mains + sides/ pizza/ recipes

Healthy Vegan Pizza

Health Vegan Pizza | Well and Full | #plantbased #recipe

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! :)

Health Vegan Pizza | Well and Full | #plantbased #recipe

Health Vegan Pizza | Well and Full | #plantbased #recipe

Healthy Vegan Pizza

This healthy vegan pizza is a nutritious AND delicious - with turmeric chickpeas, cashew cheese, and chopped avocado.

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

I bought my pizza dough from Whole Foods, and it was refrigerated before I baked it. If your pizza dough is fresh, it may only need 15 minutes baking time. Just keep checking it in the oven and take it out when it looks cooked through! :)

Health Vegan Pizza | Well and Full | #plantbased #recipe

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 :)

12 Comments

  • Reply
    Meredith Youngson | Earth & Oven
    January 3, 2018 at 1:48 pm

    Hi Sarah, I’m sorry to hear you are battling insomnia. I have SERIOUS sleep troubles due to my weird adrenals. In the past I have supplemented with l- tryptophan before bed…it is not commonly used, but worked for me because stress was the issue. Im not sure if this would counteract your meds though. I also use a really strong tea blend with skullcap, cat nip leaf and flower, peppermint and chamomile. ‘Magnesium Natural calm’, big doses of magnesium and other supplements designed for sleep might be worth a try.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      January 3, 2018 at 2:50 pm

      I really appreciate your tips, Meredith… actually, now that I think about, a nutritionist recommended I take magnesium a few years ago. It helped me a lot and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it! I’m so glad you reminded me :) Hugs!

  • Reply
    Jeanine Donofrio
    January 3, 2018 at 5:45 pm

    This looks so good! Acupuncture helps me sleep – also, a Chinese herbal supplement by the Plum Flower brand called Suan zao Ren Tang.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      January 3, 2018 at 10:03 pm

      So I just looked into that herbal supplement, and I read one of the comments on Amazon that said: “I am battling Lyme and one of the problems that Lyme patients have is insomnia. Suan Zao Ren Tang tablets work beautifully and with no grogginess the next morning!” It was crazy to read that because one of the possible causes I’m looking at with my doctor is Lyme Disease. I was diagnosed with it when I was 5, and apparently it never fully goes away in your system. I’m glad that you brought this connection to my attention because I will bring it up to my doctor. I really appreciate it, Jeanine!

  • Reply
    Kimberly/TheLittlePlantation
    January 9, 2018 at 5:34 am

    This looks abslutely amazing!!!! Spotted on instagram and glad I came to the blog to admire it in full!
    As for your sleeping problems. So sorry to hear about them. That really sucks. I’m a trained nutritional therapist and so my response would be – I can’t give you advice without looking at you holistically. Please do go see someone near you. Someone recommended. Most consultations take 1-2 hours and that way the assessor get s a full, rounded picture of what’s happening in your body. Any quick googled personal experience type advise shared here may be counterproductive and create an array of other issues, which is why I’d refrain from doing so. Much as I’d love to help ;)
    Good luck with everything and keep us posted.

    • Reply
      Sarah
      January 9, 2018 at 11:55 am

      Aww thank you Kimberly :) I will definitely look for someone I can see locally…. I completely agree with you that googling the issue will not be productive. Especially since sometimes I get down into that googling hole and then up convincing myself that something worse is going on ;)

  • Reply
    puja
    January 11, 2018 at 7:50 am

    This is so genius. Can’t wait to try this… :)

    • Reply
      Sarah
      January 11, 2018 at 12:15 pm

      Thank you so much, Puja!!

  • Reply
    Melissa Wright
    January 14, 2018 at 4:25 pm

    Hi Sarah,

    Ive recently discovered the wonderful benefits of adaptogens. The website is best to explain it but I highly recommend the brand ‘four sigmatic’ and the reishi spore blend. It’s seriously calming and it works very quickly. I have it each night before bed. They have a lot of other benefits too. I first heard about it on the “Rich Roll” podcast he is a vegan ultra athlete. I hope this helps.
    Kind regards,
    Melissa

    • Reply
      Sarah
      January 15, 2018 at 3:44 pm

      Hi Melissa, thank you so much for your recommendation! I actually used to take a reishi tincture in my coffee every morning, and I’m not sure why I stopped. I will definitely look into that reishi blend! :)

  • Reply
    Lori
    November 1, 2018 at 2:53 pm

    Hi! I do about 15 min of yoga while listening to a meditation on YouTube (do Yin yoga, not Sun Saultation yoga, which gives energy). Then what puts me to sleep is a Nidra Yoga meditation on headphones via YouTube. I learned about Nidra Yoga meditations while working with an Ayurvedic doctor last year and they cured both my insomnia and need to take Advil before bed to dull some chronic muscle pain I have. Nidra Yoga meditations have been miraculous!

    • Reply
      Sarah
      November 1, 2018 at 5:07 pm

      I will have to look into Nidra meditations! Since I wrote this post, I’ve been listening to podcasts before I go to bed (which has helped a bit). A meditation sounds much more peaceful though! Thanks for the tip :)

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