It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN: Top five PITA PIZZAS

It’s finally Friday! I am desperately in need of something fun and easy to munch on after a grueling week in the office. Pita pizzas make the perfect weekend treat, because they are fast, simple, reliable, and, most importantly, tasty. They make cooking feel more like an art project than a chore. The topping combinations are totally flexible and pretty much never ending. And when I’m feeling splurgy because it is the weekend, they consistently save me from the calorie overload promised in every disastrous bite of greasy bar food.

They truly never disappoint, and for that I thank the folks at Western Bagel and Kraft for their Alternative Pita and 2% cheeses that make it all possible.

So here are my TOP FIVE PITA PIZZAS (drum roll please):

The basics will be the same for each of these. Your base will always be a Western Bagel Alternative Pita (plain white), and you will bake the pizza at 425 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and brown. If you prefer a cheesier pizza, increasing the 2% Kraft mozzarella cheese from ¼ to ½ cup only takes the pizza up ½ WW point. A modest drizzle of sriracha on any of these gives them a metabolism-boosting kick while complimenting an already phenomenal flavor. Bake pizzas directly on oven rack with a pan on a lower rack to catch anyhting that might drip or fall off.

Roasted Vegetable Round-up @ 3 WW Points (no I’m not kidding)
Chop red bell pepper, red onion, eggplant, and zucchini into ½ inch cubes to yield about 2 heaping tablespoons of each. Spray mixture liberally with Pam Olive Oil spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly across a large, rimmed baking sheet.

While the vegetables are roasting in the oven at 425 degrees, finely mince a toe of garlic and slice a couple of cleaned mushrooms. When your veggies in the oven are ready for a flip after 2 minutes, add the sliced mushrooms and garlic to the mix and return to the oven for another 2 minutes.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of Ragu Light Tomato and Basil sauce onto your Western Bagel Alternative Pita. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup Kraft 2% mozzarella cheese. Remove pan from oven and spoon roasted vegetable mixture generously over the cheese-topped pita. Dust with 1 teaspoon finely grated parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon of dried oregano, and crushed red pepper to taste. Spray the totally-topped pizza with Pam Olive Oil spray to help with browning, and bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown.

Buffalo Chicken Bonanza @ 6 WW Points (7 with blue cheese)
Bake off a Morningstar Farms Breaded Chicken Patty at 375 degrees. In the last 2 minutes during the second side of cooking, remove patty from oven and liberally coat with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. Return to oven for last 2 minutes of cooking. Remove patty from oven and let cool slightly. Turn oven up to 425 degrees.

Meanwhile spread 1 tablespoon of Light Hidden Valley Ranch dressing over the Western Bagel Alternative Pita. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup Kraft 2% mozzarella cheese.

Slice patty into thin strips and distribute evenly across cheese-topped pita. Top with thinly sliced green onion and one tablespoon of crumble blue cheese (optional 1 WW point addition). Spray the totally-topped pizza with Pam Olive Oil spray to help with browning, and bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown.

Feisty Fiesta Frenzy @ 4 WW Points
Finely chop green bell pepper and yellow onion to yield about 2 heaping tablespoons each. Drain and rinse a can of black bean; set 2 tablespoons aside and put the rest away in a storage container for later use. Wash and finely chop a handful of cilantro.

In a separate prep bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a scant pinch of cinnamon and crushed red pepper. Toss seasoning mixture with 1/3 cup Morningstar Farms Grillers Burger Style Crumbles. Sauté crumbles and black beans in a Pam coated pan until heated through.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of enchilada sauce onto your Western Bagel Alternative Pita. Distribute crumbles and black bean mixture evenly across sauced-only pita. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup Kraft 2% mozzarella cheese. Top with finely chopped green bell pepper and yellow onion. Spray the totally-topped pizza with Pam Olive Oil spray to help with browning, and bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown. Finish with jalapeños and finely chopped cilantro.

Spinach Artichoke Pesto Pizza @ 5 WW Points
Roughly chop one generous handful of fresh spinach. Finely chop one prepared artichoke heart (the kind from a jar or a can, as long as it is NOT packed in oil) and enough sun dried tomatoes (NOT packed in oil) and yellow onion to yield 2 tablespoons each. Shred a few leaves of clean, fresh basil for finishing.

Spread 1 tablespoon of Buitoni Reduced Fat Pesto with Basil (or your own reduced-fat homemade pesto is even better) onto your Western Bagel Alternative Pita. Distribute chopped spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and artichoke heart evenly across sauced-only pita. Sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup Kraft 2% mozzarella cheese. Top with finely chopped yellow onion. Dust with 1 teaspoon finely grated parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper to taste. Spray the totally- topped pizza with Pam Olive Oil spray to help with browning, and bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown Finish with shredded basil.

Hawaii 5.0 @ 5 WW Point
Thinly slice 1 oz. of lean deli ham and red onion (enough to yield ¼ cup) into strips. Finely chop fresh pineapple to yield 2 tablespoons.

Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of Ragu Light Tomato and Basil sauce onto your Western Bagel Alternative Pita. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Kraft 2% mozzarella cheese. Distribute the pineapple, red onion, and ham evenly across the cheese-topped pita. Dust with 1 teaspoon finely grated parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon of dried oregano, and crushed red pepper to taste. Spray the totally-topped pizza with Pam Olive Oil spray to help with browning, and bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown.