Cauliflower Pizza Crust & Sara's Schmortieth Birthday

What you say?  Cauliflower pizza crust?  Umm, yes.  And it is fantastic.  After celebrating Sara's Schmortieth birthday with burgers, beers and tatter tots at the Station Tavern, cupcakes, pizza, and more beer from Basic, I was a wreck.  Too much gluten in one wonderful weekend.

Too much gluten on top of too many other BIG things going on that I had "a" moment. You know, one of those moments where you ask yourself, "Self, what the hell are you doing?"

First and foremost, I realized that I must stop abusing my body.  I must stop eating and drinking (damn that is the hard one because I really like beer) things that have gluten. And secondly, change means growing and facing new challenges. This is all good. It is ok to be scared. Just take one day at a time.

While pursing Pinterest, I came across a recipe for cauliflower pizza crust on Eat.Drink.Smile. Beth is a genius.  While this is not the kind of New York-style pizza you can fold in half and eat, this is the kind you eat with a knife and fork. It is GOOD. And I mean that good.

Cauliflower crust out of the oven.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
from Eat.Drink.Smile

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Remove stems and leaves from 1 large head of cauliflower and chops florets into chunks.  Put cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it looks like a grain.  Dump cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 450° and spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.  In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup of cooked cauliflower, egg, mozzarella, garlic and oregano.  Save remaining cauliflower for ... perhaps a dip for Super Bowl party.

3. Transfer mixture to cookie sheet and using your hands, press cauliflower mixture into a ~9" round or something resembling a circle, drizzle EVOO over the top to get that golden color.

4.  Bake for 15 minutes then remove from oven.  Top with your favorite sauce, toppings and cheese.  Place pizza under the broiler until the cheese is melted.

5.  Super important:  Cook your toppings before adding to the crust.

Hipstamatic print of  Cauliflower crust pizza.

On my pizza I sauteed up some mushroom, onions, spinach and threw in some leftover homemade turkey sausage.  I had to restrain myself from eating the whole pie.  It was GOOD!

Sara

Sara is the coolest chick I know.  She rolls fancy with a capital F.  And she rolls with dirt under her fingernails because she is an archaeologist.  She has one of the coolest husbands, the Doctor Professor and definitely one of the coolest kids I've ever met, Miss E. Even her parents, little brother and his family, and late Bumpa are cool.  And I'm lucky because she is one my best friends.

Sara lets me wander on my road, she lets me get lost every once in awhile and finds me when I need to be found, her family is my family, she inspires me every day with her love, generosity, and ultimate coolness.  Love you girl, Happy 40th!