Beans on a Pizza.YES, it IS a THING

People have asked me HOW I incorporate BEANS in my pizza. People have also wondered WHY I incorporate BEANS into my pizza. 

Let's start with the WHY ...

I add beans to my pizza to add nutrients. Beans provide protein, fiber, iron, folate, potassium, and magnesium and CONTAIN LITTLE TO NO trans-fat, sodium, and cholesterol. 

 

Now the HOW ...

I often take a cup of beans and give them a rough mash and layer the beans on the bottom of the crust. At this point I may add some spices to layer in additional flavors based on the other toppings I will use. 

 

Pizza with Beans ... Layers of Flavor and Texture

• After you add the layer of beans to your chosen crust, add the cheese or vegan cheese of choice
• Follow with sauteed vegetables ( I used onions, garlic, sweet potato, and oyster mushrooms)

 

• This time I added raw zucchini spirals for extra texture

 

• Top with some additional cheese

 

• Press down and bake according to crust directions

 

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.

Gluten Free Pizza Featuring Oyster Mushrooms

Today my blank canvas was a Schar Gluten Free Pizza Crust that I purchased at The Gluten Free Mall. I added fresh vegetables that I acquired at the La Jolla Farmer's Market. I enjoyed the pizza with a side salad made with lettuce from my garden and cabbage from the farmer's market.

I am excited to start using oyster mushrooms in recipes. They are high in zinc, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, folic acid, niacin, vitamin C, vitamin B-1 and vitamin B-2. These amazing mushrooms lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and have an anti-inflammatory effect on your body.

 

From start to finish the meal took less than 30 minutes to make.

The first thing I did was get out all of the ingredients and pre-heat the oven to 410.

Ingredients:

1. Oyster Mushroom (about 2 cups diced)
2. Diced leeks (about 1 cup)
3. Minced/Diced garlic (1/4 cup)
4. Yellow squash (diced or spiral about 1 cup)
5. Diced/Shredded chicken -  OPTIONAL (1/2 cup)
6. Cheese (1 cup)
7. Olive oil to sautee vegetables
8. Optional: crushed red pepper flakes to sprinkle on crust for added flavor
9. Pizza Crust 
10. Lettuce/Cabbage for salad ... I topped with oil and vinegar and raisins and walnuts

Instructions:

1. Wash and dice vegetables
2. Sautee for about 5-10 minutes until leeks are translucent and flavors marry
3. Spray olive oil on the pizza crust and add crushed red pepper if you wish the extra layer of flavor
4. Add the vegetables to the crust and spread to create an even layer 
5. Add chicken if you wish
6. Top with cheese and bake according to package directions - about 15 minutes

While pizza is baking you can make a salad and set the table.

Serving Size - 1/2 a pizza with a side salad. 

Spring Vegetable Pizza

The blank canvas I used for this meal was not only Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust. To the crust I added spring vegetables including sweet onions and asparagus. To add flavor and texture I added thinly sliced new potatoes (organic), pressed garlic, and crushed red pepper.

The pizza was light and fresh with layers of texture and flavor. It was served with a side salad made from the greens that are bountiful in the garden right now.

Whenever possible eat seasonally and eat locally.

Instructions:

1. Set out the gluten free frozen pizza crust on pizza tray as you are prepping the ingredients and preheat oven to 350
2. Sautee 1 cup of diced sweet onion, 1 cup of slivers of new potatoes, 1 cup diced asparagus stems, and 2 pressed garlic cloves.
3. Prep the pizza crust as the vegetables sautee by spraying with olive oil and sprinkling crust with crushed red pepper flakes
4. Once translucent, add to pizza crust and top with 1.5 cups of grated Parmesan cheese and decorate with the tops of the asparagus spears. 
5. Cook about 20 minutes depending on your oven. Check after 15 minutes. 
6. While the pizza cooks, you can prepare a side salad!

Shrimp and Spinach Pizza

The blank canvas I used today was a gluten free pizza crust by Udi's (on sale right now on the gluten free mall - link on side of blog).  I had a small portions of assorted vegetables that I thought would make a perfect pizza or pasta. The crunch of the pizza crust enticed me to make a pizza!

For this pizza I used:

• 1 cup of diced sweet onion, garlic, and leek
• 2 cups of rinsed and diced fresh spinach
• 6 frozen pre-cooked medium shrimp 
• olive oil
• gluten free pizza crust
• 1 cup of cheese
• crushed red pepper

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 and remove frozen pizza crust from the freezer
• Prior to assembling my pizza, I sauteed the sweet onion, garlic, and leek in a pan with 2 tbsp olive oil
• After 5 minutes add the frozen shrimp and continue to sautee till defrosted
• Remove the shrimp from the pan and remove tails. I diced the shrimp but they can be left intact. Cook's Choice!
• Add the spinach to the pan with the shrimp
• Cook until spinach begins to melt

Assemble the Pizza:

• Place the crust on a pizza tray and brush (or spray) a small amount of olive oil on the crust
• Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes if you wish some heat ... more if you want more heat
• Spoon the shrimp and vegetable mixture on the crust and try to spread evenly
• Add 1 cup of cheese (evenly)
• Bake for 10 - 12 minutes  until the cheese melts and the edges of the crust appear to tan/brown 
• Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before cutting and serving

BBQ Chicken Pineapple Pizza Featuring Sauce Goddess Sweet & Spicy

The blank canvas I was working with today was a Gluten Free pizza crust by Udis. I met the Sauce Goddess last week at the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and knew that her Sweet & Spicy Sauce would make a great pizza or sandwich. The sauce tasted great and was just the vehicle that could be customized to make many recipes shine!

Ingredients:
Chicken Breast
Gluten Free Pizza Crust (I used Udis in this recipe)
Sauce Goddess Sweet & Spicy Sauce
Arugula
Pineapple
Italian Cheese Blend or Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions:

• I started by baking a chicken breast in the oven preheated to 350. I placed the chicken breast in non-stick aluminum foil and added 4 TBSP of the Sweet & Spicy Sauce. The chicken baked for 30 minutes. I did this step a day in advance.
• When it came time to prepare the pizza I washed the arugula and sliced the pineapple into paper-thin slices.
• I added 4 TBSP Sweet & Spicy Sauce to the base of the pizza crust.
• I added the arugula and pineapple in a decorative pattern.
• I diced the chicken and added it as the next layer.
• I topped with cheese.

The pizza cooked in a 350 oven for 20 minutes.

While it cooked, I prepared a salad.

I often purchase products at:

 Gluten Free Mall for Gluten Free Foods

Pesto Pizza...Holiday Style

During the holidays I look to add traditional flavors and colors to a meal to add a festive flair to the day!

Making a pizza from a frozen crust is a time saving meal as it takes little time to prepare and can be customized to fit the flavor profile you are interested in at the moment.

I like to use Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust or Smartflour Gluten Free Pizza Crusts when I make a pizza from scratch.

While you preheat the oven you can prep the pizza toppings. The meal can be on the table in 30 minutes or less. You can add a cup/bowl of soup or a salad to accompany your pizza if you wish.

Pizza Pictured Here:

• Homemade pesto sauce (enough to coat crust)
• 2 minced cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup diced Vidalia onions
• 1/2 large red bell pepper (or 1 small/medium size) - roasted and sliced lengthwise
• 12 thin asparagus spears (or 6 thick spears) - roasted and diced
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup of graded Parmesan Cheese (enough to cover toppings) 

Instructions:

• Spread pesto on crust
• Layer toppings in a creative and eye pleasing pattern
• Cover with cheese
• Cook according to crust instructions

NOTE: I used roasted vegetables that had been prepared earlier as I like the nutty flavor that comes from the roasting. You can use raw vegetables if you wish.