Thursday, May 20, 2010

Pizza for the gluten intolerant


One thing is certain- getting off gluten is improving my arthritis enough to let me sleep. This week I have fallen into such a deep sleep that I not only dream actively, but oversleep ! I was in the middle of a dream about something called "American Roofing Idol" when Nick started poking me , saying "Mom. I made breakfast !". I rolled over and saw that it was 6:30 am- very late awakening for me !!!

So I will be brief. Last night the plan was pizza, and it became an opportunity to use some alternative things to make a crust. At this moment I do not have tapioca, rice or potato flours , but I do have ground flax. Flax can be used to make bread products, and the golden flax looks closer to wheat inj the final product. Regular ground flax resembles rye flour in taste and texture. Great for things like focaccia and pizza, but bad for things like cake ( almond flour works well for that). I found this crust recipe at About.com some time back , and we enjoyed it. I decided to top it with a mix of roast vegetables ( fennel, asparagus, mushrooms, red pepper and green onions ) to try to make it even better ! I defy anyone to eat more than two slices- it is incredibly filling !


Flax Meal pizza Crust

1 and 1/2 C flax seed meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
Sweetener to equal about 1 Tablespoon of sugar
3 Tablespoons of oil
3 eggs
1/2 C water

Preheat oven to 425 F.
1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2. Add wet ingredients, and mix very well.
3. Let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken.
4. Spread on pan (I put it on a silicon mat or greased parchment paper).
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes until cooked through, then add toppings and cook until they are done.

11 comments:

blessedmama said...

Thanks for the pizza dough recipe. I'm always on the lookout for good ones. I have arthritis too and didn't know that gluten could irritate it. Very interesting, I'll have to check into that. Have a great weekend!

WWSuzi said...

I've heard of using cauliflower as a crust for pizza! If i see it i'll pass it along to you :)

Julie said...

Check out my blog, I left you something :)

Enz said...

I've never tried using flax for dough...does it have that flax-y aftertaste?

karen said...

I have the recipe (well, our variation of it) that spunkysuzi mentioned:

http://muffinfixation.blogspot.com/2010/01/veggie-crust-pizza.html

I think I'll make it again soon since we REALLY liked it!

Di said...

Blessedmama- it has been indicated as one of the possible triggers. Gluten intolerance is basically an allergic reaction to gluten, and all allergic reactions send our autoimmune system into overdrive. Arthritis is one of the possible manifestations of the immune system gone nuts, so it is possible to find relief of symptoms through a gluten free diet, if you have a sensitivity.

Suzi- I tried that one when we attempted a strict low carb diet a few years back, and we really didn't like it. It came out as needed to be eaten with a fork, but tasted pretty good.

Julie- thanks ! I will get to it in a day or two, once I figure ou which thing to do

Enz- I think it has that flaxy aftertaste, but it is not something I find to be objectionable. However if you do, then this would not be a good option. Next week I want to try out a crust using rice and tapioca flour to see if it is closer to a wheat crust pizza. It's always fun playing with a new ingredient !

Jeremy Logsdon said...

I've made a few things with flax seed, but I've never tried pizza. This one is definitely going on my list of things to make. :)

Di said...

Jeremy- give it a try ! Bob says to him it sort of tastes like pizza on a wasa rye crisp cracker thing- not totally the same but definitely enjoyable !

Diane Fit to the Finish said...

Great looking pizza. That dough recipe looks really great. I had someone email me the other day asking about gluten free breads. I'm going to send her this link!

Di said...

Thanks Dian- I am only getting started with this myself and learning as I go. I do remember trying some rice flour bread in the past, cringing at the price, turning away in shock at how bad it tasted and vowing that if it came to having to go gluten free ever I would learn to make my own !I also remember the rice bread being higher in calories than wheat bread- something about the different things needed to make it preform like wheat bread.

Nicole, RD said...

How creative! I love that idea! Flax is so versatile, but pizza crust? Impressive! :)