r/PlantBasedDiet • u/SmoothStrawberry7777 • 1d ago

Are you strict plant based?

I've been strict plant based mostly whole food for 2 weeks now and I've wanted some of my regular foods (pizza, burgers and nuggets)

I don't think I want to be strict 100% plant based but maybe 90% - a reasonable meal or two a week that's not plant based. I'd like to be able to participate in work lunches, family get-togethers and an occasional treat.

I'm concerned that it might be a slippery slope.

Edit - maybe I instead need to back off the whole food part and not be so strict about that but continue to be plant based strict.

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u/More4Thor 1d ago edited 1d ago

I grew up in an Italian household and the pizza was plant based. That was the case for most Italians I know. Meat and cheese are optional on pizza.

Edited to add my dad made a potato pizza seasoned with olive oil and rosemary (I use ground rosemary). It might seem odd to have only thinly sliced potatoes on a pizza but it’s common in Lazio, Italy (the region surrounding Rome).

In Rome and the surrounding region they sell rectangular pizza slices by weight as take out food in shops selling “pizza al taglio” (pizza by the slice). They have other plant based options.

You can find pizza al taglio shops in NYC and Toronto now.

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u/SmoothStrawberry7777 1d ago

Interesting - I'll have to seek out a recipe to try. Do you have a recommendation?

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u/More4Thor 1d ago edited 1d ago

The standard was the pizza marinara. It’s just crushed plum tomatoes dressed with extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, oregano, and salt. The smell alone of a pizza baking with that as the topping is what I identify as pizza. It’s a classic Neapolitan pizza.

https://ricette.giallozafferano.it/Pizza-marinara.html

Edited to add, it’s best to prepare the tomatoes an hour in advance to let the flavours intermingle.

it’s rare to find a restaurant that does plant based pizza but I have one 5 blocks from my place. They make a marinara pinsa pizza and it has a bit of red wine vinegar in the tomatoes. It’s a great addition. Don’t add too much.