Pizza, homemade & healthy

Pizza, homemade & healthy

Most pizza, whether from a restaurant or grocery story freezer, is neither healthy nor very tasty, IMHO. It fills a caloric need, a hungry stomach, plus it’s something usually everyone will eat. But the oil and fat and salt aren’t appealing; the cheese turns off anyone plant-based. So let’s make our own! Much better, with a whole wheat crust, quick homemade sauce, lots of veggies, and a mozzarella-like pourable cheese that browns right up.

Here’re the recipes for the crust, the sauce, and the cheez. The crust recipes includes the directions for assembling it all into a pizza.

Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
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“Mozzarella”

This cheez will taste like mozzarella, and brown in the oven. It's ooey and gooey, perfect for pizza.
Course: Sauces and dressings, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 0

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cashews
  • 4 Tbs tapioca flour
  • 1 Tbs nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/3 cup water

Instructions

  • Cover the cashews with hot water and soak for 10 minutes.
  • Drain the cashews and place in a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high until it becomes a completely smooth liquid, about 2 minutes.
  • Pour into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continually stir. The cheese will start forming clumps; keep stirring and it will continue clumping until the mixture turns from watery to a thicker melty cheese sauce. This takes about 5 minutes.
  • Serve hot or allow to cool. The cheese will get thicker as it cools but will stay in a melty state.

Notes

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 – 3 days
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
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Pizza!

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Servings: 0

Equipment

  • 1 pizza stone optional

Ingredients

  • 1 cup warm water 105 degrees F
  • 1 Tbs sugar
  • 1 Tbs active dry yeast
  • 1 Tbs olive oil
  • 2 – 2 1/2 cups flour I like white whole wheat
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Put a pizza stone in the oven while it preheats for at least 10 minutes.
  • Combine warm water, yeast and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until it becomes frothy and bubbles form.
  • Gently stir in olive oil.
  • Add 2 cups of flour and salt and mix with a spatula until a ball begins to form (dough will still be slightly sticky). Add more flour as needed to form a dough ball.
  • Transfer to a floured surface and knead into a smooth dough for about five minutes, adding up to ½ cup extra flour if needed.
  • On a piece of parchment paper, roll the dough flat into a 12-inch circle.
  • Spread pizza sauce on the crust. Add desired vegetables: red onion, mushrooms, green pepper, artichokes. Top with pourable or sliced mozzarella cheez and a sprinkling of herbs like oregano and basil.
  • Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone in the oven.
  • Bake on the preheated pizza stone for 12-15 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust is golden brown. If the cheez isn't browned, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes. Watch it carefully!
  • Take the stone out of the oven and remove the pizza to a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes

If you don’t have a pizza stone, a baking pan will be fine.
Use jarred pizza sauce or make your own with this recipe below.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
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Pizza Sauce

Whisk this up from ingredients in your pantry.
Course: Sauces and dressings
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 0

Ingredients

  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 15 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 Tbs dried oregano
  • 1 Tbs Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

  • Whisk all ingredients together until smooth.

Homemade Pasta with Quick Alfredo Sauce

Homemade Pasta with Quick Alfredo Sauce

Noodles are my favorite food, and homemade is the best! It’s easier than you think.

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
resting1 hour
Total Time1 hour 12 minutes
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Fresh Pasta

It's much better than dried, and doesn't take a long time. Try it!
Course: Main Course, Pasta
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • food processor optional
  • pasta machine optional

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup semolina flour
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • Mix the flours together and stir in the water until the dough is holding together in a fairly stiff clump. I use a food processor for this step but it's not essential.
  • Knead the dough for about 5 minutes to develop the gluten. If the dough is crumbly, add a little water. If it's wet, add a little flour.
  • Wrap the dough and let it rest for an hour. Resting is important. You can also refrigerate it overnight. Or freeze.
  • Cut off one-third of the dough. Rewrap the remaining. Roll the dough out as thin as possible. Use flour if it sticks. Or, use a pasta machine to roll the dough, following machine directions.
  • Cut the dough into desired noodle shape. You can use a pasta machine, or mixer attachment, or knife.
  • Drop into boiling salted water for 2 minutes. The noodles will float to the top when they are done.
Prep Time5 minutes
Print Recipe

Quick Alfredo Sauce

Blend it up in a minute!!
Course: Sauces and dressings
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cashews If you don't have a high-speed blender, soak them in hot water for an hour to soften. Then drain.
  • 1 cup veggie broth
  • 1 Tbs nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp miso
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt optional, depending on the saltiness of the veggie broth. Miso is salty too.

Instructions

  • Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy.
  • Use immediately, refrigerate, or warm in a saucepan.

Cauliflower, the “It” Vegetable of the 2020’s

Buffalo Cauliflower
Buffalo Cauliflower

Cauliflower is enjoying a hip makeover from a boring side dish into “wings,” “steaks,” and “rice.” New fans have discovered its mild flavor, “meatiness,” and versatility. It’s being used a gluten-free substitute for bread and pasta and is popular in low-carb diets.

The growing popularity of cauliflower makes nutritionists happy, because the health-promoting power of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower is extraordinary. The Brassica family of veggies—Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage—contains compounds that turn into sulforaphane, a powerful cancer-fighting phytonutrient. Cauliflower is also full of disease-fighting nutrients that have been studied for their ability to fight off germs, to help with blood clotting, and regulate calcium balance. Its antioxidants support a healthy immune response. Its prebiotic fiber helps to feed the good gut bacteria in your digestive tract.

White varieties remain pale because they are covered by their leaves as they grow. Green varieties are actually a broccoli-cauliflower hybrid that is crunchier and nuttier. The orange variety has more beta-carotene, is sweeter and creamier—look for it on the shelves around Halloween! Purple varieties come in a range of beautiful hues. Any of these can be used where you would use white cauliflower.

In cooking, cauliflower is incredibly versatile. The maximum health benefit comes from eating it raw, for example, as florets dipped into hummus. But it can be prepared in any number of ways. Cut into florets and roast it with onions, carrots, turnips, peppers—whatever you have in the veggie drawer. It makes wonderful pureed soups. I boil it with potatoes and mash them together for a healthier, more flavorful side dish. If I want to get a little fancy, I’ll roast a cauliflower “steak” (a thick slice) that’s been seasoned with Cajun spices and top it with a creamy avocado sauce and some toasted pepitas.

Next time you have the gang over, serve a batch of Buffalo Cauliflower with Tofu Ranch dip. It will be the star of the party.

Buffalo Cauliflower
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Print Recipe

Buffalo Cauliflower with Tofu Ranch

Buffalo cauliflower is spicy and crisp, cooled with the tofu ranch. Perfect game-day food.
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Vegan
Keyword: no-oil, plant-based, vegan
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • blender or food processor

Ingredients

Cauliflower

  • 1 small head cauliflower
  • 3/4 cup flour all-purpose or gluten-free
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened plant milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wings Sauce
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs vegan

Tofu Ranch

  • 6 oz silken tofu
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tsp dried parsley

Instructions

Cauliflower

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat.  
  • Cut the cauliflower into one-bite-sized florets.
  • In a large bowl, make a batter by combining the flour, plant-based milk, water, garlic powder, paprika, salt, maple syrup, and Frank’s sauce. Stir until well combined.
  • Dip the florets into the batter, so they're completely coated.
  • Roll them in the panko breadcrumbs.
  • Lay the cauliflower florets on the baking sheet, not touching. Bake for 30 minutes.

Tofu Ranch

  • To make the creamy tofu ranch, add all ingredients from the tofu to the water (everything except for the dill and parsley) to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Add the dill and parsley. Blend for 30–60 seconds until they are mixed into the creamy ranch dressing, but not completely blended, or you’ll have a green ranch!
  • Taste for additional seasoning (lemon for more tartness, dill for more herb flavor, etc.). For a thinner consistency, add more water, 1–2 tablespoons at a time.
  • Refrigerate to let flavors develop. Serve the cooling ranch with the spicy cauliflower.