Hey guys!
So I don’t know about you but I love pizza! We probably eat pizza a few times a month, sometimes take out but often I make it at home – I like to get creative, and don’t often use the regular “pizza sauce & toppings” So I thought I’d come up with a dairy free pizza guide! How do you like your pizza pie?
While simple is usually best – let’s have some fun!
CRUST IDEAS
~ make your own pizza dough – this is what I use – it’s simple and easy and you likely have the ingredients in your cupboards all ready - Jazz it up with some spices, nutritional yeast or onion/garlic powder in the dough. Make a big batch and freeze some too!
~Pitas – perfect for a quick dinner
~ Naan Bread (Char’s idea)
~ Flat bread (Tasha gets a great one at Costco)
~English Muffins
~Portabella Mushrooms
~Polenta
~Tortillas
SAUCE IDEAS
Forgo your ideas that pizza has to be topped with tomato just for a second and get creative
~Hummus (awesome sub if you aren’t adding cheese)
~Pesto (watch for dairy ingredients but you can find some out there without dairy)
~BBQ Sauce
~Peanut sauce (think Thai pizza) I mix equal parts peanut butter to sweet chilli sauce
~Thick curry sauce
~Chutney
~Simple olive oil, garlic, salt and spices
~Salsa
“CHEESE” IDEAS
~If you use hummus as your base – you don’t even need cheese
~Daiya – the trick is to only use a bit, don’t go overboard!
~If you can tolerate it – goat cheese *thanks Cami
~Nutritional Yeast
~Sparkle Rae from facebook loves “Sheese Mozerella:
~Grated nuts – use a lemon zester (and watch your fingers) try grinding hazelnuts or brasil nuts – they brown up nicely on top.
TOPPINGS YOU MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT OF…
Of course there are the regular toppings – veggies, meats etc… but what about these “outside the box ideas…”
Salad – a long time ago Noelle from Singer in the Kitchen posted that she put salad ON TOP of her pizza after it was baked – check it out… I’ve been a huge fan every since. Use whatever greens you have and even a simple balsamic vinegar dressing does wonders to a “dry, cheeseless pizza”
Herbs – think outside the basil box and think cilantro, parsley maybe even mint? Some are great cooked right into the crust like rosemary and sage. Some are better sprinkled on after…
Nuts – chop them up and add them in… think apple, fennel and hazelnut.
Fruit – besides pineapple. Try fresh figs with salted meats.
Eggs – why not do a bacon and egg pizza. The oozyness (is that a word) of the egg will take the place of cheese – sprinkle with fresh herbs after cooking
Don’t forget you can add ingredients after it’s cooked also – they add a great texture and sometimes can balance. Avocado, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, salsa
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER NOW…
Thai pizza (one of my favs) Choose your crust, add peanut sauce, chicken or prawns, grated or julienned carrots, bean sprouts and small sprinkling of daiya mozza – serve with a lime wedge & crushed peanuts.
Hummus & Roasted Veg - pre-roast your favorite veggies (think peppers, zuchinni, onion, mushrooms) top crust with a generous amount of hummus, sprinkle on italian spice and nutritional yeast – top with roasted veggies & cook – make sure to broil for the last few seconds to get the hummus bubbling! *sundried tomatoes would be awesome too!
BBQ Chicken – BBQ Sauce, chicken, corn, black beans, cilantro
From Jess on facebook – Cranberry Chicken - Cranberry sauce (she makes her own), smoked chicken and pinenuts…
My BFF did a blog post (on her new blog – make sure to check it out) about Pizza – check it out – she has links to great suggestions such as – Chicken Tandoori, Roasted Beet & Cashew “Goat Cheese”, BBQ Black Bean Pita Pizza etc… *DROOOOL*
Or a fun idea is to go to a pizza places website and see what fun ideas they use and try to recreate them using dairy free ingredients. Check out my favourite pizza place’s menu – fun ideas like taco, chicken club, butter chicken, jambalya. fajita… basically think of your favorite thing – dissect it, and put in on a pizza!
So fun… now tell me what great ideas you have?
______________________SIDE NOTE_____________________________
Thanks for sticking around and for many many wonderful emails – I always want to be here to help and I try to always answer facebook messages and emails within a few days! So send away… I do spend a lot of time chatting it up on facebook so if you want more day to day banter – join me there!
Hard to believe but my baby boy is 6 months old today and keeping me busy busy! Being a mom is so wonderful but doesn’t leave me with much time to sit down and write! I hope you forgive me!! Here’s a little picture of him since it’s been forever since I posted about him! Having carrots for the first time – hahaha I think he enjoyed them!!
Thanks again guys – I truly appreciate your support.
Jessica
