These days, for everything that is classed as unhealthy, there is a healthy option, and pizza is no exception.
A pizza can be made from a whole spectrum of different foods. On the unhealthy side there can be the greasiest of meats with lashings of cheese and a fattening base. The healthy side can have toppings that are virtually fat free. The choices are endless.
The great thing about pizzas is that you can experiment with the ingredients that you already have.
You can swap the traditional pizza base for pita bread, wholemeal bread, or flat bread. There are so many ways to get the great taste with less fat. Pizzas have to be one of the most versatile of foods.
You can also add to recipes that you find, or create your own unique toppings.
Even better, if you have the time, you can even grow your own pizza garden.
The idea is simple:
Get a plot, or several plots and plant your pizza ingredients!
Rosemary, Oregano, Mint, Basil, Parsley,
A couple of varieties of Tomatoes,
A mixture of peppers
Onions, Garlic.
If you have children, then a great idea is to make the pizza garden plot into a large circle and then have triangular shaped beds for each ingredient. Once you harvest your crop you can even throw your own pizza party and get everyone involved! What could be healthier?
If you are a regular pizza maker, a great item to have in your kitchen is a pizza stone. A pizza stone is used to evenly distribute the heat of the oven, basically mimicking the traditional pizza oven. The stone helps to absorb moisture, resulting in a crisp crust.
Another tip is to pre bake the pizza base before adding your toppings.
Below you will find some recipes for the base, tomato sauce and several toppings. The quantity of the toppings can of course be varied to suit your own taste.
Ingredients for the dough:
7g Fresh Yeast / 1/2 Tblspn Dried Yeast
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Caster Sugar
200g / 7oz Wholemeal Flour
150ml / 5 fl oz Lukewarm water
A Drizzle of Olive Oil
Olive Oil for Greasing
Method:
1 - Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 (place your pizza stone in the oven while it is still cold, if using one)
2 - In a large glass bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
3 - Put the water into a jug and mix in a little olive oil.
4 - Add the water and oil slowly to the flour, mixing all the time until a thick dough is formed.
5 - Knead with your hands until the dough is smooth and elastic. This should take between 5-10 minutes.
6 - Cover with a tea towel and leave the mixture somewhere warm for approx 30 minutes.
7 - Knead the dough gently once more and then again, place a tea towel over it and leave for a further 30 minutes.
8 - Roll out the dough as one large pizza base, or even better, divide the dough into 4 equal sections to make individual pizzas. Roll out to about 1cm thick
9 - If you are planning to precook the base, then place the pizza base on the pizza stone or on a lightly greased baking tray and cook for 5-10 minutes until the base firms slightly, but not yet coloured.
Ingredients for the Tomato Sauce:
1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped or Grated
2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Basil
400g Whole Plum Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Tomato Puree
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Method:
1 - Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2 - Spoon the tomato sauce onto the pizza base. Do not spread it on too thickly or the result may be a soggy pizza.
Healthy Veggie
1/2 Red Onion
5 Mushrooms
1/4 Green Pepper
1/4 Yellow Pepper
25g Low-Fat Mozzarella Cheese - Crumbled
Chilli Chicken
100g Chicken Breast - Cooked and Thinly Sliced, Coat in chilli powder
1 Red Onion
3 Mushrooms
25g Low-Fat Mozzarella Cheese - Crumbled
Arrange your choice of toppings on top of the pizza, and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
A slightly different take on the pizza is to substitute the tomato sauce for a thin layer of low fat cream cheese as in the next recipe:
You can use a variety of greens but I have chosen the following:
25g Broad Beans
25g Peas (Fresh/Frozen)
25g Soya Beans (Fresh/Frozen)
25g Mange Tout
2 Asparagus Tops
25g Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese (grated)
A few sprigs of mint
Method:
1 - Blanch the broad beans, peas, soya beans and mange tout.
2 - Blend the broad beans and peas together so that they form a paste.
3 - Spread the paste on top of the layer of cream cheese.
4 - Cut the asparagus in half length ways and grill for a couple of minutes.
5 - Arrange the vegetables on top of the pizza.
6 - Bake in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
7 - Add the mint once the pizza is out of the oven as a garnish.
Enjoy your pizza making!