My job would be a whole lot easier if there was one diet style that everybody could thrive on. That’s not the case, however, and as frustrating as it can be, it’s what makes my job so interesting. Helping people figure out what diet style best suits their needs is rewarding for me and life-enhancing for them.
Change is the one constant in life that you can count on. We have to build flexibility into our lifestyle and diet to buffer the inevitable change coming our way. Humans evolved in a world that was full of seasonal fluctuation, physical demands, environmental threats, and cyclical periods of nutritional abundance and famine. Naturally, as time went on, through our ingenuity we made things easier. So much so that the luxurious lifestyle we’re blessed with now looks nothing like what our ancestors experienced just a few hundred years ago.
All this change is great. I’m happy I don’t have to walk miles every day to get clean water or leave my family in harm’s way for days while I go hunting for food to get us through the winter. But with this newfound abundance comes the need for change as well.
The human body is an adaptive machine, it will adjust to any environment it’s exposed to and what you feel, meaning your level of energy, pain, and mental clarity are the products of that adaptation. We must make changes to improve our environment if we want any chance of better health. One of the changes I had to make was to identify all the foods I’d become sensitive to, as a result of my environment, and take them out of my daily diet. The no-no list was long and looked grim at first but with some creativity and self-reassurance, I’ve developed a satisfying and nutrient-rich diet style.
The foods I had to kick to the curb and the ones that in their absence have made the biggest difference in my health are grains, nuts & seeds, eggs, nightshades, and dairy. This conundrum brings us to the title of this week’s recipe. Impossible Pizza. How in the hell can you make pizza void of all those ingredients? Figuring that out was the fun part and I am excited to share it with you. You’ll notice I do have pepperoni on my “nightshade-free” pizza. Yes, it has some pepper in it but not so much so I can’t tolerate it from time to time. This is something specific to my needs, your’s will be unique to you as well. Lets cook
Impossible Pizza Crust
- This recipe makes 3-4 servings of pizza
- 1 1/2 cups steamed cauliflower florets
- 3/4 cup cassava flour – I like Anthony’s brand found on Amazon
- 1/4 cup Farinha de Mandioca (course ground cassava) found on Amazon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp water
- Food processor
- Cookie sheet with parchment or silicone pad
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees
- Steam cauliflower until soft
- Pulse the cauliflower and avocado oil in the food processor until very creamy
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
- Add the creamed cauliflower to the dry ingredients and mix into a crumb
- Add the water and mix until a dough forms. Need the dough in the bowl for 1 minute
- Spread the dough out on the parchment or silicone pad first with your hands, then with a rolling pin to about 1/4 – 1/8 of an inch thick
- Slide the parchment onto the cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 12 minutes
- Pull the crust out of the oven and flip it over. Now it’s time to build the pizza
Impossible Pizza Sauce
- Make this while the crust is cooking
- 2 cups steamed cauliflower
- 1/2 red onion
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 pinches sea salt
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- A small handful of basil
- Food processor
- Saucepot
Method
- Saute chopped red onion in the avocado oil and salt for 3 minutes
- Add the garlic cloves to the onions, peeled but left whole, cover and cook for 3 minutes more
- Put the steamed cauliflower, onion mix, and basil in the food processor and pulse until smooth, add salt to taste
- Spread the sauce evenly over the pizza crust
- Add your toppings of choice and bake in the 425-degree oven for 14-15 minutes until the edges of the crust are crispy
