Be Inventive: Pizza!!! Allergy-Free(to me) Recipe

I had a crazy/somewhat 'over-dramatic' moment. You know, that moment when you find yourself crying inconsolably in the Kroger aisle. No, not because the ninety-year-old woman in the electric cart ran over your new designer flats and ripped off the gold label emblem (that really happened), it's because now you are forced to read every ingredient on the d*&! box/bag/can to only place it back on the shelf. Why? Because everything seems to have wheat or dairy or soy in it and you can no longer eat those things without chancing turning into HITCH and dying (like I said, a bit 'over-dramatic).

Thank God for Pinterest!!! I am able to access millions of recipes...recipes for me to adjust and manipulate to get the taste and texture I want without fear of stabbing myself with epinephrine.

       Cauliflower Pizza Crust 

Dairy Free, Wheat Free, Soy Free, Egg(yolk) Free

Ingredients:

• 1 Head of Cauliflower
• 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Cheesecloth (or in our case, a new pair of panty-hose:))
• Parchment Paper
• Desired Toppings

         Directions:

• Wash and thoroughly dry the cauliflower.
• Cut off the florets and put in food processor.
• Pulse in the food processor until you get cauliflower “snow”.
• Microwave for 5 minutes.
• Dump the cauliflower onto pizza pan to cool.
• Once cool, put the cauliflower into your new panty-hose leg and squeeze! It is IMPORTANT that you get as much excess water as you can. Getting it drained well will make the crust less mushy. (I did this for about 10 minutes--a great arm workout!!)
  
• Preheat the oven to 450ºF.  Place your cookie sheet in the oven to heat it up.
• Combine the sea salt, dried basil, dried oregano,  garlic powder, and cauliflower in a medium bowl.
• Mix it together well and then add the egg whites and use your hands to form it into a dough ball.
• Pat it down gently onto a piece of parchment paper.
• Use your hands to form it into a pizza crust. (It will be thin-crust and mine did not have perfect edges.)
• Glaze dough with a bit of olive oil.
• Put it onto the heated up cookie sheet and bake the crust without any toppings for 9 minutes until it is golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and add your toppings. (I used dairy products for my family, three different cheeses, etc...Mine had tomato sauce, pepperoni, and bell peppers.) 
• Bake it for another 7 minutes with your toppings on it.
  

The Review:

I loved it. However, it did not taste like pizza crust, so don't hope that the amazing doughy/bread taste will be there. It won't be. However, it's a unique taste that I found to be satisfying in both taste and texture. I will definitely be making it again!

I will leave this post with a shout out to The University of Kentucky Wildcats!!! So proud of these young men, their determination, and teamwork!! Great win against Michigan!!! FINAL FOUR!!

picture credit: Sports Illustrated
and a link to the 3 point shot from Aaron Harrison---The CLUTCH!

3 Point Shot!

Love & Laughs,

Valerie Jo