Pizza is a food that's not exactly known for being healthy due to its high calorie content and excessive fat and carbs. However, a healthy pizza can be made if the correct recipe is followed. This involves using healthier ingredients and creating a better dough.
As one might imagine, following a healthy pizza recipe isn't something that is done haphazardly and the ingredients must be purchased with care. The good news is that as long as there is an easy recipe to follow, getting the right ingredients and making a healthy pizza isn't hard. With this in mind, here are two easy-to-make healthy pizza recipes that will turn this normally unhealthy food into a smart dietary choice.
Double Cheese Veggie Pizza
Dough Ingredients:
- Wheat flour (whole) and/or whole wheat (white) - 3 cups
- Active yeast - 2 ½ teaspoons
- Water (warm) - 1 ¼ cups
- Salt - 1 teaspoon
- Olive oil - 2 tablespoons
- Honey - 2 teaspoons
- Wheat gluten - 1 tablespoon (optional)
Sauce Ingredients:
- Tomato sauce - 1 14-ounce can
- Dried oregano - ½ teaspoon
- Garlic - one pinch of garlic powder or 1 clove
Toppings:
- Shredded mozzarella cheese
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Onions
- Mushrooms
- Bell peppers
Cooking Instructions
- Mix warm water and yeast in a small bowl. Use a large mixing bowl to combine flour, salt and what gluten. After stirring add the water/yeast mixture with honey and olive oil.
- Stir the new mixture until it becomes dough, then knead it. Add flour as needed if it gets too dry.
- Mold the dough into a ball and put a little olive oil onto it. Put it in a bowl and cover it with a dish towel so that it can rise for one to two hours. When it is done, deflate the dough, cut it in half, and repeat the process in separate bowls for 30 minutes.
- Go ahead and preheat the oven to 425 F and mix together the sauce ingredients. Chop and grate your veggies and cheese if needed.
- Flatten out the dough and roll it into a circle. Do this on a clean surface sprinkled with a little bit of whole wheat flour. Shape the edges of the dough into the crust as well.
- Put the finished dough onto a baking sheet or stone and then apply two teaspoons of olive oil to it. After this, put on the toppings and bake the pizza for 10 to 12 minutes. A second pizza can be made with the other ball of dough.
Spicy Whole Wheat 3 Meat Pizza
Dough Ingredients:
- Warm water - 1 1/2 cups
- Dry yeast - 2 1/4 teaspoons
- Sugar - 1/4 teaspoon
- Flour for dough - 2 1/2 cups
- Flour for dusting - 1/2 cup
- Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
- Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
- Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
- Cooking spray
- Dried rosemary - 2 teaspoons
- Garlic (minced) - 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon
Sauce Ingredients:
- Olive oil - 1 teaspoon
- Onion - 1 chopped
- Garlic clove - 1 medium, minced
- Tomato sauce - 8-ounce can, no salt
- Dried basil - 4 teaspoons
- Crushed red peppers - 1/4 teaspoon
- Black pepper - 1 tablespoon
Toppings:
- Mozzarella cheese
- Ricotta cheese
- Chopped ham
- Ground lean beef
- Pulled chicken breast
Cooking Instructions
- Mix together water, yeast, and sugar in a mixing bowl until the sugar and yeast are fully dissolved. Let it mellow for five minutes, then add the flour, whole wheat flour, oil, and salt while stirring.
- On a clean surface, sprinkle two tablespoons of flour and knead the dough on it for around 10 minutes. If the dough is too wet, add small amounts of flour.
- Take a large bowl and spray it with cooking spray. Put the dough in the bowl with the garlic and rosemary dusted over it. Knead the dough into a ball mixing in the garlic and rosemary evenly. Form the dough into a ball, cover it with a dish towel, and let it sit for an hour so that it can rise.
- Put a small saucepan on medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook for three to five minutes. Add in the crushed red peppers, black pepper, tomato sauce, and basil, and reduce the heat. Stir it up and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
- Cook the meat. Using a steamer or air fryer is the fastest and easiest method. Frying in a skillet with oil is also an option but be careful to make sure they're cooked all the way through. When done, chop the ham, crumble the beef, and pull the chicken apart with a fork and knife.
- Deflate the dough when it's done and let it sit for another five minutes.
- Uncover the dough and cut it in half.
- Preheat the oven to 450 F.
- Sprinkle flour on a flat surface and roll the dough into a flat circle. Place the circle of dough onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Save the other half of the dough for later in an airtight plastic bin.
- Put the sauce on the dough and spread it evenly. Add the meats and spread them evenly as well. Add the ricotta cheese and flatten it out as needed. Add the mozzarella on top and spread evenly.
- Put the pizza in the oven and bake it for 10 to 20 minutes.
- Enjoy!
