Easy Pizza Gyozas

Easier than pizza, healthier than pizza, and way more fun than pizza, these baked gyozas are a super hit! They make wonderful vegan appetizers; your carnivorous Super Bowl buddies will love them. No cruelty necessary.

Did you all see how I broke my foot playing soccer? A testament to my skill (or intensity) I should think... buuut considering that it was like my 6th game ever, I think it really means that my dribbling is garbage and needs some serious work. Dribbling, wait, that's basketball. Footwork? Is that what it's called? I have no idea, but you can see my x-ray on Instagram or Facebook. It's no wonder I broke myself.

“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”

— Buddha's Little Instruction Book

Like most my meals, these Easy Pizza Gyozas arose from trying to solve a problem. Namely having half a used jar of pizza sauce that was aging in the fridge, fresh mushrooms that I wanted to stay that way before I used them, and a package of leftover gyoza wrappers. I confess, this is not my typical recipe. I'm not a buffalo wings, casserole, or tater-tot-loving type of lady. I didn't grow up that style of food and never really gained a taste for it. However, my homemade, little handheld pizza pocket type things are pretty darn tasty. Enjoy this outlier in my normal cuisine!

I was thrilled when I thought I had a small stroke of genius in creating these wanna-be miniature pizza rolls. The feeling was subsequently crushed moments later when it dawned on me that I was fairly positive this had to have been done before. To my surprise though, not really. Rejoice! For once; something my weird little brain conjured up had in fact not been straight-up popularized. Though, if you google "pizza gyoza" something regarding the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comes up in the search results... forgive me, but I did not explore it further. I never really got into TMNT. I mean, enough to know the hip acronym, but not enough to know anything about them and their bizarre relationship with pizza gyozas.

These gyozas are really easy to make and I feel like they would be a lot of fun to do with kiddos too. Todd and I don't have any human children, but we do have the four-legged kind. Apparently cooking with dogs (Bailey is my sous chef) is frowned upon by some in our place of residence... I can't imagine why. He's the world's most adorable composter/swiffer sweeper! On that note, I'd actually like to get a couple baby goats. A major bonus would be when random people are always asking if you have kids when they're trying to connect and bond with you, you could finally just say yes and technically it wouldn't be a lie. You know how kids = baby goats but also kids = young humans? *Siri* Add baby goats to my shopping list. 

Easy Pizza Gyozas

Recipe by Kathleen Henry @ Produce On Parade

Easier than pizza, healthier than pizza, and way more fun than pizza, these baked gyozas are a super hit! They make wonderful vegan appetizers; your carnivorous Super Bowl buddies will love them. No cruelty necessary.

Yield: 42 gyoza

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp olive oil + more for brushing
• 1/2 red onion, diced small
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups diced small cremini mushrooms
• 1 link of Field Roast Mexican Chipotle Sausage, minced
• scant 1 cup pizza sauce + more for dipping if you like
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 package (42) square gyoza wrappers
• 1.5 cups vegan shredded cheese

Cooking Directions

1. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the 1/2 tbsp oil over medium-low. Add the onion and garlic; sauté about 5 minutes until the onion begins to brown. Meanwhile, chop the mushrooms and sausage.
2. Add the mushrooms and sausage to the pan. Sauté over medium-low for about 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms have shrunk and browned and all the water has evaporated from the pan.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the pizza sauce and oregano. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray two pans with nonstick cooking spray.
4. To assemble the gyoza, pour ¼ cup of water into a small bowl. Place ½ tbsp of the filling into the middle of one gyoza square and top with a pinch of cheese. Wet two adjoining edges of the square with water using your finger and then fold the other two edges over to make a triangle, pressing firmly to seal. Repeat with remaining gyoza and filling.
5. Arrange all the gyoza on the two baking sheets so they aren’t touching. Brush lightly with olive oil and bake for about 12 minute until they are slightly crispy and the edges are golden brown; be sure to keep your eye on them! Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Eat plain or top with vegan parmesan cheese, green onions, and crushed red pepper if you like and/or dip into pizza sauce.

Below is a video that is obviously the best thing ever and makes me laugh out loud every time I hear it. A must watch. I must meet this genius. LOOK AT THAT GOAT! Omg.

P.P.S. - Thanks for your patience while we figure out the lighting situation in our new place. I promise orange tinted, shadowy photos won't be the norm.

Roasted Squash and Vegetable Pizza with a Pizzolato Pinot Grigio Review

When Whole Foods contacted me to try this Pizzolato Pinot Grigio I was like, "Umm a thousand times yes. Send me all the alcohol, please." Then I thought to myself, a pinot grigio is white wine? I had to look this up. I don't drink white wine. To my credit, I did notify my contact that my preference leans heavily to the red variety. I have bought one, count it one, bottle of white wine in my lifetime. It was a riesling and I almost had to cut my tongue out. White wine apparently isn't my jam.

Needless to say I was feeling a bit of hesitation in sampling this pinot grigio. I knew I wanted the perfect dish to go with it and I knew white wine goes well with seafood but, obviously, seafood was not going to be on my menu. So, I turned to Google. "Google, what pairs well with a pinot grigio?" I asked. Google wasn't extra helpful. Some sites said to pair it with with a tomato sauce based dish, others said to stay away from acidic foods...like tomato dishes. Some said it pairs nicely with a heavy, buttery dish, while others advised to keep it paired with light dishes. Yet, they all could agree on the seafood. Boo that. I found a few that noted pizza and cooked vegetables were a good match. And so it was.

With a throng of vegetables from my CSA box waiting to be drafted (see the fruit in the background, they're next), I knew a roasted veggie pizza was meant to be. I found a crust that I adapted from Garnish and Glaze. It only needed 10 minutes to rise and with no kneading necessary, we had dinner done in about an hour and a half!

“Caramelized pistachios green pear aromas follow though on a soft entry to a dryish light-to-medium body with tangy baked apple and kiwi notes. Finishes in a quick, slightly pithy, nutshell accented fade with chalky fruit tannins.”

— Tastings.com

The Pizzolato Pinot Grigio is certified vegan by The Vegan Society of the United Kingdom and is the #1 selling organic pinot grigio in Italy. The wines are made with organically grown grapes or certified organic with no sulfites added and are also Non-GMO Project Verified. All great news! I hate finding a wine that I enjoy only to discover it's filtered with fish bladders, or eggs, and has sulfites added. Some people find they are sensitive to sulfites which  can give them headaches. 

Because I am not exceptionally familiar with white wine, I asked some friends for their thoughts. They told me it would be a great "afternoon" drinking wine...I think this means that it's light and refreshing.

I will definitely reach for Pizzolato wines when I can find them. Knowing they are organic, GMO-free and sulfite-free, and vegan will make wine shopping easy! I pretty much try to buy only organic wine because I know it's filtered in a vegan-friendly way, so I found a few good organic wines and I tend to stick to them. Find this Italian Pinot Grigio for $9.99 at Whole Foods. 

“Think like a proton. Always positive. ”

— Unknown

Roasted squash, sweet potato, carrots, and other assorted vegetables adorn a sweet and doughy homemade pizza crust with creamy, vegan mozzarella. A perfect compliment to a crisp and refreshing pinot grigio. 

Roasted Squash and Vegetable Pizza

Roasted squash, sweet potato, carrots, and other assorted vegetables adorn a sweet and doughy homemade pizza crust with creamy, vegan mozzarella. Serve with a crisp and refreshing pinot grigio for a fun and comforting winter meal. NOTES: Any assorted vegetables good for roasting can be substituted. Use a pre-made pizza crust if you wish. The crust is sweet and bready, so if you like a thin cracker crust maybe swap out for your favorite. Swap the 1 cup wheat flour for an additional cup of all-purpose flour if like. This recipe makes two large pizzas, so feel free to cut in half or just save the other half for another day like we did.

Ingredients

• -- Veggies --
• 2 small sweet dumpling squash (or about 2 lbs. of other winter squash), peeled, seeded, and diced small
• 1 lb. fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and diced small
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, scrubbed and diced small
• 3 large carrots, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch slices
• 2 medium red onions, thickly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch slices
• sprinkling of olive oil
• pinch of kosher salt
• dash of ground black pepper
• -- Dough --
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. quick-rise yeast
• 2 Tbsp. vegan sugar
• 1 1/2 cup warm water (110 F)
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. agave nectar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat white flour
• 2 Tbsp. cornmeal
• -- Toppings --
• 1 lb. package of vegan shredded mozzarella cheese (I like Daiya)
• sprinkling of dried basil
• pat of vegan butter

Cooking Directions

1. Start by preparing the vegetables. Once they are all chopped, preheat the oven to 425 F with your pizza stone in the oven. Spread the chopped vegetables evenly among two large, rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Bake at 425 F for about 60 minutes. Toss the veggies have way through, and move the top pan to the bottom rack and the bottom one to the top. Remove from the oven when done, but keep the oven on.
3. Meanwhile, make the dough. Begin by combining the yeast, sugar, and water in a large bowl. Cover with a towel and allow to rest for about 5 minutes in a warm place, until the yeast is foamy.
4. Whisk in the salt, olive oil, and agave nectar. Then, stir in the flours ½ cup at a time. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes or so, until the dough begins to form a loose ball.
5. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise (at least 10 minutes) until there’s only about 20 minutes left for the veggies.
6. Next, transfer the dough to a heavily floured surface (don’t be afraid to use a lot of flour as the dough is very sticky) and cleave in half. Roll out one of the dough balls into the size of your pizza stone.
7. Remove the pizza stone from the oven and sprinkle with cornmeal. Transfer the rolled out dough to the stone and top with the mozzarella. Scatter with roasted veggies and bake at 425 F for about 15 minutes, until the crust just begins to brown.
8. Remove from oven and run butter along the crust edge. Sprinkle pizza with dried basil. Repeat with remaining dough ball.
9. Serve hot with a glass of Pizzolato Pinot Grigio!

Dutch Word of The Day

The word for a thing or person you can't find the name for --> dinges (ding-es)

Good Deed of The Day

This is my good deed of the day. Did you see that Field Roast has a new line of vegan sliced cheeses?!?! Sweet baby Jesus, Todd almost cried...I almost died!! We have yet to find them way up here in the boondocks of Alaska, so if anyone has made contact with this food of the gods, please let me know how it was! See the three varieties and learn more here. 

Flatbread Pizza with Asparagus & Baby Potatoes

“Kill one animal - Criminal
Kill many animals - Butcher
One turns a blind eye - Negligence
Society turns a blind eye - Normality
One points out another’s wrong doings - Extremist
Many point out another’s wrong doings - Change
Change is coming. You are the answer.”

— Aishwarrya Prakash

Who says pizza is off limit for vegans?

Certainly not me. Look at that gorgeous beauty! Easy, crunchy, crispy herbed garlic flatbread is layered with creamy, vegan goat cheese and topped with tender baby potatoes, fresh asparagus, and tart cherry tomatoes. 

So dig in! Don't let me stop you. This is one of those recipes that may look super complicated and time consuming. Homemade crust, homemade cheese (or not!), boiling and slicing veggie prep....I know, I know. Believe me when I tell you this was an utter breeze to throw together. I think it's because nothing is really too difficult to prep/assemble/make and it all times up perfectly. 

Flatbread Pizza with Asparagus & Baby Potatoes 

Makes two medium pizzas

Notes: Use whatever vegan cheese you like. I used the recipe below and made it a few days in advance. Feel free to cut the vegan cheese recipe in half if only using for these pizzas. Cheese adapted from Spabettie.

Ingredients: 

Dough

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• small handful fresh herbs, minced (I used parsley, rosemary, and oregano)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup water (additional as needed)

Toppings

• 2 cups baby potatoes, boiled, halved and sliced
• 1/2 bunch of fresh asparagus (about 2 cups), sliced diagonally
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup vegan cheese of your choice (I used the recipe below)

Vegan Goat Cheese (at least 8 hours)

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
• 1/2 cup roasted and salted macadamia nuts, soaked
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 vegan probiotic capsules

Directions:

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil for the potatoes. Once boiling, add the whole potatoes and boil for about 10 minutes, until fork tender. Drain, cool, then halve and slice. Set aside until ready for use. 

For the dough, whisk all the ingredients together except for the water in a large electric mixing bowl. Then, fix on the dough attachment and while on low speed, slowly add the water. The dough should be moist, but not wet. When combined, remove and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. 

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 400 F. Slice up the baby potatoes, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes. Set aside until ready for use. 

Roll out the dough balls on a floured surface into two 14 inch pizzas. Transfer one to the pizza stone and bake for 10 minutes at 400 F. Then, top with vegan cheese and half of the prepped veggies. Place back in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove, and repeat with second pizza. 

Serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and topped with additional herbs and freshly cracked pepper. 

Making the Cheese:

Soak the nuts for 2-12 hours in fresh water. Drain, rinse, and place in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients, excluding the probiotics. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, a few minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Transfer to a small dish and stir in the contents of two vegan probiotic capsules, discarding the shells. Cover and allow to rest overnight (8-24 hours) in a warm place. Store in the fridge. Makes about 1 1/2 cups. 

German Word of The Day

Crunchy --> knusprig (canoe-sprych)

Good Deed of The Day

Speak up against animal abuse. Sign the petition calling on the Livestock Marketing Association to protect animals and stop workers who were caught on video viciously beating animals, dragging and lifting them by their ears, tails and hair, and denying them food, water, and proper veterinary care.