Mediterranean Pizza

The roots of our perennial favorite, Pizza, lie in the Mediterranean, and traditionally, pizza never has pineapple, chicken or any of the other "fancy" ingredients we've come to think of on it. But that doesn't mean it has to be either boring OR expensive!!

Make your own tasty mediterranean pizza at home for a cheap, tasty meal that the whole family will love.

Mediterranean Pizza

Your favorite pizza sauce**
Half a cup or so of grated cheese - use your own favorite, but LastPenny uses any brand of Tasty
1 or 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
Baby spinach leaves
Fresh basil leaves
Store-bought pizza base!

Heat oven up to 200C. Spread your pizza sauce on the pizza base, top with baby spinach leaves and basil leaves, a sprinkle of cheese and tomato over the top.

For extra flavor, add sliced mushrooms or chopped bacon.

**LastPenny's Quick and Cheapy Pizza Sauce

1 tin Watties Pasta Sauce (any flavour)
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
1/2 tablespoon mixed herbs

Bring gently to the boil on the stovetop, stirring often, and cook for 10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken and reduce.

This makes heaps: refrigerate in glass or plastic for use. You can also freeze it in single-serve (about 3-4 tablespoons) portions!

Great for a quick and easy dinner, for entrees, or weekend lunches.

Try making it on a pita bread, and folding it over to take to work for lunch!

Chickpea Salad

Summer's coming, and with it, you often dont feel like a hot meal in the evenings. Here's a tasty, filling vegetarian option!

Chickpea based, so it's packed with protein and best of all cheap; and most kids love it.

Chickpea Salad

4-5 button mushrooms, or 1 large flat mushroom (omit if mushrooms are disliked)
1/2 small red onion
1 Yellow or orange pepper
1 large chopped tomato (or use halved cherry tomatoes)
large handful fresh green beans, chopped**
300ish gram tin of chickpeas, drained
1 bunch chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 small lemon

Non-vegetarian option: 2 rashers bacon. OR, delicious with Sanitarium Rashers (vegetarian bacon) - these are optional

Quarter the mushrooms, slice the bacon or rashers if used into short thin strips, and chop the onion and pepper into small chunks. Heat up a small pan and lightly fry the mushrooms, bacon and veg until they're soft - about 3-4 mins in general. If using bacon, ensure it's completely cooked. I use Canola cooking spray for this.

Put your drained chickpeas into your salad bowl and add the tomatoes and the chopped parsley. You can also use coriander. Drizzle with lemon juice and mix gently (dont crush the chickpeas.)

Add the warm ingredients, stir through, and set aside to cool.

Serve with balsamic dressing.

**TOP TIP: If money's tight or you dont have them to hand, use frozen beans, peas or my personal favorite: Mixed Veg!

Serving suggestions:

On the side at barbecues, in place of a regular green salad, or as a light meal on it's own. Very tasty and filling.