpea flour
• ¾ cup warm water (not hot)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ½ cup pizza sauce
• ¼ cup pesto
• Toppings of choice (my favourite: sundried tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, prosciutto)
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese or crumbled goat cheese
• Garnish: Fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, warm water, olive oil and salt. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 20-40 minutes.
3. Grease or spray 12 cups of a standard muffin tin. Divide chickpea flour evenly by portioning about 2 tablespoons of chickpea batter into each muffin tin. Bake for 10 minutes in the oven.
4. Remove muffin tray with chickpea crust and top with tomato sauce, pesto, toppings and cheese.
5. After your pizzas are decorated, return muffin tins to the oven and cook for another 6 or 9 minutes until cheese is melted and vegetables softened slightly.
6. Remove tray from oven and allow to cool for two minutes.  Use a knife to lift pizzas from the muffin tin and place on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.