Healthy Cooking: Healthy Pizza

Consider your toppings before you begin assembling your pizza. Use only three or four toppings to avoid overloading the pizza. Meats and large-cut or very juicy vegetables must be cooked before you top your pizza. Fail to do so and you run the danger of under-cooked meat on top of a soggy crust from excess juices. Drain and cool cooked toppings completely before you use them on an unbaked crust.

Skip the pepperoni and sausage. Select a low-fat meat, such as chicken breast or Canadian bacon, to keep your pizza healthier. Purchase pre-shredded low-fat or no-fat cheese. Many brands spray fat-free cheese with a thin coating of oil that helps the cheese melt and brown like the full-fat version, making your pizza look like the "real thing", without the pools of fat on top. Use cheeses with a strong flavor, like parmesan, as you need less to get a great, cheesy taste.

If you absolutely must use full-fat cheese, blot it thoroughly with paper towels or napkins to absorb as much fat as possible before you eat your pizza. You can suck a lot of the nasty stuff off of your pie, rather than putting it in your body, while preserving the flavor of the cheese left behind.

Substitute whole-wheat flour for white flour when making pizza crust from scratch. Try the following recipe if you don't have one that you love.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, divided
1 packet active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon olive oil

Dissolve the yeast in the water, then add it two cups of the flour. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. If your dough is too sticky, add a tablespoon or two more flour. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise for ten to fifteen minutes.

Turn the pizza crust dough out onto a board floured with the whole-wheat flour and knead the dough a few times. Roll or press it out on a pizza stone or into a pan sprayed lightly with cooking spray. This recipe will make two small pizzas, one large thick-crust pizza, or a large pizza and a few breadsticks or buns on the side.

Pre-bake your pizza crust for five minutes at 500 degrees to save it from getting soggy under the sauce. Use a seasoned pizza stone to get the best crust.

If you're not the type to start from scratch, look for whole wheat pizza crust mixes. If you want a crispier, thin crust, use veggie tortillas or whole-wheat pitas for your pizza.

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2-3 cloves minced garlic

Mix all ingredients well. Stir in a sprinkling of red pepper flakes or chili powder for a little kick. Let the sauce rest for about half an hour to let the flavors blend.

Compare labels and find the tomato products with the least sugar and oil. This recipe makes enough for two pizzas. Use half of the sauce today and freeze the rest to use for your next pizza (or just use the leftover sauce to dip your crust).

You can also use salsa for a fat-free, veggie-packed pizza sauce. Choose spinach tortillas, salsa, grilled chicken, and low-fat cheese for a spicy pizza twist. Pre-cooked chicken breasts reduce the prep time for this healthy pizza to less time than it takes to pre-heat the oven.

With a little planning, you can pull your pre-cooked pizza crust from the oven, spread the sauce, sprinkle on the cheese and toppings, and have it back in the oven in five minutes. Cook your new, healthier pizza for another 12-15 minutes or until the crust has browned and the cheese bubbled.

Let the pizza set for at least five minutes, then cut and serve. You will get all of that fantastic pizza flavor with less fat and more fiber than store-bought brands.