Pizza Crust Ideas

scollis11
scollis11 Posts: 21 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone!
I have been craving pizza and have tried a few different things for crust, and have not been impressed. What are you favorite lower calorie crust ideas? Help a girl with a craving out!

Side note, I am aware all in moderation, and no I am not saying I will never have a slice of pizza again. I just am looking for something that I could fit in more regularly.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    We have pizza every Friday. I make it from scratch and freeze the dough. We are thin crust fans, so that helps. Also, I stick to veggies for toppings, no meat. I go light on the sauce, and cheese. Two good sized pieces are 300 calories. Very doable for me.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,691 Member
    Homemade naan bread freezes well and makes a great crust for a fast, easy pizza.

    A low cal Lavash bread works well, too, but can get soggy in the middle. I try to preheat my pizza stone or precook the Lavash a little.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,691 Member
    edited January 2021
    Also, try the “ball” type mozarella instead of the shredded stuff. It has a lot more flavor and you can use less. Bel Gioso (sp?) has a tasty one. Lidl’s store brand is delicious.

    Ditto with a prosciutto or jamon de Serrano in lieu of pepperoni.

    Trader Joe’s Ciao brand pepperoni is hands down the best pepperoni.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    I have never found an alternative crust that fulfilled my pizza craving. For me, the crust is integral to what I love about pizza. Now that's not to say I haven't enjoyed alternative crust pizza when I've had it, but for me at least there is a huge difference between "this food is yummy" and "this food satisfies my craving for _____" :blush:

    I found the best way to satisfy a pizza craving is to eat a large green salad first, take my two slices and immediately put the rest in the fridge to be frozen for reheating, and drink a diet soda with it (as I often mindlessly drink beer or reg soda with pizza). Alternatively I have taken advantage of days I'm not very hungry and saved up more calories to spend them all on three slices and a beer everyone once and awhile lol.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,073 Member
    Not sure what you consider low cal, but when I'm feeling a pizza craving, I pile lots of toppings (no pepperoni!) onto one of those Costco Margarita pizzas. The entire pie is 800 calories and I usually eat half. Half a pie fits perfectly into my George Foreman Evolve grill (deep dish plate) and the crust crisps up just right.

    What I've been doing lately is making half with traditional pizza toppings for dinner and having the other half topped with breakfast omelet-y things the following morning.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    im not a huge pizza person, soooo whatever lol we do get it every couple of weeks though, mainly because my son loves it. even 3 slices at 300 calories I can MAKE fit into a normal day, if I start the day knowing that's what we are doing. there's benefits to not eating back many exercise calories during the week LOL if I DIDNT plan on it that day, a big salad then one or two pieces usually works and fits in my calories. Depending on WHERE we get the pizza from, I often give the crusts (pizza bones) to the dogs. that shaves some off too, though how much, Im not sure. its the sodium retention on the scale for me that gets me every time LOL

    we make homemade french bread pizza on occasion. its been awhile since I've done that so I don't recall the calories but I don't think it was disturbing. you could use low carb tortillas or a naan type bread, too. that would shave off a bunch.

    I've never tried cauliflower crusts but I know some people like that well enough.

    I've seen pizza casserole dishes on Pinterest that wouldn't have a crust (may or may not have some type of pasta in it. id think so but I've never looked at them closely). probably comes out to less than real pizza.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,627 Member
    edited January 2021
    I do pizza toppings on Ezekiel tortillas as a sort of stopgap. I tried various things along the way as crust substitutes. Can't remember them all, but it included whole grain English muffins (too small), sliced eggplant, and wide chunks of bell pepper. (The eggplant and bell pepper ones were tasty enough things, but not pizza-like enough.)

    Last Ezekiel one I made came in at 409 calories, piled high with tomato paste, cremini mushrooms, spinach, mozzarella & parmesan cheeses, garlic, basil, orange bell peppers, onions (I'm vegetarian).

    A tip, if you try tortillas: I have my tortillas in the freezer. I moisten the frozen tortilla slightly so it doesn't get dried out, sprinkle it with parmesan (usually about 14g for the small size tortillas), and microwave that briefly to melt. Then I add the other toppings, and bake. That sort of seals the tortilla so it doesn't get mega-soggy in the oven as the veggies release moisture.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I love pizza, but my choice is to tweak the toppings before messing with the crust. Hormel turkey pepperoni is very much like "regular" pepperoni. Because it's low fat, the texture is a little stiff. I just cut the slices into quarters and sprinkle it on. Tastes the same and I don't notice any texture issue.

    I make my own dough and roll it thin as opposed to canned dough that is high in fat

    I have to agree with the salad first, salad on the side comments. This helps a lot.

    In a pinch - Lean Cuisine makes a decent 4 cheese pizza (single serve). I throw on some turkey pepperoni.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited January 2021
    I've made a few on Roti lately, and those have come out nicely. I think garlic naan does, too, though, or the light version of Flat Outs. I don't know if they still make the rosemary flavored ones, but those were the bomb with BBQ pizza.
  • gigius72
    gigius72 Posts: 183 Member
    Fat has double calories of carbs. Make a regular thing crust with no oil. Topping with many different veggies, no meat and no cheese.
  • 2furryfriendz
    2furryfriendz Posts: 283 Member
    I make pita pizzas. I'm not a big fan of crusty pizzas so pita bread works.
  • pancakerunner
    pancakerunner Posts: 6,137 Member
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    world market find!
  • gigius72
    gigius72 Posts: 183 Member
    edited January 2021
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    gigius72 wrote: »
    Fat has double calories of carbs. Make a regular thing crust with no oil. Topping with many different veggies, no meat and no cheese.

    (curmudgeon mode: on)

    No. For my tastes, pizza without cheese (unless one is vegan/fully plant-based) is too sad to even contemplate. Life is about more than calories.

    Besides, reasonable amounts of particular cheeses are not punitively caloric in context of their other nutrients (protein, micros), and we need some minimum of fats in our overall nutrition anyway. I'll grant that overall sat fat would ideally be limited to allow for MUFAs/PUFAs, but some should be fine.

    (People who - unlike me - aren't vegetarian are free to believe that pizza without meat is too sad to contemplate, too.)

    Depending on topping choices, pizza can be a surprisingly (?) well-rounded food, nutritionally. Over-oiling drives up calories unnecessarily, I agree; plenty veggies is a good thing to maximize nutrition (micros), I agree; but meat and cheese are not pure evil. Your proposed pizza has too little protein (the protein from the veggies is lower quality, i.e. less EAA-complete).

    Besides, fat has *more* than double the calories of carbs or protein, gram for gram. Fat has 9 calories per gram vs. 4 calories for a gram of typical carbs/protein, specifically. Alcohol at 7 calories per gram, sits in between, and beer or red wine is quite nice with pizza IMO, within reason.

    (curmudgeon mode: off)

    I have my opinion like you have yours. You don't like it, ignore it.
    As per we all need fat, yes we do. Grains (that you use for the crust) contain a good deal of fat. Vegetables contains fat. And they all are a mixture of fat, including saturated fat.
    Protein from veggies is lower quality is a stupidity that was sent out a long time ago by meat industry. They all break down in the same amino acids for your body to build the proteins you need.
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
    If you don't mind thin crust and want to just pick up something premade, I think most stores carry brands of crusts that include 2 or 3 in the package and aren't too bad calorie wise.

    The frozen cauliflower ones tend to be pretty high calorie per gram due to the added cheese (at least the most common brands).

    For really low calorie but thicker, I would try Joseph's pita bread (sold at Walmart where I live).

    I'm finding that making my own is probably the best option if I have the time, especially since I'm a weirdo who prefers whole grains!
  • AshHeartsJesus
    AshHeartsJesus Posts: 460 Member
    2 ingredent dough is pretty yummy if you add some spices to the dough. If fat is a worry a lightlayering of cheese with veggie topping is still really yummy.

    LORD JESUS bless 💟
  • Kaysmile012015
    Kaysmile012015 Posts: 68 Member
    The OP mentioned lower calorie, not low fat, I personally have nothing against, No fat, added Fat, whateva...
    -But please, more low calorie tips..I LUV! pizza, and like the OP stated calories can be an issue therefore any low calories ideas, im definitely taking notes,
    Ps..I just discovered Joseph's Lavash bread at Walmart is it good to make pizza or nah?
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,460 Member
    Googled the ones pancakerunner posted. Found some that subbed oat fiber for some of the flour. If you made homemade, that should lower the calories quite a bit.
  • gigius72
    gigius72 Posts: 183 Member
    Kaysmile012015 wrote: »
    The OP mentioned lower calorie, not low fat, I personally have nothing against, No fat, added Fat, whateva...
    -But please, more low calorie tips..I LUV! pizza, and like the OP stated calories can be an issue therefore any low calories ideas, im definitely taking notes,
    Ps..I just discovered Joseph's Lavash bread at Walmart is it good to make pizza or nah?

    My wife who is keto gets at Marco's a crustless pizza. Basically a plastic container that works as crust and layered inside all the pizza components.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,691 Member
    Trader Joe’s has a ciabatta flatbread that is comparatively low cal and makes a terrific pizza crust.

    But TJ is ten miles away and I’d rather walk everywhere. First world problems lol. I’ve turned into my grandma and don’t like driving anymore lol. Anyone’s granny constantly refer to “shoeleather express”? I guess it finally took root.
  • scollis11
    scollis11 Posts: 21 Member
    Thanks everyone for the ideas! Lots to check into!

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