By Greek pizza
Despite its reputation as a high-calorie fast food, pizza may be just what’s needed in your children’s lunch boxes to send them to school happy. Pizza can be either junk food or healthy, depending upon how you make it.
A crust made from refined and enriched flour provides vitamin B and iron, but a whole-wheat crust adds even more nutrients. You can make your own or look for a pre-made crust.
What goes on top of the pizza can tip the scales. Keep in mind that when you add toppings, you add both calories and nutrients.
Making sauces with a limited amount of oil is a good start. Cheese adds protein and vitamins, but it also adds calories and fat, so keep high-fat cheese to a minimum.
Standard meat toppings also add calories and fat.
There are many healthy alternatives:
Replace meat with lean poultry, shellfish or beans.
Fresh vegetables add color and texture as well as fiber. Try cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, roasted bell pepper strips, onion or mushrooms.
You can make a Mexican pizza with black, kidney or pinto beans. Toast the pizza crust and spread with a spicy tomato sauce or chunky salsa. Top with beans, grated low-fat Monterey Jack cheese and chopped cilantro.
Give pizza a Tuscan twist with diced chicken, finely-chopped green onions, roasted red peppers and grated Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
1/2 pound turkey cutlets, cut into thin strips
2 cups thinly sliced onion
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon each lemon pepper, minced garlic, dried oregano
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 10-inch pizza shells
1 cup chopped tomatoes
6 Kalamata olives, pitted and slivered
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Method
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine turkey, onion, parsley, lemon pepper, garlic and oregano.
In a large nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat, sauté mixture in oil for 5 to 7 minutes or until turkey is lightly browned and no longer pink in the center.
Place pizza shells on a large baking sheet. Top with turkey mixture, tomatoes, olives and cheese.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crust is heated through and the cheese is slightly melted.
- Recipe courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research
