Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Heart Healthy Pizza: Review by Lani Muelrath ("Fit Quickies") & Sauces Versatility

FQangleEarly in February, Lani Muelrath posted a short review of my book on Amazon (here).  I was convalescing in a hospital at the time and didn't find out about this until a few days ago.  I'm honored!  Lani, aka, "The Plant-Based Fitness Expert," has been making quite a well-deserved name for herself recently, in no small part due to the success of her book, "Fit Quickies: 5 Minute Targeted Body-Shaping Workouts."  Here's what she had to say about "Heart Healthy Pizza:"

"Mark Sutton's Healthy Pizza is beyond innovative. When seeking to create a pizza that is outside the usual pizza box of high fat, full of dairy or meat, one is usually left to their own devices.

No more. Mark has created a book with guaranteed healthful sauces and toppings that can stake their claim in the 'whole foods, plant based healthy' world. And with endorsements by Caldwell Esselstyn, you know you can trust the contents to be heart healthy.

His sauce recipes also inspire versatile application. I made one of the sauces last night to put over a salad and it was perfect! Rice, nutritional yeast, and a few other elements made a robust and tasty sauce. Next is to tackle the crust recipes, which are not wanting. Nice work Mark!"

Clever cook!  Only in recent months, when I've had chance to test the idea of using some of the 60 "cheese-like" topping sauces on pasta, in casseroles, on veggies, on potatoes, in quesadillas, etc., did I affirm that, generically, pretty much all of them can be used this way and NOT just on top of pizza (or underneath the vegetable fillings, depending upon whether you are a "top" or "bottom" person).

I mention the possibility briefly in my book, but the process is simply to use leftover sauce (maybe thinned a bit) to, say, integrate with stir-fried vegetables until it gets creamy.  Or, pre-heat the sauce in a sauce pan until it thickens, and then use in any number of ways.

However, Lani figured it out and I appreciate not only her succinct and great review, but noting how "versatile" the recipes are.  Thanks Lani!

You can learn more about Lani and her work at:  http://www.lanimuelrath.com/

...and, you can order an autographed copy of "Heart Health Pizza" here!

Friday, February 15, 2013

"Thai Issue" of Vegan Culinary Experience Now Available!

Click for Larger Version
I'm proud to have an article in the latest issue of the Vegan Culinary Experience.  The theme of this issue is "Thai Cuisine" and it was a challenge for me, taking several attempts to get the crusts right, as Thai food is not one of my strongest suits.  I wrote an article detailing how to make a "Pad Thai Pizza Pie" and a "Heavenly Pineapple Pie." Here's the structural overview of each pizza:

PAD THAI PIZZA PIE
• Brown Rice, Chickpea, and Cilantro Crust
• Sweet 'n' Spicy Chili Corn Sauce
• Filling Ingredients:
- sliced cucumbers
- shredded carrots
- sweet red pepper strips or slices
- bean sprouts (rinsed and drained)
- sliced scallions
- raisins (optional)
• MIllet, Ginger, Peanut, and Lime Sauce

HEAVENLY PINEAPPLE PIZZA
• Whole Wheat, Millet, and Banana Crust
• Tofu, Coconut, Mint, and Lime Sauce
• Rum‐soaked Pineapple 
• Unsweetened, Shredded Coconut
• Red Chili Pepper Flakes (optional)

PTPandHPP
Click on Image for Larger Version
Chef Jason Wyrick does a marvelous job doing the layouts for each issue, let alone adding additional content beyond that of invited Chefs:


At over 200 pages, this magazine will give you a greater understanding of Thai Cuisine as well as a ton of recipes to try and enjoy!  Contributers for this edition are:
Jason Wyrick, http://www.devilspice.com and http://www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Madelyn Pryor, http://www.badkittybakery.blogspot.com/
Bryanna Clark Grogan, http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/
Robin Robertson, http://www.robinrobertson.com
Mindy Kursban, mkursban@gmail.com
Jill Nussinow, http://www.theveggiequeen.com
Liz Lonetti, http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org/profile/LizDan
Sharon Valencik, http://www.sweetutopia.com
Andrew Breslin, http://andyrantsandraves.blogspot.com/
Milan Valencik, http://www.sweetutopia.com
Mark Sutton, http://www.hearthealthypizza.com
Eleanor Sampson, Eleanor@veganculinaryexperience.com

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Vegetarian Resource Group Reviews "Heart Healthy Pizza"


VRG Cover (click for full version)
VRG Review of HHPizza (click for full version) 

One of the 1st vegan cookbooks I ever purchased was "Simply Vegan," by Debra Wasserman. Debra's co-director of one of the oldest vegetarian/vegan informational organizations in the country (The Vegetarian Resource Group), as well as co-founder of the long-running, "Vegetarian Resource Journal."

She's a prolific cookbook author, and it's hard to underestimate my delight that she's published a review of my book in the latest issue of the VRG Journal.  Some excerpts:

“If you’re looking for a book devoted to creative vegan pizza recipes including crusts, sauces, and toppings, look no further.  Heart Healthy Pizza offers a variety of crust recipes... Mark also shows you how to prepare delicious vegan non-cheeses... The ingredients are all blended to make creamy cheese alternatives... The next time you plan on throwing a party, be sure to use this book and wow your family and friends!”

This issue of the VRG isn't available currently online, so above is an image link to the full review (next to one of Nava's great "Wild About Greens!" cookbook).  Remember, you can order an autographed copy of "Heart Healthy PIzza" here.

Both images from the VRG Journal in this post are @2013 by VRG.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Photos: 1st Ever Heart Healthy Pizza Demonstration/Sampling!!

Well did it!!! 9 16" no-oil heart healthy plant-based pizzas served to 30 hungry guests in 3 hours (I had decided to serve one to volunteeers before we got started; they often don't get to eat, and can see how I approached making a pizza).  The day was incredible, and we learned a helluva lot pulling this "first time ever" demonstration.  The Vegetarian Society of DC (Saurabh (the Pres., managing, food prepping, serving, speaking), Paige (food prepper extraordinaire, serving, speaking). Diane (food prepping, serving, managing, photography), Colette (photography), and Rodney (all-around problem solver, member of the Eastern Village Co-Housing Community where this presentation was accomplished) were absolutely amazing.

Fortunately, all I had to do was bring 8 16" pizza crusts premade, topping ingredients pre-measured segregated, and sit and watch the fun... yeah, right...  It was exhausting.  Aggravated my leg injury, hadda use a cane for the first time in five weeks.  Oh well, adversity makes it all the sweeter when the team is victorious.
There's going to be more of these events, not just in the DC area (I hope). Here's a link to where the menu is posted.  I loved speaking to the group and used, in public for the first time, my goal phrase of "helping people think outside the pizza box."  More on this some other day...

In any case, my deepest appreciation to the VSDC and volunteers for all their hard work.  It was truly an exciting and thrilling time. Clearly, though, the most popular pizza was the "Really Reubenesque" (you can see it in the photos before being smothered in oat/cannelinni beans/horseradish 'cheese-like sauce"), which is straight from my book.

Here's a link to some 170 photos of the party, with copyrights going to Diane Payne, Colette Price, and Mark Sutton.  I've also added two of my favorite photos below.  Enjoy!  The event was on January 13th, 2013.

MarkSlingingPizza
Mark Slinging Pizza!
The_HHPizzaCrew
Diane, Mark, Rodney, Paige, and Saurabh: We Make Heart Healthy Pizza!!

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Video Clip: Humongous Pizza Test


I haven't had much time the past several months, due to recovering from an injury and self-marketing my book.  Great fun to get to spent a little discretionary time doing one of the things that made my career (particularly at NASA):  video animation.  Although I'm very new to the software I used, and it's got me puzzled, can't do all I want to (yet), here's my first test showing the results of another test, a humongous vegan pizza in prep for my presentation/demonstration later this month in the DC area.  Enjoy! (there's also a "mobile" version at my YouTube Channel as well).

Saturday, December 29, 2012

"Hooked on It:" The Healthy Librarian Makes More Pizza

It's alway gratifying to get positive feedback from people trying my recipes. Many have been skeptical that you can actually create "Heart Healthy" cheese-like sauces without expensive, nutritionally vapid, and fatty faux dairy cheeses.  Imagine my delight when the Healthy Librarian posted this on Facebook today:

12_29_HLPizza
@2012 by the Healthy Librarian (click for larger image)
"Friday night "Dinner & a Movie" & a home-brewed beer. Last night we streamed, "Bernie" http://tinyurl.com/c8whr6t Jack Black & Shirley MacLaine in a hilarious black comedy based on a true small Texan town's murder. Thoroughly enjoyed it, along with homemade pizza schmeared with "Heart Healthy Pizza's" millet, cashew, mustard sauce, & our fave toppings. I'm hooked on it. Great cheese substitute."

So so cool... she interviewed me last month, and it'll be neat to see it published soon.  A long time champion of a no-added oil plant-based diet, she's one of the most knowledgeable people regarding diet and nutrition I've ever interacted with. A real blessing. You can learn more about the 1st Vegan Pizza Cookbook, "Heart Healthy Pizza," here. Around 60 different "cheese-like" sauces amongst the 112 recipes. Namaste!


ADDENDUM:  1500 est:  Ms. Librarian added another comment of note:

"We were 100% happy & used to cheese-free pizza. But, after Mark Sutton asked me to try one of the toppings in his "Heart Healthy Pizza", I decided to give it a try. Oh baby, it really added a delicious creamy dimension to the pizza. No cheese WAS fine--but, this is BETTER! Worth a try & very cheap & easy to make. I'm going to try it on tacos or a taco salad."

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

"Oh, Baby, What a Delicious Surprise" Healthy Librarian Makes Heart Healthy Pizza

So so stoked.  The Healthy Librarian took her first try at one of my recipes from cookbook "Heart Healthy Pizza" and posted about it on Facebook. Here are her two photos with associated text, main post text & link. Her full review (and interview with me!) will be out soon (probably after the Holidaze).  It's wonderful to see what she and her hubby (aka "The Lab Rat") thought!  Her opinion, as a long time supporter of Esselstyn's no-added fat, plant-based approach means so much to me.

Here's the first photo:
HHL_PizzaPhoto01c
Click on Photo for the Full-sized Version
"Our pizza topped with swirls of cheesy creamy millet, cashew, mustard sauce. The Lab Rat said, "It's the best plant-based pizza I've tasted."" [Facebook Link]

Here's the second photo:
HHL_PizzaPhoto02c
Click on Photo for the Full-sized Version
"Our delicious homemade pizza with a creamy millet, cashew mustard topping. Indescribably delicious. Daiya doesn't come close. Trust me, the topping kicked our pizzas up to a new level." [Facebook Link]

Here's the full post with more text:

"I thought my "no-cheese" pizza was fine--that is until Mark Sutton convinced me to try the "Cheeze-Toppings" in his cookbook. Oh baby, what a delicious surprise! The Lab Rat made Mark's Millet, Cashew, & Mustard "Cheeze-Like" topping & it "knocked our socks off". What a fantastic addition to our pizza. We're hooked & plan to try Mark's other crazy-good recipes. Recipes for crusts, including gluten-free, all kinds of sauces & toppings."  [Full Facebook Post Link] 

SPECIAL NOTE:  I'm making autographed copies of the 1st Vegan Cookbook, "Heart Healthy Pizza," available with a Special Holidaze Discount until midnight (pst) Thursday, 12/20/12 (HERE).  Enjoy!

...and my special thanks to The Healthy Librarian for taking a break from her busy schedule to make these posts!