GRILLED PEACH PIZZA

Smoky Gouda, grilled peaches, balsamic drizzle, pea shoots and pecans; five simple ingredients and a burst of assorted flavors and textures! you have no idea what you're in store for with this recipe! Put together as a spur of the moment light summer lunch with ingredients on hand, this came together better than I anticipated and I definitely thought it was share worthy! So simple, you need no cooking skills whatsoever (not that I doubt you). This will make your friends think you're a gourmet chef!

If you've been following my blog you know by now that I am officially obsessed with Micro greens. A big Thank You to my friend Jay Ritchie of Harbor Hill farms (If you live in Ocean Springs you must try their micro greens) who first introduced me to them. Of course every day this summer has been an adventure, trying to come up with a new way to use these crisp greens with their sometimes delicate, sometimes sharp and sometimes robust flavor.

I landed up with some peaches that were a little lackluster in taste and upon researching discovered that grilling peaches that were probably a little underripe when plucked helps soften them and brings out the sugar, making them sweeter. Inspiration struck and the Grilled Peach Pizza was created! Creamy Gouda, smoked in a brick oven over hickory chips has 20 % of the daily recommended dose of calcium, both the peaches and pea shoots are high in antioxidants and the pecans are chock full of nutrients that are great for you. From heart health to healthy brain function and great blood sugar level maintenance this low carb lunch pizza delivers in terms of taste, health and calories!

By now you must be dying to stop reading and get cooking so I won't bore you with any more details! Bon Appetit !

Remember to comment below and let us know if you tried this recipe and liked it!

(SERVING SIZE IS FOR 1 PERSON)
INGREDIENTS:
1 low carb tortilla (I used Trader Joe’s)
½ grilled peach
¼ cup shredded smoked Gouda
1 teaspoon chopped pecans
1 teaspoon balsamic glaze(recipe below)
¼ cup pea shoots (micro greens)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
2. Lightly brush both sides of the tortilla with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the cheese.
3. Grill peach slices in grill pan while oven is heating just until the surface is slightly caramelized.
4. Once oven is ready put the tortilla in and watch carefully, taking out as soon as the cheese has melted (barely 1 minute)
5. Top with peaches and drizzle balsamic glaze, sprinkle nuts and spread the pea shoots. 
Cut into fours and enjoy.

Notes:
1. Other fruits that grill well are mangoes and pineapple due to the high sugar content.
2. Some additional Cheese options to try and change things up are goat cheese, brie or Swiss amongst others.
3. Different Crust options such as traditional pizza crust, pita bread, Naan Bread and so forth can be used as well.

BALSAMIC GLAZE
Pour ½ cup balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over full flame and boil 5-10 minutes until reduced to about ¼ cup. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools so reducing it too much will yield a sticky consistency. 

Notes:
1. A larger quantity of this can be made and stored at room temperature for up to a week and in the refrigerator for a few weeks. However, you must bring it to room temperature if you need to drizzle it as it hardens in the fridge. I like to keep mine in a squeezable bottle as it's easy to drizzle that way.
2. Sugar or honey can be added according to taste if a sweeter glaze is preferred.