Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Last week, a friend of mine sent me a link to a recipe she thought I'd be interested in.  The recipe was for a cauliflower crust pizza.  The fact that the crust is made with cauliflower and cheese and not pizza dough, makes it a healthy low-carb and gluten-free option.

Ever since I switched to a lower carbohydrate lifestyle, pizza hasn't really been on the menu (although I will indulge on "special" occasions), so the idea of a low-carb pizza sounded perfect to me! 

Cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable and I've had great success using it to replace rice.  I hoped that the cauliflower would work just as well in this recipe, and it did...it really did!

This great recipe comes from the food blog  Stick a Fork in it and I'd like to share my interpretation of it with you! 

Here is a look at the crust before it was baked.

The crust consists of:

1 cup cooked cauliflower rice

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic salt

1 egg, beaten

I brushed the pizza pan with olive oil and then formed an 8 inch circle with the cauliflower mixture.  I baked the crust in a preheated 450F oven for approximately 15 minutes.

  This is how the crust looked after baking for 15 minutes.

I made my own pizza sauce using whole canned tomatoes pulsed with some extra virgin olive oil, and garlic salt - easy to make and so much better than the canned stuff.

Next, I added shredded mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced chorizo, sliced kalamata olives, green peppers and basil leaves.  I put the pizza under the broiler (550F) for approximately three minutes...

And here is the result!  Doesn't it look yummy?

The personal pizza was delicious and very filling.  My favourite part was the cheesy, crispy edges.  How does it compare to a regular crust pizza?  The taste was delicious.  I couldn't even taste the cauliflower!  The only difference is in the texture of the crust.  Instead of being crispy, it is kind of limp and soft, but not surprising, as the crust contains cauliflower and cheese.  But, for me, it in no way, takes away from the pizza.  It was close enough to a regular pizza as you can get!

Care for a slice?

I was so pleased with the way it turned outl, that I made personal pizzas for Nuno and the girls for dinner.

Pepperoni and cheese for the girls

Chorizo, mushrooms, green peppers, kalamata olives, and basil leaves for Nuno

We all enjoyed the pizza, the girls too!  If any of you are looking for a low-carb and/or gluten-free pizza option, this one's for you! 

Bon Appetit!

Late August + Pizza

Vine-ripened tomatoes are a sure sign of late August.  For over a week now, our tomatoes have been ripening and were ready for picking.  I would love to tell you their proper name, but Nuno planted them early in the Summer, and I never did figure out their variety.  I can tell you they grow very big and sweet-smelling.  Those who know me well, know that I do not enjoy raw tomatoes.  Yes, I know, it's awful, isn't it?  I do wish I loved tomatoes, but unfortunately, no matter how many times I try them, I feel no appreciation.  But don't get me wrong, I LOVE cooking with tomatoes!  They are the main ingredient in tomato sauces and delicious butter chicken.  I really couldn't live without them.  And as long as they're diced small enough, I will eat them on bruschetta, in tacos, etc.  I just wouldn't be able to take a great big bite out of a tomato.  Do you see what I'm saying?

Tomatoes growing on the side of our house, where we get lots of sunshine!

Within the last week, there has been an abundance of tomatoes ripening every single day.   So, on Monday, I decided to make it a Pizza night!  We divided pizza dough into four equal parts.  Nuno and I, rolled out the dough, mostly with our hands.  A woman we know, who owns an Italian bakery in Toronto, told us not to roll the dough, she says it "kills" the dough.  It is best to work it with your hands.  So, I tried my best to do that.  Nuno, is better at it than I am.  He's usually the one who makes pizza at our house.  Once the dough was rounded out in the pans, the girls got to add the tomato sauce and any toppings they liked. 

This is the tomato sauce I made using fresh garden tomatoes, chopped garlic, chopped, fresh oregano, salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.  Beside it, is some crumbled goat cheese and fresh basil for the toppings.  All the tomatoes, oregano, and basil, came from our herb garden!

This is Anita, adding tomato sauce to her heart-shaped pizza.

And here is Annabel, sprinkling grated mozzarella cheese on hers.  Notice the beautiful pearl bracelet (Nancy, this one's for you)!  She wears it all the time! 

Annabel and Daddy working on their pizzas!

Daddy's pizza looks awesome, topped with pepperoni, basil leaves, kalamata olives, and anchovies. 

The pizzas turned out so yummy.  Of course, we couldn't finish them all.  So, guess what?  We had leftovers the next day and Daddy took some to work.  I am so thankful for my little herb garden, where I can gather so much deliciousness and inspiration for our daily meals.  I will surely miss it once the garden gives way to Fall and the colder temperatures.  

Thank you again for visiting my kitchen.  I want to wish you all a happy September!  When the colder weather comes around, and we are all wearing coats, hats, and mitts, remember that there is one place the cold must never enter - our hearts.  Wishing you all a cozy heart season!  xo

The foliage has been losing its freshness through the month of August, and here and there a yellow leaf shows itself like the first gray hair amidst the locks of a beauty who has seen one season too many.  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Pissaladiere S'il Vous Plait!

Yesterday evening, I made something new for dinner, something I had never made (or even heard of before) -  it's called Pissaladiere.  It resembles a pizza, but is topped very differently.  It originated in the region of Southern France.  Before I go on, I have to thank my dear friend, Rachel, for giving me the inspiration to try this new dish.  She posted it on her delicious food blog www.browniesformozart.blogspot.com .  When I saw the photo of the scrumptious looking pissaladiere she made, I looked on-line for a recipe so I could try it myself.  My friend Rachel, made the dough for hers from scratch.  I cheated and bought ready-made pizza dough.  It turned out so lovely, I am going to make the dough from scratch next time. 

I found a great recipe for Pissaladiere on the Epicurious website.  I adapted the recipe to my own liking.

I sliced 3 large vidalia onions very thinly and minced 4 cloves of garlic.  I used 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme and 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary (finely chopped) from my garden.  In a large skillet, I heated 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and sauteed the onions, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper and a bay leaf over low heat with the lid on for approximately 40 minutes.  Every once in a while, I gave it a little stir with my wooden spoon.

This is what it looks like when it is done - the onions are sweet and caramelized and the liquid is evaporated.  DELICIOUS!  This will be the "tomato sauce" for your pizza.  Now stir in one tablespoon of capers (drained).  Let it sit and cool.  In the meantime, get your pizza dough from the fridge and let it rise on your counter top for approximately 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough using flour to prevent sticking.  Place in a round pizza pan, lightly dusted with yellow cornmeal.  Spread your onion mixture evenly on your dough, leaving an edge for the crust.  Next, add approximately 20 kalamata olives and anchovies.  It is common to use anchovies, but I only put it on half the dough, because the girls wouldn't like and I am not a big fan either.  They are a bit too salty for my taste.  But, Nuno loves them!

Unfortunately, in all the excitement, I forgot to take a picture of the dough and all the toppings before I popped it in the oven at 425 degrees F (400 degrees F using my convection oven) for 30 minutes.

And here it is, in all it's glory!  I must say, I wasn't sure if the girls were going to like it, but they did!  The onions almost melt into the dough and become crispy.  The flavor of the onions is so mild, with a hint of thyme and rosemary and the saltiness of the olives and anchovies counter balance the sweetness.  This was wonderful.  Nuno and loved it.  It was something new and different.  I will definitely be making this again.  Thank you to Rachel for the inspiration!  Maybe I have inspired YOU?

I will leave you with this great quote...

"There is no love sincerer than the love of food." - George Bernard Shaw