Pizza Friday?

Do you love pizza? If your answer is a resounding “Yes,” you’re not alone. Pizza holds a special place in many hearts, and for good reason. It’s the ultimate comfort food – delicious, satisfying, and easy to eat. But here’s the catch: pizza, as commonly consumed, often falls short on the health scale. Packed with sugar, fake sugars, additives, and sodium, it can quickly become a dietary villain, especially when purchased from the frozen food section of a supermarket or your local pizzeria. The good news is that it’s entirely possible to enjoy this beloved treat in a healthier way by crafting your own homemade pizza.

The Not-So-Healthy Truth About Pizza:

Let’s face it; when we think of pizza, we don’t usually think of it as a healthy food. Most commercial pizzas are loaded with processed ingredients that can negatively impact our health. Here are some common culprits:

1. Sugar and Fake Sugars: Pizza sauce often contains added sugars, which can lead to unnecessary calorie intake and contribute to various health issues. Plus, some brands may use artificial sweeteners, which aren’t a better alternative.

2. Additives: The use of additives and preservatives is common in commercial pizza, extending shelf life but adding a variety of unknown elements to your meal.

3. Sodium Overload: From the cheese to the cured meats, many ingredients in traditional pizza are sodium-rich, which can elevate blood pressure and contribute to heart problems.

Homemade Pizza to the Rescue:

The great thing about pizza is that you can customize it to your heart’s content, and that includes making it healthier. Here’s why making pizza at home is a game-changer:

1. Control Over Ingredients: When you make pizza at home, you get to decide what goes into it. You can choose high-quality, fresh, and wholesome ingredients, steering clear of excess sugar, additives, and artificial flavorings.

2. It is more fun: Think pizza night with your spouse, partner, and kids. 

3. Healthier Toppings: Load up your pizza with a variety of colorful veggies, lean proteins, and just the right amount of cheese. This way, you can strike a balance between taste and nutrition.

4. Portion Control: Making pizza at home allows you to manage your portion sizes, ensuring you don’t overindulge.

5. Much more satisfying: When you make your own pizza regularly with healthy ingredients you recognize, it tastes better and your body knows what to do with the food as well.

6. It’s more cost-effective: I make a large homemade pizza for only about $5.00

Homemade Pizza 

Now that you know the advantages of making pizza at home, let’s explore some healthier pizza options

1. Margherita Magic: A classic Margherita pizza is a simple yet delicious option with just three main ingredients: tomato sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil, and you have a flavorful, lower-calorie treat.

2. Veggie Delight: Load your pizza with an array of colorful veggies like bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and onions for added vitamins and minerals.

Pizza is too good to give up, but you don’t have to compromise your health to enjoy it. By crafting your own homemade pizza, you can savor the flavors and comfort it brings while staying mindful of your well-being. So next time the pizza cravings strike, whip up a healthier version in your own kitchen and relish every bite guilt-free. Homemade pizza can be the best of both worlds – delicious and nutritious.

Recipe- Sicilian Pizza Dough:

1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Cup Warm Water
3 Cups Flour (I typically use half organic all-purpose and half organic pizza flour)
1 tsp. Sugar (I typically use organic raw sugar)
2 tsp. yeast
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Using a machine: Place all of the ingredients in the order they are listed into a bread maker on the pizza dough setting. Most machines take about 90 minutes to stir, knead, and proof the dough. 
2. Using hands: place yeast and sugar in the warm water and wait 5 minutes until the mixture begins to bubble. Take all of the dry ingredients and place them in a bowl with a hole in the middle. Add olive oil and 1/2 of the yeast mixture and mix until combined then add the remaining mixture. Slowly stirring. Then knead the dough for 10 minutes until all is combined and a dough ball is formed. Last, place the dough ball into a bowl with a small amount of olive oil and cover it with a towel in a warm spot for 90 minutes until it has doubled in size.
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
4. Once the dough is ready. 
5. Spread a small amount of olive oil in a sheet pan and spread the dough in the pan. 
6. Add sauce of your choice. I use homemade sauce however you can use a jar of sauce with ingredients you recognize. Preferably organic and 5 ingredients or less.
7. Optional: Add fresh mozzerella and veggies.
8. Bake for 10-15 minutes. 

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