Recipe: polenta pizza

Serves 4.

Note: For this pizza topped with garlic-infused greens, polenta stands in for the traditional wheat-based crust. While cornmeal or polenta is naturally gluten-free, it's often processed on machinery that also works with wheat products, so make sure to look for brands that specify "gluten-free" on their labels. From Meredith Deeds.

Crust:

• 2 1/2 c. water

• 3/4 tsp. salt

• 1 c. gluten-free polenta

Pizza topping:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 5 oz. (about 4 c.) baby greens (any green or combination of spinach, kale, chard, etc.)

• Pinch of red pepper flakes

• Pinch of salt

• 1/2 c. marinara sauce (either homemade or store-bought)

• 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a large baking sheet.

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil and add the salt. Whisking constantly, slowly add the polenta. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, until the polenta starts to pull away from the side of the pan, 8 to 10 minutes.

Spread out the cornmeal mixture on the pan in a circle about 1/3 inch thick and about 12 inches in diameter, building up the edges slightly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust begins to brown.

Remove the crust from the oven. Spread marinara sauce over the polenta crust, leaving a border, then layer on the mozzarella, greens and Parmesan cheese. Bake the pizza until the cheese begins to brown in spots, about 5 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes to set up.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories240Fat10 gSodium840 mg

Carbohydrates30 gSaturated fat3 gCalcium240 mg

Protein10 gCholesterol12 mgDietary fiber4 g