September 2018 Fig Focus

fig snack bag

Goat Cheese Pizza with Figs & Chicken

This Fig and Chicken Goat Cheese Pizza is packed with the perfect combination of sweet + savory ingredients. Goat cheese and melty mozzarella wrap around warm sweet figs and juicy chicken to create a meal or appetizer that is both hearty and delicious! This pizza with figs is great for serving as a snack with friends, or for a fun date night in.

fig snack bag

California Figs, goat cheese and chicken create a hearty and delicious pizza.

figs on a rack

Serve as an appetizer or main dish.

Goat Cheese Pizza with Figs & Chicken

Makes 8 large slices

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • 1/2 cup onions (sliced)
  • 1 pound fresh pizza dough*
  • 1 cup Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Mission Figs, halved
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup baby arugula
  • 1/4 cup balsamic glaze

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 450°F. While oven is coming to temperature, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the chicken into the boiling water. Cook for 10-12 minutes.
  • While the chicken is cooking, heat a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the onions for 5-7 minutes, until translucent.
  • While the onions and chicken cook, stretch and roll the pizza dough on a lightly floured surface into a 15-inch circle. Once rolled into a circle, place the pizza on a greased pizza pan. Gently roll the edges of the dough in towards the center to form a crust. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil on pizza dough, and brush to cover the surface of the pizza.
  • Remove the onions and cooked chicken from heat. Shred the chicken by pulling apart with two forks. Add the onions, shredded chicken, California Figs and pepper to the top of the pizza. Top with goat cheese and mozzarella.
  • Bake for 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown and cheese has melted.
  • When the pizza is removed from the oven, top with arugula and balsamic glaze.

*Note: It is best to allow pizza dough to rest at room temperature prior to stretching for best results.

Nutrition Information per serving: Calories 370; Fat 12g; Cholesterol 60mg; Protein 21g; Carbohydrates 43g; Fiber 3g; Iron 3mg; Sodium 610mg; Calcium 123mg; Potassium 239mg

Recipe and photo by Elizabeth Falcigno

Easy Weeknight Cooking with California Figs

dinner is served

Seasoned cooks know the trick to making fast food delicious is all about building flavors with spices, aromatics, herbs and Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid California Figs. Once Labor Day passes, autumn is almost upon us with its soups, one-pot comfort dishes, pork and fig recipes or even how to make sweet potato toast in oven for an easy appetizer to start your evening. To find fresh inspiration for weeknight cooking, follow us on Pinterest to plan and  save recipes for weeknights and special occasions.

Nutrition News and Tips

figs

September Nutrition Notes
Let’s face it, most of us could stand to eat more fruits (especially Orchard Choice and Sun-Maid California Dried Figs) and vegetables. Eating more fruits and vegetables can help lower the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

There are a variety of approaches to eating more fruits and vegetables (and less animal products). Choose the approach that works
best for you and that you can stick with long term. Here are descriptions of some popular approaches.

Vegetarian
A vegetarian is someone who eats mostly foods that come from plants and does not eat meat. The most common types of vegetarians include:

Vegan
People who follow a vegan diet are often motivated by animal rights issues and the ethical treatment of animals. Vegans do not eat any animal-based or animal derived products. Many vegans not only eliminate animal products from their diet, but from their lives as well. So, no leather or products derived from insects such as honey and beeswax. However, vegans do not necessarily avoid processed foods.

Whole Food Plant-Based
People, especially millennials, looking to live a healthier lifestyle are embracing a whole food plant-based approach to eating. The focus is on eating whole foods from plants including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Processed foods are avoided or minimized. Few or no animal products are eaten. With whole food plant-based diets, foods made with ingredients such as refined sugar, bleached flours, and refined oils are out. This is an important difference from a vegan diet.

If you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag us @valleyfig —we’d love to see what you’re cooking on Instagram and Facebook!

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