Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pizza on Garden Veggie Crust

 

Sun-Dried Tomato & Fresh Basil Pizza on Garden Veggie Crust
Sun-Dried Tomato & Fresh Basil Pizza on Garden Veggie Crust

Pizza day at your house? Whether you’ll be making this for the whole family, or eating it by yourself I can promise you it’s a rewarding experience. We have to remember that the brain makes powerful associations to food when it comes to pleasure and happiness. Our brains are literally wired to jump for joy when we get a new stimulus from something high fat or high sugar. The challenge is in understanding that sometimes the brain gives us deceptive messages, telling us to eat things that we really don’t need to stay healthy and survive. Since our brains are still the same as when we did need to eat for survival, it can be tough to make shifts in the diet that last without succumbing to the pressure of cravings. So, what if you just found healthier substitutes to your favourite junk meals?

One of the reasons I put together this garden veggie crust is because it’s so diverse. You have a nut free base that can virtually be used for anything. Pizza, a sandwich, if you dehydrate it for less time you could probably even use it as a veggie pattie. If you are big on robust flavour, I would suggest adding more seasonings, spices or herbs to the garden veggie recipe before dehydrating, because I kept it super simple here.

Garden Veggie Crust

  • 2 Local Red Bell Pepper
  • 1 Small Sweet Yellow Onion
  • 2 small Yellow Squash
  • 4 Garden Carrots
  • 2  Cups Sunflower Seeds
  • 1 tsp. Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. Coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. Himalayan Salt
Instructions: Process all of your ingredients in a food processor until you can form small sized patties. Place on your dehydrator sheets and form whatever shape you like, patties, bread etc. Let them dehydrate for 5-8 hours depending on how moist or crisp you’d like them to be. I recommend more crisp for a pizza recipe.

 

Sun-dried Tomato Basil Pizza Sauce:

    • Half cup sundried tomatoes
    • 2 small chipotle peppers *optional
    • 2 small vine ripened tomatoes
    • 1/4 tsp. himalayan salt
    • 2 cloves of garlic
    • 1/2 cup fresh basil
Instructions: Process or blend until the mixture is smooth and warm.

 

Pine Nut Parmesan

  • 1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
  • 1/4 tsp. Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 Garlic Clove
  • Pinch of Himalayan Salt
  • Few dashes of onion powder
Instructions: Put ingredients into the food processor or blender and pulse/blend until you have a finely ground parmesan.

 

Sheleana Aiyana