just for kids

august 98

Next time your children want to have their friends over for dinner or you want something different for a family meal, suggest that the kids help you make pizza on the grill. The dough's a snap (you can buy a 10-ounce tube at most every grocery store) and the ingredients can be healthy for your child (pizza's a "sneaky way" to get them to eat vegetables). You'll enjoy the no-mess cleanup since all the cooking is done on the grill, keeping the kitchen virtually unused and cool. Since the pizzas are small, they are easy to handle and it takes only a few minutes for them to grill. The thin-crusted pizzas will taste as if they were cooked in a smoky, wood-fired pizza oven. Add a big tossed salad, a pitcher of sugar-free lemonade or cans of sugar-free soft drinks, and wedges of watermelon for dessert. A quick party that's sure to please your child and their most finicky friends. First, prepare the grill, removing the grill rack until later. Since you're using packaged dough, you'll want low heat to prevent the dough from burning. Homemade dough (if you have a bread machine, it makes great pizza dough) uses medium heat. While the grill's getting to the right temperature, prepare the ingredients for the toppings. When you're ready to grill, lightly coat the grill rack with cooking spray and reposition the rack over the grill. We've given you three recipes to get you started, but you can make up your own recipes, using vegetables and low-fat sources of protein (meats, fish, chicken, and cheese). If you child has diabetes, just be sure they know ahead of time as to how many slices of pizza they can eat, etc. Basic Tomato Pizza (makes 8 servings) 1 10-ounce (300 g) tube refrigerated pizza dough cornmeal 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil 1 teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried basil 2 plum tomatoes, 6 ounces (150 g) total, thinly sliced 1/2 cup (60 g) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 1. Open the dough package and on a lightly floured surface, roll out to roughly form a 10-inch (25 cm) circle. Place the crust on a cookie sheet which has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Finish shaping by pulling and stretching the dough. 2. Transfer the crust to the prepared grill (see above) and grill for about 3 minutes, until the top of the dough puffs and the underside is crisp and lightly browned. Using a large metal spatula, turn the crust over. Brush the cooked top with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano and basil. 3. Arrange tomatoes over the crust and top with the shredded cheese. Continue to grill for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the pizza is cooked through, the dough lightly browned, and the cheese melted. To insure even cooking, use tongs to rotate the pizza two or three times during the cooking period, taking care not to knock off the topping. Per serving: 112 calories (24% calories from fat), 5 g protein, 3 g total fat (1.1 g saturated fat), 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 4 mg cholesterol, 236 mg sodium Diabetic exchanges: 1/2 lean protein (meat), 1 carbohydrate (bread/starch) Grilled Chicken Pizza (makes 8 servings) 1 10-ounce (300 g) tube refrigerated pizza dough cornmeal 1 teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried basil 8 ounces (240 g) cooked chicken breast, chopped 1/2 cup (124 g) reduced-fat, low-sodium jarred marinara sauce 2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped onion 2 to 3 fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional) 1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup (30 g) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 1. Open the dough package and on a lightly floured surface, roll out to roughly form a 10-inch (25 cm) circle. Place the crust on a cookie sheet which has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Using your fingers, pat dough to desired shape and thickness. 2. Transfer pizza to the prepared grill (see above). Grill for about 3 minutes, until the top of the dough puffs and the underside is crisp and lightly browned. Using a large metal spatula, turn the crust over. Brush the cooked top with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano and basil. 3. In a medium bowl, combine the cooked chicken, marinara sauce, and onion. Spread mixture over the top side of the crust. Arrange mushrooms on top (if using). Top with Parmesan cheese and sprinkle on the mozzarella, covering the top evenly. 4. Continue to grill for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the pizza is cooked through, the dough lightly browned, and the cheese melted. To insure even cooking, use tongs to rotate the pizza two or three times during the cooking period, taking care not to knock off the topping. Per serving: 142 calories (21% calories from fat), 11 g protein, 3 g total fat (1.1 g saturated fat), 17 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 21 mg cholesterol, 286 mg sodium Diabetic exchanges: 1 lean protein (meat), 1 carbohydrate (bread/starch) Grilled Sausage and Pepper Pizza (makes 8 servings) olive oil cooking spray 8 ounces (240 g) reduced-fat turkey sausage (such as kielbasa or specialty turkey sausage in a link form) 1 medium red bell pepper, 6 ounces (150 g), cored and quartered lengthwise 1 small onion, 4 ounces (120 g), cut through the root end into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) wedges 1 10-ounce (300 g) tube refrigerated pizza dough cornmeal 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil 1 teaspoon (5 ml) crushed dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried basil 1/2 cup (24 g) reduced-fat, low-sodium jarred marinara sauce 2 to 3 fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional) crushed red pepper flakes 1/3 cup (40 g) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 1. Prepare the barbecue for medium heat. Arrange the sausage, pepper, and onion on a baking sheet and lightly coat with cooking spray. Grill sausage until cooked through and pepper and onion until slightly charred and crisp-tender, turning occasionally, about 12 minutes for the sausage and 8 to 10 minutes for the vegetables. Transfer the sausage and vegetables to a cutting board. Cut sausage into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) pieces and the pepper and onion into thin strips. Discard the onion skin. Set aside. 2. While you’re waiting for the grill to cool to low heat, open the dough package and on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to roughly form a 10-inch 25 cm) circle. Place the crust on a cookie sheet which has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal and using your fingers, pat the dough to desired shape and thickness. 3. Transfer the crust to the grill. Grill for about 3 minutes, until the top of dough puffs and the underside is crisp and lightly browned. Using a large metal spatula, turn the crust over. Brush the cooked top with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano and basil. 4. Spread the marinar sauce on the top side of the crust. Arrange sausage pieces, peppers, onions, and mushrooms (if using) on top. Top with the mozzarella, covering the top evenly. 5. Continue to grill for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the pizza is cooked through, the dough lightly browned, and the cheese melted. To insure even cooking, use tongs to rotate the pizza two or three times during the cooking period, taking care not to knock off the topping. Per serving: 162 calories (29% calories from fat), 10 g protein, 5 g total fat (1.7 g saturated fat), 19 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 24 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium Diabetic exchanges: 1 lean protein (meat), 1 carbohydrate (bread/starch), and 1 vegetable