Love Live Balance: Eggplant Pizzas

I don't know about you guys but I would pretty much eat pizza as often as I could. Unfortunately it's not always the best for you but I still like to enjoy it in moderation. My aunt makes the most amazing homemade pizza ever and it's such a treat when she makes it! Her Mediterranean pizza is to die for and if she makes pepperoni bread as well then my will power just goes out the window. But hey it's important to treat yourself, right?

So since I can't have pizza every night for dinner, it's always a good idea to explore other lighter options that can still get you that pizza fix! I've made tortilla pizzas before which are a great alternative but I've been seeing so many recipes for eggplant or zucchini pizzas that I wanted to try out my own recipe! I made mine with pesto, arugula, and feta and my sister had the old-fashioned way with pizza sauce and mozzarella. Both versions were delicious! Next time I make them I think I'll add some roasted vegetables or chicken on top.

All you need for this recipe is 1 medium-large eggplant and any toppings you would like! You don't have to use a sauce like pesto or marinara but I think it just makes it more pizza-y plus we all know I'm obsessed with pesto! You could always just use your favorite cheese and meat/veggies on top. It's a pretty versatile recipe and you can adjust it to fit your taste buds. I feel like I say that with a lot of the recipes I post on here but it's true! I think you guys are starting to catch on that mostly what I make is simple, fast, and can be tailored to your preferences!

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice up the eggplant (I made mine about 1/4-1/2 inch) and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic.

2. Bake the eggplant slices for about 20 minutes. I'm sorry that I don't have a better time range because my oven decided to act weird and wasn't keeping the temperature steady. I have no idea what happened but it's working perfectly fine now, it's just that it took me a little bit longer to roast the eggplant. Anyway, try to shoot for about 20 minutes or so! You want the eggplant to be fork tender but still firm enough that it won't collapse under the toppings.