7 Ways To Make Your Pizza Healthier
There are few things that are more satisfactory than a pizza. The warm, cheesy goodness of a slice of pizza is one of the best types of comfort foods around. It’s also a fun, inexpensive, and relatively simple meal to make at home.
Perhaps the only downside to pizza is the health factor. That perfect blend of crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings can be high in both fat and calories, causing it to feel like quite the splurge.
There are some simple solutions you can take when indulging in pizza that will make you feel satisfied, but without the guilt trip. Here are 7 ways to make your pizza healthier at home.
#1. DIY
There are many ways to cut down the fat, carbs, and calories in pizza. By making your pizza entirely at home, you can have total control over what ingredients are used and assure your pizza is as healthy and satisfying as possible.
Skip frozen pizzas and store-bought dough and take the time to build your own personalized pie. Instead of buying canned tomato paste, but some delicious juicy tomatoes and make a simple tomato sauce.
You can pack your sauce with garlic, onions, mushrooms, or other veggies of your choosing to add an extra punch. You could even try making your own pesto sauce to sneak in some omega-3s and dark, leafy greens.
#2. Whole Wheat
Making your own crust allows you more options for your crust. To cut back on carbs and calories, go with a thin, whole-wheat crust.
A thin crust adds a great crunch to your pizza, while really letting the toppings shine. Whole wheat is also more filling, so you might need fewer slices to feel satisfied.
#3. Cauliflower Crust
If you’re up for making your own crust and are feeling adventurous, try cutting down on the carbohydrates by making a crispy cauliflower crust. This is easily accomplished by grating cauliflower and combining it with an egg and cheese. This option will leave you feeling lighter and has the extra benefit of being gluten-free.
#4. Cut The Cheese
One of the most delicious, but least healthy aspects of pizza is the cheese. It might not seem like pizza if there is no cheese, but taking the cheese off the pizza can yield surprising results.
Cheese-less pizza allows for delicious veggie combinations to really shine. Adding artichoke or tomato really helps to amp up the flavor. You can also add a wonderful cheese substitute, nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a healthy, super flavorful, protein-packed alternative that closely resembles parmesan cheese. Try it and it might surprise you.
#5. Selecting The Right Cheese
If you can’t part with the cheese, but still want to have a healthier pie, don’t fret, just be mindful when making your dairy selection. Instead of going for the convenient packages of shredded cheese, which can be higher in calories and have more preservatives, go for fresh mozzarella. Freshly-sliced cheese will be more flavorful and cover more of your pizza. You could also with goat cheese. It is creamy and has less fat than other cheese options.
#6. Think Green
Greens make the perfect addition to a warm pizza. They are tasty, packed with great health benefits. Kale, for example, is a great source of fiber, protein, and vitamins.
It also tastes amazing on top of a pizza. Spinach, broccoli and chard also make great toppings. Dark greens can add another dimension to your pizza and develop a fuller flavor profile. Play around with different combinations of greens and veggies.
#7. Load Up On Veggies
Adding more toppings is probably the most pleasurable way to increase the health factor of your pizza. The most important thing is to be purposeful in your selections. When picking proteins, stick with leaner options.
Think about the different benefits of each topping, and practice portion control. When you pick strong, tasty flavors, you might need less than you think to create a really excellent pizza.
