We’ve been working really hard on cutting back on grains for our boys this last few months -and let me tell you that it has been a challenge.
It’s definitely not an easy task – and the biggest reason we have been moving in that direction is because they have some problems with tooth decay, and grains are rather heavy in phytic acid. If you read a little about our story before, you will remember that phytic acid can affect mineral absorption in the body.
While raw milk is something that helps prevent tooth decay, a diet high in grains will prevent them from capturing those nutrients in the raw milk that can actually help remineralize their teeth.
So on we went, to find a way to reduce the grains that they were eating – in hopes that with a few additional changes, we could see their teeth improve and support their health in the process.
It’s definitely a challenge to limit grains in children – you can look for grain-free foods, but in many cases, the foods will be a huge adjustment. Pizza was one of their favorite foods – and while I used to make our own pizza crust, it still had lots of flour and flour was a no-go for us.
As I poked around the internet, I found many grain-free pizza options – but after trying several, I was convinced that we would never be able to eat another slice of pizza because many of the recipes were just bleh.
Until I came across this recipe from Primally Inspired – it was fabulous. In fact.. my kids tore it up and we have made it several times since.
You would never think that a few simple ingredients could make such an amazing crust that is full of flavor – in fact, I doubted that apple cider vinegar was even required to make the crust. If you are wondering the same thing, the answer is “yes” – you do need ACV. In fact, it reacts with the tapioca flour to create such a wonderful texture in the crust.
Hopefully you find this as amazing as we do – whether you eat it plain, with spinach and a little cheese or topped with fresh parmesan and garlic. We topped ours with spinach pesto, a little fresh basil and some parmesan cheese.
- 1 C. tapioca flour
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 Tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1/3 C. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 C. water
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 egg
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/3 C. coconut flour
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
- In an average size bowl, combine your tapioca flour and sea salt and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the oil, water, garlic and apple cider vinegar. Put the pan on high and just as it comes to a boil, turn off the stove, remove it from the heat and add the mixture to your tapioca flour.
- Stir just enough to combine, and then allow the mixture to sit for 2-3 minutes or until it cools down enough for you to add in the coconut flour, seasoning and egg.
- Stir until the mixture becomes a dough - it will be sticky at first but but within a minute or so it will resemble a really nice, workable dough.
- Form the dough into a ball and then push out on lightly greased parchment paper (on a pizza pan) or, a greased baking sheet.
- You should be able to achieve a 12" circle.
- Bake the crust for 14-15 minutes at 430 degrees - it will become a light golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and add your toppings, then pop back in the oven for 3-4 minutes until done.
- I would not recommend using heavy toppings or overloading the pizza as it will get soggy - aim for lighter toppings like spinach, bell peppers, cheese, etc. We topped ours with a light layer of spinach pesto and a small amount of parmesan before popping back in the oven.
Brazilian Cheese Puffs (gluten-free, grain free)
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