Artichoke Pesto Pizza

 Pizza with Artichoke Pesto

 

By Namit Kathoria

 

Preparation time: 35 min (including soaking time)

Cooking time: 10-15 min

 

Serves 6 people.

Ingredients:

Artichoke Pesto

1 jar (200-300g) artichokes including the liquid

1 small handful fresh basil

1 small handful fresh coriander

1 small handful fresh mint

¾ teaspoon Himalayan rock salt

5-6 garlic cloves finely chopped

¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds plus more for garnish

Juice of ½ lemon

½ teaspoon hot paprika

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

¾ cup walnuts

 

Wholegrain pizza bases

Sliced shitake mushrooms

Olive oil

Some Fresh basil chopped

Some oregano powder

 

Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

 

Vegan Creamy Cheese

 

Preparation:

1. Dry roast the pumpkin seeds for about 1-2 minutes. Keep some to the side for the pizza topping. Leave the cashew nuts and the almonds ( for the vegan creamy cheese recipe) to soak in boiling water for 30 minutes.
2. Put all the ingredients for the pesto into a blender and blend for about a minute or so, starting on a slow setting and then increase gradually to a high setting.
3. Make up the vegan creamy cheese.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sauté the sliced shitake mushrooms for about 4-6 minutes in some olive oil.
5. Top the pizza base with the pesto and the creamy vegan cheese. Add on the sliced shitake mushrooms and the olive oil, putting extra olive oil all around the crust.
6. Bake in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, then put some more olive oil, oregano powder, fresh basil and the toasted pumpkin seeds on top.
   
   

Where does your protein come from?

It comes from the nutritional yeast, the walnuts and the pumpkin seeds. Also the creamy vegan cheese contains almonds and cashew nuts, which are good sources of protein.

 

To get more inspiration for healthy plant-based recipes please see our new nutrition and recipe book “Life” which is due to come out in 2022.