WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLA PIZZA WITH CILANTRO PESTO

WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLA PIZZA WITH CILANTRO PESTO
This is my entry for the "Weekend Herb Blogging Event" started by Kalyn from http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/, hosted this week by Srivalli from "Cooking 4 all seasons". I have chosen cilantro as the herb in the dish. Though a common herb used everyday in most kitchen, I was amazed by the benefits of cilantro when I searched the web. Here are a few benefits of cilantro:
· A great source of iron and magnesium, which women should get a good supply daily
· Rich in phytonutrients and flavonoids, which helps protect against disease
· Lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) and raises good cholesterol (HDL)
· Is an anti-inflammatory that may alleviate symptoms of arthritis

Who knew that the humble cilantro had so many good characteristics? This is a healthy recipe too since I have used whole wheat tortilla as the pizza base and low-fat cheeses. A healthy and tasty way to enjoy pizza with less fat than the regular pizza.

FOR THE CILANTRO PESTO:
INGREDIENTS:
Cilantro, 1 big bunch.
Cashews, ¼ cup.
Grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons.
Garlic, 1 clove.
Salt as per taste.
Pepper, ¼ teaspoon.
Extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup.

PREPARATION:
This is a raw sauce, so extra-virgin olive oil is the best choice. The only difference of this sauce from a regular pesto sauce is that I have used cashews instead of pine nuts. The silkiness of the cashews goes very well with the cilantro in this case. It adds a good flavor to the sauce. Remove the leaves of the cilantro from the stems, wash them, and drain them. Take a blender and put the cilantro leaves along with ¼ cup cashews, 1 clove of garlic and give a few pulses until everything is ground coarsely. Add salt, pepper, grated parmesan cheese to the mixture. Then add the olive oil slowly and start blending everything together until a smooth paste is obtained. This pesto sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. It can also be used for pastas.

FOR THE PIZZA:
INGREDIENTS:
Whole wheat tortilla wrap, 1.
Vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, red onions, everything coming to about 2 cups.
Baby spinach leaves, ½ cup.
Combination of grated cheeses like fontina and mozzarella coming to about 1 cup together.
Red chili flakes, 1 teaspoon, (optional).
Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon.

PREPARATION:
Take a tortilla wrap and rub a little oil on both sides. Place the wrap on a baking plate and bake it at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Meanwhile cut the vegetables into long thin slices and keep them aside. After 10 minutes, take the plate from the oven. Apply the cilantro pesto on one side of the wrap. Then arrange the vegetable slices and baby spinach leaves all over the wrap. Cover it with grated fontina and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese and chili flakes if needed all over the top. Bake it for another 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees until the cheeses turn bubbly. Remove the pizza from the oven and cut it big slices and serve.