A new product, The Skinny Pizza, was announced in the latest issue of Food and Nutrition magazine. The information provided states this is a small thin crust margarita pizza with only 390 calories. Since it was listed in the “new products” section of a US-wide publication of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, I assumed it was a new packaged food that would be available to most consumers.

I decided to blog about the nutrition content of this new product and to suggest alternatives for a whole food, non-packaged, homemade, low-calorie pizza because I know from experience that it’s fairly easy to make a mean homemade pizza!

It turns out this is not a packaged food. This is a menu selection from a pizza chain that has 25 locations. Only 18 of these locations are in the United States and 11 of them are in South Florida. Now, this called into question for me why this was listed as a new product in a magazine for dietitians with a demographic that covers the entire United States… But this is a topic for another day.

Let’s talk about “nutrition made easy” with a healthier homemade pizza!

Start by toasting either an English muffin, a pita, or this dietitian’s favorite, a Flat Out or other flat bread. You just want this to get a little bit crispy or the sauce will make the pizza soggy.

Once crispy, top with a little low-sodium tomato or marinara sauce, and by a little I mean a lot less than you think you need even if you like your pizza saucy like I do! If you want to keep it even more “clean,” then saute some chopped plum tomatoes in a little olive oil, garlic, and onion, mashing the tomatoes as they cook to make a bruschetta-like sauce.

Top with some shredded cheese, lean proteins, and as many vegetables or fruits as your pizza will hold and throw it back in the oven or toaster oven to warm the ingredients and melt the cheese. You may want to also saute the vegetables if you prefer a softer, cooked texture over a crunchy texture.

One of the favorite combinations in this household is chicken breast, BBQ sauce, red onions, mushrooms, a Mexican cheese blend, oregano, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes or Hot Shot! Another favorite is pineapple chunks and mushrooms.

The sky is the limit with combinations for this pizza and every person can get their own favorite combination! By limiting the portions, the amount of cheese used, and focusing on lean meats, vegetables, and fruits as toppings, you can keep this pizza low calorie, fiber- and nutrient-rich, and most importantly delicious!

I’m always looking for new flavor combinations and ideas so let me know what you put on your homemade pizza.

References:

Pizza Rustica Launches Skinny Pizza. Available at: http://www.food-business-review.com/news/pizza-rustica-launches-skinny-pizza-081112. Accessed January 27, 2013.

Pizza Rustica Locations. Available at: http://www.pizza-rustica.com/locations. Accessed January 27, 2013.

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