Zucchini “canoes” substitute for pizza crusts. Photo courtesy Lucero Olive Oil.

The late, lamented Goldberg’s Pizza in Manhattan offered a diet pizza by heaping the toppings into an aluminum pie plate instead of onto a carb-laden crust.

All of the vegetable toppings (bell peppers, broccoli, eggplant, mushrooms, onions—whatever you like) were added to the pie plate, covered with sauce and cheese and baked in the oven.

It was a way for dieters (of whom proprietor Larry Goldberg was one) to enjoy the flavors of pizza without the empty carbs.

Zucchini pizza is a modern take on the idea. In this recipe from Lucero Olive Oil, halves of zucchini serve as the base for the cheese, tomatoes and other toppings.

Zucchini pizza is not only more nutritious; it’s a way to get family members to eat more vegetables, more often.

ZUCCHINI CANOES, A PIZZA ALTERNATIVE

Ingredients:

 
Preparation

1. CUT. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Trim as necessary so they fit into a glass baking dish.

2. SCOOP. Using a teaspoon, grapefruit spoon or melon baller, scoop out the center core where the seeds are to create a shallow trench. Do not scoop all the way to the bottom. (You can save the zucchini you’ve scooped out and add it to scrambled eggs.)

3. COMBINE. Combine the crushed garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper/chili flakes. Brush the surface of the zucchini with mixture.

4. BAKE. Halve the grape tomatoes and arrange them inside the trench with the optional pepperoni. Bake in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes.

5. ADD. Remove the zucchini from the oven and place diced mozzarella in the trench between the tomatoes.

6. BROIL. Place the baking dish under the broiler until golden and bubbling.

7. GARNISH. Remove and drizzle the zucchini lightly with basil olive oil. Top with fresh basil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
 
Find gourmet pizza recipes—with the crust.

They’ve scored a hit with their first product, all-natural biscotti slices. Conventional biscotti have been whittled down to thin rectangles, approximately 1″ x 1-1/2″. Their sweetened modestly (great for those who don’t like sugary cookies), and each little cookie has just 10 calories.

Now at coffee break or for dessert, you can have several super-crunchy pieces without blowing the calorie budget. BettaSnax also go well with cheese and can be served as a crunchy side with soup or salad. The resealable bag is easy to tote around.

The ingredients are very clean: flour, egg whites, cane sugar, almonds and vanilla extract. There’s no added fat, no cholesterol, no preservatives, no artificial flavors.

You can buy a case, twelve four-ounce bags, four portions per bag, on Amazon. If you have some every day, that’s a six-week supply—more if you have only three cookies instead of the one-ounce portion size of nine.

But you’ll probably find yourself saring them with friends.

For more information, visit BettaSnax.com.

Find more of our favorite diet cookies.

[1] If you want your mashed potatoes laden with butter, cream and sour cream, here’s a recipe from Williams Sonoma (photo © Williams Sonoma.

[2] Fat-free Greek yogurt replaces the butter and sour cream (photo © FAGE Greek Yogurt).

But you can make an alternative version with nonfat versions of Greek yogurt, labne (kefir cheese) and/or sour cream.
 
> The different types of potatoes. There are thousands, worldwide; but there are dozens of varieties you can find in the U.S.

Preparation

1. SKINS ON. Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water; water should cover the potatoes by 2 inches. Why keep the skins on the potatoes? Because in addition to the nutrition they contain, potatoes boiled whole in their skins absorb less water and produce lighter, fluffier mashed potatoes.

2. BOIL. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 15 minutes). Drain.

3. MASH. Mash the potatoes (we use a potato ricer or a food mill, over a bowl). Depending on the size of your ricer/food mill, you may have to process the potatoes in batches.

4. STIR. Add the yogurt/labneh/sour cream and stir until smooth. If the mixture is too thick for your preference, add some nonfat milk until you reach the desired consistency. You can stir the herbs into the potatoes or sprinkle them on top as a garnish.
 

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