Crowning Glory Pizza: King Oyster Mushroom Pizza

Today my blank canvas was a gluten free pizza crust by Udi's. 

After visiting the local farmer's market and purchasing some great vegetables, I decided to make a gluten free pizza and a side salad for dinner. I made a gluten free, vegetarian meal using ingredients sourced at the market and a few from the store. The Udi's crust contains eggs, otherwise the meal would be vegan. Substitute a different gluten free crust for a gluten free, vegan meal. The salad contains greens from my yard as well as raw nuts, raw seeds,  and dried fruit.

Ingredients:

1 cup diced oyster or king oyster/trumpet mushrooms
6 cloves of garlic - diced
1 1/2 cup diced onions and vegetables (I used zucchini and sweet potatoes)
Oil to sautee the vegetables (I use oilve or avocado)
1 cup cheese (dairy or non-dairy)
OPTIONAL: crushed red pepper
OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup mashed white beans or hummus

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to temperature recommended for the crust 
• Sautee the vegetables until tender (cover with a top to add moisture if desired)
• Crush the beans if you are using and add a thin layer to the crust (or add hummus)
• If you are not lining the crust, add the vegetable mixture (removing any excess liquid)
• Optional .... sprinkle with crushed red pepper for extra spice 
• Cook in oven until cheese melts and crust slightly browns (check crust instructions as this step is between 10-15 minutes based on crust and depth of toppings. I tend to pile my pizza high with veggies so it takes a bit longer to cook than the package suggestion.

HINT: While the pizza is in the oven I make a salad to enjoy with the pizza if I wish some additional food.

Serving:

1/2 pizza per person

Spicy Black Bean Gluten Free Pizza

I love the blank canvas that a gluten free pizza crust provides. When you purchase a pizza crust you have the opportunity to customize the toppings to fit your diet and preferences.

Pizzas Need to Look Good and Taste Good

Since people eat with their eyes first, I try to make my pizzas visually pleasing and full of color. When coming up with recipe ideas, I consider taste, color, and texture. There are many gluten free crusts available on the market. The one I used today was by Scharr. I like this crust as it is a bit thicker than some of the other crusts and is sturdy in your hand even when the toppings are piled high!

Ingredients

• 1 Gluten Free pizza crust (I used Scharr Specialty Breads & Wraps for this recipe)
• 1 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup NutCrumbs
• 3 large cloves of garlic 
• Sprinkle of crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 12 slices of red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup cheese

Craft your Pizza One Layer at a Time

On the base of the crust I added crushed red pepper, 3 cloves of garlic (diced), and 1 cup of black beans partially crushed.

Layer 2: 1/4 cup of  Nut Crumbs (Spicy) to add flavor and texture to the pizza.

Layer 3: 1/2 cup diced onions on top of the Nut Crumbs and 12 slices of red bell pepper in a radial pattern

Layer 4: 1/2 cup cheese

I cooked according to the pizza crust directions and awareness of my oven temperature. I preheated the oven to 410 as I was preparing the pizza and cooked for 15 minutes. 

Gluten Free Vegetarian Pizza Featuring Caulipower Crust

I love to create my own Gluten Free Pizza using Caulipower Crust. The crust is the blank canvas upon which I create my masterpiece.

So Many Choices...Where Do I Start?
When I create a gluten free pizza one of the first things that goes through my mind is deciding whether I will make a vegan, vegetarian, or  meat included pizza. The pizzas I create have toppings in heaping portions compared to the manufactured pizzas. The amount of cheese (regular or vegan) that I use is less than a packaged pizza.

Now That I have Chosen My Pizza Style, What Do I Do?
The second thought that goes through my mind is flavor profile. I decide with what I will line the crust and build my base from there.  Options I use quite a bit include pasta/pizza red sauce, olive oil, hummus, crushed white beans, and pesto.

Flavors Decided. Then What?
After I have made the decision on the type of pizza and flavor, I must decide how to flavor it. I pick vibrant colors so that the pizza not only looks appetizing (since we eat with our eyes first) but also provides me with a variety of nutrients.

Now, It's Time To Prepare ... Have Patience ... And ENJOY!

Today I decided to create GLUTEN FREE VEGETARIAN PIZZA. A swap for vegan cheese would have made this a GLUTEN FREE VEGAN recipe.

Ingredients:
1 Caulipower Pizza Crust
1/4 cup roasted red pepper hummus to line the crust
Sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves of garlic (diced)
1/4 cup onion (diced thin)
1 orange bell pepper (sliced into even long slivers)
1/2 cup yellow squash (sliced into tiny slivers)
1/2 cup Italian Cheese blend or combination of Parmesan and Mozzarella

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425
Line the crust with hummus and sprinkle with the crushed red pepper flakes
Prepare the onion and garlic then sprinkle evenly over the crust
Prepare the bell pepper and squash. Decorate the crust with the bell pepper sliced in a radial pattern and add the squash between the pepper slices.
Top with the cheese and cook about 15 minutes or until cheese melts and edges of crust start to tan.