Celebrate National Pizza Day With Healthy Homemade Pizza Tips For Your Family!
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Not that anyone ever needed a reason to indulge in some cheesy, gooey, freshly baked pizza, (What wine goes well with pizza?) but to not, especially on February the 9th would be sad. This day is dedicated to celebrating the seemingly simple flat bread (how long does bread last?) delicacy, that has taken over the world as the No.1 ‘fast’ food.
History of Pizza
Did you know that the pepperoni pizza is by far the most popular one? Did you also know that the first pizza was made in Naples, Italy during the 10th century, and was nothing fancy, just a flatbread lathered with some sauce and sprinkled with cheese? Well, I bet the makers had no idea what a world sensation they had just created.
With the National Pizza Day coming up, lets talk about the American love for this pie. It wasn’t until after the WWII that America was introduced to pizzas. You see, it was brought home by the soldiers who were stationed in Italy and had grown to love it. Another reason to thank our bravehearts I say!
Pizza and Super Bowl
Pizza and Super Bowl have a strong bond, with Super Bowl Sunday being the biggest day in the USA for pizza delivery. A whopping 12.5 million pizzas are ordered on Super Bowl Sunday, and peak orders come through an hour before kickoffs. So, come February, and we are looking forward to creating a new record, as both events fall couple days away from each other!
Pizza Today
While the authentic pizza focused more on original flavors, and fresh toppings, the pizzas most of us eat today are far from it. Touted as the No.1 junk food, conventional fast food chain pizzas have really missed the mark when it comes to a healthy, balanced indulgence. With extremely high levels of sodium from the processed meats, cheeses and flours (how long does flour last?), not to mention the added sugars, preservatives and artificial flavorings to give it that mouthwatering perfect taste and smell, pizza from conventional brands is not what I would recommend!
How Do We Celebrate National Pizza Day?
Of course, we are still eating pizza this awesome day. Why not turn it into a ‘Bake a Healthy Pizza With Your Family Day? Wait till my kids hear their favorite food has a ‘birthday’ we get to celebrate!
Home made pizzas can be comparatively much healthier and wholesome than store bought ones. What’s better is that you can load them up with veggies, meats and even a sauce that you can cook up using real, fresh ingredients. And which kid ever turned up their noses at the sight of pizza?
So, here are some cool tips that you can try for making simple, tasty, homemade pizzas, with your family (or just by yourself too!)
Tips for a Healthy, Homemade Pizza!
Change to Whole Grain Crust!
If you have no gluten allergies, I suggest a whole wheat crust for your pizza. Working with whole grain flour to make pizza dough is slightly trickier, but it is possible to get it just right. I got my recipe for whole wheat pizza crust from Sally’s Baking Addiction, and it’s so simple with detailed instructions, so hop over there and make your crust.
No Time to Make Your Own Crust?
This is totally understandable. One hack to enjoy pizzas without having to bother making the crust is to use pitta bread or naan breads. Pitta breads are perfect for when you are short on time or a child comes up with a request for pizza on weeknights. Top them up with sauce, toppings, cheese and bake for 4-5 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are looking for some fresh artisanal breads in Texas, find them here, all in one place!
Make Your Own Simple Homemade Pizza Sauce.
Making your own pizza sauce doesn’t involve hours of stirring a pot of tomatoes! This sauce uses a variety of vegetables but is quite easy to make! It can be a wonderful way to add more veggies and seasonings to your child’s diet.
All you need to make this healthy homemade pizza sauce:
1 cup broccoli, chopped
½ onion
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
Juice from 1 lime
2 tomatoes, quartered
2 mini peppers
1 tablespoon diced garlic
½ tablespoon chopped ginger
1 can tomato sauce
1 ½ cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano (how long does dried oregano last?)
1 teaspoon dried parsley (how long does dried parsley last?)
Salt, pepper to taste
Method
Add all ingredients and pressure cook for about 15 minutes.
Once cooled, blitz everything until smooth.
Store in a pizza sauce jar to trick your children!
This makes more sauce than you need for two 12-inch pizzas, just divide it and freeze. Another cool way to use this homemade pizza sauce is to add it to meatballs and serve it over pasta! (how long does pasta last?)
Best Cheeses for Homemade Pizzas
The magic duo of cheeses you need for that stringy melty creaminess in a pizza are- Mozzarella and Parmesan. You can find the best, freshest cheeses locally at these places in Texas.
Healthy Pizza Toppings That Kids Will Love!
This really differs from family to family. Actually, from kid to kid. But if there is at least 2 healthy toppings on the pizza that your child will eat for sure, I would call it a win. Don’t push it with the toppings too much, the sneaky lil’s will pick them right off!
Here are some cool ideas you can top off your homemade pizza with!
Broccoli, apples, mushrooms, olives (green or black), pineapple chunks, raisins (how long do raisins last?) (yes! They give a tangy burst of sweetness), bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, pepperoni, red onion slices, leftover cooked chicken, fresh basil leaves, pine nuts (how long do nuts last?), sliced hard boiled eggs, sliced eggplant (What wine goes well with eggplant?), thinly sliced zucchini and fresh spinach.
This National Pizza Day make sure to try these homemade pizza tips to give the madly loved pie a healthy boost!
