Dairy Free Rant Ahead!
So many of my fellow dairy free brethren have been stepping out of the woodwork.
You tell me the process went a little like this:
You cut out gluten, things got a little better. Then you cut out sugars and grains, and things got really a whole lot better. But then something didn’t feel quite right or your inflammation markers were still high on your bloodwork, or your weight loss plateaued for months with there still being weight to lose (great indicator that something needs troubleshooting, actually). And you decided to quit dairy as well.
Boo! No Fun! Temper tantrum ensues:
“I’ve already quit so MANY things, how come I gotta quit dairy too?”
“I live for cheese and crème fraîche, don’t tell me I have to give that up too?”
“Anna, I will kill you if you tell me this is what I gotta do now.”
OK. Take a breath, everyone. I know not everyone has to quit dairy. Some people tolerate it quite well, and good for them! But if you’re reading this right now, I bet you are not one of them. If you are wondering if dairy is hurting more than helping, this could be the low carb, dairy free pizza crust recipe that will set you free.
IF YOU THINK YOU CAN’T TOLERATE DAIRY:
Please have your doctor give you a food sensitivity/allergy blood test, if you are able to do this. Or you can do the food sensitivity test at Everlywell. I’ve done several and the Everlywell test came back with the same results as the expensive physician lab test.
Or you can do the elimination diet and cut dairy out for 30 days. See how you feel. Then reintroduce dairy. See how you feel. You may be surprised at the results.
***Please consult your doctor if you feel you need guidance in this area. I am not a doctor, I only played one on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
WHERE TO FIND MORE DAIRY FREE RECIPES AND PRODUCTS:
If you are looking for Dairy Free recipes, my second cookbook Eat Happy Too, while not entirely dairy free, it has a bunch o’ dairy free recipes plus recipes that can be made dairy free with various substitutes. This particular recipe is based on the Pork Rind Pizza Crust recipe in that book.
This recipe for a Dairy Free Pork Rind Pizza Crust/Flatbread uses dairy free shredded cheese (lately I’ve been into Violife Parmela, and Miyokos). NO DAIRY FREE CHEESES ARE PERFECT. They all seem to have some sort of carb or chemical in them, and let’s be honest, they are highly processed. Therefore, please make this crust only when the pizza craving hits you so hard, you need to have your pizza. I get it. You can also use this recipe to make other applications of low carb crusts: bagel rounds, flatbreads, etc. Get creative with it!
You can find coconut/palm shortening in the baking section at Sprouts, Whole Foods or other natural food stores, or online. I use Nutiva brand.
Want more Eat Happy inspiration? Make sure you sign up for the 31 Days of Meals plan and free recipe sampler here!
Dairy Free Pork Rind Pizza/Flatbread Crust
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 cup ground pork rinds
- 2 tablespoons coconut or palm shortening, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups dairy free shredded cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg
- Olive oil
- Toppings:
- Eat Happy Kitchen Marinara
- Flatbread toppings of your choice, here I used pepperoni and fresh basil and opted out of sauce or more cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all crust ingredients except the olive oil in a bowl. Using your hands to mix evenly, press into a dough, the warmth of your hands warming the shortening so it spreads evenly throughout as you knead the dough. Drizzle nonstick foil or parchment paper with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Gently press the dough into a flat bread crust, about 1/4-1/3” thick. The dough might seem dry, but keep pressing and molding the crust, working the ends back together that try to separate.
- Bake in oven 10 minutes. The crust will start to bubble. Remove crust from oven, and using mitts, place a second piece parchment paper or nonstick foil rubbed with olive oil on top of the crust. Quickly and gingerly flip the crust onto the second piece of parchment paper or nonstick foil and place back on baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6-10 minutes or until crust is browned and bubbling. Remove from oven and top with marinara or flatbread toppings of your choice. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until toppings are heated through. Remove from oven and let stand 5-10 minutes, then slice and serve.
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