Please Your Pizza Craving during National Pizza Week

The second week of January is National Pizza Week – a full 7 day celebration of America’s number one pleasure food, especially for us New Yorkers. Many people refer to pizza as a “bad” food, not in the delicious taste but in the fact that they label foods as good and bad based on how many calories it has. But let’s be honest here…the delicious bread, sauce and cheese combination is hard to resist for most people! So, do you really need to resist?

Pizza is in a category of its own because unlike other types of fast food, pizza is often made fresh and, if made right, can provide all the food groups.

Let’s break it down:

– Requesting whole wheat dough over white dough and you’re adding nutrients and fiber to your pizza slice.

– If available, choose a slice with vegetable toppings to add fiber and a nutritious addition that will make a single slice more filling.

– The tomato sauce on pizza contains lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes that give them their red color. According to the American Cancer Society, people who eat foods rich in lycopene appear to have a lower risk of certain types of cancers.

– The cheese on pizza provides you with a serving or two of dairy, which also contains some protein. If you want to increase the lean protein in your pizza you can top with grilled chicken or seared tuna.

-The last food group pizza can provide (believe it or not) is fruit. Some varieties of pizza are topped with warm sliced pineapples or apples.

Though pizza can treat you to all of the food groups, it is hard to make that happen when ordering from a restaurant. That is why the best way to make sure you’re treating yourself to the healthiest possible slice of pizza is to make your own homemade pizza creations. Here is an outline of simple steps to follow to help you create a delicious homemade pizza from start to finish:

1. Go to your local pizza parlor and ask to purchase raw dough. Always ask for whole wheat!
2. Roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper to make one large round pie crust. If you want to make two separate pizzas with different toppings, split the dough in half so that you end up with two small pizza pies.
3. Coat the dough with tomato sauce. You can either make your own homemade sauce or purchase a jar from the food store. Always choose a tomato sauce that is lowest in sodium.
4. Top with your favorite shredded low fat cheese. Mozzarella is the typical cheese used for pizza but don’t be afraid to try out new flavors such as Gouda, feta, ricotta, provolone or gorgonzola.
5. Now for the fun part. Finish your pizza off by adding any fun toppings you want. Add vegetables like broccoli, eggplant, spinach, peppers, onions and/or mushrooms. Include lean sources of protein such as grilled chicken, lean ground turkey or tuna. Top with herbs and seasonings like fresh parsley, basil, oregano or cracked red pepper.
6. Bake pizza in a preheated 550 degree F oven. If you want your pizza extra crispy you can raise the heat to its highest setting. Place the pizza in the oven (preferably on a baking stone) and bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the pizza and bake for another 3-5 minutes.
7. Slice, serve and enjoy!
Making homemade pizza is quick, easy and is sure to be a family favorite.

Now back to our original question. If you aren’t into making homemade pizza, do you need to resist your favorite pizza from the local joint? No you don’t. Eat it slowly, mindfully and with full intention to savor every bite.

A final tip: if you do eat pizza from a pizzeria, you can always choose a whole wheat thin crust slice that is light on the cheese but covered with plenty of vegetables.

Happy National Pizza Week!

Your turn to take action: Please share with me what your favorite pizza topping is.