Along with summer, comes lots gatherings with friends & family! Food brings people together, helps create memories and even traditions. Some families, may be accustomed to "Taco Tuesdays", others may have a pizza night at least once a week. While following a food or fitness program, it is important to make small changes rather eliminations. For example, trying to make a more nutritious pizza versus cutting out pizza completely will help you satisfy cravings without sacrificing your health goals. In the recipe below, I used Mikey's paleo pizza crust to create a delicious white pizza topped with a creamy cashew based ricotta, fresh herbs and flavorful oil! Hope you try this quick and easy recipe at your next gathering! 

Main Ingredients:

● 1 Mikey’s Paleo Pizza Crust 

● 1⁄2 Cup Dairy Free Cashew Ricotta (Recipe Below)

● Fresh Basil

● Extra Virgin Olive Oil

● Grilled Zucchini or Other Veggies Of Choice

Ingredients For The Cashew Ricotta Recipe:

● 3⁄4 Cup Raw Cashews

● 1⁄4 Cup Water

● 1 1⁄2 Teaspoons Of Lemon Juice Or Apple Cider Vinegar

● 1 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (Optional)

● 1 Garlic Clove Or Garlic Powder

● Season With Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper, To Taste

Instructions:

1. Create cashew ricotta:

a. In a bowl of water, soak the raw cashews for about 2 hours.

b. Remove the cashews from the water and place in a blender until a creamy nut butter texture forms.

c. Add remaining ingredients: lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic and sea salt & pepper.

d. Refrigerate the cashew ricotta for 1-2 hours to create a stiff texture.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

3. Place pizza crust on baking tray and into the oven for about 7 minutes to warm up.

4. Add cashew ricotta, grilled zucchini, fresh basil and then broil for 2-5 minutes or until crisp.

5. Remove from the oven, slice 4 ways and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

6. Enjoy!