My husband and I are huge fans of pesto pizza's. At least once or twice a month we smear pesto all over pizza dough and layer on whatever vegetables and toppings we have on hand. Another great plus about pizza? So inexpensive to make!
One challenge you you will face when it comes to pizza is making one that is not only tasty, but healthy. I like to use a whole grain crust (when possible) and load up on vitamin rich veggies. Goat cheese is also a healthier alternative to ooey gooey mozzarella. I have listed below our two favorite pizza combination's that are nutritious and so good!
Spinach, mushroom and mozzarella
I start with whole grain pizza dough (when I can find it), organic tomato sauce, a box of frozen spinach, button mushrooms and the freshest mozzarella I can find. Spinach is one of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat. It is loaded with vitamins K, A & C, manganese, folate, iron, calcium, potassium and many, many other good things. Mushrooms have a great texture, are low in calories, high in potassium and have a large amount of fiber for their size. Tomato sauce also provides a low calorie ingredient with plenty of lycopene.
Green Pizza
Again, start with your choice store bought pizza dough and top with a layer of pesto, arugula, broccoli and goat cheese. Pesto is a good choice because basil and pine nuts offer a ton of low calorie flavor and olive oil is full of essential healthy fats. Peppery arugula has many cancer preventing properties and like most leafy greens, is an excellent source of several important vitamins. Broccoli has been called a "superfood" because of the high nutrient content. Most notably, its very high content of vitamin C. Goat cheese not only offers a delightfully tangy alternative to mozzarella, but this easy to digest cheese is lower in calories and fat than cow's milk cheese.
So the next time you think about picking up the phone and calling papa johns, try one of these pizza's instead. They are about a quarter of the cost and much more nutritionally balanced.
Happy Eating!
remind me what time dinner is tomorrow?
ReplyDeletebut seriously, do you buy the sort of half-baked dough that's already in the shape of a pizza? (i found a great version of that at the market) or do you use the sticky ball of dough? that stuff is always a little intimidating to me...
ReplyDeleteMmm that looks delicious!! I like the goat chesse idea. But where do you get the whole grain pizza dough?? I love these homemade pizzas the most because I always end up with leftover marinara after a making pasta dish and this is the perfect way to use it up!
ReplyDeleteLooks yummy! We often make spinach, artichoke heart, and goat cheese pizza that is pretty good too! I'll have to try the Green pizza - never though to do pesto. We typically buy our whole wheat pizza dough at Whole Foods... they have both pre-made cut out of the package kind (for quicker dinners) and the make it yourself let the dough rise kind which is also really good. Thanks for the recipes!
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