Every year, I wait for the happy moment when the farmer’s markets are flooded with strawberries. Berries are my favorite fruit, and I don’t have enough words to describe how many benefits they have for our bodies! Their merry shades of red, magenta and deep blue announce their high concentrations of antioxidants, our main allies in reducing oxidative stress and free radical damage. They’re perfect on this gluten free breakfast pizza.
To get the maximum benefits from the nutrients in berries, you should aim to eat a cup 3 or 4 times a week. That means about 10 strawberries or a handful blueberries per serving. It’s not that much, especially in summer, when fresh berries are available everywhere. But it does so many things for your body, that it’s very much worth it.
Keep in mind these health benefits when heading to the farmer’s market and considering which fruits to buy next:
- The antioxidants in berries help prevent early neurological disorders and help keep your mind sharp, so you can enjoy the beautiful things in your daily life.
- The fiber and water content of berries can help you loose weight by giving you a sense of fullness.
- The vitamins in berries (especially vitamin C) nourish your skin from inside out, reducing the signs of aging.
I most often serve berries raw, to reap all those health benefits in their purest form. But I also like to play with the sweet and sour taste, pairing them with flavorful ingredients to create light and nourishing breakfasts. This time, I used fresh aromatic herbs (there’s nothing better than mint in food, in my opinion!), ricotta, pine nuts and organic raw honey to highlight the berries in this delicious breakfast pizza. I made a chickpea crust to ease digestion, and the nutty taste worked perfectly with the sweetness of the other ingredients. And it’s gluten-free, too!
Berry Breakfast Pizza with Chickpea Crust
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup fresh mixed berries any available
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 5-6 mint leaves fresh
- 1 cup good quality ricotta
- 1/2 lime
- Organic raw honey to drizzle
Chickpea crust
- 1 cup chickpea flour
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp vegan milk
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of sea salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F.
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Add the crust ingredients into the food processor and mix to obtain a dough.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and roll over the dough into a 1/8 inch thick layer.
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Bake for 10 minutes, then flip over and bake 10 minutes more.
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Remove from the oven, spread the ricotta all over the crust, top with frozen blueberries and bake for 10 minutes.
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Remove from the oven, top with fresh berries and pine nuts, garnish with mint leaves, drizzle with honey and serve warm.
