And here it is… Pizza that is also healthy and filled with vegetable goodness ?

Cauliflower based pizza, please stand up and take a bow.

Alright, I’m not going to try and convince you that cauliflower based pizzas are better than regular, stoned-oven-baked, pizza-dough pizzas from you favourite pizzeria. Because, let’s get real for a second, walking home with a warm pizza box containing your favourite pizza with all that gooey cheese, those wonderful, colourful toppings, and that thin and crispy (or thick and dough-y, however you like it ) pizza base is just so gooooooood.

It cannot be replaced. NEVER!

No, I’m not going to try and convince you that cauliflower based pizzas are as good as that….

Or am I?!?!

Don’t get me wrong I was also a skeptic. I mean…. cauliflower…. on a pizza?

What kind of quinoa-stuffing, kale-blitzing, chia-seed-inhaling, hipster-foodie tomfoolery is this?

But you know what? I did make it…..

And, I have to admit, it was good.

If I’m really honest with you it was delicious.

In fact, seeing as I’m all about honesty right now, I might as well say it was so delicious that there was not a single crumb left on the plate within a few minutes of it coming out of the oven.?

Yes, there it is. I’ve said it. Cauliflower based pizzas rock my world.

Sure, they will never replace the greatness of an authentic pizza-dough-based pizza; it’s never quite going to fill the comfort food spot on lazy Friday, pizza-beer-and-movie nights  – you know, when all thoughts of healthy eating fly out of the window.

However, for a crazily healthy lunch, an alternative dinner option, for a snack (or for those on gluten free/ grain free diets) these cauliflower based pizzas are rockstars.

Low carbs, low calories and yet packing a mighty nutritional punch….

Yes, yes and more yes!

And for my first attempt at making this cauliflower based pizza I’m keeping things very simple; as pizzas should be. I’m not loading them sky high with toppings. Just a simple sauce and cheese deal with a sprinkling of fresh basil.

So here’s what we have:

The Cauliflower Base

I’ve already talked so much about these that I will keep this quick. Cooked cauliflower, a couple of eggs and some seasoning is all it takes to make these amazing bases. That’s right, there’s no need to worry about yeast, and kneading, and resting time, rolling etc

Just mix together, spread onto a baking tray and cook. Simples. ☺️

In my cauliflower pizza base making experiments I tried a lot of different variations such as including cottage, and several other types, of cheese in what I can only assume is a method of reducing the cauliflower-ness of the base.

But they are not necessary.

Salt, Pepper and some herbs – and even a pinch of a few spices – can hold that cauliflower taste at bay because that’s not really the main flavour we want when eating pizzas, right?

The cheese can, however, helps as a binding agent so if eating pizza with your hands is important to you – as it should be – you may want to look at adding the optional cheese into the base.

The Sauce

Classic tomato based sauce is what beautiful, traditional pizzas call for but, seeing as cauliflower based pizzas are just a little left of field, I thought we would need something a little different, something that tickles the tastebuds…

And this is where the Thyme to Mango 5 Minute Red Pepper Sauce comes in. If you’re not familiar with the sauce it is my go to recipe for whenever I want a tomato sauce – or chopped tomato – alternative.

Tasty,  nutritious and so quick and easy to make (it really does just take 5 minutes) it certainly adds a new dimension to all your usual recipes. If you don’t believe me, you can always see the 5 minute red pepper sauce magic happening is several other recipes including:

• Red Pepper Spaghetti Puttanesca
• Quinoa and Red Pepper Quinoa Bowls
• Gemista: Greek-Style stuffed tomatoes, eggplants and zucchini
• Feta and red Pepper Mac and Cheese
• and Chilli con carne with red Pepper sauce

For this pizza recipe, a cup of the Red Pepper Sauce is reduced down to a thick pizza-sauce like paste and this creates a wonderfully rich and tasty flavour to pair with the cauliflower.

And finally…

The cheese

Alright, the cheese may not add any health value to this pizza but, when the pizza dough and sauce are this healthy, I feel a decent helping of cheese can balance things out a bit.

Because what is pizza without cheese, am I right?

I went with mozzarella because… Pizza… but you can definitely swap that out for any other cheese you want.

So before your skeptical mind dismisses the cauliflower based pizza, I urge you to give it a try because you may just be surprised how good it can be.

And, if it doesn’t work for you, I think Brussel sprouts may be the next so-called “superfood” so you can surely try making a pizza dough with those. ha ha ha!