Pizza Wednesday has always sort of been one of my “easy” weeknight dinners – which means I’ve never made a crust from scratch. When you’re on vacation though, there’s actually time to do that kind of crazy stuff, so here she is, my first ever homemade crust!

Ok, so I still kind of cheated a little bit on the whole “homemade” thing, because yes, this is a breadmaker (Breadman® to be exact) recipe. It still took forever and had to be rolled out though, so I think it counts!

The good news is, this was really good and super filling. I’m thinkin’ it could easily be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for a day or two before use, which means we’ll probably be seeing it around my house again here and there.

Breadmaker Whole Wheat Vegan Pizza Crust
Recipe courtesy of Breadman®

Ingredients

1 cup water, 80°F/27°C
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tsp active dry yeast

Directions

• Add ingredients to breadmaker one at a time, in order (from top to bottom of ingredients list), being careful not to expose the yeast to any moisture
• Select dough cycle and press start
• When finished, place dough on a lightly floured surface
• For thin crust, divide dough in half and press onto a 12 in. pizza pan, raising edges. For thick crust, do not divide dough
• Prick rolled out dough generously with a fork and bake at 425°F/218°C for 10 to 12 min. or until edges of crust begin to turn a light golden brown
• Remove, add sauce, cheese and toppings and return to oven to bake an additional 15 to 20  min.

Yield: Two 12-in thin crusts or one 12-in. thick crust

Well, here she is, the last option for non-DIY vegan pizza in St. Louis (as far as I know/for the time being!), PW Pizza.

PW opened just a few months ago in the first floor of the Centennial Malt House on Chouteau, also home to Moulin, Malt House Cellar, Vin de Set and Grand Petite Market. Named for the first initials of its creators, PW offers up gourmet pies, salads, soups and desserts, plus a grand selection of craft beer and wine.

The idea is that ingredients here are fresh, seasonal and (as much as possible) local. Of particular interest to you and I, in addition to the pizza basics, PW also has options for veggie, vegan and gluten-free diners. Woot!

This is where Andy and I had dinner on my birthday last month (yeah, I’m that serious about pizza you guys) and it was mmm, mmm good! The ingredients do indeed taste super fresh and the selection of toppings is so large that it made it fairly difficult to choose – good problem to have. I believe I eventually settled on caramelized onions, artichoke hearts and wild mushrooms. Like Whole Foods and Pi, the vegan cheese option at PW is Daiya.

As far as the crust here, I’m torn. Negative: it’s thin. Positive: it is still fairly soft and chewy. Overall, the taste is good though, and that’s what really matters. The original crust at PW is vegan but the gluten-free is not. Unfortunately, the Honey Wheat crust is a no-go for obvious reasons, which I was bummed about (I sort of despise eating refined grains, they feel like a waste of calories).

I actually can’t recall if PW allows half and half splits, but it doesn’t really matter because the pizzas here only come in one size (12′) and it’s too small to share (for us anyway!). Unfortunately, that means you’ll spend a little more than you might expect for pizza, but on an occasional basis, it’s acceptable.

Overall, I really enjoyed PW and I’m sure we’ll be stopping in from time to time. Always great to have yet another option for vegan pizza in St. Louis!

Maybe frozen pizza isn’t typically anyone’s first choice, but we all know that now and again, that’s about as good as it’s going to get. For those days (which are usually days I’m flying solo), I turn to my favorite vegan frozen pizza: Non-Dairy Rice Crust Cheeze Pizza from Amy’s.

There aren’t that terribly many options for frozen vegan pizza, but of all I’ve tried, this one is my hands-down favorite. Now, I know it looks a little sparse, but this pizza packs more punch than you might think taste-wise. For example, I am not on a gluten-free diet, however, I think the gluten-free crust works particularly well here to combat the “soggy” issue that can be such a problem with frozen pizzas. It’s also just super tasty. The best way I can describe it is sort of “crouton-like” if that makes any sense? It’s uber crispy, but delicate at the same time and sort of crumbles as you chew. MMM.

I’m also fairly certain that this cheese is Follow Your Heart Mozzarella, which I’m a confessed fan of. It wouldn’t hurt for there to be a little more of it, but you can always add more before you bake. Same goes for toppings.

Obviously, this particular pizza only works if you’re flying solo, but Amy’s does make a few other full-size vegan pizzas, as do several other brands. If you need something big enough to share, sample around and see what you like!

Ok, I could have done a better job with this picture. Don’t let that discourage you though, because this is my favorite way to do pizza at home!

The only real difference between this and the previous at-home pizza I posted is the crust, but it’s a biggie. This is a pre-made, multigrain stone-baked crust I pick up at Whole Foods. When I use this crust, Andy and I each get our own separate pizza because it isn’t quite big enough to split between the two of us. He usually has no leftovers, but that leaves just about the perfect amount for me to have for lunch the day after. As an added bonus, there’s no chance of dairy cheese cross contamination when we each have our own pie. It’s a win-win.

Unfortunately, you won’t save a lot of money going this route, as these babies run about five bucks a piece. I think they’re tasty enough to warrant the cost though, so I’m down with that. Consequently, if you’re running solo, these are sort of perfect for gourmet, DIY pizza for one!

No real need to post an ingredients list and directions – crust, sauce, cheese, toppings…you get the gist – but if you’re looking for a few more details, check out my previous Pizza Wednesday at home post. Bonus points if you can actually bake this one on a pizza stone, but if you don’t have one, a cookie sheet or pizza pan will do just fine.

Now, is it time for dinner yet?

So here’s the second “buy” option for vegan pizza in St. Louis. Unless you’ve been living in a hole for a while, it’s pretty likely that you’re familiar with Pi if you live in the area. It’s a very hip and tasty pizza joint that first opened up shop in STL a few years ago in the Loop (my hood!) and quickly rose to prominence due to a certain pre-election POTUS showing it some serious love when he passed through town.

These days you can get yourself a slice of Pi (see what I did there?) at five different locations around the St. Louis area, including a mobile Pi truck. There will also be a DC location opening up shop any day now to better serve their biggest fan (I’m sure that’s not the only reason, but I’d like to think so!).

Back to the issue at hand though, in addition to their traditional Chicago-style, Pi also happens to serve up a pretty decent vegan pizza! The thin crust here is naturally vegan, as is their tomato sauce. Of course, garlic olive oil is also a vegan sauce option, if that’s how you do.

As any respectable vegan pizza should, the vegan pizzas at Pi feature Daiya cheese. They’ve got a wide variety of delicious veggie toppings to choose from as well, but unlike the other two “eat-out” options for vegan pizza in St. Louis, Pi also offers up Match meat substitutes for their vegan patrons. So thoughtful!

If memory serves, the pizza pictured featured Match sausage, red onions and mushrooms. I mentioned in an earlier post that I’m not a huge fan of thin crust, and this is definitely the crunchiest of the three options, but it is still darn tasty. My husband actually gives Pi top billing for vegan pizza in St. Louis. If you’re down with thin crust, you might agree.

Downsides at Pi include a fairly rigid policy on halfsies, in that they don’t allow them, period. If you and your companion(s) are vegan, that works out ok. If you’re the only vegan at the table though, not so much. Pi is definitely not the cheapest place in town, so having to order two whole separate pizzas for two people gets pricey pretty quick. Of course, there’s nothing stopping you from taking home leftovers though, and thankfully, this reheats well.

Finally, in what must be a new addition to the menu since I was there last, Pi also offers a vegan dessert option! Vegans can now follow up their pizza with 2 chocolate chip sandwich cookies. Very cool. If you stop in for a vegan slice before I visit again, sink your teeth into one of these and report back!

TGIW!

See, that’s the beauty of Pizza Wednesday: the whole day is just a little bit better because I know there’s cheesy goodness waiting for me at the end (That’s right..I can find motivation in pizza. Don’t judge.)!

So here is a classic example of what goes into DIY pizza at our house. We start with organic whole wheat crust from Whole Foods’ store brand, slather on a ‘lil olive oil and sauce and then each side is covered with the appropriate cheese (Daiya for me, cow for Andy) and toppings of choice. Done.

On this particular evening we had a half and half on each of our halves thing going on. My side is on the right and as you can see, I try to leave a small cheese-free line down the middle to separate our two sides. I’ll post the ingredient list below for reference, but obviously there’s not too terribly much involved here. Cooking up your very own DIY vegan pizza is literally, easy as pie!

(Busy) Vegan Pizza

Ingredients

Whole Foods Market Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
Olive oil
Pizza Sauce (We like Trader Joe’s and Muir Glen‘s pizza sauces best)
Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
Toppings of Choice*

*Of course, any chopped veggies are yummy vegan choices but there are also plenty of tasty meat substitutes that are great if you just don’t think pizza is pizza without meat. I like Smart Deli Pepperoni and Crumbled Match Ground Beef or Sausage.

Directions

• Chop veggies and/or prepare meat substitutes according to package directions
• Preheat oven to 400°
• Place crust on pizza stone or baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil
• Brush on sauce, to taste, sprinkle cheese over the crust and add toppings
• Bake for 12-15 min. or until cheese begins to brown at the edges

Say hello to a new series of themed posts!

Fact about me (and my husband): if it’s Wednesday, we’re eating pizza for dinner. We started this tradition about three years ago and it stuck – big time.  My husband was working overseas for several months last year and even then, it was a weekly ritual we never missed (he even got nearly the entire crew he was working with started on it!).

Obviously this started pre-vegan, but the transition certainly hasn’t slowed me down (Daiya, anyone?). Since I know pizza is a fave for a lot of people and something you might think isn’t well-suited to veganizing, I figured this series would be eye-opening and useful for prospective or current veg-heads!

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be publishing these posts (when else?) every Wednesday. Most of the time, we “make,” but there are several good places to “buy” as well, so some of these posts (like today’s) will also double as “Local Vegan Eats” features.

I’m kicking things off with my favorite place for vegan pizza in St. Louis: Whole Foods. When you see the other few establishments I’ll be featuring, you might be surprised to know that I think Whole Foods takes the cake in this matter. Why? Despite the fact that Whole Foods isn’t actually a restaurant, it’s the cheapest “buy” option by far. Very far. Regardless, I think they’re the hands-down winner on taste.

I think the primary reason that Whole Foods is my favorite comes down to the crust. I am not a fan of thin/crispy crust. The two other places I’ll be reviewing are in that camp. The crust here is a deliciously doughy and chewy New York style. Can’t beat that. Don’t get me wrong: I LOVE the taste of Daiya and quality of the ingredients is certainly also a factor in taste, but those things are a constant in all three options for dine-out vegan pizza in St. Louis.

You’ve probably noticed that Whole Foods sells fresh-baked pizza by the slice in their stores. What you may not have been aware of is that you can place custom orders for whole pies just like any other pizza joint! Not only are all of their ingredients of excellent quality and freshness, both of their crusts (white and wheat) are naturally vegan and you can get Daiya cheese in place of regular dairy cheese on any order.

As you can see from the picture above, they allow half and half orders on any pizza, even for cheese (my half is on the left)! If you have an allergy or are not comfortable with the possibility that you may end up with a smidge of dairy cheese on your half, this is obviously not a good solution for you. However, if you’re a bit mellow in that department and married to a non-veg, this is perfect!

The one down-side to pizza at Whole Foods: they’re only available in one size. The good news there is that the size is huge and it warms up really well for lunch the next day. As I mentioned before, the price here is super reasonable. When you consider how much pizza you’re getting, this is especially true.

So there you have it! The first of many posts proving that pizza is absolutely not off-limits to vegans. Be sure to check back next Wednesday for more ooey-gooey goodness!

I was originally planning to make these little gems as a Superbowl snack. However, my husband and I stuffed ourselves so completely with burritos at the beginning of the game that we couldn’t handle anything else! I finally took a crack at these when I made the soup I posted the other day and found them to be pretty good little appetizers. If you’re hosting an Oscar party this weekend, these would be an excellent choice!

Best thing about this recipe: it’s wicked fast and easy. Enjoy!

Margherita Polenta Pizzas
Recipe inspired by FitSugar

Ingredients

1 tube of Quinoa Polenta
3 Roma Tomatoes
2/3 cup Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds
Fresh Basil Leaves
Olive Oil (to coat pan or griddle)

Directions

1. Cut the polenta into 1/4 inch slices
2. Coat a pan or griddle with olive oil and heat on low
3. Place the polenta in the pan or griddle and cook each side until lightly browned (about 5 min, each side)
4. Turn the oven on to 350° F
5. Slice the tomatoes
6. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and place the polenta on the sheet. Top each piece with a slice of tomato and cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted
7. Top each pizza with a fresh basil leaf and serve (Feel free to add basil before baking, if you prefer)