Something I hope to have one day, when we redo our backyard (and who knows when that will be) is a sizable garden…. fresh herbs, some easy vegetables, maybe even some fruits. I think it’s something the girls would love, and would be so fun to have our own mini “farm to table” capabilities. That being said, my mom have a small vegetable garden, and her herb selection is amazing….. and the smells are to die for. So when we were over there this past weekend, she showed me her basil plant… the aroma made me crave something Italian….
Since our dinner for the evening had already been decided upon… this delicious pizza concoction was created as a small post-pool appetizer to hold everyone over until dinner. We used the basil in a dairy free pesto recipe… and purchased the cauliflower pizza crust form Trader Joe’s. It was such a simple recipe + such a hit with all family members that I thought I’d share it here today. The beauty of this recipe is that you can easily bring it as an appetizer, or use it as a main dinner dish. I bought prosciutto to top it with, but forgot…. and I think it would taste amazing with it!
pesto cauliflower pizza
Ingredients:
1 Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Pizza Crust (any brand will do though….)
Baby Heirloom Tomatoes
Arugula
Balsamic Glaze
Avocado Oil
PESTO Ingredients
3/4 Cup Packed Basil Leaves
3 tbsp Pine Nuts (I purchase the pre-roasted ones from Trader Joe’s)
1 Garlic Clove
3/4 tsp Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
3 tbsp EVOO
Directions:
1. Bake the cauliflower crust according to the directions on the package (I follow the directions exactly and it always turns out for us…). I didn’t do the last broil step with my toppings with this pizza, but you can if you want.
2. For the pesto, place all ingredients (except the EVOO) in a food processor. Slowly add in the oil while the machine is running…. continue until the ingredients are a smooth, paste like, texture.
3. Spread pesto over the pizza crust, top with arugula (I mixed arugula with some avocado oil + sea salt) + tomatoes, drizzle with balsamic glaze… cut, serve, and enjoy!
