Vegan Pizza

Sometimes you just want a pizza, so how do you make one when you don't eat cheese or meat. Sure I love veggie thin crust pizza but what about the cheese... would "vegan" cheese even melt? What does it taste like? I can't just call papa johns and say Hey - can you make me a pizza with non-dairy cheese?  I think growing up, we may of made 1 homemade pizza when I was 12. I am happy to say that this pizza is super easy to make and tasted great and is super healthy!

Step 1: The Crust

I like a whole wheat crust.  You can buy pre-made crusts, however, after finding out how simple it is to make one, probably will make my own.  I use the instructions on the back of the yeast package and started with 1/2 cup soy flour and 1/2 cup of whole wheat.

From the package:
1 3/4 to 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 envelope Fleischmann's Pizza Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup very warm water
3 tablespoons oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F
Combine: 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Add water and oil. Mix together until well blended (about 1 minute)
Add gradually 1/2 cup flour until soft dough ball is formed; will be slightly sticky.  Add additional flour if needed to form dough ball.
Knead on a floured surface adding additional flour if needed, until smooth and elastic. (about 4 minutes) 
With floured hands, press dough out ot fill greased pizza pan, or roll to a 12 inch circle and transfer to a greased pizza pan.

I used a pizza stone heated in the oven as the oven preheated.  I kneaded the dough and rolled it out, then held it up and rotated it letting gravity stretch the dough. I spread corn meal on the pizza stone after I removed it from the oven to keep the dough from sticking on the stone and making the crust crispy.  Some people brush the bottom of the crust with olive oil. Place the dough on the warm stone and begin to prepare the pizza.

Step 2: Toppings

This is the fun part.
I like Prego's all natural pizza sauce - no high fructose corn syrup or preservatives.
I like fresh vegetables such as chopped spinach, onions, peppers, mushrooms, celery, and Roma tomatoes.
I tried a soy based pepperoni product - called Yves meatless pepperoni. It was ok.
I used Daiya mozzarella shreds.

Spoon the pizza sauce onto the dough amount based on your tastes.
Sprinkle sauce with Chef Paul's Pizza and Pasta magic, garlic sauce, and italian seasoning.
Sprinkle a handful of the cheese on the crust.
Sprinkle your chopped vegetables of choice over the cheese.
Salt, pepper and season vegetables to taste with garlic, chef paul's, and italian seasoning.
Add more cheese and top it all with roma tomatoes and pepperoni (if using)

Bake until brown and crunchy approximately 15 minutes.
Eat Up!

LOVE the Daiya- it melts great and has a smooth buttery taste!