Just for Kids: Let's Make Pizza

just for kids

january 98

Diabetic-Lifestyle Just for Kids is an informative resource for parents of children with diabetes, offering kid-tested recipes and practical help. Diabetic-Lifestyle offers recipes, menus, medical updates, entertaining, travel - practical information to enhance life while managing diabetes on a daily basis. - Home

Let's Make Pizza

Most everybody loves pizza, particularly teenagers. So years ago when my sixteen-year-old son wanted to have a party, he asked if I'd turn my kitchen over to 11 of his friends to make pizza -- themselves!. With much apprehension, I agreed -- 12 teenagers cooking in my kitchen! As it happens, I learned a lot that night. 1.) Pizza is truly multi-lingual as he invited some of the exchange students from France, Greece, Japan, North Africa, and Spain. 2.) Pizza making is a kitchen task that teens can handle with expertise even if they've never before entered a kitchen for any other activity than to raid the fridge. In a word, the pizza making party was a great success from the first minute of planning to the last dish washed up by the teens.
When we decided to offer a teen party for this month as an activity to celebrate the high school basketball team's victory (or rehash a loss), I immediately thought of that pizza party of years ago. You as the parent need do only a few things:

With your teen, decide how many and what type of pizzas they will be making, and buy or borrow an equal number of nonstick pizza pans. Take your teen host shopping for the ingredients or if they have their drivers license, let them do the shopping themselves. You'll need to check their shopping list, taking into account what you already have in your pantry. There is going to be a lot of food here; make sure you discuss with your diabetic teen before the party just what she/he should be eating or ask your health-care team how to cover any extra portions with medication, if needed.
Clear the kitchen of as much clutter as possible. The teens will need adequate work space and won't be using your food processor, toaster oven, blender, bread machine, heavy-duty mixer, coffee maker, etc. These items should be put away so the counter tops are as empty as possible.
Lay out adequate chopping boards, cutting knives, etc. Help your teen organize the ingredients and pre-cook any items that need it so that when the friends arrive, you can be absent from (but nearby) the kitchen. Be sure to provide plenty of oven mitts. Make sure your teen knows where you keep the kitchen fire extinguisher and first aid kit (just a precaution -- we actually repeated this party years later for my younger son and neither group had a mishap of any kind, other than a spilled diet soda which they promptly cleaned up with no resulting damage).
We removed a nearby nook table and chairs, and raised the hanging lamp so that the teens could dance while the pizzas were baking. My son prerecorded several 90 minute tapes so the music would be exactly as he wanted for the pizza making time, the dancing, the eating, and then dancing again.
Pizza was eaten off paper plates placed in straw basket holders to give them more substance. Everyone sat on the floor. Canned diet sodas were offered from an iced picnic cooler. Keep the decorations simple, some helium balloons in the school colors, school pennants, etc. Paper plates, napkins, and plastic silverware should also be in the school colors. Be sure to provide a heavy-duty trash bag for quick cleanup.
You and your teen will need to assemble the dessert ahead of time -- a chocolate cookie frozen yogurt sandwich made with store-bought chocolate wafers that are then rolled in Grape Nuts cereal. (I can remember visiting the Post Cereal factory years ago and being given a departure treat of ice cream and grape nuts cereal -- the cereal added a delicious crunch) These frozen yogurt sandwiches are easy to make and sure to make a hit with the other kids. The recipe makes 22 -- make sure that your teen understands that anyone with diabetes will need to count their carbos if they eat more than one.

Pizza Making Party Menu
Pizza De Luxe
Canadian Bacon, Mushroom and Peppers Pizza
Extra Cheese Pizza
Chopped Salad
Chocolate Wafer Ice Cream Sandwiches
Diet Sodas or Sugar-Free Lemonade

Pizza De Luxe

(makes 6 servings)

1	11 1/2-inch (28.75 cm) thin-crust Italian bread shell
1	cup (189 g) Contadina Original Pizza Sauce
2/3	cup (80 g) shredded part-skim milk (1/3 less fat) mozzarella cheese
6	ounces (180 g) turkey sausage, crumbled, pre-browned in a skillet, drained thoroughly on paper towels, then placed in a bowl (do this ahead)
1	small white onion, thinly sliced
1/2	cup (48 g) thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried oregano
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried basil
	crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1.	Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Place the shell on an ungreased 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick pizza pan.
2.	To assemble the pizza, spread the pizza sauce over the shell, leaving a 1-inch border around the rim. Sprinkle with half of the cheese.
3.	Arrange the cooked sausage on top of the cheese, covering evenly. Top with onion and mushrooms slices. Sprinkle evenly with oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Top with remaining cheese.
4.	Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted and browned. Cut into 6 wedges.

Per serving:	243 calories (35% calories from fat), 16 g protein, 10 g total fat (3.7 g saturated fat), 25 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 32 mg cholesterol, 683 mg sodium
Exchanges:	1 medium fat meat, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 bread/starch), 1 vegetable, 1 fat

Canadian Bacon, Mushroom, and Peppers Pizza

(makes 6 servings)

1	11 1/2-inch (28.75 cm) thin-crust Italian bread shell
1	cup (189 g) Contadina Original Pizza Sauce
2/3	cup (80 g) shredded part-skim milk (1/3 less fat) mozzarella cheese
6	ounces (180 g) Canadian bacon, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2	cup (48 g) thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
1	small green or red bell pepper, 3 ounces (90 g) seeded and cut crosswise into thin rings
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried oregano
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried basil
	crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1.	Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Place the shell on an ungreased 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick pizza pan.
2.	To assemble the pizza, spread the pizza sauce over the shell, leaving a 1-inch border around the rim. Sprinkle with half of the cheese.
3.	Arrange the Canadian bacon on top of the cheese, covering evenly. Top with mushroom slices and bell pepper rings. Sprinkle evenly with oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Top with remaining cheese.
4.	Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted and browned. Cut into 6 wedges.

Per serving:	223 calories (28% calories from fat), 16 g protein, 7 g total fat (2.7 g saturated fat), 26 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 24 mg cholesterol, 891 mg sodium
Exchanges:	1 lean meat, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 bread/starch), 1 vegetable, 1 fat

Extra Cheese Pizza

(makes 6 servings)

1	11 1/2-inch (28.75 cm) thin-crust Italian bread shell
1	cup (189 g) Contadina Original Pizza Sauce
2	tablespoons (19 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/3	cups (160 g) shredded part-skim (1/3 less fat) mozzarella cheese
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried oregano
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried basil
	crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1.	Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C.). Place the shell on an ungreased 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick pizza pan.
2.	To assemble the pizza, spread the pizza sauce over the shell, leaving a 1-inch border around the rim. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella.
3.	Sprinkle evenly with oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Top with remaining mozzarella.
4.	Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melted and browned. Cut into 6 wedges.

Per serving:	215 calories (31% calories from fat), 13 g protein, 8 g total fat (3.8 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 18 mg cholesterol, 589 mg sodium
Exchanges:	1 lean meat, 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 bread/starch), 1 fat

Chopped Salad with Creamy Italian Dressing

(makes 12 servings)

1	head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1	head Boston lettuce, chopped
1	large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
4	ribs of celery, thinly sliced
12	cherry tomatoes, quartered
1	carrot, peeled and shredded
2	tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil or canola oil
1/3	cup (60 g) low-fat plain yogurt
2	teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/2	teaspoon (2.5 ml) crushed dried mixed Italian herbs
	salt (optional) and freshly ground pepper to taste

1.	In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped lettuces, cucumber, celery, tomato, and carrot. Toss lightly to mix.
2.	In a small bow, whisk together the oil, yogurt, lemon juice, herbs, salt (if using), and pepper. Pour over salad and toss. Serve at once.

Per serving:	43 calories (50% calories from fat), 2 g protein, 3 g total fat (0.4 g saturated fat), 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 25 mg sodium
Exchanges:	1 vegetable, 1/2 fat

Chocolate Wafer Ice Cream Sandwiches

(makes 22 servings)

1 1/2	pints (3 cups) (680 g) low-fat (98% fat-free) frozen chocolate yogurt (could also use vanilla or strawberry frozen yogurt)
1	9-ounce (270 g) box Nabisco Famous Chocolate wafers
2	cups (226 g) grape nuts cereal

1.	Slightly soften the yogurt by taking it out of the freezer for about 10 minutes. Line a shallow metal pan with aluminum foil.
2.	Using a 1-tablespoon (15 ml) ice cream scoop place two scoops of the frozen yogurt on a chocolate wafer. Top with another wafer, pressing the wafers together slightly to force the frozen yogurt to the edges. Turn the "sandwich" on its edge and roll in the grape nuts. Place the sandwich in the prepared pan. Quickly repeat, making all 22 sandwiches.
3.	Freeze the sandwiches until frozen solid. (This may be done a day or so ahead). Wrap each frozen sandwich individually in foil or plastic wrap. Keep frozen until ready to serve.
4.	Take the sandwiches out of the freezer just before serving; pile into a bowl, set over a bed of ice, and serve, letting each guest unwrap their own serving.

Per serving:	116 calories (15% calories from fat), 3 g protein, 2 g total fat (0.9 g saturated fat), 23 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 g cholesterol, 168 mg sodium
Exchanges:	1 1/2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 bread/starch)