Pizza!? Again?

Blogged: April 14, 2013


I hosted guests last night for pizza/riding/OG beer and decided to make this again because it was so good. It's so easy to make and great for feeding a hungry mass. Here is the original recipe, if you didn't already see it on the blog.

Three of my friends have decided to do a two month challenge to go vegan and get their health back on track. I am trying to introduce familiar foods that may give them some comfort while achieving their goal. One of the ingredients they all say they will miss the most is cheese.

This time I decided to use Go Veggie! brand (a.k.a. Veggie Slices) for the "cheese." I previously did not use this brand because even though it was touted as a veggie cheese alternative, it was vegetarian; not vegan. Now the company has their Vegan line, which is casein-free and really tasty. I do not typically eat vegan cheeses, sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, etc. because even though it is vegan, it still does not mean that it's the healthiest thing on the planet (obviously). What is good about vegan choices compared to real cheese is that it is lower in calories and saturated fat, and is not pumped full of bovine growth hormones or antibiotics used in the dairy industry (also meaning, it is cruelty-free). I think that this brand compared to the Daiya brand melts a little better for pizza, but even though it is much creamier I still think I prefer to use the Daiya "mozzarella."

Here is a list from Pangea of many vegan cheese options, most of which can be found at your local Whole Foods (WFs) or health foods store in some shape or form. There are additionally many alternatives for other dairy products, like milk, sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, etc. These, too can be found at your local WFs. There are also methods to making your own vegan cheese at home if you really are a diehard cheese lover and take pride in making things from scratch.

Their challenge begins May 6. I hope to post some tips in the coming weeks to help get them prepped for their journey; I am always open to answering questions or giving tips where curiosities or concerns exist. Best of luck to the crew. Succeeding in their two month mission will be a true reflection of their esteem and dedication in standing firm in their decision. The best part is, is that it will also pave the way to a long-lived road of conscious eating and healthier choices.