Healthy and Fresh Pizzas

source: Sia Alexis Blog

Typically, when I think pizza, the word "healthy" doesn't pop into my head - it's more like "I know that's a lot of calories." or "Dang, gotta run 2 extra miles today!" But pizza doesn't have to be so calorie, cholesterol, or fat-dense! There are plenty of tips and options for creating a healthy and fresh pizza for dinner that will have all the delicious flavor and taste you desire.

Tip 1: Bake your own pizza.
Don't buy a whole pizza at the store. Besides the fact that it's probably more food than you need, it's most likely packed with artificial ingredients and lots of calories!

Tip 2: Use whole wheat pizza dough.
You'll increase your fiber intake by as much as 50%.

Tip 3: Use a low-sodium pizza/pasta sauce - or at least find a brand that's not full of unpronounceable chemicals and oil.
Or, better yet, make your own pizza sauce with fresh roma tomatoes.

Tip 4: Substitute lower-fat cheese for the full-fat, regular cheese...and use less of it overall.
Whatever cheese you decide to use, there's probably a lower-fat or calorie version - use that instead. Also, cut the amount of cheese you use in half.

Tip 5: Include fruits.
Fruits, like apples, pears and pineapple add vitamins, fiber and antioxidants - and go great on a pizza!

Here is my favorite healthy, and easy, veggie pizza (created by me!):

• Trader Joe's Almost Whole Wheat Fresh Pizza Dough
• Any marinara pasta sauce
• Feta cheese, crumbled
• white onions, sliced
• sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, sliced or whole
• artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
• fresh basil leaves, washed
• black pepper, coarsely ground

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven (and bake the pizza) according to the pizza dough instructions. Add all the ingredients in any amounts you desire (not too much feta though, it'll overwhelm the other flavors)! It's that simple! No rules, no measurements!

Other great resources for healthy pizzas!

• Eating Well's Healthy Pizza Recipes and Cooking Tips
• Epicurious' Healthy Pizza Recipes
• Squidoo's Healthy Cooking: Healthy Pizza
• BellyBytes' Healthy Pizza Recipes
• Jeena's Kitchen's Healthy Rye Pizza Recipe
• Expert Village's Healthy Pizza Recipe Video
• Suite101's Healthy Pizza Ideas and Recipe
• FitWoman.com's Homemade Pizza
• MedicineNet's Healthy Soup, Sandwich, Burger and Pizza Recipes