A healthy slice of life: Here are guilt-free pizzas you can prepare at home

Yes, folks, there are plenty of ways to make your pizza healthier and still . Try these low-calorie, yummy-as-ever-pizza recipes, you can gorge on pizzas, guilt-free.

Rejoice, pizza lovers, as February 9 is Pizza Day — a day originating in the US in honour of the classic Italian staple. The beloved dish has been lovingly adapted by chefs and food connoisseurs the world over. From the deep dish Chicago pizza to the hand-tossed, thin crust New York pizza, and our very own desi Naan pizza, this versatile food has won hearts all over. For some, there’s nothing like sinking their teeth into a cheesy slice after a long day. But if you are worried about the calories every time you think of ordering it, here are some indigenous pizza recipes that are low on calories, and high on flavour. “The popularity for health food is increasing and people prefer to have delicious food while keeping calories in mind. You can use a multigrain flour base or even a home-made roti as the base. Toppings can also be customised to include bell peppers, spinach and tofu,” says chef Harangad Singh. Another variant that is in demand is gluten-free flour. “We use buckwheat flour in this case, and also make wholewheat bases. Toppings like arugula leaves, sun-dried tomatoes and iceberg lettuce are in demand,” says chef Vaibhav Bhargava. Read on to know the preparation of some low on calories pizzas.

Binge on pizzas without the added guilt of gaining calories with healthy pizza recipes.

THREE PEPPER PIZZA

The three pepper pizza is rich in antioxidants.

High on vitamin C, this three pepper pizza by chef Gopal of Mealodrama, is rich in antioxidants, and has 236 units of calories. Made with a whole-wheat brown base, the pizza has a tomato paste base, sliced red, green and yellow bell peppers and broccoli as toppings.

KETO-RICH PIZZA

Keto-rich pizza has a base made with ragi, gram, almond and rice flour.

This zero sugar, zero gluten pizza is created by chef Rahul Kholia of Brew Buddy, and has a calorie count of 131 units. The base is made with ragi, gram, almond and rice flour. It uses vegan cream cheese and mozzarella, and is seasoned with oregano and rosemary. Mushrooms, olives, basil leaves and spinach are used as toppings.

VEG TONKATSU PIZZA

Tonkatsu pizza is made with the dough of tempura flour and veggies.

The pizza by chef Gaurav Raghuvanshi of Philtre -The Bistro uses tonkatsu sauce made by simmering fruits and vegetables that lends it the flavour of umami. There is no cheese and gluten, and it has a calorie count of 190 units. The base is made with tempura flour and chopped carrots, cabbage, green and yellow zucchini and bell peppers.

PANEER TIKKA PIZZA

Paneer tikka pizza is a vegetarian’s delight.

Having a calorie count of 140 units, this pizza, by chef Abhishek Kumar of The Darzi Bar and Kitchen, is made with a thin crust. It is made with cubes of paneer marinated in hung curd, and grilled. The sauce is made with mint leaves and masalas available at home. Toppings like onions and green capsicum can be added to it.

TURKISH PIZZA

Turkish Pizza makes use of minced lamb and greek yogurt.

With a total calorie count of 139 units, the Turkish Pizza by chef Vaibhav Bhargava of Molecule, has exotic toppings like minced lamb, couscous, harissa sauce, and Greek yogurt. The dough is handmade with flour, yeast, olive oil, salt and sugar. The pizza makes generous use of spices like ground cumin and coriander, paprika and mint leaves.

Fun facts about pizza:

1. The word pizza first originated in 997 AD. It was not the pizza the world knows today, but rather a more focaccia bread kind of leavened crust baked with raisins and honey.

2. Up till the 1800s, pizza was considered peasant food.

3. The classic margherita pizza gets its name from Queen Margherita of Savoy, who was presented three variants of pizza in 1889. She showed preference for the one with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, representing the flag of Italy.

4. It was the American GIs (Government Issues) who, upon returning from World War II, had a craving for pizza, thereby aiding to the demand.

5. The most expensive pizza in the world will set you back by $2,000 (Rs.128,268). It is made in a restaurant (Industry Kitchen) in New York, and uses 24-karat gold from Ecuador.

6. The world’s largest pizza is measured at 131 feet in diameter, and weighed approximately 23,249 kg.

7. Did you know? French top their pizzas with fried eggs, and Brazilians with green peas.In China, people love a crust made of mini hot dogs.

8. In 2001, a popular pizza chain in the USA (Pizza Hut) delivered pizza to the International Space Centre — that’s outer space.

9. The only pizza-themed superhero movie to be made was the 2011, Frankie Muniz-starrer Pizza Man.

10. There is a World Pizza Championship where teams compete in acrobatic dough spinning techniques.

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