-Pita bread is ideal for a pizza base as it has a low GI. A pre-prepared base is also a good choice for busy people.
-Cooked tomatoes contain the antioxidant lycopene. The bioavailability of lycopene from tomato paste is greater than from fresh tomatoes.
-Any number of vegetables can be added as topping eg. capsicum, mushrooms, olives, onion, corn kernels, zucchini, eggplant and grated pumpkin.
-A useful tip: if you have mushrooms or capsicums that are a bit past their use-by date, coat them in balsamic vinegar, oil, crushed garlic, sprinkle on herbs and store in a jar for a week or so. Use them on your pizza.
- Added herbs. We know they contain vitamins and minerals as well as other unidentified compounds that may act as antioxidants. Too often salt is used in manufacturing when herbs could be used instead.
-You could add chicken, rather than ham, to your pizza. There is some question as to the safety of the nitrites and nitrates used to preserve ham, bacon and salami. Tuna is another option but I have concerns about the sustainability of many fisheries.
- The grated cheese and all chopped ingredients are best mixed all together in a bowl and spread over the pizza base. This way the cheese helps bind all the ingredients together during cooking.