At The Table Together 5 Minute Gluten Free Pizza Dough Mix Review

Happy Monday everyone! Over the weekend I decided to try out a pizza dough mix that I found at Homegoods (one of my favorite places to find cheap GF items). It is made by a company called A Tavola.

Pizza Mix

I was very excited to find this because not only is it GF, but it is vegan as well! I love pizza but it has been very difficult for me to find a dough mix or recipe that is both gluten and dairy free. It also states in several places on the package that it is easy to make, quick, and foolproof.

I started out following the instructions on the package, but soon hit a snag. The package states that you should form the dough into balls on a flat baking sheet, flatten them in the middle, and let them rise. My dough came out WAY too runny to be able to shape it like regular pizza dough. Not foolproof!

I went to the company’s website and discovered that their online tutorial is different from the package’s instructions. The website said to place the dough in pie/cake pans to shape the crust. I separated the dough into two greased 8″ cake pans and used a knife to spread it into the shape I desired.

After letting them rise, I baked them plain for 10 minutes. Then I added the toppings and baked it for 10 more minutes. Here is the result:

WP_20141116_002

They actually puffed up a lot more than I expected, but did not turn as brown or crispy as I hoped. Because of this, the pizza was not easy to pick up.

WP_20141116_004

Here is a side view. Hopefully, you can see that the crumb structure was actually pretty nice. It also tasted good as well.

If you would like to try this yourself, I would suggest either using less liquid or adding more of your own GF flour blend to make it easier to work with and easier to pick up when baked.

Gluten-Free Fall Shepherds Pie

This recipe is great for the fall and holiday season. For me, shepherds pie is a comfort food. It is a simple, but filling meal and it is great to have on a chilly day. I thought I’d try something a little different this time around and my results ended up being really tasty! I pretty much made it up as I went along, so by all means, adjust it to your tastes. I also think you could make this by utilizing your Thanksgiving leftovers! You could substitute shredded turkey for the ground turkey, leftover sides as the vegetables, leftover yams/sweet potatoes for the sweet potato topping, and cranberry sauce for the garnish.

WP_20141112_004

I also made a couple mini pies for my husband and I to take for lunch the next day!

WP_20141113_005

Ingredients

2 Tbl oil (I used grape seed oil, but you can use whatever you prefer)

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 lbs sweet potatoes

1.5 lbs turkey, ground

1 Tbl poultry seasoning

Salt & pepper, to taste

2 – 15oz cans of vegetables (here, I used 1 can of green beans and 1 can of corn)

1 Tbl butter or buttery spread (I used Earth Balance)

1 Tbl milk or milk substitute (I used soy milk)

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp clove

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp maple syrup

1/2 cup dried cranberries, soaked in warm water (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325˚F
  • In a large sauté pan, heat oil and add onion.
  • While the onions are cooking, cook your sweet potatoes, then set aside to cool. I used the potato option on my microwave (make sure you poke holes in the skin to prevent the potato from exploding).
  • When your onions are starting to turn translucent, add in the garlic. When the onions are done remove them from the pan.
  • In the same pan add the turkey, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until brown, then drain.
  • Mix the turkey and the onions together and place them at the bottom of your desired baking dish.
  • Next, layer your vegetables on top of the turkey.
  • Scoop out the insides of your sweet potatoes into a medium sized mixing bowl and mash them with the butter, milk, spices, and syrup.
  • Top your shepherds pie with the sweet potato mixture. You may need to use a knife or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.
  • Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until heated all the way through.
  • Top with cranberries and enjoy!

Makes about 4 servings