Meatza, It's What's For Dinner

Happy Fall, everyone!! I do apologize for the lapse in postings as of late, but alas, life is wonderful these days and quite busy! Being mommy to a new kindergartner is great and we are always on the go, go, between soccer practice and dance class and playdates and parks and coffee with friends. We are abundantly blessed, and we are just trying to really enjoy it all.

So, as I've mentioned previously, fall is my most favorite season.  Everything about this season makes me joyful and happy.  I can't wait to take the kids to Terhune Orchards in Lawrenceville for pick-your-own apples and pumpkins and all of their family fun on the weekends.  And while October is officially the end of farmer's market season, I was lucky enough to pick up a spare share at my local Purple Dragon co-op so I will still be getting my fill of delicious, organic, local produce.  Lots of squash, yay!  In my spare time, I have become slightly obsessed with canning and preserving food (I'll blog more about that when I have more time), and so far, we have done pickles, tomato sauce, roasted red peppers, and lots of bone broth.  I am trying to can and preserve as much of my excess produce as I can, so that we can enjoy these wonderful foods throughout the winter and so that none goes to waste.  My great-grandmothers would be proud.

Tonight we are making one of my favorite go-to gluten and grain-free recipes, the MEATZA!  It is a lacto-paleo take on the traditional gluten-full pizza that everyone loves.  I first heard of the meatza from my girlfriend in TX, whose family is paleo (thanks, Avery!)  It sounded delish, and I knew I had to try it.  Now we all love the meatza!  It is super easy to prepare, versatile in that you can literally use any fruit or veggies for toppings, and kid-friendly.  I like to just chop up a whole bunch of seasonal veggies and throw them on top.  My son's favorite meatza combo is olives, pineapple, and green peppers.  Try it tonight, and you too may just fall in love with this creative grain-free take on the pizza pie.

Meatza (Grain-Free Pizza)

• 5 pounds grass-fed ground beef
• sea salt, pepper, and Italian seasonings to taste
• 3-6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 ¼ cups tomato sauce (I like to make my own)
• 1 onion, diced
• various chopped vegetables of your choice for toppings (my faves are eggplant, broccoli, peppers, onions, squash)
• 5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• parmesan cheese (optional)

1) Preheat oven to 400F. Mix ground beef, pepper, salt, seasoning, and garlic. On a cookie sheet or in a large glass dish, spoon in meat mixture and pat down to make the pizza "crust."
2) Top with tomato sauce and vegetables, then top with cheese.
3) Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and cheese is melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then slice into wedges or squares.
ENJOY!!

Picture courtesy of Kristen M at Food Renegade