brussels sprout & “bacon” pizza (vegan)

Ingredients

For the Coconut Bacon (makes more than needed for the pizza – save the extra for other recipes!)

• 2 cups large, flaked coconut, unsweetened
• 3 T coconut aminos
• 2 tsp. liquid smoke
• ½ tsp. pure maple syrup
• ¼ tsp salt

For the Pizza

• Pizza crust (here’s the one I use)
• Hummus
• Pizza sauce (the sauce I make for this)
• Pine nuts (optional)
• Sliced onion rounds
• Sliced red peppers, organic are best
• Sliced Greek pepperoncini
• Brussels sprouts, roughly chopped
• Coconut bacon (recipe follows, next page)
• Garlic powder & dried oregano

Instructions

for the Coconut Bacon

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine. Mixing by hand can help the liquids coat the coconut.
2. Let the mixture stand a few minutes while oven preheats to further aid absorption.
3. Spread coconut onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake 7-8 minutes, remove pan from oven, stir, then return pan oven.
5. Bake an additional 7-8 minutes, stirring once or twice to help coconut bacon cook evenly.
6. Remove from oven and let cool.

for the Brussels Sprout & “Bacon” Pizza

1. If using a homemade crust, pre-bake it for five minutes.
2. Spread on hummus, then sauce.
3. Sprinkle garlic powder and dried oregano, then add pine nuts if using.
4. Add onions, peppers and pepperoncini and bake in over for about 15 minutes or until crust is lightly brown and veggies are tender.
5. Top with raw Brussels sprouts and sprinkle on coconut bacon. Serve.

Recipe Notes

• You can use tamari or soy sauce in place of coconut aminos, but you will need to adjust the salt content. I like using coconut aminos because it is free of additives often found in soy sauce and tamari and it has a lower sodium content. Here’s where I order it on vitacost.com.
• I use Wright’s Hickory Liquid Smoke because it is one of the few liquid smoke brands that is free of sugar and other additives.
• Although the bacon is soft when it first comes out of the oven, it hardens as it cools.
• I like using red pepper hummus (especially Sabra’s Red Pepper Hummus) for the extra flavor dimension it offers, but feel free to experiment with your favorite kind. Hummus is key as it mimics the moisture and flavor cheese adds to pizza.
• I use Jeff’s Naturals brand for my pepperoncini because it doesn’t contain the preservatives found in most brands of pepperoncini found in grocery stores. I get mine a natural foods grocery store.
• Sprinkling on garlic powder and dried oregano helps boost flavor.
• To judge quantity, I make my pizza in a 9-inch cake pan and use about ½ onion, one small red pepper, ½ cup of pepperoncini, 4-5 Brussels sprouts and ¼ cup coconut bacon. But feel free to adjust to your personal taste.