Today was yet another spectacular Fall day. We slept in until 7:30 and then I read the paper and ate a peanut butter sandwich made with whole wheat toast and a banana for breakfast. It really hit the spot and was a quick and easy breakfast.
Cheryl wanted to go for a walk so we headed to Cherry Creek State Park and enjoyed a brisk 2 hour walk. It was an ideal day with the sun’s gentle warmth complimented by a light breeze. Looking westward we admired the clear blue skies and snow-capped Rocky Mountain peaks. Everywhere we looked we saw all the textured nuances of fall’s colors from the tall grasses to the trees’ leaves. There were lots of photographers out today taking pictures of the ducks floating with the slow current down the creek.
Today we went to the movies and saw, “Where the Wild Things Are” with Ally and her boyfriend, Connor. It was a pretty good movie and the popcorn was super fresh (no butter, of course). Afterwards, I made some homemade vegetarian pizza for the 4 of us. It isn’t quite vegan as their is some milk protein the “rice shreds” mozzarella cheese flavor alternative we used.
Mike, my old friend and college roommate, looked over the pizza recipe I used last week and suggested changing out the white sugar for brown sugar and also to split the white and wheat flour roughly 50/50. He said using more white flour will make the dough rise more. Mike’s home made pizza was the best I ever had, so I was excited to get his suggestions. 
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces of “rice shreds” mozzarella cheese flavor alternative
PIZZA DIRECTIONS
- In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
- Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1.5 cups of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as pizza sauce (add 1 Tsp of oregano and spread in very thin layer), “rice shreds” mozzarella cheese flavor or pure vegan alternative, vegetable toppings.
- Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.
I made 2 personal pan pizzas for Ally and Connor and a bigger pizza for Cheryl and I to share. For toppings, I let everyone pick what they wanted from:
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fire roasted tomatoes (canned)
-
portobello mushrooms
-
red bell peppers
-
4 fresh garlic cloves
-
white onion
-
tomato
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“Smart Deli” Pepperoni Style Veggie Protein Slices
Cheryl had to run some errands, so Ally and Connor kept me company as I prepared all the toppings. Anytime you can get teenagers to hang out with you, you know you must be doing something right. 
The pizza turned out wonderfully and Cheryl said it was the best pizza she ever had. Ally couldn’t believe that the “cheese” wasn’t real and she and Connor both enjoyed their personal pan pizzas as well. We all had fun and enjoyed the time together.
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