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Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With A Fun Fruit Pizza

by Karla Heintz (Subscribe to Karla Heintz's posts)
Mar 15th 2010 3:00PM

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Filed under: Holidays, Nutrition: Health, Mealtime

St. Patrick's Day is such a fun, festive time for kids and adults alike. From wearing green to celebrating all things Irish -- including leprechauns and four-leaf clovers -- there are some easy ways that you can sneak St. Patty's Day fun into the whole day -- especially when it comes to your menu. In honour of St. Patrick's Day, why not give this tasty, clover-themed pizza a try?

Traditional pizzas are packed with fat thanks to the combo of cheese and processed meats. And let's not forget about all the salt that comes along with just about every part of your tasty slice of pizza, with the exception of any veggies you might add. But pizza doesn't have to be totally unhealthy. Making your own is a great way to ensure that you're using only the best ingredients and cutting out all the nasty stuff your family doesn't need.

This version of a pizza not only helps your children get some servings of fruit in for the day, but it makes for a really fun dessert or afternoon snack. Feel free to experiment with different fruit toppings to suit your family's tastes -- maybe some honeydew melon for a touch of green and bananas or pineapple chunks to represent those elusive gold coins at the end of the rainbow. Tip: You can easily substitute the pizza crust for healthy alternatives like whole grain tortillas.

Full recipe, after the jump...


St. Patrick's Day Fruit Pizza
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves 6-8

1 whole wheat pizza shell
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup low-fat cream cheese
5 kiwis
1 cup fresh, finely diced pineapple (fresh is preferred, rather than canned)
Cinnamon or nutmeg to sprinkle on top

You'll need: A small clover-shaped cookie cutter, or leprechaun hat

  • Preheat oven 350 F.
  • Place a layer of parchment paper on a large, circular pan.
  • Place the pizza shell on the pan and drizzle with olive oil, spreading it out evenly. This is to keep the shell somewhat moist and prevent it from drying out in the oven. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is lightly browned.
  • Remove shell from oven and let cool on a rack or large serving platter.
  • Spread the cream cheese evenly over the cooled pizza crust.
  • Remove the skin from each kiwi, leaving as much kiwi fruit as possible. Cut kiwi into slices (about 3/4 cm thick. With your cookie cutter, cut the kiwi slices into the desired shapes. The remaining scraps can be fuel for your kids while they wait (or better yet, help you make the pizza!) Arrange the shapes on the pizza.
  • Sprinkle the finely diced pineapple on the pizza to represent little pieces of leprechaun gold.
  • Top off your pizza with a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or nutmeg for added flavour (and antioxidants!).
  • Cut into slices and serve!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Karla Heintz, B.Sc., is a nutrition educator and author of Picky? Not Me, Mom! A Parents' Guide to Children's Nutrition. If you have a question you would like answered please leave it in the comment section below. Thanks!

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