I’ve been trying to cut back on the wheat and gluten, which actually hasn’t been much of a struggle (surprisingly!!). As you know the kids and the hubs love their pizzas and because I’ve got Dubai on my mind I ended up playing around the kitchen and came up with a Cauliflower pizza with ground beef and oooey gooey cheese. Manakeesh is one of my favourite dishes and I used to eat them growing up in Dubai. The base, similar to pizza, is an oven-baked flatbread and is usually topped with za’atar, melted cheese, or ground beef. As you know, I’m a Gay Lee ambassador and this month we have two awesome giveaways! Scroll below for your chance to win a beautiful KitchenAid Stand Mixer! And you can click here for your chance to win a year of Gay Lea products!
Disclosure : I am part of the Gay Lea Ambassador Campaign and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog, as always, are totally mine!
My dish was inspired by traditional pizza and Manakeesh and while the hubs still prefers his regular pizzas, I didn’t hear too many complaints about the healthier version. I’ll be making this more often, that’s for sure! First things, first preheat your oven to 400F.
Next up grab a medium head of cauliflower and pulse the raw cauliflower florets in a food processor or blender until a rice-like texture is achieved. This made just enough for one medium sized pizza that fed two very hungry adults! The kids of course wanted nothing to do with this one! Grab a medium pot and bring an inch of water to a boil, add the “rice” and cover; let it cook for about 4-5 minutes. Ideally you’ll let this cool down before you attempt to drain it, but if you’re like me…you’ll end up playing “hot potato”! Place the boiled cauliflower “rice” into a fine-mesh strainer and drain the water out. Once you’ve strained the rice, transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel or cheesecloth and twist it up to get the excess moisture out! I spent about fifteen minutes trying to drain the water out and this helps ensure that you end up with a “real” pizza crust. One you can ACTUALLY hold and eat… just like a real slice!
In a bowl mix up your strained cauliflower rice, one egg, and spices. Because I was channeling my Manakeesh, I added some Za’atar spices (available at most super markets these days) but you could easily swap for Parsley or Oregano. Also sprinkle in some Ivanhoe Mozzarella cheese. Press the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and shape it to look like a pizza. You want the crust to be about a cm in height. Now comes the easy part, bake for 35-40 minutes at 400F. You want a firm and golden brown crust.
While this is happening, grab a pound of ground beef and toss it into a pan. Add some salt and pepper, along with 1/4 teaspoon of EACH – ginger powder, garlic powder, chili power, turmeric, cumin and curry power. Also toss in two spoons of tomato paste ( I used pasta sauce for my pizza base so used some of that here as well). Once cooked you want to drain any excess liquid in the meat as well – just toss the meat into a mesh strainer and let the water drain out.
Now comes the fun part!! Grab your cauliflower pizza base from the over, spread your favourite pasta sauce (or you an make your own of course!), drizzle your ground beef and if you’re feeling healthy, toss in some shredded spinach or kale. Layer on your cheese…
When it comes to cheese, Ivanhoe is one of the oldest cheese companies of its kind in Canada and many visitors still flock to Ivanhoe, Ontario to visit the outlet there. I’m on a mission to take my milk guzzling city kids to a REAL farm this summer. There’s two that are fairly close to downtown Toronto (Armstrong Manor farms just north of Brampton and Ben Loewith near Hamilton) and kids can not only see the cows but can also learn about local dairy products and meet real farmers. I find the Ivanhoe mozzarella cheese to be mild and slightly salty; its milky, buttery taste makes it a great topping for pizzas. Which is why I grated some and drizzled away on our cauliflower pizza! Return the pizza to the 400F oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is hot and bubbly. How good does this look? You just need to decide if you’re going with red or white tonight!
I know you’re pretty excited for the chance to win the KitchenAid Stand Mixer so I’ll let you get to it!! Good luck and be sure to enter the year of Gay Lea giveaway as well... you’ll need the delicious items to bake me some goodness 🙂
Please comment within the Rafflecopter app and not in the comments sections. I want you guys to win!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Please note : Readers may enter across many blogs, but may only win on a single blog. Entrants must be a resident of Canada, however those in Quebec are unfortunately unable to enter the giveaway. Winner(s) can expect their prize in approximately 4-6 weeks! 
Jenn Beckett @jennpup
April 19, 2016 at 9:21 amI love to bake Pineapple Upside Down Cake! 🙂 Thanks Yashy!
Bailey Dexter
April 19, 2016 at 9:54 amOur family is gluten free, I do almost everything from scratch. I love making lavender butter shortbread cookies! Always a hit with the kids!
Stephanie LaPlante
April 19, 2016 at 10:12 amMy favorite thing to bake is Banana Split Cheesecake!
ivy pluchinsky
April 19, 2016 at 10:19 ammy favorite thing to bake is cream cheese tarts
Michelle Policelli
April 19, 2016 at 10:22 amMy favourite thing to bake are cakes! 🙂
Amy Heffernan
April 19, 2016 at 11:48 amI LOVE to back Chocolate Chip cookies. Thanks!
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 4:02 pmMM love chocolate chips too! Please enter your answer in the Rafflecopter app itself.
Joseph Dawe
April 19, 2016 at 11:49 amI like to bake cakes
Mark V
April 19, 2016 at 11:50 amMy favorite thing to bake is cheesecake.
Robyn Bellefleur
April 19, 2016 at 11:58 amI love baking banana bread.
kristen visser
April 19, 2016 at 12:08 pmI have a few baked favorites. I love short bread cookies, pumpkin spice cookies are my absolute fav and I love baking cupcakes and having fun decorating them
Silvia D
April 19, 2016 at 12:25 pmmy favourite thing to bake is sticky caramel cinnamon buns and cream puffs.
Scott MacMillan
April 19, 2016 at 1:07 pmAny type of bread.Its aroma turns the house into a magical world and the taste is such a reward.
elaing8
April 19, 2016 at 1:14 pmI love to make banana bread.
Michelle B
April 19, 2016 at 2:01 pmI love to bake chocolate chip banana muffins.
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 4:01 pmMuffins are a huge hit at our place! Please enter your answer in the Rafflecopter app itself.
Sarita @ it's my girls' world
April 19, 2016 at 2:02 pmI just ordered a Kitchen Aid 🙂 I love baking cookies though. THis recipe looks right up my alley!!!
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 4:01 pmLet me know how you get along if you do make it! Just as a reminder please enter your answer in the Rafflecopter app itself.
Eileen Dussome
April 19, 2016 at 2:07 pmI love to bake sugar cookies!
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 4:01 pmLittle Monkey loves those! Please enter your answer in the Rafflecopter app itself.
Bernice
April 19, 2016 at 2:37 pmi love baking cookies with my kids,chocolate chip are our favourite
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 4:00 pmMM love chocolate chips too! Please enter your answer in the Rafflecopter app itself.
Jess H
April 19, 2016 at 2:56 pmThis looks delicious
Monique L.S.
April 19, 2016 at 3:43 pmI enjoy baking desserts, usually bars or cookies.
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 4:00 pmHi Monique. That sounds delish… please enter your answer in the Rafflecopter as well- you will need to submit your email address.
Judy Cowan
April 19, 2016 at 4:08 pmI love baking a New York Style Cheesecake, so yummy!
joanne darrell
April 19, 2016 at 5:06 pmMuffins are my favourite thing to bake.
LILLIAN BROWN
April 19, 2016 at 5:38 pmI like to bake different kinds of healthy muffins and this mixer would be a great help in all my baking
Sarah Jackson
April 19, 2016 at 5:39 pmI love to bake bread !
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 8:54 pmYou must be a skilled baker! My breads turn out lousy! Please ensure you enter via the Rafflecopter!
Heather Lynne
April 19, 2016 at 5:43 pmCookies, for sure! 🙂
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 8:53 pmWe have a cookie monster here! Please ensure you enter via the Rafflecopter!
lynn clayton
April 19, 2016 at 6:02 pmi love making cheesecake
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 8:53 pmI love eating them! hah! Please ensure you enter via the Rafflecopter!
Brandy Champion
April 19, 2016 at 6:15 pmIn love baking breads
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 8:53 pmOooo I struggle with bread!! Please ensure you enter via the Rafflecopter!
Jenness M
April 19, 2016 at 6:32 pmI love to make banana bread!
Belinda McNabb
April 19, 2016 at 6:59 pmI like to bake red velvet cake. yum!!
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 8:53 pmYum indeed! Please ensure you enter via the Rafflecopter!
dixya @food, pleasure, and health
April 19, 2016 at 8:34 pmi love pizza in general but havent been successful with cauliflower crust, will definitely give it a try again sometime.
Yashy
April 19, 2016 at 8:52 pmThe trick really is getting that water out and mixing in some cheese.. just a tablespoon even, helps. Ensure you drain as much of the water out of the cauliflower and you’ll have a great crust.
Jolie
April 19, 2016 at 9:16 pmLove baking banana bread & muffins.
Sarah
April 19, 2016 at 9:37 pmI love to bake cookies or fresh bread. There is nothing quite like freshly made bread.
Anonymous
April 19, 2016 at 9:50 pmI like making cookies
Julie bolduc
April 19, 2016 at 9:51 pmI like making cookies
heather sibley
April 19, 2016 at 10:03 pmI love to bake homemade red velvet cake with cream cheese icing.
Gillian Morgan
April 19, 2016 at 10:20 pmI love baking chocolate chip cookies.
Tara Betterley
April 19, 2016 at 10:21 pmI love to bake when I have time. I love making spaghetti sauce. I also love to make poke cakes and my all time favorite dessert is Jello Cake! (made with Cream cheese)..
Jenny R
April 19, 2016 at 10:49 pmI love making red velvet cupcakes.
Andrea Amy
April 20, 2016 at 3:02 amI like to make chocolate cake!
Kendra
April 20, 2016 at 7:07 amI love to bake cupcakes. My red velvet has become my specialty! Mmm
Yashy
April 20, 2016 at 8:02 amWell then. next time we meet…..you’ll be baking for us!! Don’t forget to submit your answer through the Rafflecopter app up there!
Chandra O'Connor
April 20, 2016 at 7:08 amI like baking bread.
Kathleen
April 20, 2016 at 7:20 amI love to bake brownies
Yashy
April 20, 2016 at 8:01 amWe’d be all over that.. clearly we have a sweet tooth! Please remember to submit your answers through the app as well!
Ann
April 20, 2016 at 7:46 amI love baking treats galore!! Especially chocolate chip pumpkin muffins, yummmm!!!
Yashy
April 20, 2016 at 8:00 amYummmm indeed! Please remember to submit the answer through the app as well!
Tamara Davidson
April 20, 2016 at 7:52 amMy fav thing to bake is red velvet cupcakes
Yashy
April 20, 2016 at 8:00 amSend some our way! Please ensure you reply on the Rafflecopter app!
janine a
April 20, 2016 at 8:04 ami love baking in general, but what i bake best is banana bread, i bake a lot of mini muffin where i hide veggies from my one year old 🙂 ahah
melissa fowers
April 20, 2016 at 8:19 amI love to make muffins and cookis. I have been making these amazing brown sugar chewies.
Em Mahr
April 20, 2016 at 8:58 amI love to bake cakes – any flavor, any kind!
Julie
April 20, 2016 at 9:01 amCookies…mostly because it makes my kids so darn happy and cookies happen to be my husbands absolute favourite!
Kimm Coleman
April 20, 2016 at 9:25 amI love baking Ginger cookies. So delicious
Jessica Vallee
April 20, 2016 at 9:28 amI love baking Lemon Drizzle Cake and I love love love making any kind of cheesecake. The last one I made was a Salted Caramel Cheesecake. 🙂 Thanks for this giveaway!
Stephanie LaPlante
April 20, 2016 at 9:40 amPeanut Butter Cookies
BlessedTA
April 20, 2016 at 9:54 amcookies
Tiesha
April 20, 2016 at 9:55 amI love to bake bread… And pie… And cookies. I LOVE to bake.
Lushka Smith
April 20, 2016 at 9:59 amFYI your instructions say to comment on the form but there is no spot to do that. Just thought you’d like to know. ?
I do like to bake shortbread cookies though.
Kim Tanti
April 20, 2016 at 10:00 amI love making cake pops from scratch for my daughter to take to school. GET THEM OUT OF THE HOUSE. I just love baking it is my therapy. When I had cancer I think each kid in the class gained 10 lbs. LOL
Nicole B
April 20, 2016 at 10:12 amOur favorite thing is muffins. My children love helping and their favorite kind is zucchini muffins!
Clare B
April 20, 2016 at 10:12 amOatmeal cookies are always the best and healthy than what the sell in store
Vanessa L
April 20, 2016 at 10:21 amMy favourite thing to bake is white chocolate cranberry cookies!
Suzanne G
April 20, 2016 at 10:22 amMy favourite item to bake is my homemade carrot cake. I was unable as per request to comment in rafflecopter form as there was no place to do so therefore I commented in the comment section.
Heather Arnould
April 20, 2016 at 10:27 amI love to bake banana bread, ’cause then I get to eat it.
Cheryl
April 20, 2016 at 10:29 amCake!
Cheryl
April 20, 2016 at 10:30 amI love baking cookies and cake
Barb W
April 20, 2016 at 10:44 amI love baking cookies!
SarahJ
April 20, 2016 at 10:49 amI love baking so many things. Cookies, cakes, you name it! I use an old mixer that stills works, but I have always drooled over the KitchenAid Stand Mixers. If I won this mixer the first thing I would bake is Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookies with dark chocolate chips.
Cheryl
April 20, 2016 at 10:53 amI love baking muffins 🙂
Stephanie C
April 20, 2016 at 11:08 amI love baking scones
Lauren C
April 20, 2016 at 11:12 amI LOVE baking sugar cookies! This mixer would definitely help fuel my addiction even more 🙂
Jenny
April 20, 2016 at 11:50 amMy favourite thing to bake are cakes
Wayne Couzens
April 20, 2016 at 12:12 pmI love to bake chocolate chip cookies
Wanda Bergman
April 20, 2016 at 12:44 pmI love baking chocolate cake. Simple, I know, but we all love it!
Samantha Reeves
April 20, 2016 at 12:52 pmI love to bake Rum Cake at Christmas time.
Lillian
April 20, 2016 at 12:57 pmBaked cheesecake…New York stye.
Heather Swanson
April 20, 2016 at 1:23 pmBanana chocolate muffins
Nancy T
April 20, 2016 at 2:26 pmI like to try new things all the time – from a new cookie recipe to a divine cake. One of my fave things to bake is French Macaroons! 🙂
dawn gordon
April 20, 2016 at 2:27 pmmy favorite thing to bake is banana bread ..and that is only something relatively new for me..
Debbie F
April 20, 2016 at 3:07 pmmy favorite thing to bake is cranberry loaf
DebP
April 20, 2016 at 3:33 pmI love baking loaves – I use pumpkin, then use my imagination on what else to add – raisins, nuts, chocolate, fruit.
Elizabeth o
April 20, 2016 at 3:35 pmi love baking meat pie.
Daniela Plume
April 20, 2016 at 3:48 pmI love to bake pies. Apple & pumpkin are my faves!
Ana Sculschi
April 20, 2016 at 4:12 pmMy favourite thing to bake is brownies.
lynne m
April 20, 2016 at 4:13 pmI love making a cherry cheesecake!
Sarah N.
April 20, 2016 at 4:49 pmI love making muffins!
Linda Svarovsky
April 20, 2016 at 4:50 pmCarrot cake
KellyPC
April 20, 2016 at 4:52 pmI love to make cakes & cookies!
Scott MacMillan
April 20, 2016 at 5:34 pmI love to cook breads.It makes my house smell like a home and sits so nicely in my belly.
Silvia D
April 20, 2016 at 6:21 pmlove to bake and decorate cakes, cream puffs, cookies..
Brenda Witherspoon-Bedard
April 20, 2016 at 9:19 pmwe like to bake banana bread 🙂
Yashy
April 20, 2016 at 9:28 pmA true classic! Please be sure to enter through the rafflecopter app
Edith Rennes
April 20, 2016 at 9:30 pmMy favourite thing to bake is cookies.
Wendy hutton
April 20, 2016 at 9:51 pmI love to bake bread
Sarah Jackson
April 20, 2016 at 10:10 pmI love to bake bread , french bread ! mmm
Wayne Lecoy
April 21, 2016 at 4:20 amIt would be great to win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer.
My favorite thing to bake is Peanut Butter Cookies.
Thank you for having this giveaway.
Courtney
April 21, 2016 at 7:23 amI love to bake cookies with my sons!
Cheryl
April 21, 2016 at 7:46 amI love baking chocolate chip cookies 🙂
Julie
April 21, 2016 at 8:44 amLove to bake banana bread!
Stephanie LaPlante
April 21, 2016 at 10:18 amLemon Bars!