Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Pizza Bites – Tailgating Thursday
FOOOOOOTBALLLLLL SEASON HAS ARRIVED! *dancing girl emoji*
Football season is my favorite time of year. Mostly because it represents fall & I love all things fall related. Seriously:
- Pumpkin flavored baked goods
- The return of hot coffee lattes
- Changing leaves
- Leggings & long sweaters
I could go on and on…
Tailgating is a hobby in West Virginia, so it’s something that I’ve had loads of practice at. I enjoy creating new bites to bring along to a watch party; and if I can make those typical football foods have a healthy twist, I’m even more about it!
I thought a fun way of celebrating football season this year would be to share with you a favorite tailgating recipe every Thursday that you can make for the upcoming weekend! These recipes won’t all be healthy.. most will be, but I’ll also throw in some classic favorites, as well as some drink recipes to share!
Who do you root for? I’m a big Mountaineer fan when it comes to college and [unfortunately] am a Washington Redskins fan when it comes to pro!
Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Pizza Bites compared to Bagel Bites!
When looking at this list, a few things stick out to me the most. For one, the carb count. Carbs are where most sugars are stored, so it’s no wonder those numbers go hand in hand. Another number is the saturated fat. Since theirs is so low, and this is including pepperoni, I’m curious how much actual cheese they use. Since these Zucchini Bites are used with 100% cheese, that is why the saturated fat is where it is. Bagel bites have some explaining to do…
So, back to the recipe! If you make them for one of your upcoming tailgates (or you know, just because they’re delish) tag me!
Instagram- @greenpalatelife
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What you need: [this recipe makes about 30 bites]
- 2 large zucchinis
- 30 slices of turkey pepperoni [or 1 per slice of zucchini]
- 15-30 tablespoons of pizza sauce [depending how saucy you like your pizza]
- 15 tablespoons of shredded cheese [mozzarella or a blend work well]
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 sprays OVOO spray
- Onion powder, Garlic powder, Red chili flakes, Oregano – to taste
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Slice your two zucchinis thick enough to hold onto but thin enough to be a bite. Add 15 at a time to a bowl, spray with olive oil spray & shake with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Toss with your hands to evenly coat the cheese with each bite.
Place on a baking sheet & cook for 25 minutes [or until the bites begin to brown and the cheese is crisp]
While the zucchini is still hot, shake onion powder, oregano, and red pepper flakes over the bites. Top then with your pizza sauce.
And your cheese! [aka the best part!]
The cheese will begin to naturally melt due to the residual heat from the zucchini. You can now choose to top with whatever pizza toppings you’d like! I did 1/2 plain cheese and 1/2 with a slice of turkey pepperoni.
Place back in the oven at 350 degrees until the cheese is hot and bubbly. This should be at least 15-20 more minutes.
Allow to cool then serve immediately.
Other tailgating recipes you may enjoy…
3. Light & Creamy Roasted Garlic Hummus
4. Low Fat, Protein-Packed Ranch Dressing
1 Comment
[…] When I was in college, I was all about the snow. I would go snowboarding with my friend, Katie, after chemistry class every Thursday night, we would walk across the dead roads to Eat n’ Park for some late night grilled stickies (like a cinnamon roll, but with honey- omg), stay in all day drinking adult beverages while I dominated in Mario Kart & Mario Party… once we even thought up the brilliant idea to fill a baby pool in our kitchen with hot water for a homemade “hot tub”. That idea was shut down all too quickly for my liking. […]