Crispy gluten free quinoa pizza base

Wait, what did you just say? A crispy gluten free pizza base? Impossible. The cosmic law states ‘ if it’s gluten free it must be terrible’. That might be true in some cases but not for this pizza. I’m not even celiac and I eat this regularly.

It’s perfect to make when friends come around because it sounds so impressive. You don’t just buy Eagle Boys from down the road, you make your own QUINOA pizza. If this doesn’t make you sound like a responsible adult whose able to balance their chequebooks (whatever that means), then I don’t know what will.

Onto the pitch: it’s beautifully golden and it has a crispy edge that adds another dimension of flavour while remaining delicate enough to not overcrowd the toppings. Quinoa is also a great breakfast companion so it works really well with fruit like caramelised banana and fresh berries (just be sure to omit the dried herbs). I know, shocking. Pizza so healthy you can eat it for breakfast. What is life.

On tonight’s menu:

Roasted aubergine / / Tomato paste + eggplant + cherry tomatoes + fresh basil

Hawaiian / / Tomato paste + pineapple + nutritional yeast + fresh rocket leaves

Smokey BBQ / / Tomato paste (mixed with ground paprika, cinnamon, onion powder, garlic powder, and maple syrup) + grated carrots + diced purple onion + fresh spinach leaves

Superfood Boost / / Tahini + cubed sweet potato + black kale + mushrooms + chickpeas

Earth lover / / Hummus + sliced beetroot + radish + potato + balsamic vinegar

Classic garlic / / Vegan butter + minced garlic + mushrooms + green onion + balsamic vinegar

Pesto lover / / Pesto + Japanese pumpkin + broccolini + red capsicum

Fruit pop / / Caramelised banana + diced peaches + berry compote

To make the quinoa base:

Serves two

Ingredients

3/4 cup (130g) quinoa uncooked

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Juice of one lemon

1 tbs ground linseed

2 tbs olive oil

2 tsp dried herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme

Pinch of salt

Method

Pour the quinoa into a small saucepan with 2 cups water and the apple cider vinegar. Bring to a boil then simmer on medium heat until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy. This should take about 10- 15 minutes. Take it off the heat and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200ºC and grease an eight inch cake tin. If you’re cooking vegetables like pumpkin, potatoes or eggplant now’s a good time to put them in the oven. When the quinoa is cool transfer it to a food processor or blender along with the lemon juice, ground linseed, olive oil, dried herbs and salt. Pulse until well combined and kind of doughy. Scoop the mixture into the cake tin, press it down with your fingers and bake for twenty minutes. Flip and bake for another ten minutes then add your toppings and bake until the vegetables are cooked through.

Notes

To make vegan parmesan cheese just blend together one 1 tbs nutritional yeast, 2 tbs raw cashews, pinch of salt and garlic powder until crumbly.

Kirsty is an avid wholefoods recipe creator for her blog. She loves demonstrating that being conscious of what you eat is not only beneficial to your health and the planet, but also really fun. She uses ingredients that are seasonal and package-free to maximise health and minimise waste. All recipes are free of meat and dairy. Visit her website at: livnfree.com.au

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