I like to have recipe ideas for my week that get me excited about what I’m eating. If all I ate was chicken and vegetables all the time, I would start to eat more unhealthy foods out of boredom. So, I make it an effort to mix up my meals, yet keep them healthy and hopefully exciting.
I bought some Trader Joe’s whole wheat pizza dough, fat free ricotta, spinach, roasted red peppers, and mozzarella to make these calzones:
To make these calzones, prepare the filling first:
- Saute 1 chopped onion in olive oil
- Add defrosted frozen spinach (I used a 1 lb. bag)
- Season with salt, pepper, garlic, and crushed red pepper
- Chop one roasted red pepper, and add to pan
- Continue to cook until most moisture has cooked off
- Add 1 container of fat free ricotta (15 oz.), and a few sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
When you are done with the filling it will look like this:
- I cut the dough into 3 pieces, and tried to make long rectangles, and then plop some filling in the middle with a handful of mozzarella. Fold into a pocket, and press the sides to seal it.
- Bake on a pizza stone at 375-400 F for about 30-40 minutes. Here is a video for how they make calzones at pizza restaurants.
Tip: The fat free ricotta (and mozzarella) helps to add protein to the meal, but you could add some chicken sausage if you like for more flavor and protein. You will have leftover filling as well, so keep the filling and use it to make an omelet the next morning, or for a sandwich topping, or a side dish for your next meal.
This whole wheat dough is a lot healthier than other pizza dough out there, but the texture after cooking is not quite right. It comes out softer, and not as crispy and light. It is heavier and dense. Not a big fan. Not sure what I will do in the future. I guess I am on the search for some new healthy pizza dough.
Mr. Cyclist says it was almost too healthy tasting, but I guess he wanted a healthier meal, so he ate it happily. So, this recipe does not get my 100% stamp of approval. I will continue to tweak and come back with a better recipe!
