PRIMALOCITY

Primal Taco Pizza

If you haven’t already figured it out, I love pizza (I considered it a major food group before going primal) and mexican food.  I have tried many forms of pizza since going primal and liked them all, but this is one of my favorites.  Part of the credit for the success of this recipe has to go to the Primal Matriarch who some time ago posted this recipe for primal cheez-its. I make this delicious crackers all the time.  I do have to admit that when I make the crackers I have changed the cooking method a bit which I will explain later.  I use a variation of the cheez-it recipe for this taco pizza.  I like a thin crispy crust, and 90% of the time I am successful (sometimes the crust turns out a little softer than I like).  Experiment yourself to see what works for you.  I make the pizza and serve it with a garnish plate that includes fresh made pico de gallo, shredded lettuce and chopped olives and extra taco sauce that you can put on each piece as you eat it. YUMMY!  I hope you enjoy it too.

PRIMAL TACO PIZZA

I first make the garnish plate.  This can include just about anything you like on tacos.  I make fresh pico de gallo, and include shredded lettuce and chopped black olives.  Consider also serving fresh chopped onion, cabbage, sour cream and fresh diced jalapeno peppers for a little extra kick.  My pico is really easy, I just finely dice a couple of fresh tomatoes (sometimes I use the already diced Rotel Tomatoes if the tomatoes in the market aren’t looking to good), 1/2 red onion, and a large, seeded, jalapeno pepper.  I add salt & pepper, a healthy squeeze of fresh lime juice.  I then add 2-3 tablespoons of cilantro.  I like to make this first to allow the flavors to meld a bit before serving.  I prepare the rest of my garnishes so that when the pizza is done, its all ready to go.

To make the pizza, you will need:

• 1/2 recipe of primal cheez-its
• 3/4 – 1 pound of fresh chorizo sausage or taco meat
• 1 cup taco sauce (not salsa)(I use Taco Bell brand because the ingredients are good from a primal standpoint)
• 2 tbls. tomato paste
• 1/2 thinly sliced white or yellow onion
• 1-2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

To prepare the pizza you will first need to make the primal cheez-its.  The best part of the recipe is that you will also be able to make a batch of the crackers for snacking on later.  To make the cheez-its, you will need:

• 2 cups almond meal or blanched almond flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed meal
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 3 tbls. oil (I use almond oil but you cn use olive oil or any other of your favorite nut oils)
• 1 1/2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional if you like it with a bite)

To prepare the cheezit-its you will need a large cookie sheet, 2 pieces of parchment paper the same size as your large cookie sheet and a rolling pin.  Preheat the oven to 375º.  Now, combine almond meal/flour, flax meal, salt and baking soda.  Stir to combine completely.  Add cheese and stir to combine again.  In a separate bowl beat the eggs and oil together.  Add to the dry mixture and stir to combine well.  I mostly after a quick stir, use my hands to kind of kneed it all together.  Take half of the mixture and place in a zip lock bag and store in the refrigerator.  It will last for several days.  Take the remaining mixture and place between 2 pieces of parchment paper.  Roll out the mixture until its about 1/8″ thick and about the size of your cookie sheet.  I like to trim the edges with a pizza cutter as the edges tend to be thinner and will burn.  Remove the top layer of parchment paper and trim edges if necessary then place the rolled out dough and bottom parchment paper onto the cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes.  keep an eye on it so that it does not burn.

While the crust is baking, brown the chorizo in a skillet.  Now combine taco sauce and tomato paste (I use the tomato paste to thicken the sauce so tht it is not to watery and thus won’t make the crust soggy while it bakes) and slice the yellow onion.  When the crust is done, take it out of the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.  It should crisp up a bit after it rests.  When the crust is cooled I like to spray it with my olive oil sprayer to try and keep the sauce from soaking into the crust and making it soggy.  I then spread the sauce over the crust, add the chorizo and onions and then spread the shredded cheddar cheeseon top.  Place the pizza back in the oven and bake for about 10-15 miunutes until the cheeze is melted, bubbly and slightly browned.  If you like it browner turn on the broiler for a few minutes – and Voila -Taco Pizza.  slice and serve with garnish.

*Note: when you use the remaining dough to make crackers – roll it out in the same way but before you put it in the oven use a pizza cutter or knife to pre-cut the crackers.  When you take them out of the oven they will break apart nicely.  I like to take them out after about 15 minutes, break them apart and then put them back in the oven to crisp them up more.  I will typically lower the heat to about 325º when I do this.  keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.  The crackers around the edge may not need to be put back in the oven.  Only put the center pieces back in that still seem to be on the softer side.

Tags: Pizza, Recipes, taco pizza

What I Miss the Most

There are a few foods that  I just can’t seem to get out of my head since I starting eating according to the Primal Blueprint.  At the top of that list is pizza.  This is always my “go to” food when I’m craving something decadent, hot and cheesy.  But alas, how do you eat pizza and still be faithful to the primal lifestyle?  I think I’ve come up with the solution and hope you agree.  Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.

PRIMAL PIE

First, preheat your oven to 400 deg. fahrenheit.  I recommend that you use a 11″ x 17″ cookie sheet that has at least 1/2 inch sides.  This will allow the “crust” to build around the sides and creat a more pizza like experience.  Butter the pan and set it aside.  You will then need the following ingredients:

• 6 farm fresh organic eggs
• 5 tbls. of melted butter that has been cooled slightly
• 3/4 cup of cream or coconut milk
• 2 tbls.  fresh basil, chopped 
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese (optional)
• 3-4 cups of protein (chicken, shrimp, cooked sausage or cooked hamburger)
• 1-2 cups of your favorite primal tomato sauce
• your favorite pizza toppings

Whisk the eggs, cream or coconut milk, and melted butter together until the batter becomes somewhat frothy.  Add the basil, salt and pepper and your protein of choice.  You can also add 1/4 to 1/2 cup parmesan cheese to this crust batter if you are eating dairy.  I think the parmesan cheese contributes to giving the crust a more doughy chewy like texture.  Salt and pepper the batter to taste.  Now pour this mixture onto your buttered pan.  Try to keep the protein about a 1/2 inch away from the edges so that the crust can brown and raise around the edges while baking.  Place the pizza crust in the oven. 

 After about 30 minutes, remove the crust from the oven. It should be brown and set well by this point. Since all ovens are different, I would recommend that you keep an eye on the crust so that it doesn’t over-brown.  Now  spoon your primal sauce and chosen toppings (I like onions, peppers and mushrooms) over the baked crust.  You can  now cover this with the additional parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese (if you are eating dairy), but this is not necessary.  Place the pizza back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until the toppings are hot or the cheese is melted and browned.  Remove the Primal Pie from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing in squares and serving.

This is more than enough for two people.  In fact, my partner and I enjoyed this pizza with a farmers market salad and still had plenty left over.  We especially enjoyed it the next morning for breakfast.  Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Tags: Pizza, Recipes