Cauliflower, what? Pizza. Pizza, what? Cauliflower. Seriously. Over the past few months since I got serious with my health, I discovered that I am intolerant to gluten. Gluten is that sticky substance in wheat that causes allergic reactions to some people. I am in that ‘some people’ group. It’s not like I’d die if I consume anything with gluten but I’d get headaches, those that won’t get scared of Panadol or Advil, those that linger for hours.

And that is almost equivalent of dying.

Anyway to cut the story short, I avoid foods with gluten as much as possible. I still eat them at times or at any social gatherings though after saying a little prayer.

Now that were talking about wheat, it’ll involve breads hmmm and pasta and pizza…just about the things I love. I’ve read from paleo blogs about taking carbs without the gluten and cauliflower sticks out in the discussions. Cauliflower pizza crust – did that ever make sense to you? It didn’t to me, until I tried it.

It’s easy, no kneading and twirling necessary! Unless of course, you’re into those kind of things.

Ingredients:

CRUST

• 1 cup Cauliflower Rice –> Hope you took note of last week’s recipe (it’s easy, no worries)
• 1 cup grated mozarella cheese
• 1 egg
• dried basil & other herbs you like

TOPPING

• Any you like – I won’t impose anything, except tomato sauce

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Grease a baking pan.

2. In a small bowl, put 1 cup cooled cauliflower rice, 1 cup of grated mozarella cheese, 1 scrambled egg and herbs. No need to add any salt or pepper since the cauliflower rice is flavored already. Mix well.

3. Drop the cauliflower mixture to the oiled baking pan and flaten as you wish. You decide whether to go traditional with circle or a square will do, it won’t affect the taste at all.

4. Bake in preheated oven for at least 15 minutes, checking if the top has firmed and the sides just browned enough.

5. Remove from oven and top with tomato sauce, onions, paprika, thin slices of meat – (think sausages, bacon, hotdogs, etc) I used some left overs from Japanese braised pork belly I made. Don’t forget to add cheese on top – I only added a little since the crust already contains cheese and I have a fear of cheese overdose. But if you don’t, go on, pour on more cheese to your heart’s content. I ain’t responsible.

6. Put back in the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or just enough for the cheese to melt.

7. Serve hot. Go crazy!

Now I can eat pizza, at home and without the headaches. You know how liberating that is? It almost feels like high school without the 7:00 pm curfew.

Oh and please don’t ask how many servings this will be. If it was all up to me and my husband, this wouldn’t last the next meal!

Edited: You can cut it into serving portions and freeze and heat later! Great for those quick, filling snacks. Or those random nights when you have nothing in your head but pizza. No need to dial Pizza Hut at all.

Credit goes to Jamie Van Eaton – inventor of all things cauli-rice!