Cauliflower Pizza!!!

Just because you want to eat healthier does not mean you have to have to sacrifice flavor or risk not feeling full.  When you eat foods rich in nutrients, that full feeling will come faster because your body will get the nourishment it needs.  One of my favorite things to eat was pizza...thin crust, deep dish, whatever I LOVE PIZZA.  Being on SCD means I 100% cannot have this because of the wheat, but luckily someone got creative and came up with a pizza base that uses cauliflower.  This recipe can be modified to add almond flour to add a little more weight to the base (and probably make it crunchier), but I eat so much nut flour in other meals I have to watch the fat intake.  Here's the recipe I've been using...step 2 says to strain the rice - very important to get that water out so the base won't be soggy.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust


Makes 1 large crust

Ingredients:

4 cups raw cauliflower rice


1 egg, beaten


1/3 cup soft goat cheese (chevre)
 - I use Pepper Jack

1 teaspoon dried oregano


pinch of salt

(actually what I did was buy 2 heads and doubled the rest of the ingredients...since it's time consuming to make I thought I'd make 2 crusts at once and I froze the other.)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400F, then get to work on your crust.

Step 1: Begin by making your cauliflower “rice.”

Simply pulse batches of raw cauliflower florets in a food processor, until a rice-like texture is achieved.

Step 2: Cook & Strain the rice.

Fill a large pot with about an inch of water, and bring it to a boil. Add the “rice” and cover; let it cook for about 4-5 minutes. Drain into a fine-mesh strainer.

Once you’ve strained the rice, transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel. Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then SQUEEEEEEEZE all the excess moisture out!

Step 3: Make & Shape the dough.

In a large bowl, mix your strained rice, beaten egg, cheese, and spices.

Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (It’s important that it’s lined with parchment paper!)

Keep the dough about 1/3″ thick, and make the edges a little higher for a “crust” effect, if you like.

Step 4: Bake!

Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400F.  The crust should be firm, and golden brown when finished.

Step 5: Load on the Toppings!

Now’s the time to add all your favorites– sauce, cheese, and any other toppings you like.

This is a healthier version of a pizza so be careful with the ingredients!  I use a sauce that has no preservatives (or things I can't pronounce) in it.  Press a few garlic cloves in it and blend to liven up bottled sauce.  

I buy 2 rotisserie chicken (peppered) and use the breast meat.  I eat the thighs and wings and the rest of the meat I use for my crock pot chicken soup (save time on cooking and no waste).  I also used a package of 250g spinach washed and cut into thin strips.  

I'd stay away from ingredients that have a lot of fat since you're already using cheese in the base and on top.  I use about 4oz of colby jack (or whatever) on top.  4oz is half a block, which really is not much. 

Fresh basil and fresh cilantro on top also add heaps of flavor - be creative!! 

I cut the pizza into 4 servings.  There was a time when I could eat an entire pizza by myself so even though it looks small, it's a filling serving for lunch!