Jennifer’s Tips for Making Healthy Thai Pizza

Today my friend Jen from Savoring the Thyme is sharing her awesome recipe for spring pizza. I love her inspiring blog because it focuses on health and wellness and her recipes are awesome. She is a busy mother of two yet manages to make fitness, cooking, and general well-being look so simple when we all know that it is not! hope you enjoy her tips for making awesome Thai pizza. It is healthy, easy to make, and over the top delicious.

Pizza is an American staple: We all love it, crave it, and we over-indulge in it.  But considering the average mozzarella pizza is loaded with high sugar sauce, too much cheese and extra grease, is it possible to ever consider pizza a healthy-ish option? Follow some of these tips and you might be proud to serve it once a week.

* Start off with or incorporate a salad while you are waiting for the pizza to bake. In our home, the kids must eat a salad before or after their first piece of pizza.

* Use whole wheat or whole grain pizza crust/dough. You can usually find premade shells or uncooked dough at your local grocery store and bake it yourself or even consider making one yourself thus ensuring no preservatives.

*Make your own marinara sauce or use a high-quality brand.

*Load up the veggies: Tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, cauliflower, peppers, onions (try ëem caramelized), eggplant, corn, sweet potato, and carrots are some great options that add vital nutrients.  Also, consider roasting the vegetables for a whole new taste profile. One of our favorites is a Roasted Butternut Squash & Pesto Flatbread Pizza.

*Protein options: Top with some chicken, turkey, shrimp, low-sodium ham, and ground bison are great choices. One of my favorites is Grilled Turkey Thai Pizza.

*Use your greens: Donít be afraid to toss some arugula, spinach, or your favorite herbs on to the pie just before you chow down.

*Low-fat cheeses: Experiment with reduced fat versions of different cheeses such as asiago or feta and only use a small amount. You can also use the standard mozzarella but simply scatter on a light layer as it will distribute as it melts.

*Size DOES matter: Try using small tortillas or pitas for a satisfying but smaller-sized pizza.

*Don’t forget the fruit: Think Hawaiian pizza (pineapple), peaches, and plums.  Oh yum!