Rainbow Vegetable Pizza

Introduction: 

Getting kids to eat their vegetables can be a challenge, but not when they’re part of a colorful and tasty pizza! This Rainbow Vegetable Pizza is a great way to introduce a variety of vegetables in a fun and appealing way.

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza dough
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 orange bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C).
2. Unroll the pizza dough on a dusted surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet.
3. Distribute the pizza sauce uniformly over the dough, reserving a slight edge for the crust.
4. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the sauce.
5. Arrange the vegetables on the pizza in the order of the rainbow: start with red bell pepper, followed by orange bell pepper, yellow bell pepper.

Benefits:

1. Pizza Dough: Whole grain pizza dough is a good source of fiber and complex carbohydrates, which provide sustained energy.
2. Pizza Sauce: Tomato sauce is rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been linked to heart health and cancer prevention.
3. Mozzarella Cheese: Cheese is high in calcium, which is essential for bone health. It also contains a good amount of protein.
4. Bell Peppers: They are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, which are beneficial for skin health and immunity.
5. Red Onion: Onions are high in vitamins C and B6, fiber, and folic acid. They also contain a good amount of antioxidants.
6. Cherry Tomatoes: They are a great source of vitamins A and C and potassium. They also contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.
7. Broccoli: It’s a powerhouse of nutrients including vitamins C, K, and A, fiber, folate, and also provides some protein.

Fun Facts:

1. Pizza: Did you know that pizza originated in Naples, Italy, and was first made with simple ingredients like tomatoes, cheese, and basil?
2. Bell Peppers: Despite their name, bell peppers aren’t spicy. The chemical that makes peppers hot, capsaicin, is present in very low levels in bell peppers making them sweet rather than spicy.
3. Cheese: There are more than 2,000 varieties of cheeses available worldwide.
4. Broccoli: This green veggie is a member of the cabbage family, which also includes vegetables like cauliflower and kale.
5. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are technically a fruit, not a vegetable, because they have seeds.
6. Onions: Onions have been used for centuries for their medicinal properties, including their ability to reduce inflammation and heal infections.
7. Pizza Dough: The world’s largest pizza ever made was 131 feet in diameter and was made in Rome, Italy.
8. Pizza Sauce: The use of tomato sauce on pizza didn’t begin until the late 19th century. Before that, pizzas were often topped with ingredients like oil and garlic.
9. Mozzarella Cheese: Mozzarella cheese is conventionally produced from the milk of water buffalos.
10. Broccoli: The name “broccoli” comes from the Italian word “broccolo”, which means “cabbage sprout”.

Additional Perks:

1. Whole Wheat Tortillas: Packed with nutrients like protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium), whole grains are a powerhouse of nutrition. Consuming whole grains can help reduce the risk of several health conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and certain cancers.
2. Pizza Sauce: The primary ingredient in pizza sauce, tomatoes, are a fantastic source of lycopene, a potent antioxidant linked to promoting heart health and preventing cancer. They are also loaded with vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K.
3. Bell Peppers: These colorful veggies are loaded with vitamin C and other antioxidants, promoting skin health and boosting immunity.
4. Red Onion: Despite being low in calories, onions are rich in vitamins and minerals. They’re particularly high in vitamin C, which plays a crucial role in immune health, collagen production, tissue repair, and iron absorption.
5. Cherry Tomatoes: These little fruits are a great source of vitamins A and C and potassium. Plus, they’re packed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.
6. Broccoli: This green veggie is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamins C, K, and A, fiber, folate, and even some protein.

Interesting Tidbits:

1. Pizza: Did you know that pizza, as we know it today, first originated in Naples, Italy, and was initially made with simple ingredients like tomatoes, cheese, and basil?
2. Bell Peppers: Despite their name, bell peppers aren’t spicy. The chemical that gives peppers their heat, capsaicin, is present in very low levels in bell peppers, giving them a sweet rather than spicy flavor.
3. Cheese: There are over 2,000 varieties of cheeses available worldwide.
4. Broccoli: This green veggie belongs to the cabbage family, which also includes veggies like cauliflower and kale.
5. Tomatoes: Technically, tomatoes are a fruit, not a vegetable, because they have seeds.
6. Onions: Onions have been used for centuries for their medicinal properties, including their ability to reduce inflammation and heal infections.