Mushroom Pepper and Garlic Pizza

Lately, I’ve been trying to come up with different ways to serve up new versions of old favourites. This past weekend was one of those times. We were expecting some friends on Saturday night and that usually means snacks and drinks. I didn’t want to serve the usual chips and dip and veggie tray so I decided that Pizza would be a nice alternative for those late-night munchies.

But traditional pizza isn’t very healthy, especially if you factor in the white crust (very little fiber), pepperoni (nitrates) and the mozzarella cheese (fat). And we all know that pizza is one of those foods that no matter how bad it is for you, you just can’t help but have one more slice. This led me to revamp one of my favourite “bad for you” foods with some healthier ingredients (and no cheese). I’m not Celiac but I decided to step out of the box and make my pizza with a gluten-free crust as well. Why not?! I love my veggies! My pizza turned into a vegan option AND a gluten-free option. Plus, there is loads of garlic in this recipe so you better make sure everyone has a slice too!

The veggie toppings were the easy part. I love peppers and mushrooms. I can eat those every day and never get bored with them. I also decided to caramelize (almost burn) some onions. I wasn’t sure what kind of sauce to make. I had a jar of pesto on hand but I figured that some olive oil and minced garlic would work nicely as well. Just trying to keep it simple. Now for the crust. I had a bag of frozen cauliflower rice on hand. Cauliflower seems to be the typical gluten-free swap out for wheat pizza crust these days but I wanted something more. Something with a little bit more depth (and protein). How about some canned chickpeas?! Plus, I have a million cans of chickpeas right now. Someone asked me if there was going to be a shortage – haha. For good measure, I also used some arrowroot starch/flour to help bind the ingredients together as I wasn’t going to be using any eggs in this recipe.

Knowing it would be my biggest challenge, I started by making the pizza ‘dough’ first. It took a few tries but I think I finally got the proportion of ingredients right. The secret is also making sure that the crust is cooked long enough before adding the toppings otherwise, the middle part of the crust will remain ‘raw’. The crust should be brown all over and especially along the edges. That’s when you know it’s ready.
Follow the steps and enjoy!

Mushroom Pepper and Garlic Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza crust

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas
• 1 12-ounce bag cauliflower rice
• 1 cup of arrowroot starch
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic, divided

Toppings

• 1 medium red pepper, cut into strips
• 1 medium yellow pepper, cut into strips
• 1 8-ounce package of white mushrooms, sliced
• ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
• In a medium pan over low to medium heat, fry 1 teaspoon of the minced garlic for about 30 seconds
• Empty the bag of cauliflower into the pan with the garlic and cook the cauliflower until tender, approximately 5-6 minutes
• Stir occasionally
• Meanwhile, empty the can of chickpeas into a strainer basket and rinse them under cold running water to wash off the brine
• Transfer them to a bowl
• Once the cauliflower is ready, empty into a food processor and working in batches, add the chickpeas until everything is mixed together
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the mixture and continue to blend until everything is pureed but still thick. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bit lumpy
• Empty the contents of the food processor into a large mixing bowl and add the arrowroot starch a little at a time, kneading with your hands
• Continue kneading the ingredients until it resembles a soft dough
• Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a non-stick frying pan and cook the onions with a pinch of sea salt until brown and crispy, approximately 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
• Add the peppers and using the same pan, cook them with a little bit of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of garlic until just starting to soften, about 10 minutes
• Add the mushrooms
• Put a lid on the frying pan and cook the vegetables for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat
• Add the sage and thyme and stir.
• Transfer the dough to a pizza pan and roll it out until it is nice and thin and reaches the edges
• Depending on your preference, you might not need the entire ball of dough. I used approximately two-thirds and wrapped up the rest for later use
• Drizzle a little more olive oil on the crust and with a spoon, work the remaining teaspoon of garlic all over the crust
• Cook the dough until it is brown all over, especially the edges, approximately 30 minutes
• Make sure the center is cooked through, bake a little longer if needed.
• Remove from the oven and add the toppings.
• Bake in the oven for another 10-12 minutes. That’s it!

I’m always looking for ways to add some more fiber to my diet. I think this fits the bill.

Enjoy!