Pizza Pizazz!

May 15, 2024

I want someone to look at me the same way I look at pizza. – Anonymous

I often wax rhapsodic about pizza! I’m not the only one who loves pizza. In fact, 94% of Americans eat pizza regularly and about 13% of us will eat pizza today. How much pizza does that mean? We’re talking over 5 billion pizzas sold worldwide each year ($38 billion in revenue!) Wow! That’s approximately 100 acres of pizza eaten each day or 350 slices per second. And that doesn’t include the pizzas made right in our own kitchens. So I’m certainly not alone in my love for pizza.

Little did the folks from Naples in the early 1500’s know what they had invented. Home cooks of modest means made the first pizzas with leftover flat bread, extra sauce and cheese. It was an inexpensive meal using up leftover ingredients. The first documented pizzeria in the world opened in Port’Alba in Naples, Italy during the late 1800s. Pizza wasn’t popular in the United States until after WWII when soldiers that were stationed in Italy brought the idea for pizzerias back to the US.

Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

Small, large, circle, square, thin crust, thick crust, stuffed crust, extra toppings.

– Anonymous

My friends and I used to joke that pizza hit several important food groups and was a well-balanced meal. On further investigation, depending on the toppings and crust, it turns out we could be right.  Carbs plus veggies plus dairy! One slice averages 12 grams of protein. Pizza offers a dose of all of the macronutrients—the crust contains carbohydrates while the cheese provides both fat and protein. We weren’t wrong, but like many “comfort” foods, moderation is key. Essentially, pizza is a base (usually a bread or a vegetable) a sauce (usually tomato based or other non-tomato sauces such as pesto) and cheese and other toppings.

The lycopene found in tomato sauce is really good for you. Lycopene is an antioxidant that may help prevent cancer and heart disease. In addition to lycopene, tomato sauce is high in flavonoids, which are beneficial in fighting an array of complications, such as inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and depression.

Life is not about finding yourself. It’s about finding pizza. – Anonymous

The quality of ingredients used for your pizza is key. It’s best if you make the pizza at home, that way you can control sodium, sugars and fats. Plus, it’s fun to make your own creations. My nephew loves to make his own pizza crust and then the rest of us get to “top” it with our favorite ingredients. YUM!!!

Tips and Techniques

Options for Healthier Pizza:

Crust:

• Make your own crust using whole-wheat flour for added fiber.
• Opt for flat breads or other “thin crust” options such as pita bread.
• Make or buy pre-made cauliflower crust to cut carbs.

Sauce:

• Read labels carefully to find options without added sodium and sugars.
• Make your own sauce. My favorite is to thicken leftover homemade spaghetti sauce with a tablespoon of tomato paste.
• Try a pesto sauce. It goes great with chicken and veggies such as asparagus.

Toppings:

• Add nutritious and filling vegetables such as peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach…
• Try lower-fat cheese such as part-skim mozzarella.
• Choose lower fat meats like turkey pepperoni or leftover chicken.
• Sprinkle fresh or dried herbs such as basil, thyme and oregano for added flavor and aroma.

How To Cook The Best Pizza:

Oven or Grill

• Always preheat your oven or grill.
• Only use a cookie sheet if the directions call for it. For instance, we always use a cookie sheet for cauliflower crust pizza.
• Place pizza directly on oven rack (carefully!) so the heat cooks the bottom of the crust as well as the top.
• If using a pizza stone, preheat that too so it sears the crust.
• Grilling is the same as an oven but may be hotter, so check periodically to ensure the bottom of the pizza isn’t burning. Turn if needed part way through cooking.

Moderation:

• Cut pizza slices in smaller sizes. An 8 piece pie can be sliced into 16 pieces.
• Only put one slice on your plate at a time.
• Add a filling side salad.

 

MY LOVE IS PIZZA SHAPED. WON’T YOU HAVE A SLICE? IT’S CIRCULAR, SO THERE’S ENOUGH TO GO AROUND.

Dora J. Arod.

 

 

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