Carmen Long
Simply Delicious
February is the month of love. When we think about foods we love, different things come to mind for each of us. My family harbors a deep love for pizza. One year for Valentine’s Day, my husband had a special heart-shaped pizza made for our family at a local pizza restaurant. It was so cute and delicious, it’s still a favorite Valentine’s memory.
Along with celebrating Valentine’s Day, February is also American Heart Month, raising awareness for cardiac disease. You too can celebrate love and Heart Month with pizza, just like my husband did. This is less challenging if you make the pizza at home, so you are aware of what is in and on your personalized treat.
There are so many different options for pizza, it is a food that you could eat multiple times a week and never be bored. Looking for a healthy option? Include ingredients from all of the food groups on a whole grain crust for a healthier pizza. Get creative with your toppings! Use fruit, vegetables, lean meat and low-fat cheeses. Not only do you get to choose what to put on your homemade pizza, you can control the amounts of the toppings, which helps lower saturated fat and sodium. Pile veggies on your pizza to your heart’s content– but think of your cardiac health before you pile excessive amounts of meat and cheese on your pizza.
Worried that homemade pizza requires more time than you have? You are in luck. Here’s my secret to speedy pizza making: pita bread. You can actually make two individual thin crust pizzas from one piece of pita bread. Just separate the top from the bottom of the pita circle (a lower carb option great for diabetics) or use the whole pita for a thicker crust. The whole wheat variety works great, even for those family members who may not typically choose whole grain products.
When we don’t have a dinner plan, pita pizzas are often the solution. Add a salad and your dinner is complete. Less expensive and much healthier than a restaurant because you have a whole-grain crust, plenty of vegetables and a reasonable amount of lower fat cheese. To make your meal even more fun, set up a pizza bar and let everyone choose their toppings for personalized pizza creations. Quick, easy and delicious!
Personalized Pita Pizza Recipe for 2
INGREDIENTS
- 2 round 6-7” whole wheat pitas
- Spaghetti sauce (use as little or much as you prefer)
- 3 oz. part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup chopped vegetables (onions, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, olives – your choice)
- Cooked Italian turkey sausage crumbles or small pieces (optional)
- Olive oil
DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread sauce on each pita round. If you’re using chopped fresh spinach, add it now, before the cheese, so it won’t dry out too much.
2) Top with cheese, divided between the two pizzas, and then vegetables and sausage. Drizzle with olive oil.
3) Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes on a pizza pan or cookie sheet.
VARIATIONS
Barbeque Chicken Pizza
Substitute barbeque sauce for the spaghetti sauce. Top with cooked chicken (a great way to use up leftover rotisserie, grilled or baked chicken), cheese of your choice and vegetables. Bake as directed above.
Hawaiian Pizza
Top sauce with diced deli ham, well-drained pineapple tidbits, cheese, and desired vegetables. Bake as directed above.
