Garden Pizza Puffs

We eat a lot of muffins in this house.  We also eat a lot of pizza.  So when I stumbled upon a recipe for pizza made in a mini-muffin tin, it was like two worlds colliding into something brilliant!
    

Garden Pizza Puffs are cheesy, delicious and very easy to make. With only about 35 calories per puff, they are a fun and healthy option to satisfy your pizza cravings. 

The original recipe is made with pepperoni, which would be pretty good.  I thought it would be even better with made vegetables and herbs.  The recipe written below reflects the vegetables that I used, though you can experiment with the same amounts of whatever meats and/or vegetables you like.  I have also used whole wheat and all-purpose flours, and either one works great.  The beauty of this recipe is the ability to customize everything to suit your preferences.   

Served with a side of pizza sauce for dipping or with a dollop of sauce on each puff, these would make for a super cute appetizer at your next dinner party.  Mike and I had 10 puffs each and called it dinner.  These puffs would also be a tasty treat for kids.

 
Given the unlimited possibilities, I look forward to doing lots of experimenting with this recipe.  In the meantime, we will just have to continue to test several variations of pizza puffs.  Oh the sacrifices we make! :)

Garden Pizza Puffs
Yields 24 puffs (see note)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup skim milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
pizza sauce, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.  Whisk in the milk and egg.  Fold in the cheese, garlic, onion, roasted red pepper, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper (if using).  Let stand for 10 minutes. 
3. Stir the batter and divide evenly among the mini-muffin cups (fill to about 1/2 to 2/3 full).
4. Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 mintutes.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Remove from pan serve with pizza sauce.  

Note:  Yields 12 puffs in a regular-sized muffin pan - adjust baking time to 25 to 30 minutes.

Adapted from Rachael Ray