After so many years of eating meat, I have finally found the passion to eat with a conscience.
My choice to be vegetarian has nothing to do with my health and has everything to do with my compassion for the animals that end up on our plates.
I do not need meat to live and I will make other choices.
Consequently, I find myself cooking for one, as my husband dislikes vegetables and salads and could easily live on meat and pasta.

Needless to say, this has sent me in a different direction in my cooking.
I now buy more frozen products for the ease of preparation, without waste.
I hate food waste and I must think more inventively about using up leftovers in different ways unless I want to eat the same thing for a week.
I am also very frugal in my choice of foods and their use.

As a result, I am discovering new products.
The latest product is by Green Giant, called Herb Butternut Squash Medley which you can sauté in a sauce pan in about 7 minutes.
I do love butternut squash and use it frequently but dislike the process of cutting it up, so this product is just perfect.
It is a blend of roasted butternut squash, diced apples, parsnips, yellow carrots, orange carrots, black beans and roasted pumpkin seeds
and a spice mixture of brown sugar, salt, thyme, roasted garlic, oil, and rosemary.

Now... what to do with it. My 10 oz. package has been a part of three meals.
I have tossed it with tortellini and spinach.
I have used some as a filling in an omelet.
I have also used it for a French bread pizza.
The leftover medley would also be good on a salad or in a quesadilla.

So, here is: PIZZA... MY WAY

Frozen leaf spinach
Olive oil
Garlic, chopped fine

Herb Butternut Squash Medley

French Bread (1/2 of a small loaf per serving)

Mozzarella cheese, grated
Parmesan cheese, grated

Italian seasoning (optional)
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Begin by sautéing the frozen leaf spinach in a little olive oil with some garlic until the spinach is cooked.
This only takes minutes to cook and if you make extra, you have the beginning of another meal.

Put the halved French bread in a 425-degree oven just long enough to heat it up.
In the meantime, cook the squash medley according to directions.

Sprinkle the bread with some mozzarella cheese.
Top with some of the spinach mixture.
Add a little more mozzarella cheese.
Put some of the butternut squash medley on next. Sprinkle with some Italian seasoning, if desired.
Top with more mozzarella.
Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Bake until the cheese is melted... about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the roasted pumpkin seeds that come with the vegetable medley, on top.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.

And there you have a vegetarian pizza... my way.

For variations, you might want to try a little goat cheese or gorgonzola on the pizza before baking.