Did you know that the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health has an international campaign that encourages people to not eat meat on Mondays to improve their health and the health of the planet (www.meatlessmonday.com)? That’s because recent research has shown that eating red meat more than once per week has been associated with an increased risk of mortality from cancer and heart disease. So how about trying to cut back on your red meat consumption and go meatless on Mondays? Be adventurous-try beans, soy, tempeh, quinoa, and other delicious meat alternatives. Don’t be afraid to eat tofu (soy), despite what you have heard it does NOT cause cancer and, in fact, prevents many types of cancer. Real men (and women) EAT SOY! Try this delish pizza recipe with tofu!

Pizza with Balsamic Onions and Roasted Tofu

This easy-to-make and highly nutritious pizza is loaded with taste and lacking the gobs of saturated fat contained in regular pizza. Who knew whole wheat pizza could taste this good?

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/8th of recipe or 1 slice)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 large red onion, sliced thinly
7 ounces of firm, cubed tofu (1/2 a typical container, drained)
3 large cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 large black olives, pitted and sliced
1 large Boboli 100% whole wheat pizza crust
1 packet Boboli pizza sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil

For the toppings:

Preheat oven to high broil. In a large mixing bowl, mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Place onions on baking sheet and baste with balsamic mixture until onions are well coated. Add tofu to balsamic mixture, turn to coat and set aside. Broil onions for approximately 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and browned. Remove from oven and set aside, reduce heat in oven to 450°F. In a small skillet, add olive oil and garlic and sauté until garlic browns. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the pizza:

Baste Boboli pizza crust with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add packet of tomato sauce and spread evenly. Top sauce with onions, garlic, tofu (discard marinade) and olives. Bake pizza on oven rack or pizza stone for ten minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information per Serving (1/8th of pizza):
Calories: 209, Fat: 12 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 320 mg,
Carbohydrate: 20 g, Dietary Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 3 g, Protein: 7 g