I love pizza. It’s one of my favorite foods.

Pizza offers such a variety of flavors and combinations. It’s definitely a great way to fill up on tasty options from several food groups. You can easily load up on veggie and fruit toppings such as spinach, tomato, broccoli, mushrooms and pineapple.

Recently, two of my Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program participants asked for tips on making a healthy pizza. And did you know, three people using the same ingredients can create three totally different pizzas.

But for one pizza, here is a quick and easy way to make your own healthy version at home:

First, the crust. Use any recipe to whip up some pizza dough for your crust. The University of Georgia Extension recommends whole wheat crust.

But if you don’t have time to make a homemade crust, try a tortilla.

Second, the sauce. Spread low-sodium pizza, tomato or spaghetti sauce on the tortilla.

Third, the toppings. Add low-fat cheese and follow it with chopped or sliced spinach, tomatoes, broccoli and bell peppers.

Finally, heat it in the oven, microwave or skillet until the cheese melts. 

Then, voila! You have a healthy pizza substitute.

And for future reference, keep this on file for November: The WalkGeorgia blog recommends using Thanksgiving leftovers for pizza.

It suggests using a pie pan to press leftover stuffing into a thin crust. Next, add veggie slices from zucchini, squash and mushrooms. And now you have a Thanksgiving leftover pizza.

By the way, have you ever heard of the UGA Pizza Farm?

Teachers can bring their fourth- and fifth-grade classes to the event March 29-31 at Georgia State Farmers Market in Forest Park.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with 11 time slots available for groups of 50 each day. Allow for 2 1/2 hours for the visit.  

Each visitor receives a pizza card passport, stamped with each station, which contains educational facts about the Pizza Farm. 

At the end, participants will receive a pizza lunch with fruit, ice cream, water and a gift bag.

The program meets more than 50 Georgia Standards of Excellence including English Language Arts, Math and Science, UGA reports.

For more information, visit www.ugapizzafarm.com or contact Beth Horne at 770-228-7214 

Sandra Stringer is a nutrition educator with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office in Hall County. Call her at 770-535-8290. Her column appears biweekly on Wednesdays and on gainesvilletimes.com/life.