Not long ago, I was caught off guard when an interviewer asked me what my favourite comfort food was. For some reason I couldn’t think of a single food. How silly. Shouldn’t we all have an instant response to this question?
I took a few seconds (which felt like hours as their video camera was recording me) to think about what my honest answer was. And I just blanked! “Next question!”
Three hours later, boom. It hit me, like it always does (delayed). PIZZA!!!
The truth is I have a lot of favourite comfort foods; chilli, lasagna, cookies, Chinese takeout… but the truth is, pizza comes above all. Who doesn’t love pizza?!
It’s like the universal comfort food. Warm crust, any and all toppings our hearts desire, and a food we can eat with our hands.
Hello happiness.
So last weekend, before the two bags of fiddleheads we had in our fridge were about to go bad (whoops!), I decided to put them to good use by adding them to an all green pizza. They were the shining stars of this flatbread recipe, alongside a super easy avocado pesto recipe some charred asparagus heads + avocado chunks for more of that creamy texture.
And truth be told, since going vegan, I definitely don’t miss eating cheese, but I do sometimes miss the flavour that it brought to foods where it’s a staple, like pizza. So instead, a substitute I’ve been L-O-V-I-N-G lately that’s way more nutritious than cheese, and packs a punch of health benefits, is nutritional yeast!
Trust me, the name kept me away for a long time… I mean, “yeast”? But OMG, it’s a very highly concentrated food, packed with B complex vitamins, as well as thiamine, riboflavin, and zinc, and it honestly has that “cheesy” taste, without any dairy! Win-win!
Here’s how you can make this all-green, easy vegan pizza recipe at home!
Note, I rarely make my own pizza dough. I just find it so easy and convenient to pick it up, already premade from our local italian bakery. If you are looking specifically for a homemade vegan pizza dough recipe, I suggest this one from Minimalist Baker. That one is also gluten-free!
You’ll need this easy vegan avocado pesto recipe for the pizza’s sauce!
Vegan Avocado Pesto Pizza with Fiddleheads and Asparagus
This vegan pizza recipe is one of my favourites. An all green beauty with fresh avocado chunks, fiddleheads, and charred asparagus spears.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- Pizza dough
- 8 tbsp avocado pesto
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups packed raw fiddleheads
- 1 avocado
- 1 large bundle of asparagus
- Kosher salt
- Chilli flakes
- Salt-free steak spices
Instructions
Instructions:
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Drizzle approx. 3 tbsp of oil on baking sheet, and ensure the whole sheet is well oiled by spreading it around with your hands. Next take your pizza dough, and drizzle your remaining olive oil directly onto the dough. Knead with your hands, and gently pull the dough in opposing directions so that it forms an even flatbread, no more than an inch in height.
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Let your dough sit in the greased pan for about 25 minutes. And stretch again for your desired thickness of dough.
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While the pizza dough is settling, you can get started on cooking your fiddleheads and asparagus.
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It’s really important to note that fiddleheads should be cleaned thoroughly before eating. I rinsed my fiddleheads under running water for 2-3 minutes, soaked in boiling water over stovetop for 15 minutes, and then rinsed in hot water once more.
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Once your fiddleheads are properly cleaned and cooked, you can season them with olive oil and salt-free steak spices.
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Preheat oven to 425 F.
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Cut off about an inch or so from the bottoms of your asparagus, and chop into three even, bite-sized pieces.
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I like to lightly fry my asparagus on stove top with olive oil and kosher salt, for about 5 minutes or so on medium heat.
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Once your pizza dough is settled, smear some of your vegan avocado pesto all over, ensuring it reaches the near edges of the dough. Top with your boiled fiddleheads and lightly fried asparagus, and add a pinch or two of salt + seasonings and pop into the oven for 20-22 minutes depending on your preference of soft/crispy crust.
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After the pizza is cooked, top with chilli flakes and avocado chunks. Serve and enjoy!
Nick Joly | Inspired by Nick
Be good to your body.
inspiredbynick.com
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