Animal Pizza's - Such Fun

It was half-term holiday last week and the grandchildren had a week off school ... you should have seen their smiling faces 😊

They are never short on fun things to do, and one thing they enjoy making and eating are pizza's ... aren't these animal-shaped pizzas cute! I wonder which one you may choose? The rabbit is a popular choice! 

They are made using muffin bases, and are topped with a speedy tomato sauce that's packed with veg. Fun and yum all in one! Perfect for family gatherings, which both young and old can enjoy.

Ingredients

Makes eight pizzas
4 English muffins, halved
8 cheese slices
3 slices turkey breast
1/2 red pepper, sliced into thin sticks
2 balls of mini mozzarella
4 blueberries, halved
2 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 Kalamata or black pitted olives
¼ yellow pepper
4 baby spinach leaves
2 slices Italian salami

For the hidden veg tomato sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
100g (4oz) mushrooms, sliced
1 trimmed leek*, sliced
1 red or yellow pepper, chopped
1 carrot, grated
small handful fresh basil, chopped
1 x 400g tin tomatoes

*If you don't have any leeks, try using spring onions (scallions) instead

Method
1. Make the hidden vegetable sauce. Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the mushrooms, leek, pepper and carrot for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and basil and cook for a further 2-3 mins. Blitz until smooth with a hand-held stick blender or in a food processor. Set aside until ready to make the pizzas or freeze for a later date.
2. Heat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Toast the muffins and lay out on 2 lined baking sheets. Top each half with half a tablespoon of tomato sauce and a cheese slice, cutting to the same size as the muffins. Reserve the offcuts to make ears and beaks. Bake for 10 mins, until the cheese is melted and golden.
3. To make the owl, take 2 muffins and put 1 turkey slice onto each, then use the cheese offcuts to make the ears and beak. Add a couple of slices of red pepper strips for the wings and use the mini mozzarella and blueberries for the eyes.
4. To make the cat, cut the remaining turkey slice into 4 triangles for the ears and place on 2 of the muffins. Add blueberries for the eyes, an olive for the nose and red pepper sticks for the whiskers.
5. To make the rabbit, add halved cherry tomatoes to 2 of the muffins for the eyes, add an olive for the nose, 2 chunks of yellow pepper to make the teeth and add 2 spinach leaves for the ears.
6. To make the dog, halve each slice of salami and add to the remaining muffins to make ears. Place a piece of mozzarella in the middle to make the base of the nose, then top with a slice of olive. Use 2 olive slices to make the eyes, then cut the remaining red pepper sticks into tiny pieces and shape into a mouth.
Each serving
Carbohydrate 16.8g Protein 19.5g Fibre 1.4g Fat 9g
From original idea here

Important - If cooking with children always take extra care in the kitchen and supervise as necessary.

Related Post

Mini Pizza's, lower carb alternatives, see here

You will find a variety of articles and recipe suggestions within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health it is always advisable to consult your Doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan