If you’ve been a longtime reader of this blog, you’ll know that for the past few years, I’ve had a number of health issues. Almost three years later and I can finally say that I’m in a MUCH better place. I feel much more stable and healthy than I have in while. But there’s a catch – one of the side effects of my medications is this crazy insomnia. I’ve never had this issue before, and I don’t really know how to handle it. My doctor said, when prescribing the medication, that I might need to take something else to help me sleep. Going off my this med isn’t really an option, because it’s helping me in so many ways. But the no-sleeping thing is an issue.
I have an appointment coming up soon with my doctor, but in the meantime, I figured I’d reach out to all of you and see if you had any holistic, natural ways that help you sleep. I’ve already tried a few techniques – I’m always sure to put my phone down when I’m in bed, so the light from the screen doesn’t keep me up. I also like to take hot baths at night with some calming lavender essential oil, and I’ll usually drink some chamomile tea. But if anyone has any other ideas on how to get to sleep, I’m all ears!
So, on to the recipe. The thing is, I love love LOVE pizza. But to be totally honest, in my vegan days I really felt like I was missing out. That is, until I created this cashew cheese recipe. And let me be the first one to say that it doesn’t really taste like cheese. However, it’s creamy, PACKED with umami flavor, and totally addicting. Score!
When I was creating this pizza, I wanted it to be really healthy and nutritious, but also super delicious and appealing to the eye. I pretty much added all of my favorite ingredients here – spiced chickpeas, avocado, and spinach and arugula. I love the combination of the whole wheat crust, umami cashew cheese, spicy and meat-y chickpeas, peppery arugula, and fresh spinach. I hope you love it too! :)
Healthy Vegan Pizza
Ingredients
Turmeric Chickpeas
- 1 15 oz Can Chickpeas rinsed and drained
- Drizzle Neutral Oil, like avocado or sunflower
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Paprika
- 1/4 Tsp Turmeric
- 1/4 Tsp Cumin
- Pinch Cayenne optional
Cashew Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Cashews soaked overnight
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 1 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste
The Rest of the Pizza
- 1 lb Whole Wheat Pizza Dough homemade or store-bought
- Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Arugula and Spinach as much as you like
- 1 Chopped Avocado
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Instructions
Turmeric Chickpeas
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a bowl, mix the chickpeas, oil, and spices until evenly coated. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached.
- When done, set aside, but keep the oven on at 425 degrees F – we’ll bake the pizza at the same temperature.
Cashew Cheese
- Soak your cashews overnight, or in a pinch, soak for 10 minutes in almost boiling, very hot water. Drain when done.
- In a blender, combine cashews and all other cashew cheese ingredients. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Making the Pizza
- Make sure your oven is still on at 425 degrees F (from cooking the chickpeas earlier).
- Take your pizza dough and roll it out into a pizza shape, about 1/2 inch thick. If your pizza is a little over or under 1 lb, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Spread a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil onto the pizza (but not on the crust area). Then, evenly add on the layer of cashew cheese on top of it, leaving room for the crusts.
- Bake in the oven on a pizza tray or baking sheet for 20-25 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through. Note that your cooking time may vary depending on how much dough you used.
- When done, let cool slightly.
Topping the Pizza
- While the pizza is still warm, top with arugula, spinach, avocado, and the cooked chickpeas. Add on a few cracks of fresh black pepper, or some red chili flakes if you like.
- Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
Notes
P.S.
If you make this recipe and post it on Instagram, be sure to tag me @wellandfull and #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your takes on my recipes :)
Leave a Reply