Gluten-Free Almond & Buckwheat Flour Pizza Crust

Hi, it’s me and a gazillion letters of text!

You may have noticed that I’ve been making a lot more gluten-free recipes over the past couple of weeks and I thought I would talk about why I’ve been doing this.

It’s sort of a long story!

Luckily, I’m jacked up on caffeine right now.

I’ve been experiencing some strange health symptoms over the past 4-6 weeks. For example, I’ve had bad stomach bloating to the point where I look 6 months pregnant (I’m not). I’ve always had bloating on and off all my life, but this is much worse than the normal bloating I’ve experienced in the past. I’m also experiencing bad stomach pains in my abdomen area, round-the-clock lower back pain, fatigue, and pressure in my pelvic area, among other things. The pain in my abdomen and lower pelvic area gets much worse after eating and I often feel really full after eating a normal-sized meal. Lately, I’ve been waking up with mild stomach pain too.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (which I’ve mentioned on the blog a while back) and for most of my life I’ve struggled with stomach pain, headaches, and GI discomfort on and off. My stomach is very sensitive to certain foods like dairy, nuts, soy, and beans. I never really know how it is going to react. Sometimes a handful of raw almonds can set it off with pains, while other times it’s fine. IBS is also strongly associated with our emotions, so it’s not surprising that my anxiety manifests itself through my stomach and digestive system.

Since I’m divulging my life story, another thing I’ve struggled with health-wise is my reproductive system. Specifically, my ovaries.

In 2009, a pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound revealed that I have multiple cysts on my ovaries as well as an enlarged (they called it ‘bulky’) right ovary. In addition to my regular yearly pap test and physical, I also go for a yearly ultrasound to monitor the cysts and make sure that they aren’t getting larger. Keepin’ an eye on things. Basically, I’m on watch for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

I had another ultrasound in March 2011 and it revealed that my right ovary decreased in size from 17.7 ml to 10 ml. My left ovary is also smaller in size. Apparently, this is encouraging news, but I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t really received a proper explanation. I’m thinking about asking for a referral to a specialist soon.

Fast forward to the symptoms I’m experiencing today. They could be the result of a mild or more severe illness, like most symptoms. And trust me when I say that I’ve Googled them all! I think Google has told me I’m going to die of a horrible illness about 654 times during my life, so I’m trying not to self-diagnose or draw any conclusions until I have the proper tests done. It could be something as minor as an ulcer or as major as Ovarian cancer. That’s why I always say it’s important to listen to your body and be your own health advocate if you think something is abnormal for you.

This brings me to tomorrow, my next ultrasound appointment. I pretty much had to beg my doctor for this ultrasound since my last one was only 6 months ago, but I’d rather ruffle a few feathers than to have a health issue go undetected for months. Bring on the 5 large glasses of water and bladder-bursting hour wait time!

The results of my ultrasound will determine my doctor’s next steps. I had blood work done in May which all came back normal, but I will probably have to get my blood checked again.

So, this brings me to the gluten-free recipes.

My doctor suggested that I try eating gluten-free for a while to see if I have any relief in my symptoms. I really do not think it’s gluten causing the issues, but I’m willing to try anything at this point. I’m also going to see a naturopath on Tuesday for a general consultation and food-sensitivity testing the following week. I’ve heard from many people who have had great relief from their digestive issues when seeing a naturopath, so I figure it’s worth trying out.

At this point, I just want to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible, but in all likelihood, it could take a while to figure out. I will try to post an update or two on the blog as I get more information.

PIZZA makes everything better.

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Gluten-Free Almond & Buckwheat Flour Pizza with Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto

A thin, crispy, flatbread-like crust filled with a nutty and lightly sweet flavour that will keep you coming back for more and more. Top it with Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto, some fresh herbs, Daiya cheese, and roasted tomatoes for a pizza that will be gone before you know it.

Yield: 3-4 servings

Inspired by Roost.

Pizza Crust:

1.5 cups almond meal (155 grams)*, made from ground raw almonds
1.5 cups raw buckwheat flour (205 grams)*, made from ground raw buckwheat groats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano, thyme, parsley)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, mixed)
2-3 tbsp water, as needed
2 cloves roasted garlic, optional

Notes: I ground raw almonds in my blender to make the almond meal. You can also use a food processor. To make the buckwheat flour, I ground raw buckwheat groats in my blender. I strongly prefer the taste of freshly ground buckwheat flour to the store-bought kasha flour.

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix flax eggs and set aside for 5 mins. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick mat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well with hands until you can form a ball.

3. Place ball of dough on a non-stick mat or on parchment paper. Place another mat or more parchment paper over top. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is as thin as you can get it. Transfer to baking sheet (dough may rip a bit and that is ok). Gently patch rips of dough with fingers and spread on a couple cloves of roasted garlic (optional). I left the crust looking very rustic, so don’t worry it’s not supposed to look perfect!

4. Bake in the oven at 350F for 15-17 minutes until golden along the edges. Remove to cool slightly. Set oven to broil on medium heat setting.

Pizza:

Pre-baked crust (above)
1.5 cups Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto
Daiya cheese, as much as you want
1/4 cup fresh finely chopped herbs
3-4 leftover roasted tomatoes

1. Spread the pesto onto pre-baked crust. Sprinkle on cheese, fresh herbs, and chopped roasted tomatoes.

2. Broil for 2-3 minutes over medium heat (3), watching very closely so you don’t burn it. Slice and serve immediately. I served this with a big salad to round out the meal.

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This crust turned out much better than I expected. The dough tasted amazing!

I spread on a couple cloves of leftover roasted garlic before baking.

After pre-baking, I spread on the mouth-watering pesto.

Followed by Daiya cheese, chopped roasted tomatoes, and fresh herbs.

Then I broiled it for 3 minutes over medium heat.

Crispy, ultra-thin, packed with nutrients, and oh so good.

This pizza did not last long!

If you are a thin-crust fan, you will love this pizza.

The crust is one of the most flavourful crusts I have tasted and the toppings went really well with it, but of course you can top it with whatever you see fit.

p.s.- See my new Fall header image? Hold down Control + F5 to refresh the page if you can’t see it.

p.p.s.- I have an exciting mushroom challenge & recipe post coming up Monday! If you love pesto, you will go crazy for this recipe.

We’re off for a day of hiking on this gorgeous Fall day…have a good one!

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Katie @ Peace Love and Oats

13 years ago

I’ve had similar stomach problems for the past 2 years! I finally saw a specialist 6 months ago and now I’m going to a different doctor next week because I felt like the last one was just not listening to what I was trying to say – I’m in pain every day and last visit he said come back in 3 months and we’ll re-evaluate! WHAT??!!? Not going to wait that long. I’m also pretty sure gluten isn’t my problem but I’ve considered giving it up for a week or so to make sure. Hopefully my new doctor will be more helpful…

Lisa

Angela, this might sound like a commercial, but I swear it’s just a testimonial…Have you thought about doing a nutritional cleanse?

I had similar symptoms a year ago. After many doctor visits that yielded no diagnosis, I decided to do a 3-day cleanse (I ordered my from Blue Print Cleanse). It’s not a weight loss thing as the cleanses have tons of nutrients and a normal amount of calories. You basically just drink 6 juices a day – they total 1,200 calories a day, depending on the cleanse that you choose…they have 3 different levels. Basically drinking your food instead of eating it gives your body a break as it makes digestion and nutrient absorption easier. It’s highly recommended for people with IBS. I do a 3 day cleanse once a month and it has made a huge difference in my life. I sleep better, have tons of energy, and experience no IBS syptoms.

I’m not sure if Blue Print ships to Canada (I think they’re based in NYC), but they also have a book that has their recipes. There are other companies such as Cooler Cleanse, but I’ve never tried that one. I would guess that if you offered to write a review of their products on your site, they might send you a free 3 day cleanse…I’ve seen them do that for other sites.

Anyways, just a suggestion. I hope everything goes well and that you’re feeling better in no time! :)

Danielle

Best of luck figuring everything out! Sometimes the process is long, but I know it will come together piece by piece. I was diagnosed w/ Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and PCOS a number of years ago. While medicine has certainly aided to some degree, I have found that diet has made the most difference in terms of controlling my symptoms. If you do discover you have an endocrine or autoimmune disease, I know that you probably will need to make changes in your diet! For PCOS in particular, you have to really carefully monitor your carb intake, and with thyroid problems there are certain foods that slow the thyroid down too much. Blood labs will give you lots of answers–ask your doctor to test you for EVERYTHING. I even saw several doctors before a definitive diagnosis of PCOS. The best way to test for this is through a 3-hour glucose tolerance test, to check for insulin resistance. You would likely have elevated male hormones, and possibly high fasting blood sugar (though I only had high glucose once!). I saw a naturopath for awhile, by a holistic endocrinologist has helped me the most, by far! I hope you’ll have some relief from the pain very soon!

Reply to Danielle

P.S. As strange as it sounds, that other reader was correct when she said cysts are actually sort of unrelated to PCOS. You don’t have to have any cysts at all to have the disorder. It’s more related to hormone levels and insulin resistance. I’ve actually never had visible cysts in any of my ultrasounds, so don’t worry yet that that’s what’s wrong!

Lauren Marie

Thanks for sharing your story. I have had several ovarian issues since I was 17, and had an ovarian cyst so big, I had to have surgery to have my right ovary had to be removed along with the cyst. Nothing something a 17 year old wants to go through, but it is always nice to hear that I am not alone with my stomach issues, and it can feel good sharing what I’ve been through. As many people commented before me, we all are thinking about you, and you have an amazing online support team! Will be thinking of you, and hopefully things will come back normal (or something that can easily be fixed).
And ps I found the coconut milk and made the soup- amazing!! I also added some homemade croutons and it complemented the soup perfectly! Thank you for all of your posts and recipes!

Amber Lynn

Hi Angela,

I’m sorry to hear that you’re not feeling well. I hope you figure out whatever is causing it and get better :(

I have serious issues with my stomach and have never been able to figure it out. I get sick pretty much every time I eat out almost no matter what I eat. I’ve suspected gluten for years now, but I’ve had a lot of trouble giving it up. The thing is, gluten intolerance doesn’t always manifest itself as abdominal pain. It can be as little as a bit of fatigue or a headache. There are so, so many symptoms associated with it.

If you’re trying a gluten-free diet, you really need to give at at least 2 or 3 months. If you do have trouble with gluten, it’s going to take a while after removing it before you see a difference. And if you decide to take the blood test, you have to go back to eating gluten regularly again for the test results to be accurate. My brother-in-law has another undiagnosed digestive problem which causes the celiacs test to show a false negative. I don’t understand the reasoning behind it, but if you get the test and it shows negative, discuss it with your doctor to make sure that’s really the case.

Do you ever get sick eating sugars? If so, I recommend reading up on ‘fructose malabsorption’
http://www.foodreactions.org/intolerance/fructose/malabsorption.html
The symptoms of it are similar to that of IBS and lactose intolerance. I’ve also suspected it for myself because I get really bad aches when I drink any of the fruit smoothies from Jugo Juice (the non-dairy, fruit-only ones).

Sugar is toxic anyway. It will feed all of the bad bacteria in your intestines and make them act up. An anti-fungal, sugar-free diet may help your IBS as well. Maybe talk to the naturopath about candida and yeast-intolerance. Regular doctors don’t know a lot about it.

I discovered that the only foods that don’t hurt me are: vegetables, small amounts of fruit and organic uncured meat (as well as organic free-range eggs). I don’t buy any meat from the supermarket. I get most of it from health food stores or I get elk from the farmer’s market. I know you’re vegan, but if you ever feel like it’s compromising your health, it’s not worth it. I used to be vegan, but I discovered I feel better on a paleo type diet. When I eat this way I feel like I have virtually no health problems at all.

I wasn’t trying to convince you of that, but there is something out there for you and I hope you figure it out. We’re all different and there is no universal diet for health.

Count your soy sensitivity as a blessing because that stuff is so estrogenic and unhealthy. Flax contains even more phytoestrogens than soy, so if you have hormonal issues, consider avoiding flax.

That pizza looks amazing :D

Reply to Amber Lynn

Also, consider the link between polyunsaturated oils and IBS. There’s a bit about it at this source:
http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/ibs.html

Plus, those types of oil go rancid easily. It’s possible to be eating rancid oil without knowing it. Polyunsaturated oils are way too high in omega 6 anyway. They’ll lower your omega 3.

Coconut oil is more stable to cook with. That’s what I use mostly :]

It’s good for digestion:
http://www.21stcenturynutrition.net/subPage.php?SP_Id=131

“Macaroons are made up mainly of desiccated (dried) coconut, which is 60-70% fat (coconut oil). Coconut oil is one of nature’s richest sources of medium chain triglycerides, or fatty acids (MCTs). These smaller chain fatty acids have been shown to absorb easier and quicker in the digestive tract than longer chain fatty acids found in other fats, like vegetable oils. In fact, studies are now showing that longer chain fatty acids found in polyunsaturated oils (soy, corn, and other vegetable oils) are the most harmful oils for those with intestinal problems like Crohn’s disease, as they increase inflamation.”

gina

Primal/paleo diet and lifestyle has been a godsend for me and my intestinal issues!

Michelle @ Turning Over a New Leaf

Ah! I’m a possible PCOS-er, too. I’ve been “seeing” a holistic doc (email consultations) for the past few months to try and make sense of some hormonal imbalances. I wasn’t expecting anything as serious as PCOS at all, but it’s looking that way now. I had a blood test done this past week and now I’m waiting on results.

My holistic doc has highly suggested a gluten-free diet for me since I suffer a lot of bloating. I do better on a low-gluten, low-grain diet anyway.

LEM

1. Your pizza looks amazing
2. I love all of your recipes
3. All my life I have had a “sensistive stomach” with bloating, gas, and feeling uncomfortable. The past couple of months I have been eating soy free, dairy free, and gluten free. I feel a lot better, but am still trying to figure out exactly what food does not work for me. Thank you for sharing your stories and helping me make good food that my body likes!

Jazzz

Interesting! I wonder, if you have had thsee cysts for some time, why they didn’t remove them? I just had mine removed 2 weeks ago via laparoscopy and am hoping that this will relieve my bloating/ pain.. will let you know!

Sana

I am so sorry to hear that you are struggling with eating, the same thing happened to me when I used to eat beans, and uncooked veggies. I would have terrible stomach cramps, I had trouble walking! Oh and gas. So I stick to carbs, meat and cheese and I feel a lot better. I am so glad you are seeing a doctor about this!

Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin

I hope your appointments will help you find some answers to your stomach problems! Good luck! :)

barefoot and frolicking

Thank you for sharing your story Angela – it is great to hear you are trying out some different options to see what works best for you and your diet. I think you will find that a gluten-free diet will definitely minimize some of your digestive symptoms. I experience the same when I eat wheat, and have not had the same issues for years.

Linda

Take care Angela! Let us know how you are doing. It looks like many women have similar issues. Thanks for sharing.

J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog)

I feel for you, I’m pretty much in the same boat. I’ve had ongoing digestive issues for the past few years that have gotten progressively worse. It doesn’t seem to be one food or another, right now it seems to be EVERYTHING. I also have all of the symptoms of PCOS even though I have never been diagnosed with it. I have a long list of other hormonal issues, too.

I have tried gluten elimination and grain elimination, but probably not long enough. I have been doing research and experiments for several years now, and I have learned so much. Inflammation is normal, but chronic inflammation is not. A true elimination diet is strict and lengthy and requires complete dedication, and finally a reintroduction phase over several months.

I could go on. I suggest looking into these things:

1-) Inflammation
2-) Anti-inflammatory foods
3-) Gluten avoidance and probably preparing other foods
4-) Getting adequate omega-3’s. Nuts, seeds, grains are all very high in O6 and to reduce inflammation you need to ingest a good source of o-3. Fish oil and fish are best as plants are inferior sources.
5-) Seek medical care that doesn’t focus on conventional medicine (drugs and therapy). You want someone who is in tune with the endocrine system AND the right diet for you
6-) Avoid inflammatory foods, medicines, chemicals, and other environmental factors.
7-) Try to avoid heating nut and seed and their oils at high temps. This oxidation process is very bad. Avoid canola, safflower, sunflower, etc. oils — all oils high in PUFAs.
8) Get lots of probiotics, especially from fermented foods (avoid antibiotics)

Please email me if you have any questions that I can answer. I know of a lot of resources and avenues to go down. Like I said, I’ve been on the same journey

Shayla @ The Good Life

Thank you for sharing your story with us Angela, I hope you find some answers to what’s going on. Good luck and my thoughts will be with you :)

Btw, I love love you’re new header! The vibrant colors and images are gorgeous!

lindsay

oh angela, i’ve been and kinda still am in a situation very similar to yours. Praying that this next round of ultrasounds figures things out. On the upside, our GF creations are even more amazing!

Vanessa

I so appreciate this post as I feel that people who have IBS (like myself) don’t talk about it enough because they are embarassed by it. The reactions we have to food are often not dinner-table talk and when some people found out I have IBS they scrunched their noses up in disgust. It is very frustration not knowing from one day to the next what will set off your digestive system. You have inspired me to do more research on IBS so I can better educate myself and my family and friends.

Enjoy this beautiful fall day!!!

JenATX

Reply to Vanessa

yes people don’t like to talk about these things, which is quite interesting because in other cultures digestive issues do not raise embarrassment like they do in the United States (or Canada). Isn’t it funny how we can talk so openly about our nasal allergies, but we avoid the food allergies? Anyway, I hope your research goes well :)

Angela, love the new masthead- gorgeous!

Anna @ Newlywed, Newly Veg

I’m so sorry to hear about your health problems :-( I hope the ultrasound delivers encouraging news!!

Anna @ On Anna's Plate

I’m so sorry to hear about your health problems :-( I hope the ultrasound delivers encouraging news!!!

Heather @ Get Haalthy with Heather

I hope you get your answers soon Angela! Luckily you’ll be eating wonderfully while waiting :). This looks delicious!

Shay

Oh no! I hope you feel better!

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Gluten-Free Almond & Buckwheat Flour Pizza with Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto

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