I Love Pizza but...

I am looking for a healthier way to make pizza! I love a thin crust, crispy, with cheese, & sauce... But OMG the calories!!! Any ideas on how to make it healthier? * Friend me, I am looking for friends for encouragement*
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Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Pizza Hut thin 'n crispy is 190/slice (66 g, medium cheese.) How much lower calorie do you need?
  • AbsoluteTara79
    AbsoluteTara79 Posts: 266 Member
    Make your own. These crusts are awesome and pretty low-cal:

    http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/thin-crust-artisan-pizza/
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    eat half a pizza with a large salad
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Thin crust is one of the more calorie friendly options you can choose. Make your own at home with ready made crusts (Boboli has thin crust now), refrigerated dough (Trader Joes sells pizza dough or you can get Pillsbury refrigerated dough), or make your own dough: flour, yeast, water. Other alternatives: flat out breads, pita bread, or flour tortillas.

    When you make it at home you can control how much of all the other toppings you use. More vegetables, less meat, etc. We make pizza about once a week on the grill or on a pizza stone in the oven. I can eat half a margherita pizza for less than 700 cals. I usually have salad and wine too!

  • KT_3009
    KT_3009 Posts: 1,042 Member
    My favourite homemade pizza uses wholemeal wraps, some tomato sauce to spread, some finely chopped ham, lite cheese and pineapple and it tastes amazing and ends up being under 350 calories for the whole pizza :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Make your own. These crusts are awesome and pretty low-cal:

    http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/thin-crust-artisan-pizza/

    Nope nope nope. Not pizza.

    I like Flatout but those will never help with a pizza craving. Pita bread is much more satisfying, if you can find some relatively low cal (there's a brand that makes high protein ones that turned out pretty well, but the name escapes me).

    Still looking for a thin crust recipe to make my own though :(
  • LovingLife_Erin
    LovingLife_Erin Posts: 328 Member
    1 part Greek yogurt with 1 part flour makes a great pizza base. It's relatively low calorie for a pretty big pizza. Add whatever toppings you like. You control the cheese and such, so you can make it as healthy as you want. Slimming world's smash pizza base is pretty low calorie too, and tastes good as well.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I am looking for a healthier way to make pizza! I love a thin crust, crispy, with cheese, & sauce... But OMG the calories!!! Any ideas on how to make it healthier? * Friend me, I am looking for friends for encouragement*

    What do you mean by make it "healthier"? Lower calorie? More nutrients? More fiber?

    Add some vegetables for toppings. Use less cheese.
    Eat smaller portions and pair it with a salad.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Make your own. These crusts are awesome and pretty low-cal:

    http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/thin-crust-artisan-pizza/

    Nope nope nope. Not pizza.

    I like Flatout but those will never help with a pizza craving. Pita bread is much more satisfying, if you can find some relatively low cal (there's a brand that makes high protein ones that turned out pretty well, but the name escapes me).

    Still looking for a thin crust recipe to make my own though :(

    Pita is the most "pizza" like crust to me. I broil until crispy, turn it over, top with sauce/cheese/toppings and broil until it's done. Takes less than 10 minutes and is a common dinner for my family.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Make it work into your calorie allotment for the day.

    We always have thin crust delite from Papa Murphy's with veggies, no meat, light on the cheese. I don't miss the meat at all, but if you want meat, just allow for it.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I use reduced fat cheese and a thin crust I make at home. I add veggie and lean meat toppings and can make a 10-12 in pizza that is about 1000 calories for the whole thing. So I can have the whole pizza and a couple of light beers for dinner.

  • cheetara86
    cheetara86 Posts: 3 Member
    I've started making pizza base with cauliflower. Whizz it up in a processor, microwave for 4.5 mins then damp out moisture on a tea towel, mix in 2 eggs and seasoning, spread on a baking tray and bake on a high oven for 15 mins, then take out and add toppings and bake for a further 10 mins. Looks like pizza, slightly different taste but I still find it yummy!
  • glitzy196
    glitzy196 Posts: 190 Member
    I use tortillas sometimes. .and bake them in my toaster oven. I can have 2 pretty good size ones for 400 calories. Pita is also a good one.
  • glitzy196
    glitzy196 Posts: 190 Member
    I have also learned to just like cheese, or cheese and pineapple.
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
    cheetara86 wrote: »
    I've started making pizza base with cauliflower. Whizz it up in a processor, microwave for 4.5 mins then damp out moisture on a tea towel, mix in 2 eggs and seasoning, spread on a baking tray and bake on a high oven for 15 mins, then take out and add toppings and bake for a further 10 mins. Looks like pizza, slightly different taste but I still find it yummy!

    ^this. I use a slightly different recipe because I am allergic to eggs, but it tastes great and satisfies the pizza craving.
  • AbsoluteTara79
    AbsoluteTara79 Posts: 266 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Make your own. These crusts are awesome and pretty low-cal:

    http://www.flatoutbread.com/products/thin-crust-artisan-pizza/

    Nope nope nope. Not pizza.

    I like Flatout but those will never help with a pizza craving. Pita bread is much more satisfying, if you can find some relatively low cal (there's a brand that makes high protein ones that turned out pretty well, but the name escapes me).

    Still looking for a thin crust recipe to make my own though :(

    Speak for yourself, but I actually prefer these over take-out.
  • Artemiris
    Artemiris Posts: 189 Member
    An Italian pizza Margherita has "only" 700 calories. Sure it's not low calories, but it's absolutely doable for one dinner.

    2nged80.jpg

    I checked how many calories there are in one "american-style" pizza at a local chain: 3000 (!!)

    Now I get why pizza is considered "bad".

    Simply follow an italian recipe and, depending how much flour you use, you can have a tasty not-so-high in calories pizza.

    It's very easy to make one if you have this kind of ovens (about 60 euros):

    4k8vw3.jpg

    Add tomato sauce, mozzarella, vegetables (or whatever you prefer), 10g of extra-vergin olive oil and that's it.
  • CharlotteALC93
    CharlotteALC93 Posts: 47 Member
    Tortilla wrap. Tomato puree. Whatever toppings you want. Oven for 10 mins. Voila!
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited November 2015
    I make mine with 90 grams (3/4 cup) whole wheat flour. warm water, yest, sauce and cheese. Comes out to 500 cals total because I use fresh mozzarella which has a lot less calories than the shredded stuff. I only need 2 oz of it.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    I've learned to just get smaller pizzas. We used to get Extra Larges around here and then we reduced it down to a Large, and now even that's too much so we get medium pizzas.

    Occasionally we'll get a thin crust (that really does save on the calories), but otherwise I just fit the medium slices into my calorie goal. I love pizza too much to mess with it's complete yumminess.
  • sarahdayski
    sarahdayski Posts: 125 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    eat half a pizza with a large salad

    that is what i do, once a week as a treat me and DD share a thin crust pizza
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    glitzy196 wrote: »
    I use tortillas sometimes. .and bake them in my toaster oven. I can have 2 pretty good size ones for 400 calories. Pita is also a good one.

    I do tortillas too.
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    I use Flatout wraps which are 90 calories. Their website has pizza recipes too.
    http://www.flatoutbread.com/product-recipes/pizza/page/2/
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Oh I love pizza as well, so when I don't make my own, then I make it fit.
  • glitzy196
    glitzy196 Posts: 190 Member
    I had 2 slices yesterday at fazolis, and 2 breadsticks. It came in at 850 calories, i just ate around it part of what got me here is thinking that 5 pieces of pizza is normal..
  • thereshegoesagain
    thereshegoesagain Posts: 1,056 Member
    I use the flat out wraps also. Put some fig jam, goat cheese, some prosciutto and throw it on the bbq. So delicious
  • soulofgrace
    soulofgrace Posts: 175 Member
    1 part Greek yogurt with 1 part flour makes a great pizza base. It's relatively low calorie for a pretty big pizza. Add whatever toppings you like. You control the cheese and such, so you can make it as healthy as you want. Slimming world's smash pizza base is pretty low calorie too, and tastes good as well.

    That sounds interesting. I will have to try it. Is it sort of a cracker consistency when baked? Do you have to press it into a pan or does it roll out? Do you have to pre bake the crust? Thanks.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    1 part Greek yogurt with 1 part flour makes a great pizza base. It's relatively low calorie for a pretty big pizza. Add whatever toppings you like. You control the cheese and such, so you can make it as healthy as you want. Slimming world's smash pizza base is pretty low calorie too, and tastes good as well.

    That sounds interesting. I will have to try it. Is it sort of a cracker consistency when baked? Do you have to press it into a pan or does it roll out? Do you have to pre bake the crust? Thanks.

    I use this 2 ingredient pizza dough too. It's really good. A little crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. You need to use self-rising flour or add the additional baking ingredients. Here are the instructions.

    http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2014/02/2-ingredient-pizza-dough-recipe.html
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I eat 1/2 a pizza with a huge pile of stir fried vegetables.