East West - The Asian American Lifestyle Magazine

Pundits will endlessly debate what America's next big health trend will be, but for Miki Agrawal, a former semi-professional soccer player who has been on a quest to eat her favorite foods despite being lactose intolerant, there is nothing to discuss or wonder about. The Montreal-born Agrawal is convinced that major metropolitan cities in the United States and around the world are poised to take to the idea of healthy pizza, all natural and organic.

Slice has turned pizza into a good-for-you food, offering a buffet of healthy pizza choices. The menu features Slice’s proven pizza combinations or patrons can opt to put together their own pie, choosing from three healthy crusts – honey whole wheat, spelt and unbleached herb. There are also several organic, homemade sauces, organic and/or dairy-free cheeses and creative toppings such as tofu, sautéed veggies — including broccoli and caramelized onions — and organic free-range chicken. 

“It is pizza that tastes good and is good for you,” Agrawal says while noting that most of the pizza made in the market today contains bleached flour and ingredients she says are full of fat and sugar.

Organic and low fat is definitely not a novel concept. A chicken and organic mozzarella pizza, for example, seems likely to fly with today’s consumers. But what about Slice’s vegan options? Can the concept of pies made with dairy-free cheeses really catch on? Agrawal says yes, adding that the statistics reveal a great need for what Slice is cutting up.

“One in five Americans is lactose intolerant and 80 percent of the world is. It is more common to be lactose intolerant than not to be,” she says. 

Despite Agrawal’s passion for the Slice mission, she admits she began with zero experience in the food industry. “I could barely boil a potato, but I love eating. In fact, my first word, according to my dad, was cookie,” she says, laughing.

A lifetime of enjoying good food has helped her to understand flavors and what sells and what doesn’t. That knowledge paired with the skills of a professional chef, who is part of the Slice team, has given Agrawal a fast start in the business.

“The feedback so far has been great,” she says.

Aware that there is always room for improvement, Agrawal says she is always looking toward making the Slice concept even better and taking it even further. The team is already looking into a West Coast location, and this entrepreneur has many other plans in the oven including a gluten-free crust option.

Agrawal, who is of Indian and Japanese decent, says other new additions will likely draw from the East. “I was always very involved in both cultures. Growing up, I would go to Japanese school on Saturdays, learn Hindi on Sundays and French during the week. And I have been exposed to such great Indian food and Japanese cuisine my whole life.”

It is fitting then that Slice serves its pizza on sushi plates and pieces are cut up into bite-size morsels just like sushi. And Agrawal says she plans on adding some type of “curry-ish” topping to her healthy pizza lineup, carving up a slice of east west inspired health food that could easily become the next big thing.   

Slice
1413 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(212) 249-4353
www.sliceperfect.com

Perfect Pizza Tips

• When using veggies, sauté first says Agrawal. Don’t put raw veggies on your pizza, cook them first before the pie hits the oven.

• If you are going to use soy or rice cheese, cook the pizza without the cheese first.  Put the cheese on only at the end because soy and rice cheeses burn faster due to lower fat content.

• Always keep on eye on your crust when baking. Timing is the key to a great crust.
  

Beginner Pizza

For Hummus:
(makes 2 cups)

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 cups of organic chickpeas 
3 tablespoons organic tahini
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon of cumin
Fresh-squeezed lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste

Wash chickpeas and soak in cold water overnight. Bring soaked chickpeas to a boil in large saucepan, simmer for two hours until done. Place chickpeas with remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend together until almost smooth. Chill before serving.

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