Pizza toppings aren't confined to pepperoni and pineapple. There are plenty of vegetarian pizza topping combinations that can make a pizza exciting.

Think pizza means pepperoni and cheese?

Most pizza parlours feature at least a few vegetarian options, offering everything from classic combos like broccoli, peppers and tomatoes to exquisite gourmet pies. Here are a few basic and gourmet pizza topping ideas.

Pizza Crust Ideas

Homemade or store-bought doughs work here, as do pre-baked pizza crusts and alternative crusts like mini pitas. Just be sure to follow the cooking instructions for your specific type of crust – those made form fresh dough may need to be pre-baked, adding time to the meal.

Cooking Time and Temperature

Most pizzas have to cook at a hot temperature – about 425 F, for up to 12 minutes. For best results, check the instructions on your dough recipe or crust package.

How to Build a Pizza

The quantity of ingredients used to build a pizza varies with the size of the crust and each individual’s taste. Here are some guidelines for a standard 12-inch pizza:

Ingredients:

• About ¼ - ½ cup sauce
• About 1 ½ - 2 cups grated cheese (less if using stronger or a soft cheese)
• ¼ - ½ cup each vegetable topping
• 1/8 – ¼ cup salty, canned vegetable, and strong cheese toppings

Directions:

1. Using a wooden spoon, gently spread a thin layer of sauce across the pizza shell, leaving a 1-inch crust at the edges.
2. Sprinkle grated mozzarella evenly over the sauce.
3. Layer additional toppings evenly over top.
4. Top with strong cheeses.

For the complete pizza experience, serve with vegetarian Caesar salad.

Pizza Topping Combinations

See the recipe below for tantalizing topping combos, or combine your own.

Sauce Choices

• Tomato (pizza) sauce
• Pesto sauce
• Salsa
• Bruschetta mix

Fresh Vegetable Toppings

Cut toppings into small pieces so that every bite combines several flavours.

• Green, red, yellow or orange bell peppers
• Banana peppers (spicy)
• Broccoli (layer under the cheese to prevent the florets from drying out)
• Red onion
• Green onion
• Cooking onions (caramelized or fresh)
• Pineapple
• Roasted garlic (try blending into the sauce)
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini
• Fresh tomatoes

• Fresh cilantro, basil or parsley

Canned Vegetable (and Fruit) Toppings

• Artichoke hearts
• Pepperoncini peppers (spicy)
• Chipotle peppers or puree (very spicy)
• Capers
• Roasted red peppers
• Sundried tomatoes

Salty Toppings

• Sliced green or black olives
• Kalamata olives
• Tapenade (olive paste)
• Pesto
• Sundried tomato pesto

Nostalgic “Meat” Toppings

• Faux pepperoni
• Faux sausages, sliced
• Artificial bacon bits

Cheeses

Try using a base of mozzarella cheese and blend in or top with a sharper, stronger cheese.

• Shredded mozzarella – the classic pizza cheese
• Shredded cheddar or sharp cheddar (blend in with mozzarella)
• Feta cheese
• Goat’s cheese
• Cream cheese

Pizza Combinations

Try one of these great vegetarian pizza combinations.

Classic Vegetarian

• Tomato sauce (pizza sauce)
• Broccoli
• Chopping green and/or red peppers
• Red onions
• Mozzarella cheese

Savour and Spice

• Tomato sauce, mixed with about 1/2 tsp. sauce from a can of chipotle peppers (adobo)
• Garlic powder or minced garlic
• Grated mozzarella with a touch of old cheddar cheese mixed in
• Sliced green onion
• Pepperoncini peppers, sliced
• Roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
• Black or Kalamata olives, sliced

Meat-Lovers Vegetarian Faker

• Tomato or pizza sauce
• Yves brand vegetarian pepperoni slices (1/2 package)
• Tofurky brand vegetarian Kielbasa sausage, sliced into ¼” slices
• Chopped green pepper
• Thinly sliced red or cooking onion

Gourmet (White) Pesto Pizza

Using pesto or another sauce (even sour cream!) is a trendy alternative to tomato-based pizza; perfect for those who don’t like tomatoes.

• Pesto sauce (about ¼ cup), spread thinly over the crust
• Sliced black or Kalamata olives
• Mozzarella
• Small chunks of feta cheese
• Strips of sundried tomatoes (packed in oil)

Pizza is a satisfying combination of fresh bread, tomato sauce, and melted cheese. It is also a favorite comfort food for many people. So for weeknight suppers and informal entertaining, homemade pizza is a tasty option. Plus, it’s also easy to make and sure to please. You can make the pizza dough ahead of time. Or you can freeze it for added convenience on busy evenings.

Making pizza at home can be much less expensive than pizza delivery. And homemade pizza can also be healthier than restaurant pizza. This is because you can top it with healthy veggies. But you can use many different pizza toppings. You can even make dessert pizza!

It is surprisingly easy to make a basic dough. You will only need a few ingredients. Homemade pizza dough is also suitable for vegetarians, vegans and people who have certain food allergies.

The following recipe has been adapted from the "Yeast Pizza Crust" recipe in the cookbook How It All Vegan by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer. This dough makes a pizza crust with good flavor and texture. Use this quick and easy dough recipe to make homemade pizza recipes for movie nights or family dinners.

Pizza Dough Recipe

Makes two 12 inch pizzas (4 - 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 - 3 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup flour for dusting hands and surfaces
• One 1/4 ounce packet of active dry yeast or quick-rise yeast
• 1 1/2 cups of warm water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• Olive oil or cooking spray

Directions

1. In a liquid measuring cup, dissolve yeast in water. Then let it stand for five minutes
2. In a large mixing bowl or food processor, start with 2 1/2 cups of bread flour
3. Mix salt into dissolved yeast
4. Add dissolved yeast mixture to flour and mix or process until a tacky dough forms. If dough is too sticky, mix in the other 1/2 cup of flour.
5. Dump dough onto a lightly floured surface. Then, dust your hands with flour and knead dough for a few minutes. Finally, form the mixture into a ball
6. Lightly grease the mixing bowl with olive oil or cooking spray. Then return the ball of dough to the bowl
7. Cover the bowl with saran wrap, cheesecloth or a dish towel. Then set in a warm place to rise until the dough is about double its original size. This will take 45 minutes to an hour for regular yeast and 15-20 minutes for rapid-rise yeast.
8. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
9. Return dough to floured surface. Then punch dough to deflate.
10. Separate dough into two sections. Then knead each section for a few more minutes. Finally, shape each section into a ball and flatten into a disk shape.
11. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough. Then, shape into circles or rectangles about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Finally, transfer to a pizza stone or cookie sheet
12. Spread on sauce and add toppings of choice
13. Bake for 15 minutes or until dough is just beginning to brown
14. Let pizzas cool for a few minutes and cut into 6 or 8 slices

This basic homemade pizza dough recipe is great for making an easy main dish. And you can also use it to make dessert pizzas.

Delicious and Healthy Alternative Italian Favorite

The basics of a pizza are fairly simple, and generally are healthful ingredients. There's the crust, the sauce, the meat, the cheese, and the seasonings. That's where the "basics" end and the creative juices can begin flowing.

While you may have given up a weekly visit to Pizza Hut, California Pizza, Sbarro's, or Domino's, it is not the end of the world. You can put together a heart-healthy and fantastic tasting pizza that has half the sodium of the average cheese (no meat) pizza at any of these pizza parlors - and this recipe includes meat!

The Basic Pizza Ingredients and Their Sodium Content

• Pizza Shell (one medium pizza for two people) - look for Mama Mary's which has 186 mgs of sodium for 1/4 of 10" crust. The average of other brands (i.e. Boboli) for 1/5 of crust (one slice) averages 330 mg of sodium.
• Pizza-style tomato sauce – Ragu's Pizza Sauce Homestyle has 260 mgs per 2.2 oz serving (compared to their Pizza Quick Traditional which has 380 mgs). Other brands may go as high as 780 to 800 mgs. of sodium.
• Olive oil (extra-virgin) or canola oil - zero milligrams of sodium

Meat Toppings

• Ground Beef – 90% lean, 85 mg sodium per 3 oz serving
• Chicken – thigh meat, skinless, broiled, 46 mgs per thigh; white meat 3 oz. broiled, skinless, 64 mgs per serving
• Italian sweet sausage – Perdue turkey sausage, grilled, 490 mgs per 3 oz serving (regular Italian sweet sausage may have up to 900 mgs per 3 oz serving.)
• Pepperoni – hard to find a "low-sodium" brand, but Wegman's Italian Classic deli Italian sausage is 480 mgs per 1 oz. serving. Use very sparingly, if you must!

Fruit and Vegetable Toppings

• Onions - 0
• Fresh tomatoes – 1 mg per thin small slice (.5 oz)
• Mushrooms - 0
• Artichoke hearts – 1/2 cup boiled, drained, no salt added, 80 mgs sodium
• Pineapple - 0
• Fresh basil - 0
• Fresh spinach – 8 mg
• Pesto – 1/4 cup, 720 mgs (may vary by brand, but is very salty.)
• Pine nuts - 0

Cheeses

• Provolone – Sargento, regular, full-fat, 1 slice (.7 oz) – 125 mgs sodium (reduced fat is 140 mgs) Alpine Lace Reduced Fat & Sodium – 190 mgs. (per 1 oz); shredded – Sargento Aged 1/4 cup – 240 mgs.
• Mozzarella – fresh, 1 oz balls, 20 mgs. Kraft Natural Shredded, 2% Milkfat, 200mgs per 1 oz. Most part-skim mozzarella is between 175 and 200 mgs per oz.
• Swiss Cheese – 1 oz. slice, 54 mgs; shredded, 1 cup (3.8 oz) 207 mgs
• Parmesan – 1 tablespoon grated, 76 mgs (.2oz)

Toppings to be Avoided

• Anchovies
• Capers
• Cheddar Cheese
• Shaved Parmesan
• Hot Italian sausage
• deli meats like ham, bologna, salami, bacon

Recipe for Home-Made Low-Sodium Pizza

Prepare your pizza oven.

1. Use one 10" shell, brushed with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Spread half of a jar of pizza sauce (7 oz.) over entire crust.
2. Slice fresh tomato thinly, approximately eight slices, and place four on each half/side of pizza. (Two per slice).
3. Slice the onion thinly, and separate the ring sections individually; place around pizza evenly.
4. Brown 1/3 pound (approx. 6 oz) hamburger, (or use one cooked chicken thigh or 1/2 cooked chicken breast, skinless). Drain and distribute the finely-broken up ground beef around the pizza surface.
5. Top with broken-up pieces of one slice of provolone, 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, or 1 oz fresh mozzarella. A combination of any of these is okay if you are careful to measure and take into account all amounts of sodium.
6. Pineapple chunks, mushrooms, fresh basil leaves, and Italian spices such as oregano, basil, and black pepper, may be added to taste.

Grill the pizza directly on the oven rack placed in the center of the oven. Set the temperature according to directions on the package (start at 450 degrees, to preheat the oven, turn down to 425 and cook for 7-10 minutes.) Cut into 6 slices, 2 slices per serving. Serves 2-3.

Sodium totals will vary depending on the toppings you choose. The basic combination of sauce, olive oil, ground beef, tomato, onion, and Swiss cheese will be approximately 1100 mgs of sodium for 2 slices. If your diet restricts you to 2000 mgs daily or less, this is the amount in half a day's allowance. A half of a cheese pizza (no meat) at a pizza fast-food chain averages 2100 mgs of sodium.

The pleasure in making your own low-sodium pizza is in the variety of toppings you can add to add interest to your diet, while being in control of your sodium intake. You don't have to deny yourself the yumminess of "real" pizza!

Easy Party Food Kids Can Assemble with Natural Ingredients

Feeding children for a party, special occasions, or just dinner doesn't have to be difficult, time-consuming, or unhealthy. Try the following pizza kids can make, and offer them a tasty and nutritious meal.

Ingredients for Bread Pizza

Serves 10, two bread pizzas per person

• Two loaves of whole wheat French bread
• Three tablespoons olive oil, in a small bowl
• Large tin crushed tomato sauce, marinara sauce, or other natural spaghetti sauce
• Medium sized package of turkey pepperoni
• 16oz. package shredded full fat mozzarella cheese
• 16 oz. package shredded reduced fat or non-fat mozzarella cheese
• Mushrooms, peppers, onions, or other toppings as desired, finely chopped
• Oregano, basil, red peppers, and other seasonings as desired

How to Make Bread Pizzas

1. Prepare your pizza oven.
2. Lightly grease two baking sheets with olive oil using a pastry brush or fingers. The bread pizzas have very little grease, so it is extremely important to lightly grease the cookie sheets, so that the pizzas don't stick.
3. Cut the French bread or bagels into twenty slices. Set aside.
4. Pour out half the bag of full fat mozzarella into a medium sized bowl. Add half the bag of low fat or non-fat mozzarella to the same bowl, and mix. This blend of cheese lowers the overall fat of the cheese while maintaining the gooey pizza cheese lost with just fat free cheese.
5. Form assembly line, with stations for the bread slices, then sauce, pepperoni, toppings, cheese, seasonings, and small bowl of olive oil. Add utensils to each station as appropriate, as well as paper towels to clean up. If serving a larger group, spread out stations so the pizza artists have enough room to create.
6. Invite children to form a line beginning at the bread station. Supervise as children place toppings on a slice of bread. Be careful when applying seasonings, as some may be too spicy, or children may put too much on inadvertently.
7. After adding the cheese, carefully lift up the bread pizza with a spatula and place on the greased baking sheet.
8. Dip the pastry brush in olive oil and gently brush oil around the crust of the bread, as well as any parts not covered by topping. The oil prevents the pizzas from drying out.
9. When both sheets are full of bread pizzas, bake until cheese melts, 7-10 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, and let set a minute before serving to prevent burnt tongues.

Other Ideas for Assembling Bread Pizzas

Invite older children to prepare the bread, vegetables, and cheese ahead of time and set up the stations.

Allow children to make a design with pepperoni or vegetables on top of their pizza's cheese layer so that they can tell their pizzas apart.

Offer a taste of toppings and seasonings ahead of time, to make sure children like their pizza toppings before they make their pizzas to prevent wasting food. This activity also encourages children to eat and try vegetables.

Serving Suggestions With Healthy Bread Pizza

Offer a green salad and fresh fruit for desert to round off a healthy meal.

Explain to children that vegetables are a healthy part of dinner, and offer a cut raw vegetable plate with light dressing to entice them.

Healthy bread pizzas are an easy, healthy, and fun way to make a children's dinner or party memorable.

Home made pizza is a rustic and delicious dish. Making the pizza from scratch means that it is easy to control the ingredients, doing away with the need for artificial additives and special diets are easy to accommodate.

Pizza Base:

No special equipment is required although some people like to bake on a pizza plate which is usually a large round oven proof tray. This gives the well known round pizza. In Italy, larger pizzas are usually square or rectangular in shape as they are baked and sold by the half meter or meter.

This classic half meter is the simplest to make as it is much easier to slice into portions and uses the oven space more efficiently; a large rectangular baking sheet about the same size as the oven shelf is ideal.

The ideal option for making a delicious homemade pizza is to use a pizza oven kit or, if you want to make things even more practical, you can also use a mobile pizza oven allowing you to take it all around.

Before making the base, grease the chosen baking surface and turn the oven on to a medium to hot heat; around gas mark 7 or 220 degrees.

For A Large Pizza:

• 1lb of flour, preferably 00 grade Italian flour or otherwise plain white flour.
• 1tbsp of Olive oil.
• Dried active yeast; check packet for instructions as brands differ in quantity needed.
• 200ml lukewarm water.
• 1tsp of sugar.
• Pinch of Salt.

Directions:

1. First make up the yeast, checking the instructions on the packet. Dried active yeast usually needs to be whisked into the 200ml of lukewarm water along with the sugar. Leave this to stand in a warm place for 20 minutes and the yeast should re-awake, producing a bubbling, frothy mixture which smells distinctly of fermentation.
2. Place the flour and pinch of salt in a bowl.
3. Once the yeast is ready, whisk it again with a fork and add the olive oil.
4. Combine the yeast mixture with the flour little by little. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water. At this stage it should be soft and pliable though not sticky.
5. Kneed the dough for as long as possible; a minute or two will suffice but longer is better. Once you have a springy ball of dough, leave it in a warm place to rise for 20 - 30 minutes.
6. When the dough has risen, kneed again for a minute to knock some of the air out. It is then ready to be rolled into the desired pizza base shape. Keep the base as thin as possible; it will rise again in the oven.
7. Transfer the rolled out base to the chosen baking surface, cover with topping and bake.

Depending on the toppings chosen and the thickness of the base, pizza will take different amounts of time to cook. In general, fifteen to twenty minutes in a medium hot oven should suffice but check the pizza twice within this time as fragile toppings can burn.

Herbs:

• Rosemary, Oregano, Sage and Thyme stand up well to cooking.
• Heap fresh basil or rocket leaves on the baked pizza before serving as cooking kills the flavor and texture of these.

Other topping ideas:

• A can of chopped tomatoes works well as a base for toppings, or a jar of pasta sauce can be used. Home made tomato sauce is delicious but cooking a heap of fresh, ripe tomatoes gently with some olive oil is also suitable.
• Traditional toppings include olives, Mozzarella, anchovies, peppers and salami.

Special Diets:

• Cheese is a classic topping but if cutting down on fat, use a smaller quantity of a stronger flavored variety such as Parmesan or Pecorino. Cheeses such as Mozzarella and Feta are slightly lower in fat than many hard cheeses, and half fat cheese is also an option.
• For non-dairy pizzas choose flavorful toppings such as garlic, onions, olives, capers, chili, rosemary, fresh basil, anchovies, olive oil, walnuts and sun dried tomatoes.
• Wholemeal and Spelt flour both produce a heavier more fiber-rich base which tastes best with strong vegetarian toppings such as red pepper, onion, cheese, sweetcorn and olives.

General Tips:

• Rinse any bowls or implements coated in dough with cold water before washing up. This makes cleaning up easy; hot soapy water literally bakes raw bread dough on to equipment and causes a mess.
• Using watery vegetables can make a pizza soggy, or take too long to cook. Vegetables which hold a lot of water include mushrooms, courgettes, spinach and fresh tomatoes. Slice these finely with a mandolin, use them sparingly or alternatively cook them before using.
• A pizza wheel is extremely handy for slicing pizza evenly without dislodging the topping and burning fingers.
• Using a good quality pizza oven is the key to a tasteful dough. You can find great options at Californo.
• Heap ingredients such as cured ham, Mozzarella and smoked salmon on to the hot pizza before serving. The heat will warm these toppings without destroying the flavor and texture as the baking process would.

Turning pizza dough into great tasting pizza is fairly easy to do. Whether you have bought the dough from a bakery, or made your own it doesn't take much more than some toppings, spaghetti sauce and a good pizza oven to make a delicious Italian pizza.

Ingredients

• Enough pizza dough for a medium pizza
• Toppings of your choice (pepperoni, sausage, olives, pineapple, etc)
• Spaghetti sauce (store bought or home made)
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Italian spices

Optional

• Parmesan Cheese
• Other cheeses

Directions

1. Warm the dough to room temperature. Trying to roll out cold dough is difficult and time consuming.
2. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius. If you are using a stone, preheat the oven well ahead of time and place the stone in at the very beginning to heat up. A cookie or pizza pan doesn't need to be pre-heated.
3. If you want to make pizza at an outdoor family gathering or a friend’s party, you can always choose for using a mobile pizza oven. It is convenient and makes your pizza extremely tasty. Californo has some great options you can choose from.
4. Prepare the toppings. Make sure any sausage or raw vegetables are cut into small pieces to ensure they cook properly. Drain wet pizza toppings such as olives and pineapple to prevent a soggy pizza.
5. If you are making your own spaghetti sauce, prepare it but do not cook it. It will cook in the oven. Store bought sauces can be used as is.
6. On a well floured surface roll out the dough. Make sure it fits the pizza stone or pan. Make the dough an even thickness and use your fingers to round and slightly raise the edge to form the crust.
7. A) If using a pizza stone, take the hot stone out of the oven and spread corn meal on it to prevent sticking. Quickly and very carefully place the dough on the stone. Some cooks will then pre-cook the crust, before placing the sauce, toppings, mozzarella cheese and Italian spices on the pizza. Others will quickly place the toppings on the crust and place it back in the oven. If you choose the second method try to have everything completed within 2 minutes, if it takes too long the pizza crust will cook unevenly.
8. B) If you are using a pizza pan or cookie sheet, place the dough in the oiled pan and put the sauce, toppings, mozzarella cheese and Italian spices on the uncooked crust. You can take your time while doing this.
9. Put the pizza in the oven. After 7 minutes check the pizza, the crust should be firm, and if the toppings are already on the pizza the cheese should be melted. After another 1 to 2 minutes the cheese should be lightly browned, take it out when this happens.If you precooked the pizza crust, take the crust out at 5 or 6 minutes when it is slightly hardened and add the sauce, pizza toppings and spices and place it back in the oven. Cook it for another 5 to 6 minutes. Make sure any raw meat is extra small to ensure it will be entirely cooked.
10. Once the Italian pizza is out of the oven let it cool for 5 minutes and then remove it from the pan or stone. If it sticks to the pan use a spatula to gently pry it off, and next time use more cornmeal or oil to prevent sticking.
11. Cut the pizza into sizes of your preference and enjoy.

Important: Do not overload the pizza. Too much sauce or wet toppings can make your pizza soggy.

The entire cooking process should take approximately one hour with a pizza stone and half an hour for a regular pizza pan. As long as the Italian pizza isn't under or over cooked it will be ready to eat as soon as it cools down, and then Parmesan cheese, Tabasco sauce or other seasonings can be added to this delicious pizza.

Yeast free diets are difficult to follow because they can be so limiting. To add to the confusion, there are many versions and stages of what a yeast-free diet or candida-free eating plan means. Some diets limit grains, especially flour. Others substitute rice flour for wheat. Most focus on eliminating sugar. This particular recipe uses wheat flour but does not contain yeast.

Yeast Free Pizza Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cups Whole Wheat or White Flour
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup carbonated or soda water
• ¼ tsp. Garlic powder

Directions:

1. Toppings, ½ cup tomato sauce and 1 Tbs. Olive Oil to add after baking crust.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and garlic powder together in a mixing bowl. Add in the carbonated water and olive oil. The consistency will be sticky. Add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky. Temperature and humidity can affect how much flour is needed. Don’t go overboard.
3. Use shortening or olive oil to lightly grease a cookie sheet or pizza pan (stone).
4. Spread the dough out around the pan, patting with fingers.
5. Bake in oven for 10 to 12 minutes then remove and brush crust lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
6. Spread tomato sauce evenly over crust, then top with cheese, if desired or allowed on diet, and any other yeast-free toppings. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes in the 425 degree oven.

Suggestions Veggies for Yeast-Free Pizza Toppings

Chopped or shredded veggies works best.

• Artichoke hearts
• Avocado
• Baby leeks
• Black Beans
• Broccoli
• Capers
• Carrot
• Cherry tomatoes
• Dried tomatoes
• Eggplant
• Fungi
• Green peppers
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Onions
• Olives
• Peas
• Red beans
• Red onions
• Red peppers
• Roasted eggplant, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers
• Scallions
• Shallots
• Snow peas
• Spinach
• Squash
• Sun dried tomatoes
• Sweet corn
• Watercress
• Zucchini

Meat Toppings for Yeast-Free Pizza

Restrictions with allowed meats vary too. Many yeast-free diets restrict processed meat and limit others.

• Bacon (processed meat--so may not be allowed)
• Beef
• Chicken
• Duck
• Ham
• Meatballs
• Pepperoni
• Prosciutto
• Salami (processed)
• Sausage (processed)
• Turkey

Seafood Toppings for Yeast Free Pizza

Pizza lovers tend to overlook fish and seafood as a topping choice; the exception being the infamous anchovies. Seafood is a great way to add flavor and protein to a yeast-free pizza.

• Seafood toppings:
• Anchovies
• Crawfish
• Oysters
• Salmon
• Shrimp
• Tuna

Cheese Toppings for Pizza

Some yeast free diets allow for cheese and others don't. Because mold is sometimes part of the cheese- making process, many diets restrict or eliminate foods that are made with fungus. Some people use to smaller amounts of cheese. Individual preference varies.

• Brie
• Cheddar
• Colby
• Feta
• Mozzarella
• Parmesan
• Provolone
• Romano

Pizza is a great way to add variety to a restrictive diet. If a yeast-free eating plan allows for flour, eating pizza one night a week makes a nice treat. Experiment with toppings for variety.

Like love, pizza is something about which everyone has an opinion. Everyone is an authority. More poetry might have been written about love, but I am certain equal passion is aroused by the topic of pizza. Don't believe me? Ask any three people about what makes the best pie and watch the sparks fly. Go ahead, I'll wait.

Americans are passionately in love with pizza. One source claims 93% of Americans eat pizza at least once a month and another study says that each man, woman and child consumes an average of 23 pounds of pie a year.

I grew up in a time and place when instant, convenient and semi-prepared food was seen as "modern". Chef Boyardee, indeed. Me and pizza, we've come a long way, baby. I've eaten it in Italy. I've had it in New York. I've eaten at a number of the revered spots that show up on most of the authorities' lists. Like anyone else, I can tell you what is wrong about bad pizza (thick, doughy crust or worse, the Bisquik grade school cafeteria style crust) and what is right about good pizza (thin, crispy crust, no soggy, sagging middle, no pooling of grease from cheap toppings, made with great commercial pizza ovens.) I've never once seen mention of that venerated Chef of my childhood on any list. Go figure.

The start of pizza in the States

The history of pizza in the US might be generally agreed upon, but once you drill down a bit, claims of authenticity and authority can get dicey.

At the highest level, broad strokes, most would agree that pizza came to the US from Naples, via New York. What much of middle-America gets delivered to their door at halftime, bears little resemblance to the real thing. (Sorry, sometimes the truth hurts.) Some say it came back with WWII soldiers returning from Italy, others claim it came with earlier Italian immigrants.

Pizza Today

Regardless of the timing, it's well established that New York City and New Haven Connecticut are two of the legendary pizza cities. One thing these places have in common is a thin, charred crust from coal-fired ovens. The crust which bakes quickly at temperatures between 600- 800 degrees is impossible to replicate in a regular home oven. A pizza stone helps, but a good oven is the key.

I adore homemade pizza and good restaurant pizza, sometimes even a mediocre slice on the fly will do… And I know I'm not alone. As I noted earlier, pizza provokes passions.

If you’re into making healthier food choices, I will share my favorite Homemade Pizza tips this week. Also, stay tuned for my homemade pizza dough recipe. It's worth a try and a good recipe to get small hands involved in if you want to cook with kids.

A real pizza stone and good quality pizza oven kit makes a huge difference. I've been through two of the high-end volcanic or some such model at W-S. The first one cracked and the second shows signs of going that way. Next one I am going to try will be the Californo kit I found out from an online catalog of a restaurant supply store.

Now, here comes my tips for making healthier and delicious pizza at your own home!

Tips:

• Making pizza at home allows you to control the quality of the ingredients. Make the right choices according to your nutritional needs.
• Use a pizza kit - check Californo or your local restaurant supply store.
• Try different recipes for your perfect crust.
• Good oregano is key. Throw out that plastic shaker bottle of gray-green stuff that's been in the spice cabinet for ages. Get some real good quality one.