Cheese-less Pizza

We have renamed cheese-less pizza to "Bruschetta Pizza". This is what we had for dinner the other night.  It turned out pretty amazing thanks to some awesome olive oil blends, a sun-dried tomato pesto that was dairy-free (thank you Costco!), and an incredible recipe for a spread that really helped us NOT miss cheese.  All the kids liked it which was a MIRACLE in and of itself. So far this dairy-free thing isn't so bad!

I made sourdough pizza crust and used different "sauces" on them.  One pizza I used the sun-dried tomato pesto, another I used just sun-dried tomatoes that were bottled in olive oil (I used that oil for flavor), a Mediterranean blend olive oil that I get from a local oil shop called Drizzle and Dip, and this amazing veggie spread that was so creamy we really didn't miss the cheese. Here is the recipe:

Mashed White Beans and Vegetables

2 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
I clove garlic, minced
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (I didn't have any Yukon Gold potatoes so I used red potatoes and it was still yummy.)
1 1/2 C canned white beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, and carrot until onion is translucent. About 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add potatoes and beans and enough water to cover mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. About 8-10 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid. Either mash or puree vegetables, using reserved liquid to adjust the consistency. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with more olive oil, and serve.


This makes a lot of spread. I had the idea of maybe using it instead of cheese for panini's. The recipe suggests using it as a bed for garlicky broccoli rabe, or slow-roasted tomatoes witch would also be delicious.  Enjoy!!