Pizza!

Making pizza with kids is a great way to have fun together, be creative, and get your kids to try new veggies, and it can be a really healthy meal to share too.

We usually make the yeast-free pizza crust from Sarah Kramer's La Dolce Vegan, because it's fast and easy, but use any pizza crust you like, store bought or homemade. We usually make our own sauce as well, but sauce from a jar is quick and easy and good too. We used black olives, sauted mushrooms, and red peppers this time, but the best part of making your own pizza is being free to use anything that pleases you. We used dayia cheese shreds this time, and it is so awesome the way it melts like regular cheese. I am very fond of M.V.C. pizza cheese too, it is pretty amazing.

To make crust from La Dolce Vegan : 11/2 cups flour (we use whole wheat)
                                                            1 tsp baking powder
                                                            1/2 tsp dried oregano
                                                            1/2 tsp dried basil
                                                            1/2 tsp salt
                                                            1/8 tsp black pepper
                                                            egg replacer to equal one egg
                                                            1/4 cup oil
                                                            1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. lightly oil a baking sheet. Set aside. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir in egg replacer, oil, and milk until well mixed. Place dough on baking sheet and with floured hands press dough down to fit pizza pan. Bake for 10 minutes BEFORE adding pizza toppings. Then bake for another 10 - 15 minutes. Makes one pizza crust.

We always use flax egg replacer in our crust. To make, first grind up some flax seeds in a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder. Then mix 2 tbsp flax powder with 3 tbsp water and let sit 2-3 minutes before adding to baking.

Some things that I find helpful when making pizza with children are to put pizza toppings in small bowls. It limits the amount of things going on the pizza without you having to keep reminding them to not put on too much. And use a few things you know your child loves, but add one or two toppings they have not had before. This time I had a bowl of olives and a bowl of vegan cheese, which I know little sprout #1 loves, but I also had a bowl of mushrooms and some red peppers that she'd not had before and she used them and tried them too!

Make your pizza as crazy, exotic, plain or simple as you like it. And have fun!