cauliflower pizza crust (grain/gluten/egg/dairy/soy free)

Yes, what you see right there is cauliflower pizza crust.
I didn't even think it was possible.
But it is.
And it's amazing.

However, this pizza crust is not like the other ones you see parading around Pinterest.
You see, this pizza crust isn't loaded with cheese and eggs.
It's actually the tastiest pizza crust I have ever tasted.
(And the healthiest I have ever made for that matter.)
And I love pizza, so that's saying a lot.

I found this recipe on a blog called Real Sustenance.
Let me tell you, that girl knows her stuff.
And after trying this cauliflower pizza crust, I cannot wait to try more of her recipes.
I loved what she said about cauliflower pizza crust in general:

So lets be real. The cauliflower pizza crust that has been trending like crazy.. is gross. OK, so its edible and it has the flavor of pizza..but its texture? blah. It tastes like soggy cheese. I made it today and I even tried all the fancy tricks like straining all of the liquid from the cauliflower in a cheesecloth. Still just blah.  We can do better.

That is when her "revamped and better than ever cauliflower pizza crust" came about.
And thank goodness it did.
Oh, and just so you know...my husband LOVED this pizza crust.
Yes, it's really that good.

Better than Ever Cauliflower Pizza Crust

1  cup of cooked cauliflower “rice” (see directions below)
2 packed cups of blanched almond flour (see substitution notes below)
6 1/2  Tbs starch (Potato Starch, Tapioca or Arrowroot)
3 Tbs Whole Psyllium Husk OR Flax Meal (crust will be crispier using flax)
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
3/4 Tsp. Salt
1 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1-2 Tsp. Basil (dried or fresh)
1 1/2  Tbs Oil or Melted Butter

1. Make your cauliflower “rice”. Use roughly 1/2 of a small fresh cauliflower and break it up- and stick it into a food processor and process  until it resembles a very fine rice- or even the size of cous-cous if you are able. Place the cauliflower into a skillet and cook with 1 tsp of oil for roughly 6-7 minutes  and stir until soft.
2. While the “rice” is cooking preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Pour the cooked cauliflower rice into a bowl and add the remaining pizza crust ingredients. Stir and then kneed until really well mixed. The dough will be thick, hold together well and may be slightly sticky.
4. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment, lightly oil your hands and  then place the dough on the parchment and form a 13 inch round ( 1/4- 1/2 inch thick)  pizza crust. (It does not have to be round- nor does it have to be exactly 13 inches wide. Shape it how you want!) If the dough sticks to your hands at any point- add a little bit more oil to them.
5. Place the prepared crust into the oven and bake 22-23 minutes or until the edges start to get slightly golden.  Remove from oven- place on toppings of choice and then bake another 15-18 minutes until your cheese (if using) has melted and the edges of the crust have gained a nice color. The longer you bake- the crispier it will be.

Store in a sealed bag or container in the freezer or fridge.

Recipe Notes and Substitutions (PLEASE READ)

• Instead of blanched almond flour you can try using  another homemade nut or seed flour. If you opt to make sunflower seed flour I recommend using only 1/2 Tsp. of Baking powder to prevent the pizza dough from turning green. (This is a natural reaction that can happen if those two ingredients are combined improperly.) To make your own Nut or Seed flour: simply run the nut or seed of your choice in a high powdered blender or coffee grinder until you have a super fine flour. (If the flour is course- the recipe might not work as well.)
• Coconut flour or any of the starchy grain based flours will NOT work in place of the Almond flour in this recipe (This includes all gluten free flour mixes). Only use other Nut/Seed flours as an almond exchange.
• If you can’t have straight starch you might try using chickpea flour, millet flour, rice flour or sorghum flour as an exchange for the 6 Tbs of starch that I call for. I have not tried doing this yet- but think it may work!
• Don’t go TOO crazy adding a ton of sauce to your pizza. As this crust ages I noticed that it stars to soak up the liquid and lose a bit of its crispness. (I believe this is due to the fact that it contains cauliflower). Use sauce in moderation. 
• PLEASE follow these guidelines if you would like the recipe to work! Making other changes will give you different results. Experiment at your own risk.

valentine's day is for lovers

I love my husband.

I think he loves me too.

Why else would he get me flowers?

This year I was in charge of Valentine's Day. Since he planned it last year, it was my turn this time around.

I was nervous, really nervous. 

Last year, Devin made Valentine's Day really special for me.

He decorated my room, gave me a plethora of love-notes, took me to dinner and a play, and then built me a fire in the mountains. 

I mean come on, how do you beat that?!!

But, I tried anyway...

I ended up heart-attacking our house with hanging paper hearts, scattered colored hearts, and even a trail of chocolate hearts and candy hearts. It was a bit excessive.

Then I built a love fort. And basically covered our house in a variety of Valentine doo-dads.

It turned out really cute.

 

For dinner, I made heart pizzas and a caprese salad.

We topped dinner off with sparkling pear juice.

  

And then...drumroll...

Devin got me tickets to go see Fun and Tegan & Sara!!!

I was freaking out. [Iloveyouhusband]

I made him a "Days of Loving Devin" booklet. Each day, I plan to write one reason why I love him. He thinks I will run out of reasons. I think he's crazy.

I also got him a Valentine sock monkey. He loved it.

We finished the night by watching a movie in our love fort. 

It was such a lovely evening.

And Devin told me it was the best Valentine's Day ever!

Let's see if he can top it next year.

Knowing him, he will :)

Heart Pizza

• 2 pre-baked gluten-free crusts (I used Udi's)
• Basil pesto (recipe below)
• Marinara sauce
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grilled chicken, chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled bacon
• A few slices of pepperoni
• Fresh basil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a pair of sanitized kitchen scissors, cut each crust into a heart.

For chicken bacon pizza: spread out pesto on crust, sprinkle with cheese, and top with chicken and bacon. When baked, remove from oven and top with fresh basil.

For pepperoni pizza: spread out marinara sauce on crust, sprinkle with cheese, top with pepperoni. When baked, remove from oven.

Bake in oven for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and melted.

Delish.

Basil Pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (or 1 cup fresh basil leaves and 1 cup fresh spinach leaves)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (I used raw macadamia nuts)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the basil/spinach in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using macadamia nuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) 

Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. 

Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Pear Gorgonzola Pizza

Soft, golden crust.
Cheesy goodness.
A sweet and savory combination.

It's food made for a party, a breakup, a night out on the town, and finals week.
Especially for finals week. Those two words makes me sick.
Yep, it's finals time here.
Bleck.

Meanwhile, I am going to enjoy my pizza, thank you very much.

Pear Gorgonzola Pizza

1 pizza crust (preferably in dough form...I used a gluten-free one*)
Olive oil, garlic powder, dried basil
6 ounces sliced provolone or Mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
1 Bosc pear, thinly sliced
2 ounces chopped walnuts
2 1/2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (or green onions)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place pizza crust dough on a pizza pan or stone. Spread some olive oil, garlic powder, and dried basil over the crust (to taste), all the way to the edges. Cover the crust with provolone cheese. Top cheese with spinach leaves. Place Bosc pear slices onto the spinach. Sprinkle with walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese.
Bake pizza in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.
Remove from heat. Top with chives and slice to serve.
*If using a gluten-free crust, pre-bake the crust for about 8 minutes (until puffy), lay on the toppings, and then bake for another 6-8 minutes. If your crust is sticky, place parchment paper between the crust and the pan.

Pumpkin Pear Pesto Pizza

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Okay, yes, Halloween is over...darn :( 

I truly love Halloween.

Costumes. Candy. Crazy people.

It doesn't get much better than that.

Halloween accomplishments this year:

• Dressed up like a leopard
• Went to parties
• Danced the night away
• Watched scary movies
• Went trick-or-treating! (you can never be too old, right?)
• Ate WAY too much candy
• And...made pumpkin pizza...oh it was divine 

I felt like it was a successful holiday.

This is me and Devin about to head out the door to go trick-or-treating.

Our conversation:

(A few days before)
Devin: "Let's go trick-or-treating on Halloween!"
Me: "Okay, that sounds like fun!"

(An hour before)

Devin: "Are you ready to go?"

Me: "Devin...I don't know...aren't we a little too old to go trick-or-treating?"

Devin: "Sarah, seriously? You can't just change your mind right before we go..."
Me: "But all these little kids keep coming to my door. I haven't seen any adults yet. And I feel bad..."

Devin: "Sarah, we are going."

Me: "Ugh..."

(After about 10 minutes of Devin and my roommate Jane convincing me to go)

Me: "Okay, fine...I'll go."

And I am so glad we went. People LOVED our costumes. Plus we got invited into someone's house to eat mouthwatering scones and hot apple cider. Yum :)

Oh, and did I mention that Devin dressed up as Moses?

Yep.

I could not stop laughing when I saw his costume. I couldn't even look at him...but in all seriousness, he looked like a stranger to me. Thank goodness he only looked this way for one night :)

Rawr.

Best friend couples! Me and my bestie Katie. And Leah and her bestie Ashley.

Okay, so this guy's costume was amazing. He dressed up like an old man AKA Mr. Rogers. He dyed his hair gray, drew wrinkles on his face, and dressed in old-school clothing. Definitely legit.

Bored Sarah = photo editing

Now onto the FOOD!

Have you ever had a pear gorgonzola pizza?

Or a butternut squash pizza?

Well if not, you are missing out.

To me, pizza is not that great.

Pros: tastes good.

Cons: greasy, too much cheese, unhealthy toppings (sorry pepperoni-lovers...)

However, pizza can taste delicious without all the bad stuff...

This pizza is proof.

First things first...roasted butternut squash with caramelized onions and rosemary.

You will think you've died and gone to heaven. Roasted veggies are my weakness. I eat them like a little kid would inhale candy. Nom nom nom.

And what better way than to serve them on a pizza?

And not to forget about another AMAZING pizza topping...pear.

Yes, you heard me. Pear, with gorgonzola cheese of course.

I had never had this combination before until Devin told me about it.

He had it a couple of times at restaurants, and loved it.

So we gave it a try. And it was...SO GOOD.

The combination of the sweet pear with the salty cheese. Perfect.

Oh, and don't forget the pesto!

Get in my belly...

Devin showing off his pizza dough tossing skills.

Show-off :)

 Flattening pizza dough my way.

 Ummm...

We decided to eat on the floor. Cute, right?

Confession: I only have one chair in my house...hence why we sat on sofa cushions.

Let's just pretend that we made the decision to sit on the floor ourselves :)

The wonderful pumpkin we carved.

A bit gruesome, I admit.

Ahhh!!

Classic Pizza Crust

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups white-wheat flour

Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the white-wheat flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining white-wheat flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

Basil Pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed (or 1 cup fresh basil leaves and 1 cup fresh spinach leaves)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano or Romano cheese
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
• 3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine the basil/spinach in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
2. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Pumpkin Pizza (Butternut Squash Pizza)

• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1/2 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Pizza crust dough
• Pesto (or marinara)
• Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sliced onion and squash in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with rosemary, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; toss to coat.
2. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until onions are lightly browned and squash is tender; set aside.
3. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F. 
4. Spread pesto or marinara over the pizza dough (I like to spread half of the dough with pesto and the other half with marinara). Cover with Mozzarelle cheese (however much you like). Distribute squash mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is firm.

Pear Gorgonzola Pizza

• 4 ounces sliced provolone cheese (or swiss cheese)
• 1 Bosc pear, thinly sliced
• 2 ounces chopped walnuts
• 2 1/2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• Fresh basil
• Pizza crust dough
• Pesto (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Place pizza crust dough on a medium baking sheet. Layer with Provolone (or swiss) cheese. Top cheese with Bosc pear slices. Sprinkle with walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese.
3. Add fresh basil, if desired.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.

Stuffed Pizza Crust

There are two types of people in this world: those who like a thin and crispy pizza crust and those who like a soft and chewy pizza crust. What type am I? I haven't decided quite yet. One day I will claim that thin crust is the best and the next day I have changed my mind completely and I want a thick crust that I can really sink my teeth into. Well today is a good day because this pizza crust has the best of both worlds. It combines the perfect crisp outer crust and chewy interior that makes for an amazing pizza crust. How is this possible? I will let you in on a little secret. Using bread flour rather than all-purpose flour produces a crispier exterior crust. And do you know what makes pizza even better? Stuffed crust. Yep, you heard that right--stuffed, cheesy, oozy, scrumptious crust.

 Cheese please.

How to stuff your crust:
Step 1: Cut mozzarella cheese sticks in half and lay around the edge of your rolled-out dough.

Step 2: Roll the outer edge toward the center, pinching the dough as you go.

Top the dough with your favorite toppings.

Bake, slice, and devour.

Pizza Dough

 
(Source: Baking Illustrated, pages 153-155) Makes enough for 3 medium pizzas.
We find the food processor is the best tool for making pizza dough. However, only a food processor with a capacity of at least 11 cups can handle this much dough. You can also knead this dough by hand or in a standing mixer (see the variations that follow). Unbleached all-purpose flour can be used in a pinch, but the resulting crust will be less crisp. If you want to make pizza dough in the morning and let it rise on the counter all day, decrease the yeast to 1/2 teaspoon and let the covered dough rise at cool room temperature (about 68 degrees) until doubled in size, about 8 hours. You can prolong the rising time even further by refrigerating the covered dough for up to 16 hours and then letting it rise on the counter until doubled in size, which will take 6 to 8 hours.

1/2 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 envelope (about 2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1 1/4 cups water, at room temperature
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups (22 ounces) bread flour, plus more for dusting work surface and hands
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray for oiling the bowl

1. Measure the warm water into a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sprinkle in the yeast and let stand until the yeast dissolves and swells, about 5 minutes. Add the room-temperature water and oil and stir to combine.
2. Process the flour and salt in a large food processor, pulsing to combine. Continue pulsing while pouring the liquid ingredients (holding back a few tablespoons) through the feed tube. If the dough does not readily form into a ball, add the remaining liquid and continue to pulse until a ball forms. Process until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 30 seconds longer.
3. The dough will be a bit tacky, so use a rubber spatula to turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead by h and for a few strokes to form a smooth, round ball. Put the dough into a deep oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Press the dough to deflate it.

Pizza Dough Kneaded by Hand
Follow the recipe for Pizza Dough through step 1. Omit step 2 and instead combine the salt and half the flour in a deep bowl. Add the liquid ingredients and use a wooden spoon to combine. Add the remaining flour, stirring until a cohesive mass forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic 7 to 8 minutes, using as little dusting flour as possible while kneading. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and proceed with the recipe.

Pizza Dough Kneaded in a Standing Mixer
Follow the recipe for Pizza Dough through step 1. Omit step 2 and instead place the flour and salt in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle. Briefly combine the dry ingredients at low speed. Slowly add the liquid ingredients and continue to mix at low speed until a cohesive mass forms. Stop the mixer and replace the paddle with the dough hook. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, put it in a deep oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and proceed with the recipe.


Hawaiian Pizza with Stuffed Crust

3 cups pizza sauce
6-8 mozzarella cheese sticks
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups chopped pineapple
2 cups chopped ham (or canadian bacon)

1. Prepare the dough as directed in the Pizza Dough recipe. Place a pizza stone (or baking sheet) on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 500° for at least 30 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Use a chef’s knife or dough scraper to divide the dough into three pieces. Form each piece of dough into three pieces. Form each piece of dough into a smooth, round ball and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough relax for at least 10 minutes but no more than 30 minutes.

3. Working with one piece of dough at a time and keeping the others covered, shape the dough, then transfer it to a pizza peel that has been lightly dusted with flour.

4. Cut mozzarella cheese sticks in half and lay around the edge of the rolled-out dough. Roll the edge in, pinching as you go.

5. Lightly brush the dough round with olive oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce over the dough round. Scatter a third of the shredded cheese, a third of the pineapple, and a third of the ham on each crust you make.

6. Slide the dough onto the heated stone. Bake until the crust edges brown and the cheese is golden brown in spots, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven, sprinkle with an additional 2 tablespoons Parmesan, cut into wedges, and serve immediately. Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 with the remaining two pieces of dough and the remaining toppings.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

 

 Pizza. There's just something about it that is so magical. The crispy yet soft crust, the melted stringy cheese, the sweet warm tomatoes. That first bite. The way the oozing sauce and cheese dribbles onto your chin. The sweet and savory flavors blending so perfectly in your mouth. It's all so enticing.

Okay, so I decided to refrigerate my dough for 24 hours before rising and baking. YES, 24 hours! Apparently it makes your pizza crust easier to work with, and gives it have a better texture and flavor. After trying it out, I concur with all of the above. It makes your pizza go from good to AMAZING. I will refrigerate my pizza dough from now on--and hey, maybe I will try it with other breads too.

This dough was incredibly pliable and absolutely perfect. I am telling you, refrigerating it is key.

I have a confession...I used to work at Papa Murphy's Pizza. You heard that right. Me (Sarah) was once an employee of the classic take'n'bake pizza franchise. I do not have many fond memories, but I did get to experiment with the dough and all the wonderful toppings. My favorite thing to do was to make the stuffed Chicago pizza with a braided crust. So here it is, the braided crust.

Creamy garlic Alfredo sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and grilled chicken. Oh yes.

The final product. Now that some lovin' in the oven.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon pure olive oil
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Olive oil, for the pizza crust
• Flour, for dusting

Toppings:

• 1 cup Alfredo sauce, jazzed up with some garlic and basil
• 1/2 teaspoon herbs, oregano, basil, thyme
• A combination of 3 grated cheeses such as mozzarella, Parmesan, Monterrey Jack, provolone
• Spinach, green onions, tomatoes, grilled chicken (all chopped, of course)

1. Mix the sugar, olive oil, water, and yeast a bowl. Let this sit for about 5 minutes. Then stir in 1 cup of flour and salt. Add remaining cup of flour into a standing mixer's work bowl. Using the paddle attachment, start the mixer on low and mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball. Lube the hook attachment with cooking spray. Attach the hook to the mixer and knead for 15 minutes on medium speed. (Or you can do this by hand. Yay.)
2. Roll the pizza dough into a smooth ball on the countertop. Place into a stainless steel or glass bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the bowl and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
3. Preheat oven from 450 to 500 degrees F. Split the pizza dough into 2 equal parts using a knife. Flatten into a disk onto the countertop and then fold the dough into a ball.
4. Wet hands barely with water and rub them onto the countertop to dampen the surface. Roll the dough on the surface until it tightens. Cover one ball with a towel and rest for 30 minutes.
5. Repeat the steps with the other piece of dough. If not baking the remaining pizza immediately, spray the inside of a ziplock bag with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bag. (This can be refrigerated for up to 6 days.)
6. Sprinkle the flour onto the countertop and roll out using a rolling pin, or toss in the air with your hands. Place the stretched dough onto a sprayed pan. (Dress and bake the pizza immediately for a crisp crust or rest the dough for another 30 minutes if you want a chewy texture.)
7. Brush the crust of the pizza with olive oil. Spread the pizza sauce evenly onto the pizza. Sprinkle the herbs onto the pizza and top with the cheese. Lay down spinach, green onions, tomatoes, and chicken. Top off with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Rest for a few minutes before slicing.
9. Devour.