recipe by Lunches and Littles

I have only met a couple of people in my life who don’t love a big slice of delicious pizza. It’s flavorful, versatile, and if you go about it the right way it can even be healthy. Yes, that’s right – a healthier pizza really does exist.

With its polenta crust, homemade sauce and sautéed vegetables, this pizza is packed full of flavor, protein, and so much more. It is still pizza like you know and probably love, but it’s dairy and gluten free and with the addition of Sneak’s new Vegan Protein Powder I was able to sneak in all sorts of extra goodness – some in the crust, some in the sauce. Yeah, this pizza is loaded with veggies, but it is also full of hidden veggies too. Check out how I made this delicious, allergen-friendly pizza below.

*Please note: this recipe makes 2 average medium-sized pizza crusts. You do not want to make your crusts too large and risk breaking. To avoid this, split polenta in half once finished cooking, and make into two separate crusts.

What You Need (for the crust):

• 3 and 1/2 cups vegetable broth or vegan “chicken” broth
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 and 1/2 cups ground polenta
• 1- 2 scoops Sneakz Vanilla Vegan Protein Powder
• fresh parsley, as desired
• 1- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast *you can also use it to sprinkle on top of pizza instead of mixing it into crust

You Will Also Need:

• pizza sauce of choice (store bought or make your own for a healthier version – that is what I do, just Google a basic sauce recipe!)
• 1 and 1/2 scoops Sneakz Vanilla Vegan Protein Powder
• Vegetables for sautéing/ toppings for pizzas. We used the following: bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes.
• 1-2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• * Optional: vegan cheese shreds, additional parsley and seasoning for topping.

How You Make It:

• Line a couple of pizza pans with parchment paper and chop a small handful of parsley. Set both aside.
• In a large pot over high heat, bring stock to a boil. Then, reduce heat to medium and add the following crust ingredients: olive oil, salt, garlic powder, oregano (or Italian seasoning), and black pepper.
• Whisking continuously, pour polenta and Sneakz Vegan Protein Powder into the pot and continue whisking for 3-4 min. until thickened. You are looking for a stiff, but creamy consistency. *Add extra water if this becomes too thick.
• Next, add in parsley and nutritional yeast. Mix, then remove from heat.
• Scoop an even amount onto each pan and spread evenly around the pan to form circles. You are looking for 1/2 inch thickness or less for your crusts.
• Transfer pans to a refrigerator and let the polenta set (approx. 20 min).
• At this stage, preheat your oven to 450 degrees and chop/ slice any of your toppings. Also, combine pizza sauce with Sneakz Vegan Protein Powder until powder is well-incorporated into the sauce. Set aside.
• Next, in a skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, etc. I also used tomato slices, but did not add them until the very end), and saute 10 min. or until vegetables are tender.
• Stir in garlic and 2 tbsp pizza sauce mixture. Then, season with salt and pepper. Cook another min. or two, and then remove from heat and set aside.
• Next, remove crusts from the fridge. Bake approx. 25 min. flipping halfway through.
• Once crusts are done baking, layer with pizza sauce, sautéed veggies, and if desired; vegan cheese
• Broil on low on the top rack for a couple min. until toppings are slightly browned and cheese is melted (if using). 
• Remove from oven and top with fresh parsley and additional seasonings, as desired.
• Cut, serve, and ENJOY! Our entire family loves this take on pizza, and you’ll love serving up something so good, in so many ways!

Find out more about Sneakz’s NEW Vegan Protein Powder here, and follow Lunches and Littles here for more fun and healthy recipes perfect for the whole family (even picky eaters)!