When your heart wants pizza and your head says salad: GREEN GODDESS PIZZA. Who says pizza is reserved for the weekends? I’m officially bringing pizza back to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday because…pizza. And my love for pizza is infinite. This week on the blog I’m sharing some of my favorite healthy-ish and meatless pizza combos so you can take the guilt out of your guilty pleasure any day of the week. Get the dEATs on this Green Goddess Pizza, a Peach Ricotta Pizza, Breakfast Pizzas…and more below!

Okay, friends! We’ve FINALLY moved into the new house…hurrah! That’s the good news. The bad news, is that not only is our kitchen reno not done yet, but also…our air conditioning broke on the first time. Ug. But, I didn’t let that stop me from a pizza palooza (turning on the oven in the TX heat did not help the situation). The heart wants what it wants and it wanted…pizza! Also, salads. Also, easy. Because…moving.

Whipping up some healthy-ish pizzas was both creative and comic relief. The first step, is a healthy crust that doesn’t taste healthy. My go-to’s:

Better For You Pizza Crusts

1.)  Superseed Pizza Crust from Superseed Life: it’s made with 7 powerhouse seeds like flax, sunflower and chia seeds. It’s also gluten-free, vegan, paleo and keto-friendly. Find it online or in the frozen section at some Whole Foods.

2.) Mikey’s Gluten Free Pizza Crust: this one is made with just 9 pantry ingredients like eggs, almond flour and coconut flour. It’s also gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo-friendly. Find it online or in the freezer section nationally at Whole Foods and Sprouts.

3.) Outer Aisle Plantpower Cauliflower Pizza Crusts: this crust is made of fresh cauliflower and just 6 other pantry ingredients like eggs, Parmesan cheese and spices. It’s naturally gluten-free and low carb. I also use the sandwich thins as mini personal pizzas. Find them in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods.

Other honorable mentions include: Stonefire mini naan bread (they have an ancient grain version that I love!) and the Mikey’s gluten-free English muffins, which are great for breakfast pizzas.

Here’s the other beauty about these pizzas: they’re veggie forward and loaded with filling fiber. Because we all know it’s rare to eat a side of veggies with pizza. Also, the Green Goddess and Cherry Tomato Hummus pizzas are great as appetizers because they use hummus as the base with a sprinkle of feta so that they taste just as good cold as they do warm. All of these are relatively adaptable based on what fruit or veggies you have on hand, so they’re stress free and are guaranteed to be party pleasers. Even my husband, who is a traditional pepperoni pizza kinda guy, gave these pizzas his approval. Time for some pizza, yes? Get the recipes for the Green Goddess Pizza, Summer Tomato Hummus Pizza, Peach Ricotta Pizza, Caprese Pizza and Breakfast Avocado Pizza below!

Green Goddess Pizza:
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
– 1 Superseed Life Superseed Pizza Crust
– 1 container of garlic hummus (or make my vegan cashew ricotta)
– 1 bunch of broccolini
– 1 bunch of asparagus
– 1/2 C of fresh or frozen peas
– 1 bunch of basil, cut into strips
– 1 container of feta or goat cheese
– 1 clove of garlic, minced
– extra virgin olive oil
– salt and pepper to taste
– optional: micro greens to top

Directions:

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven pre-heats, trim the asparagus into 1-inch pieces and set a medium pot of water to boil on the stove top. Place the asparagus pieces on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Place the pizza crust directly on the rack next to the sheet pan withe asparagus pieces. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
Step 3: While the pizza crust and asparagus bake, add the broccolini to the boiling water for 2-3 minutes until bright green. Place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Then, heat a medium skillet over the stove top with a little bit of olive oil. Add the minced garlic, stirring frequently for a minute until fragrant. Add the broccolini and cook for a few minutes. Set aside the broccolini. Option to trim to 1-inch pieces.
Step 4: Once the timer goes off, assemble the pizza. Add a layer of hummus (or cashew ricotta) to the pizza crust, leaving a half inch around the rim. Then, layer on the asparagus, broccolini and peas (making sure to cook or thaw the peas if frozen). Sprinkle on as much feta cheese as you’d like and top with an ample amount of basil strips. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the top of the pizza and finish by sprinkling with salt and pepper. Option to garnish with micro greens. Enjoy!

Summer Tomato Hummus Pizza
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
– 1 Mikey’s Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
– 1 container of red pepper hummus (or make my vegan red pepper crema)
– 1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
– 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
– feta cheese crumbles
– micro greens

Directions:

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once heated, place the crust directly on the oven rack and bake for 9-10 minutes, depending on desired crispiness. Remove from the oven.
Step 2: Assemble the pizza by layering on the red pepper hummus (or vegan crema), leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edges. Top with the cherry tomato halve, zucchini slices, micro greens and feta. Enjoy!

Peach & Ricotta Pesto Pizza
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
– 1 Superseedlife Superseed Pizza Crust
– 1 container ricotta cheese
– 8 oz fresh mozzarella
– 1 jar of basil pesto (or make my kale pesto)
– 1 fresh peach, pitted and thinly sliced
– a bunch of fresh arugula or basil leaves
– extra virgin olive oil
– salt and pepper to taste
– optional: balsamic vinegar to drizzle

Directions:

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oven is heated, add the crust directly to the rack. Bake for 5 minutes and remove from the oven.
Step 2: Top the pizza with a layer of the basil (or kale) pesto, leaving a 1/2 inch border around the edge. Distribute slices of mozzarella sporadically on the pizza (I used 6 slices). Then, place spoonfulls of the ricotta to cover the remainder of the pizza. Place the pizza back in the oven to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Step 3: Top the pizza with any additional ricotta if the pizza doesn’t have full cheesy coverage. Then, distribute the peach slices on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with arugula or basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Option to drizzle balsamic vinegar for extra flavor. Enjoy!

Individual Hummus Caprese Pizzas
Serves: 1

Ingredients:
– 2 Mikey’s Gluten Free English Muffins
– 1 tomato, sliced
– 4 slices of fresh mozzarella
– 1 container red pepper hummus (or make my vegan red pepper crema)
– extra virgin olive oil
– salt and pepper to taste
– micro greens or basil leaves to top

Directions:

Step 1: Toast the English muffins either in a toaster or an oven set to 350 degrees Farhenheit.
Step 2: Top the toasted muffins with a layer of the roasted red pepper hummus or crema. Top with two slices of fresh mozzarella. Heat in the microwave for :15 seconds to melt the cheese, or place back in the oven for a few minutes.
Step 3: Layer a tomato slice on top of the melted mozzarella. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with micro greens or basil leaves. Enjoy!

Individual Breakfast Avocado Pizzas
Serves: 1

Ingredients:
– 2 Outer Aisle Gourmet Cauliflower Thins
– 2 Vital Farms pasture-raised eggs
– 1 avocado, cut in half and pit removed
– salt and pepper to taste
– optional squeeze of lime juice and sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Step 1: Toast the cauliflower thins in a toaster or oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2: Heat a small fry pan over medium heat on the stove top. Add a dollop of butter or ghee, or spray with olive oil. Crack the eggs into the pan and heat to desired doneness.
Step 3: Remove the avocado flesh from the skins and place in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper along with optional lime juice. Mash with a fork to create a chunky guacamole.
Step 4: Top the each of the toasted cauliflower thins with a layer of the guacamole, a fried egg, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, along with optional crushed red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

Here’s to pizza any day, all day! Comment with your favorite pizza combos!

The post Pizza Pizza appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Don’t tell me it’s not Taco Tuesday…I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life. What I DO want to taco ’bout is how every day can be Taco Tuesday, how walnuts can be ‘meat’ and how seeds can be ‘pizza’. Yes, dreams do come true. Keep these secrets to yourself because you will NOT want to share! A plant-based diet can be easy, delicious and satisfying. Read on for the dEATs!

In all candor, I don’t follow a completely plant-based diet. But, I have been trying to reduce my consumption of meat for both health and environmental reasons. Plus, I love a good challenge in the kitchen! When I first started to explore more meatless options I quickly found myself 1.) bored of the limited options 2.) overwhelmed by complicated ‘scratch’ recipes and 3.) disgusted by all the garbage ingredients in convenient packaged foods. So what’s a girl to do? Eat veggie burgers and quinoa all day every day? Or become a rabbit nibbling on veggies and unfulfilled? I don’t give up that easy. And hanger is not an option.

As I started to explore beyond tofu, I could not believe how many things you can do with nuts and seeds! These nutritional powerhouses are incredibly underrated, underexplored and are a massively untapped source of plant-based protein!

The Wonders of Nuts & Seeds as a Source of Plant-Based Protein

1.) Walnuts: According to WebMD, a handful of walnuts (about 14 halves) contains 4 grams of protein, 18 grams of fat that will keep you full and just 185 calories. Plus, they’re the only nuts that are high in heart-healthy omega-3’s. Walnuts can be easily ground up to form the base for burgers, taco ‘meat’ (recipe below) or pie crust.

2.) Cashews: A similar amount of cashews (1 ounce = 18 cashews) contains 5 grams of protein, 12 grams of fat and 157 calories per an article from Healthline. While cashews are lower in fiber and higher in carbs than other nuts like almonds, they have plenty of other vitamins and minerals like copper and iron to support blood health and lutein for eye health. Raw cashews can be soaked overnight to make cheesecake, ricotta or a hummus-like dip.

3.) Flax Seeds: Just a tablespoon of flax seed added to smoothies, oatmeal or sprinkled on a salad adds 1.3 grams of protein, only 3 grams of fat and 37 calories according to Healthline. They’re also a good source of heart-healthy omega-3’s and fiber to keep you full – one tablespoon provides 8-12% of your daily needs.

4.) Chia Seeds: This ‘superfood’ is popping up everywhere because it’s a powerhouse of nutrients. Per Delish, a serving (2 tablespoons) provides 4 grams of protein, more calcium once for once than most dairy products and almost all of the carbs are in the form of filling fiber. I’m a huge fan of chia puddings, which are an easy overnight dessert or breakfast that is raw and Whole30 compliant. Check out my Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding, Coconut Cacao Chia Pudding, Pumpkin Chia Pudding or just search “Chia Pudding” on my site for oodles of more recipes!

5.) Pumpkin Seeds: These often forgotten seeds provide a ridiculous amount of nutrients in a single 1-ounce serving including 7 grams of protein, 23% of your daily iron and is one of the best natural sources of magnesium. In fact, according to Healthline, 79% of the population doesn’t get enough magnesium, which is critical to maintaining blood sugar and blood pressure levels. I love it as a topping on salads, oatmeal or toast!

There are tons of other nuts and seeds that are a good source of protein and other minerals, but those are some of my daily favs. Also, using nuts and seeds as a source of protein doesn’t mean lots of time in the kitchen! You’ll find my raw walnut taco ‘meat’ to be super simple and it only requires a blender or food processor! Plus, one of my new favorite food finds is the seed-based crust from SUPERSEED Life. It’s keto-friendly, grain-free, completely vegan and completely delicious! Fact: even my husband, who is often skeptical of grain-free foods, loved this crust!

Start living your best plant-based life with these recipes for a RAW TACO BOWL, TACO PIZZA and BREAKFAST TACOS!

RAW VEGAN WALNUT TACO BOWL
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Walnut Taco “Meat”
-3 C raw walnuts
-2/3 C sun-dried tomatoes (packaged dry; not in oil)
-4 cloves minced garlic
-1 T smoked paprika
-1 T cumin
-1 T chili powder
-2 tsp coconut sugar
-2 tsp nutritional yeast
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 – 1/2 C of water
Quick Pickled Onion
– 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced
– 1/2 T coconut or regular sugar
– 3/4 tsp salt
– 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
Salad Fixings
-1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
-2 bell peppers, sliced
-1 jalapeno pepper, sliced
-2 bunches romaine lettuce, chopped
-optional salsa for dressing

Directions:
Step 1: Make the Quick Pickled Onions by placing all of the ingredients in a mason jar. Cover, shake and let set for 20 minutes.
Step 2: Make the raw walnut taco “meat” by placing the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl with warm water. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
Step 3: In the meantime, add the walnuts to a food processor and pulse into a fine meal (being careful not to blend it into a butter; some large pieces will give the “meat” texture). Set aside in a medium bowl.
Step 4: Once the sun-dried tomatoes are finished soaking, reserve the water and them to the food processor with the remaining seasoning. Pulse to form a smooth paste. Then, add small amounts of the reserved water until it turns into a “sauce” similar to marinara. Mix the “sauce” in with the walnuts in the medium bowl to form the taco “meat”.
Step 5: Build the salad by placing the romaine lettuce in 4 individual bowls. Top with desired amounts the taco “meat”, cherry tomatoes, bell pepper slices, jalapeno slices, pickled onions and optional salsa as a dressing.

WALNUT TACO MEATLESS PIZZA with SUPERSEED LIFE CRUST
Makes: 1 pizza 

Ingredients:
Walnut Taco “Meat”
-3 C raw walnuts
-2/3 C sun-dried tomatoes (packaged dry; not in oil)
-4 cloves minced garlic
-1 T smoked paprika
-1 T cumin
-1 T chili powder
-2 tsp coconut sugar
-2 tsp nutritional yeast
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 – 1/2 C of water
Toppings
-8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
-1/4 C cheddar cheese, shredded
-2 bell peppers, sliced
-1 avocado, sliced
-optional cilantro as garnish
Crust
-1 SUPERSEED Life Pizza Crust

Directions: 
Step 1: Pre-bake the crust at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. In the meantime, slice the cheese and vegetables if you haven’t already.
Step 2: Make the raw walnut taco “meat” by placing the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl with warm water. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
Step 3: While the tomatoes soak, add the walnuts to a food processor and pulse into a fine meal (being careful not to blend it into a butter; some large pieces will give the “meat” texture”). Set aside in a medium bowl.
Step 4: Once the sun-dried tomatoes are finished soaking, reserve the water and them to the food processor with the remaining seasoning. Pulse to form a smooth paste. Then, add small amounts of the reserved water until it turns into a “sauce” similar to marinara. Mix the “sauce” in with the walnuts in the medium bowl to form the taco “meat”.
Step 5: After pre-baking the crust, remove it from the oven and assemble the toppings. Ladle on desired amount of pizza sauce, cheese and bell peppers. Place back in the oven for 15-17 minutes; option to broil for an additional 2-3 minutes to get the cheese toasty and brown. Remove from the oven and top with the taco “meat”, avocado slices and optional cilantro.

Walnut Taco “Meat” Breakfast Tacos
Makes: 6-8 tacos

Ingredients:
Walnut Taco “Meat”
-3 C raw walnuts
-2/3 C sun-dried tomatoes (packaged dry; not in oil)
-4 cloves minced garlic
-1 T smoked paprika
-1 T cumin
-1 T chili powder
-2 tsp coconut sugar
-2 tsp nutritional yeast
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 – 1/2 C of water
Toppings
-6-8 Vital Farms pasture-raised eggs
-2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced
-2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
-optional salsa verde and cilantro for garnish
Tortillas
-6-8 Maria and Ricardo’s Whole Wheat Plus Tortillas for added fiber and protein

Directions:
Step 1: Make the raw walnut taco “meat” by placing the sun-dried tomatoes in a small bowl with warm water. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
Step 2: While the tomatoes soak, add the walnuts to a food processor and pulse into a fine meal (being careful not to blend it into a butter; some large pieces will give the “meat” texture”). Set aside in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Once the sun-dried tomatoes are finished soaking, reserve the water and them to the food processor with the remaining seasoning. Pulse to form a smooth paste. Then, add small amounts of the reserved water until it turns into a “sauce” similar to marinara. Mix the “sauce” in with the walnuts in the medium bowl to form the taco “meat”.
Step 4: Scramble the eggs and slice the vegetables if you haven’t already. Set aside the eggs.
Step 5: Assemble the tacos by layering the scrambled eggs, walnut taco “meat” in the tortillas. Top with desired amount of diced tomatoes, jalapeno slices and optional salsa as well as cilantro. Also great with guac…but what isn’t?!

The post Nuts…for Nuts and Seeds! appeared first on The Shooks Life.