AfroVeganChick: Weekly Wrap & Rectangular Cheese Pizza

Homemade pizza is always a sincere pick-me-up.

It has been a sweet week!

Monday-- AfroVeganChick was featured on Black Vegans Rock-- an amazing, much needed site kindly exposing vegans of African descent who promote healthy lifestyles, discuss animal oppression, campaign for intersectionality, support black business, etc. These are the vegans not always seen and highlighted on mainstream vegan media that is not always inclusive.
Tuesday-- the Fine Arts Venture Fund finalists were announced. Thirty-nine students applied. Eighteen were selected. I'm happy yet terrified of being a candidate for my "African Diaspora Diastema" project. It will be a series of four self-portrait paintings paired with Angela Davis, James Baldwin, Alex Wek, and Uzo Abuda who have gaps in their teeth-- both large and small and that does no. I aim to beautify this one "imperfection" that has always seemingly marred my very existence. I just don't want to hate the thing anymore and focus on becoming a better painter, a better artist. The next step is presenting the project in person to the committee. I pray not to be a complete speaking klutz.
Wednesday-- had a very wonderful first time Skype meeting with Aph Ko, an intellectual, brilliant, funny, inter-sectional, creative vegan girl and co-founder of BVG.
Thursday-- attended a meeting that may ignite some necessary steam. I enjoyed the feeling of being a small wicker of something that could have beneficial flame.

The lonely girl has no blues. Thanks Morgan for the Smiley Face.

Friday-- Last night, I went to PAFA's Awkward Prom themed Winter Bash solo, stag, sans Plus One-- as usual. I didn't go to my high school prom. So an occurrence that was not originally on my bucket list got officially crossed off. Plus the dolmades were delicious. Win win!

Moreover, yesterday morning, I got out of bed and prepped up pizza. Yup. At nine o' clock a.m., I started a pizza-- with robust energy and glee. Other Fridays, expect me to be up around my natural rising time--eleven-thirty to noon.
Now when it comes to making pizza (one of my favorite foods to make), the dough is the most important. If the dough is flavorful, moist, and chewy with just a slight crunchy bite-- perfection, a saving grace. Well, to me. I love a good dough and value taking the time to make my own. The process is extremely soothing, meditative even. I treasure kneading, just massaging and smoothing around the olive oil and Italian seasonings. Sometimes I add garlic, but opted not to. Garlic does bring that special fragrant oomph.
For toppings, I used a $1.99 jar of 365 Brand Organic Pizza Sauce (which isn't as salty as most) and Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds (conveniently on sale at Whole Foods Market for $3.99). It's a plain pizza with a lot of savory taste and cheesy goodness. Plus it's a rectangle!

Rectangular Cheese Pizza

Dough

1 cup warm water
2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

10" x 15" inch baking sheet

1/4 cup pizza sauce (store bought or homemade)
2 cup Daiya Mozzarella Style Cheese Shreds
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon Italian Seasonings

First mix water, sugar and active yeast together. Set aside for 10 minutes.
To the foamy mixture, stir in salt and gradually add flour one cup at a time.
Massage olive oil, nutritional yeast, and Italian seasoning onto the dough.
Knead for 15-20 minutes, giving dough utmost affection.
Place well loved dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Leave alone for an hour.
Punch risen dough down.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.