Pizza has a pretty bad reputation in some quarters. Triple meat pies and greasy delivery pizza can leave the health-conscious consumers feeling like this Italian favorite isn’t an option for them. Many of the delivery and readymade frozen variants are packed with excess salt, loads of saturated fat and sugar. To top it off, they have practically no nutritional value. Just two slices of a traditional cheese pizza are packed with 640 calories, 24 grams of fat and more than 1,600 milligrams of sodium!
Luckily, the healthy-minded can still partake in a tasty slice by making their own at home. Follow these tips for a delicious homemade healthy pizza—and if homemade pizza isn’t in your bag of culinary tricks, Giovanni’s Frozen Pizza can be a fine, healthy substitute!
The right ingredients and tools
Start the pizza off with a strong foundation: the crust. Flour is the crucial ingredient in traditional pizza crusts. Use a 100 percent whole meal flour for a healthy crust option. Next, pair this solid base with a selection of wholesome, yet tasty toppings. Swap out sugary canned tomato sauce for an organic puree, or even olive oil. Replace full-fat mozzarella with a low-fat shredded cheese and add a lean meat for protein. The ingredient list should also include an assortment of vegetables, like onions, mushrooms and spinach.
Make the dough
Start by sifting about 500 grams of whole meal flour into a mixing bowl. Then, make a hollow center in the flour mound and add three tablespoons of active yeast and a sprinkle of wheatgerm. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and a bit of lukewarm water into the mixture. Next, work all of the ingredients into the dough using your hands. The mixture should begin to come together to form a ball of dough after a few minutes of kneading. Add more flour if it’s too sticky. Leave the dough ball to rise in a covered bowl for about an hour and a half. Take this time to preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prepare your toppings.
Roll and top
Once the dough has risen, it’s time to start rolling. Throw some flour on the cutting board and place the dough on top. Gradually work the rolling pin to turn the dough ball into a traditional pizza shape. Don’t get frustrated if it’s not perfectly round—you’re sure to master it after a few tries. Add the sauce and toppings on top of the raw dough next. Experiment with foods you enjoy to create a delicious and healthy pizza.
Bake and enjoy
Place the pizza into the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes of cooking. Once it’s done, simply pull the pizza out and let it cool for a few months before enjoying a slice. Bon appetit!
Luckily, you can get the same healthy ingredients without the inconvenience of making a pizza from scratch with the help of Giovanni’s Frozen Pizza. We only use the highest quality sauce, cheese and toppings to make the best frozen pizza in the Midwest and beyond. Call us today to learn more!