Pizza

Easy Garlicky Spinach Pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 of Udi’s Gluten-Free Thin and Crispy Pizza Crusts (from the freezer section)
  • 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup of Classic Four-Cheese Alfredo Sauce
  • Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves
  • 1/2 cup of Mozzarella Cheese
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°. Leave the Pizza Crust at room temperature until it defrosts. Evenly spread 1/2 cup of Alfredo Sauce and garlic on the pizza crust. Cover the pizza crust with spinach leaves. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the spinach leaves. Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned. Enjoy!

Note: The pizza crust is roughly nine inches across.

Snap Custom Pizza

Hello, fellow gluten-free eaters! Things are starting to look up – summer is right around the corner – endless sunshine, Capri’s water ice, and family vacations. As I finish up the tail-end of tests and exams, I’ve discovered some great new eateries around the area. Being a teenager myself, I like to think pizza is a main/the-most-important food group for all teenagers alike (and its not just me, right?).

Snap Custom Pizza is a relatively new pizza place in Ardmore. I can’t say I have actually been in person, however I felt the need to write about it simply after eating their gluten-free pizza. Yes, they have a gluten-free crust option with only a $1 additional charge. I have to say, that is the smallest minimum charge I’ve ever seen – honestly it’s outrageous how much extra items can cost when they are gluten-free. Anyways, during crunch time for exams, I tried a delicious Farmer’s Market Pizza. Garlic, mozzarella, mushrooms, roasted peppers, arugula, cherry tomatoes, ricotta on a thin, crispy, and yummy gluten-free crust– the whole deal. Now that might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and yes, they do have many other prefixed options, however what they are really known for is their custom pizza. It essentially takes six easy steps to create your ideal pizza: choose a foundation, pick a sauce, choose your cheeses, add some protein, throw on your vegetables, and finally garnish with finishing touched. It’s that easy. And for a set price! And we all know we have certain foods we just aren’t a huge fan of and certain toppings that we can’t stand on pizza, hence making a custom pizza sounds a like a dream come true (at least I think it does!).

Going back to the crust for a minute, just a note, I really enjoyed the crust! And it can be hard to find good gluten-free crusts, however if you’re not a fan of thin crusts, I would not recommend this. No, it’s not as thing as the crust from Jules Thin Crust Pizza, however it is quite similar to Udi’s Pizza Crust in thickness. Not necessarily a bad thing or a good thing, but rather something to keep in mind.

Anyways, I’m going to keep this short and sweet, definitely a great place with great pizza!

Cheers,

Anika

Uno Pizzeria and Grill

And we’re back. These past two weeks I’ve been road tripping along the east coast hitting the big cities and rekindling childhood memories and friendships. Although I had throughly enjoyed the summer hiatus, it’s time to share with all of you my latest gluten-free discoveries. When exploring the heart of Providence, we stumbled upon an “Unos”, and I was delighted to learn that they have an ample selection of gluten-free dishes. First of all… (drumroll please)… yes, they do in fact serve gluten-free pizza! Wooo! Although it’s becoming increasingly common to find restaurants that serve gluten-free pizza, I still jump with joy like a kid on Christmas morning every single time. I can definitely vouch for the veggie pizza. It may sound a little too conventional, however classic’s never disappoint. The combination of mushrooms, onions, green peppers, mozzarella, and romano on a thin crust was perfection. It was nearly as good as Udi’s Thin Pizza Crust which is hands down my favorite gluten-free pizza crust. In all honesty, I ate five slices of that veggie pizza! I have never eaten so many slices of pizza before in my entire sixteen years of existence! In addition to the veggie, cheese, and pepperoni pizzas, Unos serves burgers on gluten-free rolls (Udi’s rolls to be specific). It’s always nice to see a restaurant that offers a gluten-free bun rather than seeing that oh-so-disappointing asterisk next to the burger saying “without the bun”. And if both burgers and pizzas don’t sound all too appealing to you, Unos offers chicken and seafood dishes, steaks, salads, soups, and a decent variety of side dishes. I am happy to be able to say that the gluten-free menu is extensive. It’s not too often that I can say that and mean it.

Jules Thin Crust

“I never met a pizza like you before.”

Pizza. There are no words that quite describe it. Whether it’s a chewy Chicago-style deep dish or a New York thin cracker-crust pizza. Or topped Hawaiian style with ham and pineapple or pepperoni and freshly shaved parmesan. The varieties are endless, so there’s always something for everyone. However, is there something for us? Us gluten-free eaters?

I find that pizza can be a hit or miss situation. The crust can be too dry because of the wrong combination of flours, or it can be too chewy from being undercooked. However, I have found some great pizza mixes and pre made crusts that make the trial and error process of starting from scratch a little easier. As for ordering out pizza, a lot more pizzerias have started to offer gluten-free options. But not all of them make the pizza in a gluten-free facility. In my personal experience, Domino’s pizza is notorious for causing a reaction. Although, Domino’s recently added a disclaimer to their gluten-free pizza crust saying “Domino’s DOES NOT recommend this pizza for customers with celiac disease”. And I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. So what do I do when it comes to ordering out pizza? There is one restaurant I have had great success with: Jules Thin Crust.

Jules is hands down the best pizzeria for those with celiac disease. With you check out their website, you can browse the gluten-free tab to see the myriad of options they offer. Their facilities (the select portion of their facilities used for gluten-free foods) and GF dough have been certified. But my favorite part is their original and exquisite menu. I’m on who likes wander on the adventurous side when it comes to picking an item on the menu. My top three all-time favorite Jules’ pizzas…

1. brie, sliced pears, toasted almonds, rosemary, and mozzarella

2. organic edamame, ricotta, locally-produced organic goat cheese, caramelized onions, fresh mint, drizzle of lemon vinaigrette, and mozzarella

3. kale, lemon vinaigrette, red onions, apples, mandarin oranges, and mozzarella (pictured above)

If you’re up for something new and different, I would definitely recommend trying the third option- it is my personal favorite! Additionally, Jule’s usually had some gluten-free baked goods from the Grain Exchange in stock. I unfortunately have not seized the opportunity to try these delicious-looking treats, but I look forward to doing so in the hopefully near future.

Keep calm and enjoy summer!

Cheers,

Anika

March 2014: Chebe Pizza Crust Mix

First and foremost, I have to apologize for lack of posts this month. The abundance of unexpected snow days in January and February have most certainly taken its toll. The aftermath consists of copious amounts of homework, especially with spring break right around the corner!

Anyways, I do want to share my first choice when it comes to making a delicious homemade, gluten-free pizza. Although this may not be quick of an option as Udi’s Thin and Crispy Pizza Crusts, if you have a few extra minutes, it’ll be worth it. I have been using this particular pizza crust mix for over seven years now, and I couldn’t be happier! I was introduced to Chebe’s, when I was first diagnosed with Celiac, by my neighbor who had been gluten-free for years. She was the first person to introduce me to the world of gluten-free foods. As you probably know, gluten-free products require trial and error to find the right assortment of brands and products that appeal to you. So it is a testament to the quality and taste of this pizza mix that it is the only product that I have continued to use from when I was initially diagnosed to current day.

The crust is uniquely flavorful with italian spices and a pinch of garlic. It has a bit of a chewy texture, but that is one of its many characteristics that appeals to me! If that doesn’t sound too tempting, I would recommend baking for about 2-3 minutes longer than specified. You can top the pizza with just about anything. I have had great results with Alfredo sauce, spinach, and garlic (see Garlic-Spinach Pizza recipe); ham and pineapple, or a classic margarita pizza!

Comment below with your favorite pizza crust mixes and recipes!

Cheers!

Anika

January 2014: Udi’s Thin and Crispy Pizza Crusts

Happy New Year! Between studying for midterms and fulfilling new year’s resolutions, it is busy time of the year. Start off this year with a quick and easy meal that is nearly effortless to prepare. Using Udi’s ready-made GF pizza crust, you can whip up a pizza in less than fifteen minutes! While some gluten-free crusts tend to be chewy and others get hard and overcooked, this thin crust will never fail you. I have been using it for over a year now, and it’s definitely a must-have in your freezer for when you’re low on time and your stomachs rumbling. However, the baking instructions say the pizza only needs to be in the oven for 7-8 minutes, and I find that I need to keep mine in for about 9-10 minutes usually. With this crust, you can make a timeless, classic pepperoni pizza or something more original such as my Garlic-Spinach Pizza. Or if you really want to try something exotic, I would recommend topping your pizza with sliced pear, smoked turkey breast, mozzarella, and Italian spices. It is simply delicious! It’s a new year and it’s time for some new ideas when it comes to your pizza toppings. Share any creative combinations you come up with in the comments below!

Cheers,

Anika

Starting with the Basics: Pizza and Pasta

Comfort foods. What can I say; they are the staple foods of many American’s diets. And when transitioning into a gluten-free diet, it may be hard to fill the void of those cravings. But I bring to you gluten-free pizza and pasta. So good that you won’t taste the difference. In my eyes, they are almost as important as gluten-free bread. Both dishes are easy to whip up in the kitchen when using the right gluten-free options.

Pasta. Whether it’s pesto, alfredo, or marinara, you shouldn’t be missing out. A great brand to rely on is Schar. They have everything from penne to spaghetti. The pasta never crumbles or gets too soggy. But, if you are located near a Wegmans, I would recommend Wegmans’ gluten-free penne rigate or fusilli. Both are 100% corn pasta, hold together well, and taste great! If you want to try something more creative with your gluten-free cooking, I would suggest making a delicious homemade lasagna from Tinkyada Born Rice Pasta Lasagne. When prepared the lasagna is not mushy, as it should be. This is the only brand of gluten-free lasagna (that I know of) that will not only taste great, but stay intact too!

Onto the much loved dish of pizza. Honestly you can eat it at any meal: warm and freshly baked for dinner, leftovers for lunch, or cold pizza for breakfast- although I’m not one to eat it for breakfast. Anyways, let’s break this down. You can buy prepared pizza crusts, pizza crust mixes, or order out pizza.

Let’s start with the prepared crusts. My favorite (not only for the convenience factor) is Udi’s Gluten-Free Thin and Crispy Pizza Crusts. My go-to Garlic-Spinach Pizza is made from this thin crust. I simply layered my topping, popped it in the oven for a few minutes, and it was ready in no time! Just remember, each pack only contains two crusts, and they must be stored in the freezer. If you would rather opt for a crust that has a moderate shelf life, I would recommend Schar’s Pizza Crusts. Just beware: the crust is thick- at least ‘thick’ in the opinion of a girl who loves thin crust. The package once again contains two crusts, and simply load on the toppings and bake for a couple of minutes.

Onto the gluten-free pizza mixes- or should I say pizza mix? I have tried numerous brands and all have been too dry, easily burned, crumbly, or consistently undercooked. But Chebe’s Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Mix is one I can always rely on. This may be the only product that I continue to use from when I was first diagnosed with Celiac. Everything else, from cereals to crackers, have been replaced by a newer and better tasting brand. But I remain faithful to this one mix. Simply follow the baking instructions on the box, and that perfect pizza is all yours. Of course, this is a little more time consuming than opting for a premade crust, but it’s definitely worth trying!

Last but not least, take out. Whether it’s movie night at a friend’s house or a birthday party, ordering out pizza is almost a given. If you haven’t already looked into it, I would suggest trying to find a local pizzeria that makes and possibly delivers gluten-free pizza. Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to find pizza places catering to the gluten-free community due to the rapidly increasing size. Around the Philly area, I would strongly recommend Jules Thin Crust Pizza, Bake 425°, Crust, Main Line Pizza, and Mom’s Bake at Home Pizza. Hopefully you will take initiative to find some options around your area, but meanwhile, you have plenty of other options in making pizza!

If you have any gluten-free pasta and/or pizza recipes you would like to share, please do! Just go to the Contact tab above.

Thanks for stopping by!

Grazie,

Anika