Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free)

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers

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Over the past few months, I’ve seen many variations on recipes for cauliflower crust pizzas—that is, pizza crust made from cauliflower! At first, I thought it sounded blah. Cauliflower is a pretty boring vegetable; I couldn’t imagine it making a yummy crust. But after a while, it stuck in my brain and I realized I couldn’t knock it till I tried it. Plus, I couldn’t resist the idea of a totally grain-free, gluten-free pizza. How 2012!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza with Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers

Turns out the crust is not JUST cauliflower: it’s mixed with shredded mozzarella, egg, and spices. I’m sure you could make a vegan version very easily, too! In fact, it’s something I’m definitely going to try—just replace the cheese with Daiya and the egg with chia egg replacer. For a delicious sauce/spread, you could even try my vegan cashew cheese! YUM. That’s next on the list!

For my very first attempt, though, I stuck with a blend of recipes I found online (Pinterest and other food blogs, mostly). You make the crust first, then top it with your, er, toppings, and finally broil it. So your veggies (and meat, if you’re including it) have to be cooked beforehand, which is why I decided to go with balsamic glazed onions and peppers. Plus more shredded mozzarella

Step 1: chop your cauliflower

Step 2: rice your cauliflower

Step 3: mix your ingredients

Step 4: form your crust

Step 5: bake your crust

I basically loaded up the crust super-duper heavy, and we ended up eating the pizza with forks. But I’m a Chicago girl by birth, and deep-dish pizza is in my blood. So, what can I say? In the future, though, I’d like to try a “lighter” pizza. In fact, the crust alone would be just great!

As with any pizza, there are a gazillion ways you can customize this with various toppings and cheeses (or cheezes). If you try it, I’d love to hear what you did! And as soon as I make a vegan version, I’ll be sure to post some pics of that, as well.

Step 6: load up your toppings. I love this sauce!

Step 6: load up your toppings

Step 7: broil for 5 minutes

I apologize for the lighting in the photos, but sometimes you just have to work with what’s available

Recipe for the crust is listed first below… Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers is after that. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza (Grain-Free, Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium head cauliflower
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried or fresh oregano
• 1 tsp. dried or fresh basil

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Chop cauliflower into chunks. In a blender or food processor, pulse the cauliflower until “riced” or very small pieces. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a cheese grater.
3. Sautee the cauliflower in a tiny bit of olive oil in a large skillet for 6–8 minutes or until translucent.
4. Transfer the cauliflower to a medium bowl. Mix in all the other ingredients and stir well.
5. Spread the mixture on a parchment-lined cookie sheet or a pizza stone if you have one. Form into a circle if you’re feeling traditional
6. Bake at 400F for 25–30 minutes until golden.
7. Remove from the oven and add your toppings.
8. Broil for 5 minutes.
9. Cool 2–3 minutes, then cut and serve immediately. Enjoy!

 

These balsamic glazed onions and peppers are simply superb as a pizza topping! They’re super-easy to make but they taste expensive, if you know what I mean

Step 1: slice your onion & pepper very thin

Step 2: sautee for 7 minutes

Step 3: add balsamic, water, and sugar

Step 4: simmer for 30 minutes; uncover, simmer for 15 minutes more

Balsamic Glazed Onions & Peppers

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 large orange bell pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. sugar

Steps

1. Slice the onion and pepper into thin strips.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil.
3. Add the onion and pepper strips and sautee until soft, about 7 minutes.
4. Add the water, balsamic, and sugar and stir gently.
5. Cover partially and simmer 30 minutes.
6. Uncover, and simmer 15 more minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
7. Add to your pizza… or to salads, sandwiches, burgers… Enjoy!

Adjust the recipe as necessary for your needs and tastes. You can determine the nutritional content of your final product using Recipe Calculator.

Have you ever made a cauliflower crust pizza?

Do you have a favorite pizza topping?

The Versatile Blogger Award & Very Inspiring Blogger Award!

On the surface, this was a fairly normal weekend: ran 12-miles in the rain, which was actually fine, even good; got some new bike handlebars with my REI dividend; watched The Help while it rained, rained, rained; went on a bike ride with said new bars once the sun came out; ate a bunch of coconut meat.

But there was one thing that made this weekend extra-special. I am beyond thrilled to share that one of my favorite bloggers, Jasmine at Paintbox Kitchen, has tagged me with two awards: The Versatile Blogger and the Very Inspiring Blogger Awards! The warm fuzzies and gooey innards hardly touch what this means to me. Thank you, Jasmine!!
 

The premise is simple: Jasmine herself was nominated by a blog friend of hers, who was previously nominated by a blog friend, who was previously nominated by a blog friend, and so on, backwards through time. The winner shares 7 things we might not have known about them, then they link to a) the person who nominated them, and b) the new winners of the award. I guess the original rules say you’re supposed to link to 15 people, but Jasmine linked to 4, and I am still quite green so will link to 5. In good punk rock fashion, we’re making up our own rules. DIY, baby!

So, the deeper, and extra-cool part of this award system is how connected it makes us. I read the blogs I do because I like the personality of the blog writer, trust their opinion (even if I don’t always agree with it), and simply think what they have to say is valuable. Then it goes without saying that I would probably like the other blogs that Jasmine nominated and I would probably like the blogger who nominated her, and so on and so forth, backwards through time. It’s a web, see, that spreads across the world! A world-wide web! THAT IS SO COOL.

Now, I’ll go ahead and let you in on a few tidbits you might not know. After that, the new winners of the awards. Onward…

7 Things You Might Not Know About Me

… in no particular order

1. I’ve been to Burning Man nine times. And while I no longer go every year, I still hold dear to my heart the 10 Principles and include them in my everyday life, particularly Radical Self-Expression, Radical Self-Reliance, Participation (No Spectators), and Leave No Trace.

2. One day a week, usually Sunday, I spend 2-3 hours prepping food for the week. This makes it easy to grab healthy, well-rounded, veggie-tastic, protein-filled meals and snacks whether we are working from home or on the go. Prep includes things like roasting chicken and turkey breasts, hard-boiling eggs, pre-making lunch salads and wraps, making a big batch of protein pancakes, dehydrating veggies and/or crackers and flatbread, soaking beans and nuts for sprouting, soups, and snacks.

3. I am not vegan, though I was for 4 years. I’m also not vegetarian, pescetarian, Paleo, carnivorous, raw foodist, strictly gluten-free, strictly sugar-free, or any other label that makes it easy to pigeonhole or stereotype my eating habits, because really, no one needs to care that much about the details except me. The recipes I share tend to be on the healthier side, though

4. I discovered my love of open-water swimming while training for my first triathlon and hope someday to do an Alcatraz swim. That’s when you take a ferry across the San Francisco Bay and jump into the water when you reach the famous island ex-prison, then swim across the bay until you reach land. Like an escapee, get it? The SF Bay is about 55 degrees year-round, but with a wetsuit, it’s totally fine. I haven’t yet reached no-wetsuit bravery, but people do it all the time. I think the Alcatraz swim is 1.5 miles.

5. I’m running my first marathon in July, the San Francisco Marathon, with my sister, who has run 3 marathons already. The whole point, for me, is to run this thing with her. I don’t care about time at all. So, I’ve decided not to publicly share my final race time, whatever it is, because it won’t matter. The whole point is to run with her and to cross the finish line with my sister

6. My birthday is next Saturday ~ March 31! That makes me an Aries, but I have a Cancer moon and Cancer rising, so I’m like a ball of fire surrounded by water. Like some beautiful Polynesian-esque display where there’s a giant, roaring fire pit set up in the middle of a pool. Or something like that.

7. An astrologer once described me as, “the exact middle point between introverted and extroverted.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

And now… I’m very happy to announce the newest winners of the Very Inspiring Blogger and Versatile Blogger Awards! The rules are simple ~ when you’re tagged, link back to this site, share 7 things about yourself that we might not know, and then pass the award on! Of course, you’re welcome to ignore all of this, too. And that is totally fine. But I think you’re cool, so that’s all that matters!

The Healthy Diva

Diva Sarah is a California girl turned Aussie whose interest in heath, food, and fitness never fails to inspire me. Her blog’s tagline, “Balancing Fitness, Food, and Feeling Good!” sums it up with a big, motivated smile!

Marin Mama Cooks

Jackie is a mom of 2 who cooks delicious and healthy meals for her family… and she is a fantastic food blogger! She includes very clear instructions and beautiful pictures of all the steps, which makes everything easy to understand. I always feel like I’m right there with her when she’s cooking, which is a cozy, if hungry, feeling

You Just Did What?!

In just a month, Erika has jumped right in and shared her friendliness, adorable family, and motivation to run a half-marathon! Her smile and sense of humor are infectious. I just can’t wait to hear how the Hot Chocolate run went!

Weddings & Workouts

Megan also lives in Australia! She’s super-motivated, inspiring, and like a burst of sunshine and fresh energy. Smiles all around, Megan!

Naturally Healthy and Gorgeous

You can’t argue with a title like that! Rebecca posts super-interesting information about various natural items and their benefits, plus not-so-great items and why to avoid them. She covers everything from BPA to tea tree oil to garlic and it’s always presented clearly, with references and source info, so you gotta trust her!

Well, I hope you’ve all enjoyed this round of Blog Awards. May the web continue to be woven and the connections continue to grow!