Arugula is one green you have to be careful with. It overpowers some dishes, yet it can perfectly accompany others. This powerful green is actually an herb which originated in the Mediterranean. Arugula has been found to help ward off certain types of cancers, such as colon and breast cancer. Additionally, this little powerhouse contains both anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties!
For my pizza crust I chose kamut since it does have some advantages that typical wheats do not. Kamut is both easy to digest and full of nutrients such as iron and zinc. This ancient grain originally came from Egypt, but on the other hand the term "Kamut" is not ancient at all. Kamut is a trademark name created by a company. The grain itself is so similar to those found in Egypt that it is now known as a great descendant of the original ancient grains. Kamut is relatively easy to find now, but I have also used spelt and rye in this recipe with great success! I also like to use freshly ground flours, so I usually buy all of my grains/flours stone-ground from a local mill.
Cherries are one of my favorite summertime seasonal goodies! They go along with both sweet and savory foods! My favorite way to enjoy cherries is either over yogurt or in some freshly baked muffins, of course this recipe pretty much tops the list also! The red color found in cherries comes from anthocyanins, which help fight against inflammation inhibitors and ease aching joints. Cherries have also been known to aid your colon when it comes to cancer and improve eyesight. In addition, cherries are one of the few food sources of melatonin, a sleep aid hormone, which in turn improves your sleep pattern.
Stone-Ground Flatbread Pizza with Cherries and Ricotta
Ingredients:
1 recipe pizza dough, see instructions for details
1 cup fresh cherries, cut into fourths
1/3 cup walnuts, broken
1/2 - 3/4 cup low fat organic ricotta cheese (see below for a vegan option)*
2 large handfuls fresh arugula, plus more for topping
raw honey to taste
salt + pepper
Instructions:
First start your dough. I used this beautiful recipe for kamut sourdough bread, but for a gluten free version I like to use this one.
Gather all ingredients and prepare accordingly. Pre bake your pizza crust at 420 (for the sourdough) for about 15 minutes or until beginning to brown.
Once your pizza dough has pre-cooked, spread on the ricotta or cashew cream and sprinkle on the chopped cherries, walnuts, and 2 handfuls arugula. Cook the pizza for another 5 minutes.
Before serving, add on a bit more arugula, a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of honey to taste. Enjoy!
* for a vegan option simply replace the ricotta cheese with a freshly made cashew cream. See here to view my recipe for basil cashew cream (for this recipe I would omit the herbs though)!