Pizza - Flatbread + Veggies

This photo is from my wonderful new friend,  Carol Brock McGill.  It's a photo of a pizza from her "Hello Fresh" food subscription.  This is what started me on the path of looking a flatbread pizza recipes.

The Dough

🌿  There are tons of ready made crusts (pizza, flatbread, Naan, cauliflower crust) to buy, but if I want to make my dough in my breadmaker -

Place ingredients in bread machine pan in the following order.

• 1 1⁄8 cups warm water
• 1 ½ Tbl olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp salt 
• 3 1⁄3 cups all purpose flour (OR - Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour)
• 1 ½ tsp sugar 
• 1 ½ tsp yeast - (I *think* omitting this makes it more of a flatbread)

Bread Machine Settings:

Select -   Pizza Dough

Loaf Size -   n/a

Crust Control -   n/a

Press Start.  It takes 55 minutes

When done, place in a bowl greased with olive oil.  At this point you can cover the bowl and refrigerate for later.  When ready to use, move to lightly floured board and shape the dough.  Note - If you use too much flour, the crust will be tough.

Bake crust for 5 minutes in an oven or air fryer before adding toppings. It should start to crisp, even in just 5 minutes.  

BRUSH with olive oil before adding toppings. This will prevent the crust from getting soggy.

🌿  More crust recipes:

• Debra Klein Vegan Flatbread
• No-Yeast Flatbread by A Virtual Vegan - uses baking soda and powder instead
• Cotter Crunch - Grain Free Naan with Cassava Flour - Uses Bob’s Redmill Cassava Flour.  Many cassava products are naturally vegan as well as nut-, grain-, and gluten-free, making them a great choice for those on an “Healing diet” or with food allergies and sensitivities.
• Focaccia Bread - includes herbs and cheese.  Looks really good and prob easy to modify.

Topping Options

Sauce Base

• Ranch Dressing
• tomato or marinara sauce
• hummus

Veggies

• caramelized red onions 
• garlic
• tomatoes
• sautéed mushrooms
• squash & zucchini
• bell pepper
• kale, spinach or arugula
• Brussels sprouts
• artichokes

More

• nutritional yeast or parmesan
• basil!!!
• Italian seasoning
• thyme
• rosemary
• Crushed red pepper
• glaze - date syrup (very low glycemic), Balsamic glaze, 

Put it Together

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toast flatbread for 5 minutes.

Sauté the Veggies and put preferred toppings on the flatbread.

Bake for 15 minutes.

Carrot Dogs

Recipe Inspiration Source:  Shane and Simple ,  Brand New Vegan

Start with about 6 (or more) fairly straight carrots, and cut off the tops.  Cut off the bottoms to make them ‘bun length’.  And by all means, if you have a favorite, healthy, hot dog bun…use it.

🌿 Prepare the Marinade

From Shane and Simple -

• 1 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup water or low-sodium veggie broth
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar (use extra apple cider vinegar if don’t have this)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp paprika or smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp dried ginger
• ½ tsp black pepper  

From Brand New Vegan -

• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce low sodium
• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar Braggs
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Broth low sodium
• 2 Tbs Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbs Liquid Smoke
• 1 tsp Yellow Mustard
• 1 tsp Fresh Garlic minced
• 1 tsp Pickled Jalapeno Juice
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder

🌿 Option 1 - Cook Carrots In Instant Pot

Preheat grill (if cooking right away).

 Place carrots in your Instant Pot, pour the marinade over the carrots and cook for 2 minutes.

Once the carrot dogs have finished cooking in the Instant Pot, use the quick release, remove them from the Instant Pot.  If not grilling right away, you can leave them in the IP pot to continue to marinate.  Marinating for at least an hour more is great.

 Throw them onto the grill. 

🌿 Option 2 - Cook Carrots On the Stove

This method requires marinating ahead of time!

 Boil carrots for 8-10 minutes or until just tender enough to pierce with a fork. YOU DON’T WANT THEM MUSHY!

Drain and rinse carrots under cold water to stop them from cooking.

Put the carrots in a gallon Ziploc bag or airtight container and pour the marinade over the carrots. Be sure they all get covered. Let them marinate in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours, but overnight is best.  Remember to turn the bag over occasionally to keep things mixed up.

🌿 Grill

Cook the carrot dogs for 2-3 minutes per side or until you get those really cool grill marks. Use leftover marinade to baste carrot dogs as they cook.

 Remove your dogs and serve on your favorite hot dog bun or roll fixed any way you like.

 If you don’t plan on eating your carrot dogs right away remove them from the Instant Pot and store in the fridge with the marinade until you are ready.

🌿 Don’t Want To Grill?

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add carrots dogs and ½ cup of marinade to skillet. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until most, if not all, of the marinade has evaporated.

Serve immediately. 

🥕 Save leftover marinade to make more carrot dogs!

🥕 Need gluten free buns?  This article from Food Network offers suggestions based on their taste test.

 

Salad - Tu-No Chickpea

Recipe Inspiration Source: Shane and Simple

Gosh, I love his photos!

His blog is becoming one of my favorites.

This is Shane's photo.

A pastry cutter is the bomb for cutting through the chickpeas -
much easier than a fork or potato masher.

I had been eating the salad as part of a sandwich,
but I think now I prefer it on the side.
My bread was itty bitty and I like more salad, less bread.

CHICKPEA SALAD INGREDIENTS

• 1 15-ounce can low-sodium or no salt added chickpeas
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup diced green onion
• 1/4 cup diced celery (use some of the leaves, too!)
• 1/4 cup sweet relish or dill pickles
• Pinch of salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Rinse and drain chickpeas.

Place in a mixing bowl and mash with a PASTRY CUTTER, leaving a few of the beans whole.  A fork or potato masher can be used but will take a little longer.

Add the tahini, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, green onion, celery, and sweet relish to the chickpeas and mix until everything is well combined.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the chickpea salad onto one piece of bread. Add lettuce, tomato, red onions and more Dijon (if you prefer) to the second slice.  Put them together and make a sandwich.

NOTES
The salad will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge.

Feel free to add whatever toppings you wish. The ones in the recipe are my favorites, but get creative and build your own. Pssst...avocado works really well with this recipe 😉

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

More... 

I love how he describes the ingredients in his post - 

CHICKPEA SALAD SANDWICH INGREDIENTS

I know this is not some new “revelation” of a recipe. There are lots of variations and I’m sure they’re great. But, I like my sandwich plain and simple. All you need are seven simple ingredients.

Chickpeas: Super healthy. Loaded with protein and fiber. They’re also hearty and very filling.

Dijon Mustard, Tahini, & Maple Syrup: These three come together to make an awesome sauce that replaces the mayo usually found in these types of sandwiches. Dijon for a little “twang.” Tahini provides a “nutty” flavor and healthy fats. And, the sweetness of the maple syrup brings everything together.

Celery, Green Onion, & Relish: Celery and onion add a savory crunchiness to this recipe. And, the sweet pickle relish adds a tanginess that just goes well with all these other flavors. You can use diced dill pickles. They work great! I just love sweet relish.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Forks Over Knives has a slightly different version - 

FOR THE SALAD:

• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy brown mustard
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ¼ cup diced celery
• ¼ cup diced pickle
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained and loosely chopped
• Healthy pinch each sea salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon roasted unsalted sunflower seeds (optional)

Sandwich Ideas

Most of these should be pretty easy to duplicate.

The Yummy Plant