Recipe: Homemade Pizza

A lot of people talk about “good foods” and “bad foods.” I’m a dietitian who doesn’t think about food in such a black-and-white way. I believe just about anything can fit into a healthy lifestyle, as long as portion, moderation, variety, and preparation methods are all considered.

Pizza is a good example of this. I love pizza. I REALLY love pizza, actually. And I don’t think for a second that it’s an “off-limits” food entirely. Here’s my recipe for pizza that can definitely fit within an overall healthy lifestyle.

Ingredients:

·         One 6” whole grain pita

·         About 2 Tbsp pasta or pizza sauce

·         1/8 to 1/4 cup shredded white cheese (like mozzarella, pizza blend, or parmesan)

·         Finely diced fresh veggies (whatever is in your fridge - zucchini, onion, tomato, bell pepper, olives, mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, etc)

·         Grated parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:

1.       Assemble pizza by layering sauce, cheese, and toppings.

2.       Bake at 350* on a cookie sheet (I recommend not using aluminum foil for this – otherwise the bottom doesn’t really crisp) for about 20-30 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown slightly and veggies are tender.

By using a whole grain pita as the crust, limiting your cheese, and using all veggie toppings, you’ve made a version of pizza that is higher in fiber, lower in fat and cholesterol, and more nutrient dense – that means more nutrition for fewer calories. Additionally, homemade pizza can be made in a flash, is much cheaper than buying a ready-made one, and cuts out the preservatives and sodium found in frozen and restaurant pizzas.

Having a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to stop eating the foods you love; usually, recipes just require a little thoughtful tweaking and an eye to portion size to balance your plate and your diet.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading!

Anna