Happy Sunday everyone! It’s been a while huh? I promise I haven’t been neglecting my blog…I have just been failing with my recent kitchen experiments đ And fighting off a nasty cold. Â But what’s really important is that it’s time for pumpkin recipes!!! Honestly, who doesn’t love this time of year? Summer is on the way out the door and it’s time for fall EVERYTHING. Â And pumpkin everything! Â
Since my bestie Rory, the foremost fall delights expert, is stuck in perpetual summer in Miami, I dedicate this post to her and her fall candles collection.  If you’re not in the fall spirit yet, read this.  Fair warning: it’s vulgar.  But that’s what makes it so awesome…just don’t read it around the kids because they’ll ask you why you’re laughing hysterically and you’ll have no choice but to tell them that “it’s decorative gourd season, motherfuckers!”  Sorry for cursing. It couldn’t be helped.
Now, about this recipe.  I have to warn you again here – it’s addicting.  I ate almost half the freakin’ pizza within an hour of taking these pictures.  I’m a bit of a pizza enthusiast as it is, but seriously, I just couldn’t stop.  The pumpkin crust is sturdy enough that you can hold it and eat it like a regular slice, but it was still nice and moist.  This was my first venture in actually trying to make a crust (or anything, really) with almond flour and arrowroot flour – and this whole thing is gluten free and paleo friendly.  I think the almond flour did a great job of keeping the crust moist and the arrowroot helped hold everything together.
If you’ve never worked with arrowroot flour before (like me!), it’s a very fine powder that can be used as a thickener in recipes in place of flour or cornstarch.  Most people use it as a gluten free or paleo substitute.  Would something else work in it’s place in this recipe? I have no idea – maybe cornstarch or regular flour?  I don’t know enough about how arrowroot flour works yet to say for sure.
I love using Macintosh apples for baking. Â They’re not as sturdy as Grannysmith apples, which is what a lot of people use for baking, but I just love the flavor of Macintosh apples. Â Â Oh and the icing you see on top? That’s just protein powder, almond milk and a packet of Truvia. Â So easy – and you don’t have to refrigerate it!
Keep scrolling to the end of the post for some tips on making the crust!
Apple Pumpkin Protein Pizza
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
- 1 scoop + 1 tbsp Cellucor Cinnamon Swirl whey protein
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 packets Truvia
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
Topping Ingredients:
- 3 medium Macintosh apples peeled and sliced
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp coconut flour
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Cellucor Whipped Vanilla whey protein
- 1 1/2 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 packet Truvia
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Mix all crust ingredients together to form dough. Â Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together vanilla protein, almond milk and 1 packet Truvia until smooth. Â Set aside.
- Place dough on a piece of parchment paper and flatten. Â Place a second piece of parchment paper on top and roll until it forms a thin crust (about 1/4"). Â Carefully remove top layer of parchment paper and push edges of dough inward to form a raised crust at the edge. Â Spray with coconut oil and bake on top of a pizza pan for 10-12 minutes.
- While the crust is cooling, add apple slices, maple syrup and cinnamon to a medium saucepan. Â Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until tender. Â Carefully mix in 1 tsp coconut flour.
- Allow apple mixture to cool slightly, then drizzle protein icing over top of apple mixture.
 I still don’t own a rolling pin, so I just flattened this out with my hands in between two sheets of wax paper.  When you peel off the top layer, hold the bottom sheet of wax paper in one hand and peel the top one off, keeping it almost parallel to the table so that the crust doesn’t come up with it.
That looks so inviting