I was going to call this recipe ‘Cauliflower Pizza Kitchen’, but a) I was worried that California Pizza Kitchen might have spies that read obscure blogs and decide to sue me for whatever they might sue me for (name infringement? besmirching?); b) Miss R pointed out that not everyone knows what CPK is and therefore would not get my dubious play on words; and c) well, it didn’t make sense. So, once again, a cumbersome yet descriptive title from yours truly. I really should get better at this.
Trawling around on the Internet, as one does, you see all kinds of ‘pick me, pick me’ recipe names: some very elegant and poetic, often English translations of Chinese recipes, such as golden sands corn or ants climbing a tree. Others are decidedly odd – pockmarked old woman’s beancurd (mapo tofu – a huge favourite of ours. My version posting soon), limping Susan (“a less able-bodied cousin of Hoppin’ John“), and garbage, which seems to cover a lot of culinary bases – as pie, snack mix, bread, beef dish, something you cook in, etc. The latter, along with some other humdingers, are posted on taste of home.com, with others still on epicurious.
And while the rest of the world has the occasional strangely named food or dish, the British really take the biscuit, so to speak: spotted dick, toad in the hole, moggy (!!), stargazy pie, lobscouse, fat rascals. I could go on. One of my ‘new’ favourite weirdly named recipes is for the Scottish dish ‘rumbledethumps’. I always thought it referred to a type of little cake, like a rock bun (odd name, tasty morsel). But no, Karen at Lavender and Lovage set me straight as it is in fact potato, cabbage, cheese and chive gratin. So, a poshed up version of another mad-monikered dish many of you will have heard of, bubble and squeak.
And so almost to the prosaically named cauliflower and almond pizza crust with fresh sauce and greens. Like a lot of you reading this I have been trying a wee bit to get a handle on carbohydrate intake. Without boring you rigid the issue with carbs is not the carbs as such but the amount and type we eat: most of us consume far too many processed, refined grain products (and sugars) and too little plant fibre. It is easily done. I don’t want to spend this post banging on about balancing blood sugar, losing weight and all the rest that cutting back on carbs can bring. Instead I refer you to a previous post on the subject and to these articles from livestrong, Harvard School of Public Health and Time (Healthland) to read at your leisure, if you like. For information on the health benefits of cauliflower and vegetables of a similar ilk, I refer you to the world’s healthiest foods webpage (love this site) and a wee bit on broccoli from my orecchiette with purple sprouting broccoli (etc) post from March.
I recommend in my classes that we all try and have a serving of cruciferous vegetables every day, and a hefty size serving at that – about a good double-cupped handful. A slice of this pizza won’t completely count as a serving, obviously, but having a piece with a salad containing watercress and rocket, or with some stir fried kale (with some yummy garlic) would give you a powerful punch of cancer-fighting phytonutrients such as indole-3-glucosinolate (which converts to I-3-carbinol) and some heavy-hitting antioxidants, especially beta-carotene.
Cruciferous vegetable family: cauliflower (including the above romanesco – yum), broccoli (all varieties), cabbages (all), turnip greens and other ‘nippy’ greens such as mustard, watercress, rocket/arugula, bok choy, choi sum, Chinese leaf. Even radishes, turnips, swedes and parsnips are cruciferous. But the standout vegetable for anyone wanting to maximise their intake of disease preventing nutrients has to be kale. All hail, kale. And incidentally, cruciferous veg are a dieter’s go-to food,so if you need to gain weight make sure and eat yours with something more calorific.
My recipe is inspired by my friend Conner’s pizza base recipe from her book, Zest for Life (remember, that was a giveaway a while back). In her recipe she combines flaxseed and almonds to make her base, while I’ve just used almonds. I also include cauliflower, which I have seen in a number of pizza base recipes, but they always included cheese, which I didn’t want to use. I thought I would have to go through a few test batches but luckily this recipe seemed to work first time. I guess you will be the judge of that though. I am linking up this recipe to Fabulicious Food’s Family Friendly Friday roundup, so please check out the undoubtedly more family friendly recipes on this link. Also linking to Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, where you will find loads of amazing recipes.
What is the weirdest recipe name you have come across? Did you try it? And what is your wackiest pizza topping? Miss R once had snails (we were in France, naturally)…


What a unique pizza crust – I’ve never seen cauliflower used in the base before! Can’t say I’m the biggest cauliflower fan, but I’m intrigued so I will have to try this!
Ah, but that’s the beauty, you honestly have no idea you are eating cauliflower. I love cauliflower so tasting it wouldn’t have offended me, but none of us testers tasted it at all. IT just tasted a bit nutty. Hubby hadn’t seen what went into it so gave an unbiased thumbs up, with no ‘what’s the deal with the crust?’interrogation. As if he would dare!
How does it do as a leftover? Does the crust get soggy or still perform well? It sounds marvelous and a must try for me!
Well, I don’t know is the simple answer! I think it would need a quick blast in a hot oven or grill to ‘revive’ it. It doesn’t make a huge pizza so if you were sharing it there certainly wouldn’t be any leftovers. Let me know how it does for you. I really appreciate feedback. Thanks Desi!
I shall let you know! The reason I was asking was because my husband is allergic to nuts and the almonds are pretty essential to making this crust work so I knew if I made this as a week night dish, I’d have leftovers….
How about trying it with polenta/maizemeal, with addition of a handful of dry mozzarella to help with moisture and binding? No guarantees but it should be okay. I would mince the cauliflower, add the oil and other non-nut bits then gradually work in maizemeal until you get a dough-like consistency. There are other recipes online that have cauliflower and no nuts so I won’t be upset if you explore those options. All just a bit cheesey for me, no pun intended. Hope this helps.
I was going to try it with soy nuts or toasted posole to give it the crunch. I’ll try yours first to taste the “baseline” so to speak before doing other things to it! Thanks again for posting such lovely food! 🙂
Thanks so much 😀 Soy nuts – good idea. Maybe try that myself.
Always looking for pizza dough that doesn’t use wheat flour! Thanks! (nice choice on the track of the week as well)
Aw thanks, for the comment and for kudos on track choice. I’ll inform Miss R. I need to do some catching up with your wonderful blog. I love it!
A compelling recipe! I’ve seen the cauliflower pizza crust and whizzed by, but you’ve convinced me to give it a try. The romanesco photo is a delight!
Let me know if you make it. I trust your opinion on whether it was worth the effort, however small. And I love romanesco too. When it’s in season here I’ve got an easy little post for it (not *those* ones of course :D)
I regularly make pizza dough using whole wheat flour and sweet potatoes (from Jillian McKeith) – I’ll have to try this since my husband and I love cauliflower!
Not keen on ol’ Gillian as a person (what a crybaby in the I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here) but she has some interesting recipes. Thanks for letting me know about this one as I LOVE sweet potatoes.
The crust sounds intriguing (will definitely give it a try), and the pizza looks wonderful. As for the wackiest pizza topping I’ve ever tried, having lived in Japan for 10+ years, that is hard to answer – wacky pizza is the norm there. Corn and mayonnaise are popular toppings there, seaweed is not unheard of, and I once had a “German curry” pizza which was kind of nasty…
Corn and mayo, hmmm. I don’t think I will be trying that anytime soon, but seaweed sounds okay. Last year I posted a tuna and creme fraiche pizza that is really good, but not so great pix… That’s kinda weird for toppings, but with a normal crust – unlike this one. Thanks for commenting 😀
I’m excited to try this though I will have to veganize it first, and I like your original name for it too 🙂
Thanks! Let me know how you make it vegan (aside from perhaps leaving off the cheese – which I can always do without).
Will do! I’m sure it will take some experimentation!!
This has got to be the most creative pizza crust recipe I’ve read! I’ve seen a number of nut and/or seed-based “breads” and “crackers” at raw food restaurants lately (they dehydrate rather than cook), but nothing combined with cauliflower (or any other veggie). Putting it on my “to try” list. Thanks!
P.S. Thoroughly enjoying the Zest for Life cookbook… even gave a copy to my mum. 😉
That’s interesting because I’ve just got a dehydrator & am looking forward to experimenting with it. Don’t think I’ll blog any recipes – too specialised & I’m no expert – but those crackers are so darn expensive that the greedy cheapskate in me will have a go. So, so glad you love zest for life. Conner reads food to glow, so I’m sure will see your comment for herself. Thanks Kelli!
that pizza base is so ingenious! I actually am not too much of a fan of most of the cruciferous veg, but I don’t think I would even think I was eating greens this way… Brilliant!
You won’t. I promise! Let me know if you pluck up the courage to try it. It may be your ‘gateway’ recipe to trying other cruciferous veg. Who knows?
It’s funny, just last night I was craving pizza and wishing I had cauliflower on hand to try out cauliflower pizza crust that I’ve been hearing about lately! Your version looks even better and I can’t wait to give it a try…bookmarking! 🙂
What a funny coincidence. We’ve had a few of these, haven’t we? Usually the other way round though:D Would love any feedback on this recipe especially. It worked for me twice but don’t know about others and their ovens. Thanks!
I love the article! I worked in Food and Beverage Service industries for several years and really enjoy reading and getting this great informations. Thanks alot
are u Chef?
No, I’m not. Not by any stretch of the imagination:D Cancer health educator & enthusiastic food meddler.
I made the pizza this week-end. I really liked it – my Italian husband from Brooklyn, NY, not so much. I’ll definately make it again!
Yah!! Thanks for the feedback. I don’t expect everyone will like it but I think it makes a great occasional alternative to the traditional dough pizzas.
I ate some leftover last night. It was soggy so I put the whole thing in a hot frying pan – I liked it even more!!!
Ooh, sounds good. It’s never made it to leftover status in our house though. Thanks for feedback.
ok
This looks fabulous! What a great alternative to normal pizza bases
Thank you Heather. Weird but good. I don’t think it’ll be a complete alternative because sometimes it’s nice to indulge in a thin crust pizza with loads of veggies. But with this one you can count the crust toward your 5+ a day 😀
An absolutely stunning recipe, Kellie. I’ve included it in a round up today. Your food, does, literally, glow!
Thanks so much, Ren. I am in terrific -and delicious – company. The potato shak from Gujerati Girl has my name on it.
I KNOW this pizza base combo!v It is similar to a diet I went on a while ago called Pig to Twig, which is NO carb and high protein! Those pizzas look absolutely amazing and are just the type of food we like in my household too……LOVELY! Karen
Gosh, I thought I was being fairly inventive! It just shows that good combos will always be found and repeated quite serendipitously. For me – us – it’s not a weight thing, just a wee change from dough pizza and making the base part of one’s daily veg intake. All about the plants 🙂 But proper dough is great sometimes too. Homemade, of course…
Never heard of this combo before but have seen the cauliflower and cheese pizza bases – I must try it as I love nuts and cauliflower and am curious to see what sort of pizza it produces – I am very fond of a tomato – sweet potato – bean sauce with cheese on pizza
Hi there. Just follow the directions and it should be straightforward. One commenter said she did it on a pizza stone with great results, so if you have one of those, maybe try it that way instead of mine. I’ve never had sweet potato on pizza but it certainly sounds good!
This pizza recipe is actually great and surely is healthy and tasty.