Recipe: Low-Carb Pizza and Marinara Sauce (using soy flour)

LOW-CARB PIZZA

"We first made this pizza for a few hundred people on the Atkins cruise years ago. Hundreds of people crashed our pizza party, saying our pizzas looked better than the ones the ship was serving! Rachel scared them all away by telling them it was "diet food." Diet food? I don't think so. It's just one more great way to enjoy comfort food while living Stella Style!"


FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/2 cups soy flour
3 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup club soda
1 teaspoon salt

FOR THE MARINARA SAUCE:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
3 large Roma tomatoes, diced
1 (8 ounce) can sugar free tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (you may substitute Italian seasoning for the dried herbs)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE TOPPINGS:
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 ounces pepperoni, sliced
1/3 cup julienned red bell pepper
1/3 cup julienned green bell pepper
1/3 cup julienned red onion
2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
2 pinches of dried oregano

Place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Generously spray two (12-inch) pizza pans with cooking spray.

TO MAKE THE CRUSTS:
In a medium bowl, stir together all of the crust ingredients to make a smooth, thick, batter. Using a rubber spatula, spread half the batter as thinly and evenly as possible over the first pan. Repeat with the second pan.

Bake the pizza crusts for 12 to 15 minutes, until light golden brown and firm to the touch. (Make sure to bake the pizza crusts until they're really golden brown the first time you put them in the oven. That will ensure a crispier crust after they are baked with the toppings!)

Remove the crusts from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

WHILE THE CRUSTS ARE BAKING, MAKE THE SAUCE:
Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook just until softened and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes along with the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for about 2 minutes.

TOP THE PIZZAS:
Spread half the tomato sauce and half the mozzarella cheese over each crust. Top one pizza with the pepperoni and the other with the bell pepper strips, onion, and mushrooms if you want to offer guests a vegetarian option. Otherwise, scatter all toppings evenly over both pizzas. Lightly drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over each pizza and sprinkle each with a pinch of dried oregano.

Return the pizzas to the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cheese melts and starts to brown. Remove and cut each pizza into 8 slices before serving.

Makes 4 servings
Net Carbohydrates: 1 gram per serving

Source: George Stella's Livin' Low Carb by George Stella and Cory Williamson