Inspiration led me into the kitchen this evening, where I made my first veggie pizza. The recipe came from Anthony Willam, the Medical Medium. When I saw his post on Facebook, I knew I wanted to try this healthy version of a favorite comfort food.
My mom, and stepdad Max, owned and operated a pizza restaurant for years. I know pizza. Mom created a wonderful dough recipe and perfected a variety of mouth watering pizzas that they sold in their successful restaurant. I have made pizza at home many times, using the family recipe.
Traditional pizza is off the menu now, and my old recipes are tucked away, so I was excited to create a veggie pizza that is in alignment with my diet. This version is dairy free, and the crust is gluten and dairy free.
I couldn’t locate a gluten free, ready made crust. However, I found a great mix at my local market that is gluten and dairy free. I prepared the dough, according to the package directions, and had enough dough to make two 10 inch pizzas.
I baked the pizza crusts for about 8 minutes while the sliced and chopped veggies sautéed. After the crusts were lightly browned, I used my own homemade marinara sauce as the base. The cooked veggies were divided between the two crusts, sliced black olives added, and the pizzas were returned to the oven for 10 more minutes.
Ready to go back into the oven for a few minutes.
Ready to eat!
In a short time, I had a fresh from the oven pizza, ready to sample. It was delicious! I felt like I had a special treat, without any accompanying guilt. And I didn’t miss the cheese.
In fact, my body thanked me for this yummy pizza, loaded with fresh vegetables. In the last decade, a slice of pizza, while tasting great, instantly brought on a bout of indigestion. Reacting to the gluten and cheese, my body tried to let me know pizza wasn’t comfort food at all. It caused great discomfort. I ate it anyway, which shows the extent of my unhealthy relationship with food.
Tonight, I savored each delectable bite, knowing there was nothing there to harm me or feed viruses and inflammation in my body. This was food that was good for me, on many levels.
I love these cooking adventures and trying new recipes. Preparing healthy meals in creative ways is a deep level of self care. I am nurturing myself while listening to and honoring my body.
And in addition to all the benefits of creating healthy, plant based meals that contribute to my healing and well being, cooking creatively is fun, and feeds my soul as well as my body. This takes bon appétit to a whole new level.
