New Year, New Take: Family Friendly Favorite Pizza

Yesterday I shared a new take on lasagna and today I want to continue the Italian theme with a new take on another Italian family favorite dinner.  Can you guess what it is?  Although it is Italian in origin, it has become a quintessential American family favorite.  Families eat it, but it is also a favorite snack and I can recall on many occasions eating it into the wee morning hours during college.  It is…

Pizza!

Pizza is so popular possibly because it is a great for dinner, lunch, snack time and yes, even breakfast (cold, of course).  It is portable, and one could argue somewhat healthy because “aren’t there tomatoes in the pizza sauce?”  Truth is, most commercially available pizzas are high in fat due to the enormous amount of cheese and meat and contain little to redeem it.

Making pizza at home can greatly enhance pizza’s healthfulness, and while you can certainly make pizza from scratch (including the dough), our family has recently tried another route to homemade healthier pizza that is super easy and fun:  using naan.

Naan is an Indian flatbread.  It is similar to pita bread, but a wee bit tastier (we’ve tried both ways) for making pizza.  We warm up the naan for a few minutes in the oven and then top to our heart’s content.

For the boys, we give them options for their pizza, but allow them to be as creative as they wish, our only caveat being that they include two vegetable toppings (not including the sauce).  They have become super creative in their pizza making, and their pride in ownership of their individual pizza makes them far more apt to eat it.

Here is one of G’s recent creations before going into the oven:



There really isn’t one set recipe per se, but here’s our take on naan pizza:

Naan Pizza

4 Naan, preferably whole wheat
Marinara Sauce
Some of our favorite toppings:  broccoli, artichoke hearts, olives, goat cheese, mushrooms, peppers, ham and basil
Lightened mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Warm naan for 2-3 minutes in the oven.

Top with marinara, topping and cheese.

Bake for 8-10 minute or until the cheese is melted and bread is browning a bit on the edges.

Makes 4.



Not your typical pizza, but untypically good and more healthful!
SPC