Easy Peezy Cheezy Vegan Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza?  Yeah, that's what I thought.  Although, I must admit; I have had my fair share of sub-par vegan pizzas....it's a hard sell without all that yummy cheese!!!

But, alas there is hope... I have found a few brands of vegan cheeses that don't make you want to run in the opposite direction.  Daiya cheese is a good one and Follow Your Heart is another great brand. These vegan cheeses stretch and melt just like the real thing which makes them perfect for pizzas. Note: make sure you look at the ingredients on the back.  Some of these vegan cheeses contain casein, which is in fact a dairy product and what some researchers believe causes cancer.

Vegan Pizza

I actually like to make my own dough, but if you are pressed for time, you can always buy pre-made pizza dough at your grocery store.  I usually buy Trader Joe's dough that can be found in the vegetable section.






For the Crust: (yields 2 large pizzas)

1 Tbs. active dry yeast

1 ½ cups warm water

2 Tbs. olive oil

1½ tsp. salt

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 ½ to 2 cups bread flour

1. Mix yeast with 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl, and set aside until yeast begins to foam, for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add remaining water, olive oil and salt, and stir to combine. Using a portable or standing mixer, add flour by cupfuls until a sticky dough comes together. Knead by machine, or put dough on lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. Put dough in a bowl, cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 11/2 hours, or until doubled.
3. Punch dough down, and form into equal-sized balls for 2 large or 4 small pizzas. Spray pizza pans or baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray, or rub with olive oil. Let dough rest for 30 minutes, shape into pizza crusts and place in pans or on sheets.

Now It's Time to Make the Pizza!

Ingredients:
store bought pizza sauce (again I prefer Trader Joe's Brand)
Daiya vegan Mozzarella Cheese
your favorite veggies!!!

Directions
Preheat oven to 425.  Spread sauce on rolled out pizza dough, leaving about 1/2 around the outside for the crust.  Toss shredded cheese on top of sauce...don't be bashful!  The more, the better!  Then add your favorite toppings.   Bake for 16-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

tip:  For extra deliciousness, sprinkle some nutritional yeast on your slice!