My dad used to hate buying Lactaid milk for me as a kid. He only told me that recently but I found it quite humorous, especially considering he never confronted me on the issue as a kindergartner.
Of our small family of four I was the only lactose intolerant schmuck while the rest of the group was fine with 2%, seemingly ruining the party for all dairy-loving members. “Ice cream everyone? Well, almost everyone…?” My digestive tract simply hated me, and my special needs didn’t stop there.
I was also severely allergic to cats and everything outdoors. I required allergy shots, medications and endless doctors visits where I’d sit in the waiting room and get my hands locked in a Chinese finger trap, more than once. I couldn’t swallow pills so my mom had to budge for more expensive liquids – another event my dad detested. I had the worst teeth of anyone ever – each tooth proudly facing its own unique direction – which required retainers on top of braces on top of retainers just to make me an acceptable member of society again. I also cried every day in the 4th grade because I missed my mom and hated my new school in the middle of nowhere rural America, far from my familiar New Mexican surroundings.
Oh, and I had asthma, but let’s not even go down that road. There was a lot of wheezing, inhalers, breathing chambers and treatments; rather a sad sight from anyone’s perspective.
Somewhere between braces, freshman basketball and community college I dropped the lactose intolerant bit, almost like how I stopped wearing glasses in 2009 to force my eyes to get better. My eyes obeyed, my stomach did not, and it’s been fighting with me on dairy quite angrily for a couple years now.
I was intolerant of my very own intolerance and, like moldy cheese in the back of your fridge, it came back to bite me. I should’ve been tending to this years ago, but I’m fixing that now; or at least trying. Better late than never, I suppose.
In 2013 I’m resolving to listen to my body more, feed it foods it agrees with and leave things like dairy by the wayside, at least temporarily. This recipe may not be the equivalent of a salad in terms of health, but it is dairy free and healthier than your average pie. Those are two things my stomach can get behind at the moment.
Breakfast pizzas are typically savory but I prefer them sweet. This one consists of a simple pizza dough (store bought or homemade; I include a recipe below), baked apples, a raw-sugar streusel and dairy-free vanilla glaze.
John and I snacked on these one lazy afternoon this week and couldn’t help but liken them to the dessert pizzas you’ll find in any American pizza stand, only way better. They’re fresher, more wholesome and embarrassingly simple to make. These would make an excellent weekend treat, brunch item or late-afternoon or after-dinner dessert. I prefer them any time of the day, like most things covered in glaze and baked apples.
So here’s to a New Year. Here’s to resolutions both small and grand. Here’s to health and happiness in 2013. And here’s to another delicious and simple recipe that’s certainly worth sharing. At the risk of sounding cliche, cheers!
- Pizza dough for 1 12-inch pizza, divided (recipe)
- 2 apples (1 tart, 1 sweet) peeled, cored, chopped
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp corn starch
- 1 Tbsp Earth Balance (or other non-dairy butter) divided
- {Streusel}
- 3 Tbsp raw sugar
- ¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp Earth Balance
- {Glaze}
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ Tbsp Earth Balance, melted
- splash almond or soy milk
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange apples on the baking sheet and sprinkle with lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar, corn starch and toss. Then speckle tiny dots of Earth Balance over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until soft and fragrant, tossing once halfway through. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F and divide your pizza dough into three even portions. Roll out on a lightly floured surface until the crust is quite thin.
- Transfer pizzas to lightly greased baking sheets and top with apples. Prepare streusel by combining raw sugar and flour and then cutting in butter until well combined. Sprinkle over the top of the apples.
- Bake pizzas for 10-12 minutes or until the edges appear lightly brown and the toppings are bubbly.
- Meanwhile, prepare glaze by combining powdered sugar with vanilla and melted butter and whisking in almond milk until desired consistency is reached – thin enough to drizzle. You will have leftover glaze.
- Remove pizzas from oven and drizzle with vanilla glaze, cut however you please and serve warm. These store well in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 2 or 3 days. Simply reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
baked apples adapted from Joy the Baker
Ashley January 8, 2013 at 9:32 am
Deeelicious! Also– I’m allergic to cats, had crazy teeth, and developed asthma in my sophomore year of high school. :) Cheers to you two in 2013!
Megan January 8, 2013 at 10:09 am
Oh man. This looks so delicious! I’m sitting at work craving the hell out of this.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) January 8, 2013 at 12:08 pm
I think I just fainted from the beauty of these pictures and the creativity of this concept. Amazing.
Leisa January 9, 2013 at 1:15 pm
Wow… you poor girl, what a childhood you suffered through! I’m glad you’re making up for it with something as delicious and decadent as ‘Breakfast Pizza’… I love it :-)
Laura @FoodSnobSTL January 9, 2013 at 6:55 pm
I am drooling over these! Why is it so hard to listen to our bodies? I often think I can eat things that my body just can’t handle, and never seem to learn my lesson.
megan @ whatmegansmaking January 10, 2013 at 6:11 am
oh my, do these look good!! I can’t wait to try them. Immediately pinned ;)
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com January 10, 2013 at 1:54 pm
So unique and creative!
Allison January 10, 2013 at 4:42 pm
I just found your blog through Iowa Girl Eats-I love you! Hilarious. Glad I found you!
becca January 11, 2013 at 12:42 am
So so so love your blog and all that you are doing here. I too am a sensitive food/skin/person issues. I have been thinking a lot about how we, as women, have a hard time knowing or listening to our bodies. Your blog and your postings on healthier food as well as your ‘blog resources page’ inspired me to blog about healthier eating as well…but in a more “get in touch with yourself”/understand your hunger versus recipes style. It feels like a natural offshoot for me to explore these issues in a deeper manner. Thanks so much for the inspiration and all the yummy food ideas. keep them coming and I hope that your body will feel more centered and at peace soon. How could it not with all the care you give it?
PapaLos January 17, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Wow, what a childhood! It sounds like you persevered though. I’m sure if you had these breakfast pizzas back then, the sun would have shined clearer. They look awesome! And seem extremely easy. Think I’ll have to try them out.
I’ll bookmark your blog, looks great, good job!
The Frosted Vegan January 20, 2013 at 4:03 pm
Ohh my, I love the look of this! Like apple pie, but for breakfast : )
Natalie (@fashionatalie) January 25, 2013 at 9:42 pm
Ok, you have no idea how much this excites me because it reminds me of the dessert pizza at Pizza Hut I used to *LOVE* as a kid. I might have to try making it GF!
Julie March 12, 2013 at 10:13 am
Made this using a pre-made flatbread from Trader Joe’s and it was delicious!
Lisa April 21, 2013 at 3:01 pm
Be glad your parents took care of your lactose intolerance. I didn’t know what my problem was until I got married at age 45 and my husband did research and found out I was lactose intolerant! Even though I take lactaid pills I have very bad sinus trouble now, so I’m trying to eliminate all dairy and see if that helps.