Vegan pizza options for kids... and a little frustrated...
Hi...
I am looking for some vegan pizza options for my kids. It can be frozen pre-made microwaveable. Or some ready made crust to add things to. I did a search on vegweb and google and there are so many recipes I thought I better ask some fellow vegans before I start sifting through them all.
One of them likes pepperoni pizza, the other likes just plain cheese pizza.
I am starting to think along the lines of throwing something together with a pre-made crust, some mushroom sauce, TJs vegan meatballs crumbled up over the top, and Daiya cheese. The crust worries me a bit - since diary/egg free baked items are sometimes hard to come by.
Any ideas for pre-made frozen pizza, crusts, or recipes that passed the fussy omnivore kid taste test out there?
One easy/good thing to do is make french bread pizza, most french bread I ever find here is vegan, I can usually get 6 good sized pieces out of a loaf. Just cut it in half, cut it to what sizes you want, sauce/cheese/toppings, bake for a couple minutes then broil to make the cheese melty (I usually do it in the toaster)
You can do the same thing with toast. My mom and her husband cater and always have these little toast things that are vegan, I've made them with that too, just broil them for a couple minutes in the toaster.
Easy, fast, and really good.
You could also do pizzas on vegan English muffins, or make a quick crust.
This one is really easy: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=5701.0 haven't tested it on kids, but it's just like a crispy pizza dough.
this one is also good: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=38620.0
Daiya is great for pizza, and there are several different options for vegan pepperoni/other meats.
TJ's has vegan pizza dough (though I like homemade dough better... easier to work with for some reason)
If you want pre-made pizzas, Tofurkey makes a number of varieties. Italian sausage with roasted veggies, pepperoni, cheese. They are completely vegan and they use Daiya cheese. They are pretty pricy, but very good.
Tofutti makes a frozen cheese pizza....my kids and I love it! it only has 3 slices in it, but it is good in a pinch!
4 simple ingredients for my Friday pizza nights!
This crust:
http://www.vitacost.com/Images/Products/200/Rustic-Crust/Rustic-Crust-Organic-Originale-Pizza-Crust-794716911520.jpg
(It's in the refrigerated section- very healthy and tastes great!!)
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http://hannaford.gsnrecipes.com/GetImage.aspx?vector=QTnhi1uLH/Y2dAG3pvuFc+NgRpRqCxtWAZbG+kWHrkke21xRZClo8jdaqitFi03g
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http://static.caloriecount.about.com/images/medium/daiya-shreds-mozzarella-style-151061.jpg
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http://www.wegmans.com/prodimg/348/200/052100005348.jpg
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Quick, kid approved and delicious!! Add additional toppings as desired.
TJ's has vegan pizza dough (though I like homemade dough better... easier to work with for some reason)
THIS!!!! IN THE FRIDGE SECTION BY THE CHEESE
Daiya melts well too bake at 400F for like 10 mins and then broil really quick...
Also, just plain old Amy's brand roasted vegetable pizza is insanely good even though it's cheese-less
Wow so many great ideas... They like french bread, and English muffins. I am too busy right now to make crust from scratch – but I will try those recipes when I have more time. TJs vegan pizza dough in the refrig/cheese section – thank you, I will look for that. Tofurkey, Tofutti, Amys pre-made – got to try those. Rustic crust - organic too, yum. You are all awesome. Thank you for all the help. Now I feel ready to shop and tackle this. Thank you!!
I definitely agree with those who said french bread pizza and english muffin pizza. I love those myself. Hope your kids enjoy them!
I also agree that Tofurky frozen pizzas are good but they are a little pricy.
I have had english muffin pizzas, with diaya cheese.....oh so yummy.
Diaya cheese is a God send!! Love the stuff!
Also, I make vegan grilled cheese sandwiches constantly for my son. He loves them and they are da bomb. Bread with EB, and vegan rice cheese. Ummmm so good. Put a slice of tomato and a slice of tofu on there, my son dies for those.
SnowQueen -
As far as cheese sandwiches go... Mine are hooked on american singles dairy cheese - and I have tried just about everything and gave up because they are tuned into the flavor of that particular cheese. I am seriously concerned that they put something addictive in that cheese... can't be though.
What brand of vegan rice cheese do your kids like? And how do you make it with Earth Balance?
Actually, you're not too far off. According to some articles I've read/heard, when casein (milk protein in cheese) is digested, it breaks apart into opiate like molecules called casomorphins. You can probably google it to find out more.
Wow.... Thanks for letting me know. I found this in wikipedia:
Casomorphins are peptides, i.e., protein fragments, derived from the digestion of milk protein casein. The distinguishing characteristic of casomorphins is that they have an opioid effect.
Another reason to dislike dairy. The dairy industry must already know about this. That might be part of the reason why they have isolated casein from milk to use as an additive in other foods. Maybe that is why some people and some vegetarians find it hard to give up dairy. It sounds like the cigarette industry. I guess I can add it to my list of the ways that corporations try to addict us to their products.... Nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, fructose, and now casein.