Italian food is simple, creative, uses seasonal ingredients, no wonder it’s loved by many. It is a symbol of what food represents: togetherness.
Pizza is known all over the world, and it’s a type of food that brings people together to share some precious moments. Who doesn’t love pizza?
A lot of people think that by going vegan or opting for a plant-based diet, you need to abdicate from certain pleasures. The truth? It’s all about adapting. And that is why, today, I want to share with you my newest pizza recipe.
But before, let’s have a look at the humble beginning of pizza.
Pizza’s humble beginning
The origin
The pizza was not famous in its own country. It originated from Naples, the home of the working class, and their eating habits were considered disgusting by the higher class. The dish quick and cheap to make and easy to take to go, usually sold was sold in the streets and in informal restaurants.
A Queen’s name
Queen Margherita and her husband King Umberto I of Italy visited Naples in 1889. Queen Margherita was known for trying to be popular among the working class in exchange for their sympathy and support of the monarchy. It is believed that she was bored by the French cuisine and wished something else. She enjoyed the mozzarella pizza - a bread topped with white cheese, tomatoes, and fresh basil, from Pizzeria Brandi so much that they named it after her!
Pizza crosses the ocean
While the rest of Italy was not impressed by pizza, it quickly became famous in the United States. As the Neapolitans travelled to find jobs, they took their culture, and pizza, with them. The idea was not to make the dish famous, but its taste got very popular, especially after WWII. Pizza went from the poor man’s food to a highly recommended gourmet dish.
Now let’s add more to this History, as you are about to make a non-conventional pizza. Why do I say this? Because we are not going to use wheat flour nor dairy cheese. That’s right! We will use cauliflower as the base ingredient for our pizza crust and substitute the dairy cheese by a vegan one.
Let’s start!
Recipe: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Plant-Based Pizza
Gluten-Free Vegan Crust for two small pizzas
Ingredients:
1 cup of potatoes
1 cup cornmeal or quinoa meal
¼ onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp baking soda (optional)
⅛ tsp of salt
Tomato Sauce: Ingredients:
¼ medium diced onion
4 medium diced tomatoes
½ cup diced paprika 3 diced garlic cloves 1 tsp of oregano 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
¼ tsp of salt
Toppings:
Ingredients:
Basil leaves
1-2 Tomatoes (optional)
Vegan cheese or cheese sauce
Cheese Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup of soaked cashew nuts (8-12 hours)
¼ cup of water
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp of deactivated nutritional yeast (optional)
⅛ tsp of salt
Preparation:
Place all the ingredients for the crust in the food processor and mix until well combined. Blend all the tomato sauce ingredients in a blender. In a high-speed blender, blend the cheese sauce ingredients (I find it easier to blend double quantity).
Place it on a baking paper over a tray. Let it bake in a preheated oven at 180℃ for about 15-20 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce and the other toppings, put it back in the oven just to warm up for 5 minutes.
And voilà, enjoy your pizza!
Share your pizza with me! Tag me on Instagram @plantsformnowon, and don't forget to share this recipe with your friends and family.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you want to learn more about foods that are beneficial for your body, and want to improve your diet? Join the Grow Community, a space for women who are interested in learning about food, nutrition and lifestyle routines that will give them more energy, promote self-love and contribute to their overall health. There you will find tutorials, recipes, shopping lists, you will have a monthly live group coaching session with me and much more.
And if you are willing to take a further step towards a more balanced diet, to clean your body from toxins and refresh your health so that you can feel stronger, more energetic and happier, take a look at my detoxification program.
Did you like this post? Did it inspire you to live more healthy, or did you learn something new? Help me to share with the world:
Comment below
Share with friends and family or on your social media
Do you want to share your story with me? Send me an e-mail info@plantsfromnowon.com
With love & gratitude,