I love pizza and I now have a recipe for a base that does not involve hunting down cauliflower, taking a bank loan to buy them, then steaming them and squeezing the shit out of them before being able to even start the base.
I also battle to get the right taste for my tomato topping so I decided to cut it out altogether and used cream cheese as a topping to the base. Decidedly un-Italian but oh so delicious. This pairs very well with pink salmon, grated mozzarella and some spring onions, which gives you a good dose of those anti-inflammatory omega 3’s.
The base recipe is courtesy of Kristie Sullivan, PHD, who began her low-carb journey in 2013 after a lifetime struggle with obesity. It was the only thing that worked for her and she has since published a book of everyday low-carb recipes “Journey to Health: A Journey Worth Taking”.
She also has a YouTube channel, Cooking Keto with Kristie.
Here is how to make the base:
Ingredients
½ cup whey isolate unflavored protein powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon granulated garlic (garlic powder)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (I just used mixed herbs)
85 grams grated parmesan cheese (if you don’t have just up the mozzarella)
85 grams mozzarella cheese
57 grams cream cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Heat the cheeses in the microwave for a short while to soften.
Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. The dough will
be more like a thick batter than a workable dough.
Line a baking sheet or pizza stone with parchment paper. Use a
wooden spoon or spatula to smooth the dough into a 9-inch round
pizza crust. You may also divide the dough into fourths and create
four, 5-inch (13 cm) pizza crusts (if you make 4 servings).
Bake the crust for 9 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove the crust from the oven, top with your favourite Banting toppings – try the cream cheese, salmon and mozzarella.
After you top the pizza, return it to the oven to bake until the toppings are browned and the cheese is melted.
Non-low-carbers would argue that this way of making pizza is expensive but the base is very rich and one or two slices is all you need for a meal.