Vegan Pizza Toppings: Smokey Tempeh & Ricotta

For the Ricotta Filling:

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Place your raw almonds into the boiling water and let them boil for 2 minutes.
2. Drain the almonds immediately in a colander or strainer and rinse them with cold water to cool them. Blot the almonds dry with a paper towel.
3. Use your fingers to gently squeeze the almonds and loosen the skin from them. Set skinless almonds in a bowl and set aside.
4. Remove tofu from its package and wrap in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Squeeze for 20 seconds to allow excess water to strain.
5. In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the pressed tofu, blanched almonds, nutritional yeast, unsweetened almond milk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend for 1-2 minutes or until there are no chunks. The mixture will look lumpy, and that is okay! Add more almond milk if needed for desired consistency.
6. In a small pan, cook chopped spinach with 1 tablespoon of water for 1 minute or until the spinach is wilted down.
7. Once the ricotta mixture is made and the spinach is ready, combine the two in a medium-sized bowl and mix well. Taste the mixture and add any extra salt or seasonings if needed.

For the Smokey Tempeh:

1. In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, maple syrup, and smoked salt.
2. Slice the tempeh (e.g., into strips or cubes) and add it to the marinade. Let it marinate for 20 minutes in the fridge.

Topping the Pizza:

1. Top your favorite pizza crust with the homemade vegan ricotta and smokey tempeh.
2. Bake the pizza according to your crust's instructions, and enjoy!