*THIN 'N CRISPY PIZZA CRUSTS*



THIN ‘N CRISPY PIZZA CRUST
Thin, crispy crust pizza is a favorite. This recipe makes 2 crusts or 2 pizzas. My eldest son, Daniel, 20 years old, who is not fully into low-carbing said, “Mom, this tastes equivalent to high-carb pizza. In fact, I actually prefer yours to the ones with the thick, white flour crusts.”

1 1/3 cups water (325 mL)
4 cups Vital Oat Ultimate Bake Mix (as in using oat flour) (1 L)
OR use Whole wheat pastry flour in Bake Mix for about the same carbs
2 tbsp butter (25 mL)
2 tbsp skim, OR whole milk (25 mL)
powder
1 tbsp sugar (food for yeast) (15 mL)
1 tbsp dry yeast (15 mL)
1 tsp salt (5 mL)
3 tbsp olive oil, or more to taste (45 mL)

In bread pan, place water, Vital Oat Ultimate Bake Mix, page 66, butter, skim or whole milk powder, sugar (yeast completely consumes the sugar and forms carbon dioxide, which is what makes the bread rise), dry yeast and salt. Program bread machine to “dough” setting. Scrape sides of pan in the beginning, while it is mixing. Remove dough when ready and roll out on counter to fit a large pizza pan (larger than 12 inches (30 cm), preferably one with holes in it. Brush one side of dough with 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil and place that side down on pizza pan. If necessary, use small rolling pin or cylindrical object to further roll out dough. Bake in center of 425°F (200°C) oven 10 minutes. Remove and brush top of crust with remaining olive oil (use extra, if desired). Carefully loosen crust and flip using potholders. Bake another 5 minutes.

Cover with Pizza Sauce, page 58, add toppings, such as sliced wieners or ham and chopped bacon and Mozzarella, Cheddar and Parmesan Cheeses. Using Pizza Sauce, page 58, 4 wieners (sliced), 4 strips bacon (cooked and chopped) and 2 cups (500 mL) Mozzarella cheese on each pizza: (6.7 g Carbs). Reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is crispy and brown underneath and cheese has melted. It may be necessary to cover or partially cover pizza lightly with foil if top crust is turning too brown.

Helpful Hints: It is easy to add interest to the above pizza topping suggestions, such as finely chopped red and green pepper, sliced mushrooms, chopped green onions, etc. Add your own meat fixings and toppings – be creative! It’s possible to roll out remaining pizza crust, place on pizza pan or roll to fit a cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate and bake the next day (even crispier!).

Nutritional Analysis: Yield: 2 pizzas, 12 servings each.
1 serv: 117.3 calories, 5.7 g protein, 8.2 g fat, 4.4 g carbs