Recipe of the Week: Lower East Side Pizza

It's been yet another crazy week... The countdown before our move has begun, so the house looks like an obstacle course with boxes lying all over the place. You don't realize how much stuff (I was actually gonna say 'crap' lol) you accumulate until you have to haul it around! Anyhoo, the days are zooming right by. Yes, I do remember to eat, but by the time supper comes, I don't have much energy left to whip up anything fancy.

Yesterday, a friend called me up saying she would like to do some raw food prep with me as she could use a bit of inspiration. Cool, the perfect excuse to take the day off and make something a little special. I opted for pizza as it is both simple and never fails to please the taste buds. I dug out of the freezer some pizza crusts, a container of pesto and Pine Nut Parmesan. I also had a fresh batch of Lower East Side Spread already made so I thought to myself: "Hey, why not?"

What's with the 'Lower East Side' bit you ask? Because "fennel seeds, fresh black pepper, and oregano are reminiscent of sausage spices from the Lower East Side of New York." Believe it or not, I hadn't made the sausage connection when I first thought to throw it on the pizza. Call it 'raw luck'. lol

Deeeeeelish!

Lower East Side Pizza

For this recipe you will need:
- Pizza Crust(s)
- Your favorite basil pesto
- Lower East Side Spread
- Marinated Veggies
- Pine Nut Parmesan

Veggie Herb Pizza Crust
By Erica of School Of Rawk

2 cups Sprouted buckwheat
2 zucchinis (2 cups)
Onion powder
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tsp Braggs or salt (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon herbs de provence
1/2 cup ground flax
1 tablespoon oil

Process until a dough-like consistency is reached. (Add more flax if needed)

Form into pizza crusts and dehydrate.


Basil Pesto
4 cups fresh basil and spinach, packed (I like to use 1/2 of each)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Blend basil and spinach until finely chopped. Then add the rest of the ingredients and
blend until smooth.


Lower East Side Spread
Adapted from Living Cuisine
Posted by rawererin on Raw Freedom Community

3/4 C sunflower seeds, soaked
3/4 C pumpkin seeds, soaked
1 small clove garlic
1 green onion
1 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp oregano
1/2 C chopped broccoli
2 tsp tahini *optional*
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt (or more to taste)
Lemon juice, to taste

Soak seeds together in fresh water for 2-4 hours, drain and rinse. In FP chop garlic, onion, fennel, and oregano. Add broccoli, soaked seeds and tahini, blend into a smooth paste, or leave it a little chunky. Season with salt and pepper.


Marinated Veggies
A few mushrooms (any kind will do), sliced
Red bell pepper strips
Spinach chiffonade

Toss the veggies in equal part olive oil and tamari or Nama Shoyu. If desired, add some crushed garlic. Let sit for a few minutes.


Pine Nut Parmesan
1/2 cup macadamias
1/2 cup cashews
2 Tbs pine nuts
1 Tbs lemon juice
1Tbs flax meal
1 clove crushed garlic
1Tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp salt

First briefly process macadamias and cashews in food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until well mixed.


Assembly
On a pizza crust, spread a generous layer of your favorite basil pesto. Follow with some Lower East Side Spread, then marinated veggies. Crumble pine nut parmesan on top.

Dehydrate for 1 hour at 110 degrees.

Enjoy!