pizza for the win

You know those cliché icebreaker questions? Like, “which utensil would you be?” or “which superhero power would you pick?” or, my favorite, “if you were stuck on a deserted island, and you could only have one food and one book, what would it be?” Those really irk me. I’m just not a very spontaneously creative person. I like to think of myself as creative in nature… but I’m like a wine, my creativity blossoms with time.

ANYWAYS.  I know I could answer that part of which food to have on a deserted island in a heartbeat. EASY PEASY.  Pizza. I absolutely adore pizza. You get crunchy starchy bottom with stretchy oozing middle and OVERLOADED colorful things on top (you know, TONS of veggies… at least on my pizzas, of course).  I know it’s not the healthiest thing out there… which is why I’m on the neverending quest to find a suitable wheat-free (unprocessed) pizza crust that will hold under the weight of lots of veggies and cheese. And I think I found a winner. This crust combines two standard Paleo-pizza-crust options (almond meal and cauliflower), which creates a crust not too dense or crumbly (downfall of all almond meal or cauliflower crusts, respectively). The almond meal gives it some body, while the cauliflower provides some lightness, and the egg keeps it all together. 

 

zucchini, summer squash, shallot with ricotta dollops and shredded guyere on Trader Joe's traditional recipe (e.g. minimal ingredient) marinara sauce YUM

almond meal + cauliflower pizza crust

• 1 cup almond meal
• ½ head cauliflower, riced, cooked, and drained
• 1 whisked egg
• ½ teaspoon salt, garlic powder, oregano, basil
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare your cauliflower by first ricing the chopped florets in a food processor, and then cooking for about 3 minutes in the microwave. Once cooked, drain using a tea/dish/paper towel. Doesn’t need to be 100% drained of water. Add cauliflower to almond meal and add remaining ingredients. Combine well. Spray parchment paper with oil and add dough to parchment paper. Shape your crust as you please. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes, or until crust starts to brown. Take out crust, let cool for a couple of minutes, and then add toppings. Place back in oven, bake for another 10 minutes or so. Voila! Pizza for the win.

After all this, pizza is decidedly a funny word.