Pizza Perfect: Light and Healthy Spring Pizzas

Sitting down to a dinner of pizza might not conjure up images of a light lunch with the girls or even a healthy dinner with the family; however, the greasy, heavy pizzas of yesterday have been replaced by some amazing options that are both healthy and light, and taste good too.

Restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon and offering gluten-free and red sauce-free pizzas, along with more vegetarian options with lighter, crispier crusts and even vegan cheese.  What’s even better, it’s very easy to make these great creations at home.

I am a firm believer in making home cooked meals easy, so I like to purchase fresh dough at the grocery store (I purchase mine at Wegman’s – made fresh at the store).  Yes, you can make your own if you have planned ahead and have a few hours to wait for the dough to rise but… there is no need to!   Dough from Wegman’s stays fresh in the fridge up to four days and is very light and crisp.  There are also many gluten-free options available, and I have found that they DO need to be made at home for the best taste. I have also used pre-made crusts that I highly recommend: Essential Baking’s Artisan Thin Crust comes in a 2-pack and is non-gmo and Whole Food’s 365 Brand Organic Thin and Crispy Whole Wheat Pizza Crusts. Both are terrific!

Here are a few of my tips for making a great pizza at home along with some  of my favorite combinations.

1.  Make sure you bring your cold pizza dough to room temperature.  This is key for success in rolling and shaping the dough.  Take it out of the fridge at least 2-3 hours before your planned dinner. It may rise slightly in the package, which is fine.

 2.  Pre-cook your crusts.  Roll out the dough as thin as possible on  a floured surface.  I like to cook mine on a griddle sprayed with Pam cooking spray. When one side is bubbly, it’s time to turn it over.

Cook until both sides are golden in color.  Keep pre-cooked crusts warm by wrapping them in aluminum foil  or a kitchen towel until you are ready to use. Your pre-cooked crusts can be stored in the fridge in a zip-lock bag until you are ready to use them.

Now it’s time to get creative. Here are a few of my favorites.

Lemony Mint Feta Pizza

Ingredients:

2-pre-cooked pizza crusts

one cup Feta cheese

one cup Parmesan cheese

5-6 fresh mint leaves cut into strips

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Red pepper flakes (to taste)

Directions:

Spread each crust with the Parmesan and feta cheeses.  Place on your griddle at medium heat, or a pizza stone or baking sheet in a pre-heated 400 degree F. oven.  Cook until the cheeses melt, approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven, and add mint, lemon zest and red pepper flakes to taste. Don’t skimp on the lemon or mint as these flavors make the pizza.

(Baking a crust and a magnificent basil mozzarella pizza}

Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza

Ingredients:

 Two pre-cooked pizza crusts

One cup arugula

5-6 slices fresh Prosciutto

one cup fresh Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the pizza crusts and bake until cheese is bubbly!

 {before baking}

{fresh from the oven}

The possibilities are endless – creativity is key.  Let me know what your favorite combinations are.

Enjoy!