Gluten-Free Pizza with Chickpea Flour, Beets, and Lots of Greens

Every vegan and every person who avoids dairy products for one reason or another knows that they must supply their body with calcium in a different way. (And if they don't know, it's good they stumbled upon my blog)

In general, there is a feeling among vegans that there is a certain protein panic, and sometimes they tend to forget that there is also a real need to supply the body with other nutrients such as the important mineral calcium, which is responsible for bone health and integrity, muscle contraction, and the activation of many enzymes.

Calcium is very important, especially among adolescents aged 9 to 18, due to the dramatic growth that occurs at this age.

Therefore, this week's post and the Facebook Live broadcast will be dedicated to calcium.

So what are the sources of calcium for vegans:

Vegetables:
Mainly green vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, beet greens, okra, broccoli, artichoke, green onion, celery, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, asparagus, kohlrabi, but also tomatoes, pumpkin, and carrot juice.

Legumes:
Black-eyed peas, beans, chickpeas, peas, lentils, and of course – soy and its products, such as soy milk, soy cheese, tofu, and miso.

Fruits:
Papaia, oranges, raisins, dried figs, dried apricots, grapefruit, and blueberries.

Fats:
Almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pistachios, tahini (preferably from whole sesame), and halvah.

Bread and Grains:
Barley, oats, calcium-fortified breakfast cereals

So here's a recipe for a gluten-free pizza, very rich in calcium thanks to the chickpea flour, broccoli, green peas, and tahini. It's also rich in protein and low in fat, making it suitable for dinner for vegan teenagers (and parents too).

Nutritional values per serving (2 slices)

382 calories, 35 grams carbohydrates, 19 grams protein, 15 grams fat (of which 2 grams saturated fat), 11 grams dietary fiber, 4.5 mg iron, 210 mg calcium, 342 mcg folic acid

Dietitian and fitness instructor Noam Bachar participated in the preparation of this article.

I want this to be my screensaver

Gluten-Free Pizza with Chickpea Flour, Beets, and Lots of Greens

A quick and easy gluten-free pizza that's fun to eat for dinner with a big salad. An excellent source of protein, calcium, and low in fat.

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 10 minutes

Total time 15 minutes

Serving Size 2 servings

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup water
• 1.5 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• Pinch of turmeric powder optional
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Sauce

• 0.5 cooked beet pre-cooked vacuum-sealed also works
• 1 tablespoon whole raw tahini
• 2 tablespoons cooked white beans
• 1 clove crushed garlic

For the Topping

• 4-5 blanched broccoli florets
• 5-6 cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 tablespoon green peas frozen is fine

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to a very high heat (at least 220 degrees Celsius) on top grill setting.
2. In a bowl, mix all dough ingredients until a uniform, lump-free mixture is obtained.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide pan.
4. When the oil is hot, add the dough batter and fry, covered, for a few minutes (4-5 minutes) until the dough is slightly browned. No need to flip.
5. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper.
6. For the sauce:
7. Blend all sauce ingredients: beet, white beans, tahini, and garlic in a food processor until a thick pink sauce is obtained.
8. Spread the sauce over the previously fried dough with a spoon, and arrange the rest of the pizza toppings.
   
9. Place in the hot oven and bake for about 10 minutes.

Notes

You can substitute chickpea flour with the same amount of lentil flour or any other flour you like.

You can also replace the cooked beet with the same amount of tomato.