In a previous post, I went over the very special diet that I am on currently: THE KETOGENIC DIET! This diet consists of 1,100 calories divided up to a 10% daily intake of carbs, 40% protein and the rest in good fats with absolutely NO SUGAR!

The reason this diet works for me is because when you deprive your body of carbs for energy, your body will produce ketones which utilizes fat and stored fat as an energy resource. Your mind will feel much more clear, you will have more energy, won’t crave snacks and you will loose weight!

I have played in the kitchen, trying to create amazing carb free dishes! I came across cauliflower crust pizza. YUM! You really can’t tell the difference! Now, I know you are probably asking why does my pizza crust differ from others all across the web? The answer is that I have experimented and I have tried many different methods. Through many different trials, I have come up with the perfect recipe. I use dry hard cheese instead of a wet cheese in the crust and I have found a great method for preparing the cauliflower so that you have a crisper final product.

You can add any sauce and any topping you would like if you just want to follow the recipe for the crust. Remember that since this crust is thin, beware of how heavy the toppings are. If you put too much sauce the crust will get soggy, if you add too many toppings the slices can’t be hand-held and would have to be eaten with a knife. Since tomato sauce is high in sugars, I recommend using a creamy sauce that has a low carb and sugar count instead.

 

What you need:

1.  Pizza Crust Ingredients:                     

1 head of cauliflower                                                                                         

1 large egg beaten                                                                                          

cheese cloth or thin hand towel                                                                       

3/4 cup fresh shredded parmesan                                                        

1/2 teaspoon of salt & pepper                                                                  

 

    2. Roasted Poblano Creme Sauce Ingredients:      

1 poblano  (Roasted & Peeled)           

 1/2 a block of cream cheese           

1 tablespoon of chicken stock         

1 teaspoon of toasted garlic powder  

1 teaspoon of toasted onion powder    

1/2  teaspoon of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of cilantro chopped

pinch of salt

 

3. Pizza Topping Ingredients:

ground beef browned          

1/2 -3/4 cup fresh mozzarella shredded 

sautéed shaved asparagus

teaspoon of lemon juice

pinch of salt

1. Pizza Crust

1.) Line a round baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 400ºF. (Make sure you are using Parchment paper, don’t confuse with wax paper)
In a food Processor chop Cauliflower until it resembles rice. Place in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for ten minutes. Remove from the microwave and let cool for two minutes.

2.) Spoon 1/2 a cup of cauliflower into a cheese cloth or thin towel and squeeze out all excess water. Continue until all cauliflower has excess water squeezed out.

3.)Return cauliflower to bowl and microwave for 1 minute, place dough in cheese cloth/towel and squeeze one more time. (SIDE NOTE: the more water you remove, the crispier the crust will be)

                                                                                        

4.) Mix in the Cauliflower, egg, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.

5.) Once combined, pat down the dough starting in the middle on the round prepared pizza pan. Make sure the crust is a consistent 1/2 cm tall and that you have a uniform round circle.

                                                                                             

6.) Spray lightly with non-stick spray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden around edges. Take out of oven and flip the pizza so that the browned side is facing up.   (flipping the dough allows the crispier side to hold the ingredients. When you return the pizza with toppings to the oven, the un-crisped side will get crispy)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

7.) Brush poblano sauce evenly on the top of the pizza leaving out the edge of the pizza. Make sure to brush a thin layer. Adding too much sauce will make your crust soggy!

                                        

8.) Add an even layer of cooked beef to your pizza and sprinkle 1/2 of your fresh grated mozzarella cheese on top of the beef.

9.) Spiral your asparagus around the pizza and add remaining cheese. Put the pizza back in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Pull out once the cheese is bubbly and browned. Place on cooling rack for 5 minutes, slice and serve!

 

 2. Poblano Sauce

1.) Roast poblano and toast onion & garlic powder. (do not use garlic salt)   Once poblano pepper is roasted, peel and remove stem.  (toast powders until they release a nutty aroma. Won’t take longer than a minute. Do not burn, you just a golden color. (NO BROWN))

2.) In the food processor add toasted garlic powder, toasted onion powder, poblano pepper, salt and chicken broth. Puree the pepper until is a sauce consistency. Add cream cheese cut up into cubes, lemon juice and cilantro. Pulse until all one constancy. Refrigerate an hour before use. (the longer the sauce in the fridge, the more the flavors are enhanced. Can make the night before.)

3. Pizza Toppings

1.) Brown ground hamburger on medium high heat in a cast iron pan. Once cooked, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
2.)Lower the heat to medium and saute shaved asparagus in cast iron pan. Add lemon juice and salt, cook for 4-6 minutes (to shave asparagus, cut asparagus diagonally in to 1 inch slivers. )
3.)Shred mozzarella.
4.) Set aside completed ingredients until ready to add to pizza crust.

ENJOY