Red Grape Pizza with Almond Aioli

This recipe is inspired from my participation in a local Cooking Matters class. My blog post found here, talks about this amazing initiative happening right in my own community. The meal prep for the day I attended was pizza with three different topping options. One option that caught my eye combined red grapes, rosemary, and onions. I have to be honest, I have never had grapes on my pizza and I was intrigued and had to try it for myself. I paired this topping mixture with an almond aioli and a homemade pizza crust that never fails, and the results are phenomenal! 

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Quick and Easy Pizza Dough Recipe
vegan, plant-based, refined-sugar free

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 package dry active yeast
• 1 tsp maple syrup (or honey if you are not vegan)
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

​Instructions:

1. Combine warm water, yeast, and maple syrup in a bowl and let sit for a few minutes until it begins to froth. 
2. Add the whole wheat flour and salt and knead the dough until it forms a ball (approximately 1 minute).*
3. In a second bowl add the olive oil and then the dough. Coat the dough with the oil. To prevent too much sticking, you can coat your hands in olive oil.
4. Let sit for 15 min or until it has doubled in size. **Use this time to prep the aioli and toppings.
5. After the dough has risen, knead it again to incorporate the olive oil. 
6. Divide the dough in two and spread on an oiled baking sheet. Again olive oil is the secret to keeping the dough from sticking to your hands and can help spread out the dough. Save until ready to top.

*Note: If you happen to have access to a bread maker, I recommend doing steps 1 and 2 with the bread maker, it does a really good job of kneading the dough and is a little less messy.

Almond Aioli
vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, refined-sugar free
​
Ingredients:

• ​1 cup raw almonds or cashews
• 4 roasted garlic cloves (oven or toaster oven at 350°F for 15 minutes)
• 2 raw garlic cloves
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Juice from 1/2 lemon or 2 Tbsp
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup flax oil or extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt

​Instructions:

1. Add all ingredient to a blender and blend, scraping down the sides as necessary until smooth.

Red Grape Pizza Recipe
vegan, plant-based, refined-sugar free

​Ingredients:

• Red grapes cut in half
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp (or more if desired) fresh rosemary
• Optional: sliced mushrooms

​Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Spread 1/2 prepared aioli to the pizza crust prepared above.
3. Add the red grapes, onion, rosemary, and mushrooms if desired.
4. Put in preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes.