World Pizza Day : 5 Healthy Pizzas and its Benefits

Pizza is one of those guilty pleasures, that all of us like to enjoy on a day off, or on a day when you go out for a team lunch with your friends and colleagues. It’s just something that most of us tend to gravitate to. Most dieticians and nutritionists tend to term pizza under the list of unhealthy foods, and it often finds its way to the list of foods to avoid.

Have you ever tried to make a healthier version of your favourite pizza? Here are 5 healthy recipes for you to try and make at home with your kids, so that the whole family can enjoy them this world pizza day.

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1. Oats Pizza:

Ingredients:

Oats Flour: 1 cup

Yeast: 1 tbsp.

Sugar: 1 tsp.

Water: to knead the dough

Pizza Sauce: 2 tbsp.

Toppings: Mushroom/chicken, olives, capsicum, etc.

Method:

Make a regular dough, as you would for a standard Pizza, however instead of using refined flour, make it with freshly ground oats/roasted oats flour. Use Healthy Toppings, with less cheese on top. Bake till golden brown.

2. Cauliflower and Veggie Pizza:

Ingredients:

Cauliflower Florets/any starchy vegetable: 2 cups (finely minced)

Cheese: ¼ cup

Pizza Sauce: 2 tbsp.

Toppings: Corn, zucchini/cucumber, olives, etc.

Method:

Thoroughly wash the vegetables, and drain well; add in the cheese and mix well. Lay it into a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30mins. Use Healthy Toppings, with less cheese on top. Bake till golden brown.

3. Bhakri/Millets Pizza:

Ingredients:

Ragi/Multi-Millet Flour: 1 cup

Yeast: 1 tbsp.

Sugar: 1 tsp.

Water: to knead the dough

Pizza Sauce: 2 tbsp.

Toppings: pumpkin, basil

Method:

Make a regular dough, as you would for a standard Pizza, however instead of using refined flour, make it with ragi/multi-millet flour. Use Healthy Toppings, with less cheese on top. Bake till golden brown.

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4. Whole Wheat Pizza:

Ingredients:

Whole Wheat Flour/Atta: 1 cup

Yeast: 1 tbsp.

Sugar: 1 tsp.

Water: to knead the dough

Pizza Sauce: 2 tbsp.

Toppings: paneer/chicken, capsicum, carrot,/radish, etc.

Method:

Make a regular dough, as you would for a standard Pizza, however instead of using refined flour, make it with whole-wheat flour/atta. Use Healthy Toppings, with less cheese on top. Bake till golden brown.

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5. Other Pizzas:

Pizzas can also be made using a chicken breast as a base, instead of a carbohydrate based pizza

Other options to try can be with whole wheat bread as a base, etc.

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Why should you make your pizza healthy?

By making your favourite pizza a healthy one, it can help with taking away some of the burden and guilt from having your favourite meal. In many cases it can also lessen the caloric load in your diet. Some of these are also great alternative for people who are gluten intolerant and can’t have a standard pizza, without it causing problems for them.

How to make your Pizza Healthy:

Some ways to make your favourite pizza healthy include:

• Using oats, or millets, or a multigrain flour to add more fibre in your diet
• Using cauliflower or a mixture of root and a few starchy and high fibre vegetables for the base, is a good way to add extra fibre to your diet, without the worry of gluten being added to it.
• Using non-standard items such as chicken, cabbage/lettuce leaves as a base, to give the pizza a different flavour.
• Minimizing the amount of cheese added on top can reduce the fat load on your pizza, (which is helpful for those trying to watch their weight).
• Using fresh locally available, and seasonal vegetables, and good variety of them can also ensure that you are getting a good dose of essential nutrients and fibre into your diet.

Tips for Moms and Kids to help make your Pizzas healthy:

• Portion control: since pizzas are generally a high caloric food always watch the amount being consumed and served.
• Involve the family: Involve the family especially the little ones in getting creative ideas on how to make your pizza healthy; additionally involving them in the cooking process can also be beneficial.
• Try new and unusual alternatives: By doing this you can ensure that you are trying something new, and healthy.
• Make it at home: a healthy homemade pizza will always taste different from a store bought one, however, you know what has gone into it and how healthy it is.

Let’s make this world pizza day, a healthy one, so as to ensure the health and safety of our loved ones around us, by trying out a new and innovative twist to an old favourite classic. For more tips on how to make your favourite dishes healthy, and how to give a new and innovative twist to them, kindly book an appointment with any of our nutritionists at Cloudnine.

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