Artichoke Pesto Pizza with Simple Mills Crust

10/10/2018

Artichoke Pesto Pizza with Simple Mills Crust

So there's this artichoke pesto pizza at a restaurant in Encinitas called Nectarine Grove that I've been obsessing over lately. I get hit with a major, major craving for it at least once a week, and the last time I couldn't stop thinking about it, I figured it was about time to try making my own version at home. But you guys know I'm not one to just whip up a pizza dough from scratch. No, thanks! I'm all about a good shortcut to make cooking as easy breezy as possible. But a typical store-bought dough wouldn't do the trick either, especially with my healthy September Challenge that just ended. Then I thought... what about Simple Mills pizza dough mix!? It's made with almond flour and flax and even cauliflower, and it only needs a couple ingredients added to it to make the dough. Ideal! So I ran out to Sprouts to stock up on my pizza dough mix and grab the other ingredients and raced back to the kitchen to make it happen. 

I made the dough in like 5 minutes flat. No rolling necessary... you just shape it with your hands and bake it for a few minutes on it's own, then add the toppings and throw it back in the oven. I sat in front of the oven and just watched it the crust turn golden and the cheese get all bubbly. (Does anyone else sit in front of the oven in anticipation?) Clearly there was a lot of excitement leading up to this pizza being ready, guys. And it didn't disappoint! It was just beyond. WAY better than the one at the restaurant. Unlike other paleo pizzas that tend to be a little flimsy (or cauliflower crusts... I mean, come on!), this was sturdy enough to hold all of the yummy toppings that were packed on there, so I could just grab a cheesy slice and get that perfect first bite that I had been craving like a maniac. I mean, look at this deliciousness...

I'm pretty sure this pizza is my love language. Literally couldn't contain my happiness when I was digging in! 

Ok aside from the perfect crust, which has that crispy-yet-soft balance down, the other thing that really makes the pizza is the combination of sauces. I used a little marinara and a lot of pesto. You could technically go all-pesto, but I like how the two sauces work together with the other toppings. You could use a store-bought pesto (just make sure it has simple ingredients and clean oils like extra virgin olive oil) or make your own pesto (try this or this recipe!). Now for the other toppings. I used a combination of mozzarellas - shredded and bocconcini (those little buffalo mozzarella balls). If you wanted to go dairy-free, this pizza would also be amazing with an almond-ricotta like Kite Hill. Then you'll add artichoke hearts and red onions, and finish it up with more dollops of pesto on top. Once you're ready to serve it up, you can top it with some microgreens or arugula for freshness. So GOOD!

Alright, now that my stomach is grumbling for pizza again, let's dive into the recipe.

Ingredients
Dough:
1 box Simple Mills Pizza Dough Mix
2 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp water

Toppings:
Pesto (homemade or store-bought with healthy, simple ingredients!)
Marinara Sauce (make sure there's no added sugar)
1/2 cup organic shredded mozzarella cheese*
1/3 cup organic bocconcini (mini buffalo mozzarella balls)* 
1/3 cup quartered artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

Garnish: microgreens or arugula

*Swap in an almond ricotta for dairy-free pizza.

Makes 1 pizza (with 8 slices; individual serving size: 2-3 slices)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, water, and olive oil. Add the Simple Mills pizza dough mix and stir until combined.
3. The Simple Mills box says it makes two 8-inch pizzas, but I prefer one large pizza. If you're on the same page, place all the dough on the prepared baking sheet and flatten and shape the dough to form one pizza, creating raised edges for the crust. Otherwise, split it in half and form two pizza crusts.
4. Bake crust for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the crust and spread marinara sauce in a light, even layer on the crust, then add several spoonfuls of pesto, smoothing it into the marinara.
6. Top sauces with a handful of shredded mozzarella, bocconcini, (or almond-ricotta) tomatoes, artichoke, & red onion.
7. Add a few more dollops of pesto on top and a small sprinkle of cheese.
8. Lightly brush the crust with olive oil, or just lightly drizzle it and use your finger to spread it onto the crust.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Optional: place the oven on broil for the last 30 seconds-1 minute (make sure you watch it so it doesn't burn!) to get that cheese bubbly & golden!
   
10. Garnish with a handful of microgreens or arugula. Enjoy!

Can't wait for you to try this pizza, I know you'll love it!! As you've probably heard me say over and over... I really don't believe in depriving cravings. I'd much rather upgrade those cravings with healthy ingredients so we can have our cake (or pizza) and eat it, too! If you're craving pizza, have a pizza! Just make it with ingredients like Simple Mills crust so you're totally satisfied while maintaining that healthy, balanced lifestyle. There's literally an upgrade for every craving. They also have crackers, cookies, baking mixes, frostings... you name it! (You can check out how I used their baking mix in my coconut cupcakes).

Back to the pizza, if you're wondering what to serve with it, I'd suggest using all of the extra ingredients from the pizza and throwing it over some greens like the salad below! Perfect with some olive oil, a drizzle of balsamic, salt & pepper. Simple & fresh!

Enjoy, friends!!

This post is in partnership with Simple Mills. All content, opinions, and words are my own, and I only promote products that I truly LOVE. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that support Weeknight Bite!