Love & Pizza: Vegan Pizza Recipes That Satisfy My Soul

We all have those days when we feel kind of blue.
Out of sorts.
Worried.
Or just plain stressed!
I know I do.
When I’m down and feeling needy, my favorite, soul-satisfying food is
pizza.
Let’s face it, there is really nothing quite like it.
Now, I don’t want to be the one to advocate drowning your sorrows
in high calorie, fattening foods, but sometimes a girl just needs some
love and pizza.
But let me clarify myself a bit more…

Pizza is a fabulous treat any time–happy or sad; good or bad.
For me, it’s a uniquely-gratifying, comfort food.
A couple of slices won’t hurt you…
Especially when they’re topped with lots of nutritious vegetables.
And with all of the vegan-friendly cheese and topping options
available, vegans can happily enjoy a hearty, healthy serving of pizza.
Vegan pizza is very much like regular pizza, but it does not include meat, or
other animal products and contains only non-dairy cheese.
What are we waiting for…
Here are a couple of vegan pizza recipes that are sure to please both
vegans and non-vegans alike.
So whip these up, then curl up with a slice–alone or with a friend.
And forgot all your cares and troubles–at least while you’re eating.
Let’s start with the dough.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Ingredients
1 teaspoon Raw Sugar
1 1/4 ounce-package Active Dry Yeast
1 cup lukewarm Water
3 cups Whole Wheat Flour (or substitute with a Gluten-free Flour)
1/4 teaspoon Sean Salt
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Additional flour for dusting
Directions
In a bowl, combine water, sugar, and active dry yeast and let it sit for at
least 5 minutes.
In a mixer with a dough hook attachment, combine dry ingredients for
dough and mix lightly.
Add yeast mixture and olive oil and mix until well-combined.
Transfer into a bowl and cover with cloth.
Let stand for about 1/2 hour or until the dough doubles in size.
After the dough rises, release any excess gas by thumping it down
on the counter.
Sprinkle the counter with flour and put the dough on it.
Press the dough and roll it using a rolling pin.
Lightly grease a 9-inch spring-form pan and place the dough into it.
Make sure that the sides of the pan are also covered with dough, since
we are making deep-dish vegan pizza.
Preheat oven to 450 F.
Note: If you do not want a deep-dish pizza, you can divide the dough into
two and roll them out thinly for a crispy, thin-crust vegan pizza.
Now, let’s make a sauce.

Tomato Based Pizza Sauce

Ingredients
Olive oil, as needed
2 Onions, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 (8 ounce) can organic tomato sauce or fresh organic tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried Oregano
1 tablespoon dried Basil
Sea salt & Pepper, to taste
Directions
To prepare the sauce, sauté garlic and onion, add the rest of the
sauce ingredients and let simmer until reduced into a thick sauce.
Brush the crust with olive oil.
Spread sauce on the crust.
When ready, layer toppings on the sauce.

Pizza Toppings A

Olive Oil, as needed
Vegan Mozzarella Chesse
Sauteed Broccoli
Shitake Mushrooms – sauteed
Maitake Mushroom – sauteed
Carmelized Onions
Roasted Garlic
Sliced Tomatoes
Vegan Feta Cheese
Directions
Brush the crust with olive oil.
Spread tomato sauce on the crust.
Layer sauteed sauteed brocolli, carmelized onions, roasted garlic and vegan feta cheese
on the dough.
Top with mozzarella cheese and repeat the process until all the ingredients are used.
Top with tomato slices.
Sprinkle with herbs.
Bake until edges are crispy and toppings are set, about 10-15 minutes.
Slice and serve while hot.
Sprinkle your slice with red pepper, garlic powder or oregano, as desired.

Pizza Toppings B

Olive Oil, as needed
Steamed or Sauteed Brocolli Rabe
Steamed or Sauteed Spinach
Steamed or Sauteed Kale
Shitake mushrooms – sauteed
Maitake Mushroom-sauteed
Carmelized Onions
Sundried Tomatoes – soaked, drained and chopped
Directions
Brush the crust with olive oil.
Spread the pizza sauce.
Layer spinach, brocolli rabe, kale, carmelized onions, sundried tomatoes and parmesan
cheese on the dough.
Top with mozzarella cheese and repeat the process until all the ingredients are used.
Sprinkle with herbs.
Bake until edges are crispy and toppings are set, about 10-15 minutes.
Slice and serve while hot.
Sprinkle your slice with red pepper, garlic powder or oregano, as desired.

Pizza Toppings C

Olive Oil, as needed
Basil Pesto Sauce, prepared
Sundried Tomatoes
Kalamata Olives, sliced
12 ounce Sausage Style Seitan, finely chopped
1 cup Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup White Onion, sliced
¼ cup Vegan Parmesan Cheese
1 ½ package (about 12 ounces) Mozzarella Favored Vegan Cheese
Shredded Oregano and Basil, to taste
Directions:
Fry or sautee seitan and set aside.
Brush the crust with olive oil.
Spread pesto sauce on the crust.
Layer sauteed seitan sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions,
kalamata olives and parmesan cheese on the dough.
Top with mozzarella cheese and repeat the layer until all the ingredients are used.
Sprinkle with herbs.
Bake until edges are crispy and toppings are set, about 10-15 minutes.
Slice and serve while hot.
Sprinkle your slice with red pepper, garlic powder or oregano as desired.

Alternate Toppings

You can actually top your pizza with whatever you find in your kitchen
that appeals to your tastebuds.
A few suggestions from my experiences include:
*sliced red, yellow or green bell peppers
*cilantro
*arugula
*watercress
*brocolli
*roasted root vegetables
*scallions
*leeks
*cauliflower
*zucchini
*corn kernels (non-GMO)
*eggplant
*roasted red peppers
*sliced black or kalamata olives
*jalapeno peppers
*tempeh
*tofu

The sky is the limit with vegan pizza toppings as well as crusts.
So get in the kitchen, get creative and have fun making vegan pizza.
 
What are your favorite vegan pizza toppings? Share your thoughts and suggestions with us?

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