Kickin’ Veggie and Red Pepper Hummus Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust

Onto my 2nd recipe during pizza week, I present to you lower carb cauliflower pizza crust with kickin’ roasted red pepper hummus and lots of veggies!

I based the cauliflower crust recipe off of Lindsay’s lightened up BBQ chicken over at Pinch of Yum. I had my eye on cauliflower based crusts for a while now and finally got around to trying one. Its safe to say that it wont be my last…

I didn’t have any cornmeal on hand so I used millet flour in its place (bonus that it is corn-free). This alternative crust has a unique texture and tastes delicious! I did make the mistake of letting my rumbling tummy and impatience take over and I should have cooked it longer. While still yummy, my lack of patience required the use of a fork for the middle sections.

Instead of BBQ sauce or typical marinara, I used a homemade red pepper hummus that paired nicely with its cauliflower base. Topped off with a handful of sautéed veggies and a sprinkle of cheese made for an atypical but delicious combination. I had hoped to use goat cheese or feta in place of the fontina cheese for extra flare, but the fontina worked really well too.

Even if this pizza doesn’t make you want to jump up and down, try the hummus on its own as a dip or spread…yummmmm!

Kickin’ Veggie and Red Pepper Hummus Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust

Ingredients

1 medium head cauliflower (about 2.5 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, divided
sea salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup millet flour
2 eggs
2 tsp pizza seasoning (italian seasoning could be subbed)
could shakes of crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup Kickin’ Red Pepper Hummus (recipe below)*
1/3 cup onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese (mozzarella, goat cheese or feta could all work here depending on your taste. Use choice of Daiya for vegan or dairy free or omit)
2 scallions, chopped

Instructions

1. Chop the cauliflower into medium pieces. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp oil and heat until shiny. Place the cauliflower and garlic in the hot oil, stir to cover with oil, and place a lid on the skillet. Check skillet every few minutes to keep cauliflower from burning, but let it get a nice browned roasted outside. Continue to let cauliflower cook, covered, for about 10-15 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Let cool for a few minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 450. In a blender or large food processor, place eggs, flour, pepper and seasoning. Place cauliflower in blender and puree until you have a semi-smooth, thick batter. Cover a pizza pan with parchment paper and pour batter into the center of the paper. Spread until you have about a 1/2 inch thick crust or thinner if desired.
3. Bake the crust for about 20-24 minutes, checking occasionally to keep from burning. I recommend letting it brown a little bit more than a normal crust so it will cook through completely.
4. While crust is cooking, heat remaining 1 tsp oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes until crisp tender and remove from heat.
5. When the crust is cooked through and golden brown, remove and spread with hummus. Sprinkle with sauteed veggies and the shredded cheese and bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with scallions, slice, and serve!

Kickin’ Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (or one 15oz can of garbanzos, rinsed well and drained)
4 oz jar of roasted red peppers, drained
juice from one lemon (about 2 1/2 to 3 Tbsp)
2-3 Tbsp tahini paste
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Tabasco sauce or Cholula hot sauce to taste (I used about  1 1/2 tsp)
sea salt to taste

Directions

1. In a food processor, puree all of the ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Scrape the mixture off the sides of the food processor occasionally to help puree the mixture well.
Either serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Will keep about 4 days.

Quirky fact about me: for years I only ate pizza with a fork…I didn’t pick it up like a sandwich in my hand. Instead, I would scrape off and eat all of the toppings along with the cheese first. I would then proceed to roll up the crust and eat it like a tortilla. Depending on what type of pizza im eating, i’ll occasionally revert to this different way of eating 🙂