My profound conclusion after eating grain-free for three weeks is this:
No matter who we are, we could all stand to eat fewer grains. But no one should have to give up pizza.
Pizza is what I’ve missed the most, which is funny since I don’t typically eat much pizza anyway. I’ve given up on trying to figure this out.
I haven’t been very interested in finding lots of substitutes for many grain based foods and have instead focused on eating many meals that are naturally grain free (like egg and veggie scrambles, roast with veggies, grilled chicken with veggies, or loaded chef salads). That type of meal is very simple, so working three times as hard to make a grain free pizza crust didn’t appeal to me at all. But I did really want some pizza.
What’s a girl to do?
Aha! I have a Crustless Pizza Pie recipe right here on my site that is so easy my 11-year old can make it without help. But of course.
With that “problem” solved, I then had to figure out how to avoid heating up the house. Could I make this Crustless Pizza without turning on the oven on a super hot day? But of course.
Cast Iron Skillet to the rescue. (I have one like this that I use daily. You never know how long sale prices will last, but this one.
I began by “baking” the cream cheese layer over low heat on my stove-top. I almost got distracted and let it get too hot, but caught it just in time before it scorched. Phew.
In the meantime, I browned hamburger meat in a small pan. I kept the pizza pie veggie-less this time, knowing we would be eating salad and veggies on the side.
After cooking the cream cheese layer for about 10 minutes, I topped it with sauce and meat, then covered it for a few minutes to heat through.
Then I piled on the cheese, covered it for about 2 minutes so it would melt, then we dug in. It completely met my need for pizza. Who even needs crust?? Especially when there is cream cheese involved.
Easy Crustless Skillet Pizza
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- 1½ cups shredded mozzarella, cheddar, or colby jack cheese
- Any meat or veggie toppings you like
- In a medium-sized bowl mix cream cheese, eggs, pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese until creamy.
- Spread mixture into a 10-12 inch cast iron skillet.
- Cover and cook over low heat on the stove-top for about 10 minutes, checking every few minutes to be sure it isn't scorching.
- In the meantime, prepare pizza toppings.
- Spread pizza sauce over hot cream cheese layer.
- Top with any meat, veggies, and cheese you like.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 5-10 more minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.
No matter if you are a grain-free eater or not, I encourage you to make this easy skillet pizza! This was a great meal for our entire family and easy to serve with a tossed salad, fresh fruit, and raw veggies.
My Grain-Free Journey Update
The latest visit with my doctor assures me that I’m on the road to great health and will not have to eat grain-free forever!!! In the meantime, I’m learning that eating grain-free allows a person to eat loads of vegetables and other nutrient packed foods. So even when I add the grains back in, I’m going to continue on with many of the new habits I’m learning because they are so nourishing.
I’m heading to church camp next week (packing a lot of my own food), and afterward hope to find time to share some great new (to me) nourishing food tips I’m learning!