A Truly Heart-Healthy Pizza Crust Recipe

Pizza often gets a bad rap for being unhealthy. Surely, the white flour and gobs of cheese found on traditional pizza are probably not great for you, but that does not mean there are not healthy ways to make pizza. A healthy pizza starts with a healthy crust. This recipe, which is high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, shows you how to make a sensational crust that will taste lovely when topped with your favorite low-fat toppings, such as veggies and reduced-fat cheese.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup ground flax seed (this is especially high in omega-3 fatty acids)
• 2 cups bread flour
• ½ cup oat flour (high in soluble fiber, which also promotes heart health)
• 1 ¼ cups warm water (115 degrees F)
• 2 tablespoons soybean oil (another good source of omega-3s)
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast

Preparing Your Ingredients

Ground flaxseed is also sometimes sold as flaxseed meal in the organic and natural sections of grocery stores. If you cannot find pre-ground flaxseed, you can buy whole flaxseeds and grind them yourself in a coffee bean grinder. You can also make your own oat flour from rolled or quick oats by tossing them into the food processor and processing them until they become a fine powder.

Making the Crust

To make your pizza crust, begin by combining the instant yeast, flour, and sugar in a bowl. Stir this mixture gently until the yeast dissolves, and then let it sit for 2 – 3 minutes or until it gets foamy. Then, add the flax seed, oat flour, and 1 cup of the bread flour to the bowl. Pour in the salt and oil as well. Ix on medium speed for 1 minute, or until the mixture appears uniform. Slowly add the remaining cup of bread flour to the bowl, and continue mixing until it is fully incorporated into the dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead it by hand for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can knead it in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes. When you're finished kneading, the dough should be smooth and elastic. Grease a bowl with a little additional soybean oil, and then place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Put the bowl in a warm place, such as in front of a heat vent or next to your stove, and let it rise for 1 hour.

When your dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and divide it in half. Shape each half into a ball, and place each ball on a greased baking sheet. Let the balls rest for 20 minutes, and then stretch them out into flat crusts. Top your crusts with your favorite toppings, and then bake them for about 20 minutes at 400 F. Now, that's a pizza you can feel good about eating! Talk to experts like Greg's Pizza for more information.