Roasted Veggie Ricotta Pizza (GF Vegan, soy-free option)

My mother loved the lasagne I made last week so much that I started toying with the idea of a lasagna pizza. I've never heard of a pizza with ricotta on it before, but I didn't see any reason why it wouldn't work so I tried it out. No disappointment here! It was a little messy, so we ate with a fork and knife, but if the pizza had a thick crust it would've been sturdy enough to eat with your hands.

Bon appetit!

Yields: 2 14" inch pizzas | Time: 45 min

Ricotta:

1 package silken tofu*

3 tbs nutritional yeast

3 tbs fresh lemon juice

3 tbs fresh basil leaves
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp onion powder

1 tsp himalayan salt

1/2 tsp black pepper 

Toppings:
1 roasted sweet pepper, sliced
1 cup cubed butternut squash
2 cups of broccoli florets
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small onion, minced
3/4 cup pizza sauce
3 tbs chopped basil 

Parmesan:

1/3 cup roasted salted cashews

3 tbs nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 tsp himalayan pink salt

* firm tofu works too but you have to add 3 tbs of water
** for those with soy allergies it is also possible to make this using cashew ricotta, but it's very high in fat, so I'd recommend making this alfredo cauliflower mash instead.

Mix the ingredients for the ricotta well with a fork or potato masher and set aside.
Chop the veggies and steam the onion, broccoli and butternut squash for 20 minutes.
If you don't have jarred roasted peppers then you can make one (or a ton) by simply deseeding a pepper and placing it skin-side down on a tray and baking for 40 minutes at 400F.
For these pizzas I used pre-made thin crusts from Trader Joe's. Typically I pre-bake my crust for at least 10 minutes before adding the toppings, but it wasn't necessary this time.
Smear on a thin layer of tomato sauce, spread the ricotta with a spatula/spoon, sprinkle on the basil, veggies and parmesan.
Bake the pizzas for 24 minutes at 400F.

Enjoy :)

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BBQ Sauce and Two Stellar BBQ Recipes (GF, low fat)

This BBQ sauce is a healthier alternative to store bought ones out there, it's easy to whip up, and it is also guaranteed to be vegan. It can be enjoyed on burgers, for dipping, and much more.

For the sauce, you'll need:

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

3/4 cup of filtered water

3 tbs raw coconut sugar

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce*

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp thai red chili sauce

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

3 drops liquid smoke

* I buy this vegan one but there are also options on Amazon

Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized pot and whisk. Cover and turn heat to medium low, simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken over time.

Sloppy Joes

Serves: 2-3 | Time: 30-45 min

To make the sloppy joes you'll need to freeze a package of firm tofu overnight. Let it thaw during the day and then cut open the package. Drain over the sink, squeezing out as much moisture as you can. The tofu will be very spongy and the water should come out readily (no need to press). You can use a sieve to catch any crumbles.

Over a pot, tear the block of tofu into bite-sized pieces, almost like scrambled eggs. If the middle is still frozen then microwave for 30 seconds.

Pour the sauce over the tofu and stir gently until well coated. Let sit for 15-30 minutes to marinade.

Turn heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve on warm Ezekiel english muffins or homemade buns with lettuce, pickles, and cheese.

Hawaiian BBQ Pizza

Makes: 16" pizza | Time: 2 hours

For this pizza, I made the BBQ sauce above, the only difference being I replaced the water with pineapple juice. As for a base, I used Bob's Redmill GF Pizza Crust. However, you can use whichever recipe you like for pizza dough.

Toppings:

1/3 cup baby bella 'shrooms, sliced

3 roasted sweet peppers, sliced

1/2 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1-2 green chilies, coined

1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)
1/4 cup water (or more)
1 tbs raw coconut sugar
1 tsp garlic powder

Chop all of your toppings. After you prepare the dough, bake it on a pizza pan for 10 minutes at 425F.
In a large, non-stick skillet over a medium heat add the onions. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add some water if things are looking dry. Sprinkle the coconut sugar on top and stir. Cook for a few more minutes.
Top the pizza with BBQ sauce and caramelized onions. If using cilantro, sprinkle it onto the sauce. Add the green chilies, sweet peppers, and pineapple.
To your pan, add the mushrooms with the remaining water and garlic powder. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring regularly, as the mushrooms begin to brown. Add to the pizza.
Bake the pizza for 25 minutes. To add a nice golden color, finish it off with the broiler.

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Veggie Supreme Pizza (Vegan, GF-option, Low-fat, Low-Sodium)

A supremely stacked pizza for one or two tummies!

Prep time: 1h 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes

Dough:

3 cups of Flour

1 packet of Active Dry Yeast

1 tbs of Coconut Sugar

1.25 cups of warm Water

Optional add-ins:

1 tbs minced dry onion

1 tbs dried Italian herbs

Toppings:

1 medium-sized can of Tomato paste

1 small Onion, chopped

2 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 stalk of Celery, chopped

1 small Zucchini, sliced

1 large Carrot, diced
1 Apple, chopped

1 ear of Sweet Corn
Handful of Mushrooms
Handful of Grape Tomatoes
1/4 head of Cauliflower
1/4 head of Broccoli
1/2 Avocado, mashed
10 sprigs of Cilantro

1 tsp of Cumin powder

1/4 tsp of Cayenne

To make the pizza dough I mixed equal amounts of corn, white wheat, and bread flour in a mixing bowl. In a measuring cup I added warm water, then stirred in the sugar and yeast. Let it activate for 5 minutes until foamy. Make a well in the flour bowl and pour in the liquid mixture. Combine by stirring with a wooden spoon. Oil your hands and knead for about 5 minutes. Return to bowl and cover with a wet tea towel in a warm place and let rise for 1 hour minimum.

Preheat oven to 400F. Punch down your dough and knead it a few more times. Toss the dough to stretch it, then roll it out with a pin. This may require a light dusting of flour. Sprinkle corn meal onto a pizza stone and finish shaping your pizza dough. Place in oven for 10 minutes to partially bake.

Meanwhile, in a small pan, mix your tomato paste with water to desired consistency. Add cumin, cayenne, and half your cilantro. Stir occasionally over a medium heat. Add your minced garlic and half the chopped onions to your sauce. While this warms, wash and chop your toppings. I used whatever I had in the fridge. Use as many or as little of your favorite veggies, but if you come for dinner here you have to go big or go home ;)

Remove the pizza base from the oven. Mash your avocado and smear it on the pizza, then cover it with sauce. Sprinkle on onion, apple, corn, mushrooms, and cilantro. Then add your carrot, zucchini, tomatoes, cauliflower and broccoli. Stack it high!

Return to oven for 15-25 minutes. The cooking time depends on how firm or soft you like your veggies. I love a nice crunch but some people prefer softer vegetables. One easy way to achieve this is to pre-cook them in a microwave or sauté pan, but who has time for that? :P

Let cool for 5 minutes, slice, and serve :)

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Here are photos from the first time I made this pizza. I have since perfected/updated the above recipe for maximum enjoyment and simplicity!

Black Bean Veggie Pizza with a Special Spinach Crust

Today was a busy day in the kitchen! I had been planning to make a plum chutney, but half of my plums are ready and the others are stubbornly hard. I decided to dig around in the fridge for things that needed to be used up. I found cilantro, a peeled sweet potato, and lemon juice. If you Google or Youtube anything, you can find a recipe. I decided to make a Crispy Potato Sandwich. It is easy to find substitutions and veganize things in a pinch too.

It was super yummy and pretty healthy. To clean it up, you can bake it in the oven or toaster instead. You can also melt cheeze on top, if desired. Personally I really liked grilling it in the pan because it reminded me of childhood. The spread has a lot of vitamins and is a nice way to get some veggies in. I'd also recommend trying this with a GF or multigrain bread - I just used the standard vegan wheat we had in the house (I don't eat much bread besides the rotis I make).

This can also be viewed on Instagram.

I had more potato spread but couldn't eat any more so I saved it to use at another time (I'm thinking a cold sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mustard, etc).

After that deliciousness I was satisfied all day. Around dinner time I started toying with ideas to use tempeh, but figured after the seitan yesterday I'd rather go low protein.

I decided to modify a recipe for Vegan Black Bean Pizza because I love using our veggies from the garden. Because the recipe used premade dough and salsa, I decided to have some fun making my own.

This is full of tomatoes, onion, green chili pepper, garlic, basil and cilantro with fresh ground pepper and salt plus cumin powder! While that was infusing, I pondered a dough. I wanted something new and was inspired by spinach parathas from India. I watched a few videos and figured I could make it into a pizza dough.

  

This is a blend of spinach, baby arugala, a little cilantro and basil. I wanted kale but didn't have any.

So after a few substitutions and a little Tofutti, plus tons of kneading, I made this beautiful dough.

After resting for 15 minutes, I dusted it in all-purpose flour/maida and rolled it out (the dough is atta/whole wheat and a little besan/chickpea).

I then brushed the edges really lightly with evoo just so they wouldn't get hard, cake, or burn. I topped it with lots of awesome veggies. No cheese. The toppings were very light since the crust is kind of heavy from being nontraditional wheat.

Popped this baby in the oven at 450F for 15-20 minutes (I'll never know because my dad accidentally turned the timer on the microwave off).

Look at it! I ate half the pizza myself...but I don't feel weighed down afterwards like you would from a traditional American pizza! This is full of vitamin-rich veggies. It is plant-based, green health food! Not meats and dairy products packed with saturated fats. I feel very happy about this.

I ate some pretty awesome things today.

And the day ended with this sunset :)

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