WW Recipe of the Day: French Bread Pizza Made Lighter
I've never been a fan of frozen pizza, with one exception: the Deluxe French Bread Pizza from Stouffer's. I haven't had it for years. But, there was a time when it was my go-to choice whenever I needed a quick and easy lunch, dinner or snack.
So, when I stumbled upon a lightened up French bread pizza I decided to give it a go for old time's sake.
Weight Watchers Friendly French Bread Pizza - 7 WW Freestyle SmartPoints
I'm really glad I did. This French bread pizza recipe makes two servings and turned out even better than I'd hoped.
It's the perfect way to satisfy a pizza craving in a weightwatchers friendly portion-controlled way.
I love pizza and could eat it every day. But, I have little self-control, so portion control is important!
I stuck with classic pizza toppings: onions, peppers, mushrooms and turkey pepperoni, but anything you like on pizza will work.
Skinny on French Bread Pizza Recipe
It's pretty easy to make homemade French bread pizza lighter and healthier than the kind from a box.
Substitute whole wheat baguette if you like.
And then opt for lighter, reduced fat versions of pepperoni, sausage and/or cheese.
Finely shredded cheese will melt better while allowing you to use less of it. Load up as much as you want on the 0 points plus veggies.
And I learned a little trick: To prevent your pizza from getting soggy, partially cook any vegetables that have a high moisture content - mushrooms, zucchini, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes - before topping your pizza with them.
This portion is not very big because you use just 3 ounces of french bread (a 5- to 6-inch piece) to make 2 servings.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this French Bread Pizza?
According to my calculations each serving has 197 calories and:
7 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
7 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
7 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
5 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
By comparison, one serving of Stouffer's French Bread Pepperoni Pizza has 410 calories, 20g fat, 45g carbs, 3g fiber, 13g protein and *14 WW Freestyle SmartPoints!
You could eat both pieces for less than 400 calories, which is still a good deal. If you're hungry be sure to add a big green salad on the side. Enjoy!
If you've made this Lightened Up Low-Fat French Bread Pizza, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Lightened Up French Bread Pizza Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 piece (3 ounces) whole wheat baguette (about 5 to 6 inches long)
- olive oil cooking spray
- ⅓ cup sliced onion
- ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ¼ cup sliced mushrooms
- ½ cup low-fat marinara sauce
- ⅓ cup finely shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
- Dried oregano (optional)
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 12 slices turkey pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. (I use my toaster oven.)
- Cut the baguette in half lengthwise. Place the halves on a baking sheet (affiliate link), insides facing up. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly toasted.
- While the bread is toasting, lightly coat a nonstick skillet with spray and place it over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until just tender, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
- Top each toasted baguette evenly with half the marinara sauce, then half of the vegetable mixture, then the cheese. Sprinkle evenly with oregano and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Place the pepperoni over that, followed by the remaining vegetable mixture.
- Return the pizza to the oven and bake until the cheese is just melted and the bread is crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Substitute whole wheat baguette if you like.
- Opt for lighter, reduced fat versions of pepperoni, sausage and/or cheese.
- Finely shredded cheese will melt better, while allowing you to use less of it.
- Load up as much as you want on the 0 Points veggies.
Source: adapted from The Most Decadent Diet Ever!: The cookbook that reveals the secrets to cooking your favorites in a healthier way (affiliate link) by Devin Alexander
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
Here's a great Weight Watchers video with 3 healthy pizza recipes...
My Favorite Lighter Weight Watchers Friendly Pizza Recipes:
- 3-Cheese Garden Vegetable Pizza
- Vegetable Crock Pot Pizza
- English Muffin Hawaiian Pizza
- Slow Cooker Pizza Fondue
- Slow Cooker Pizza Soup
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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French Bread Pizza recipe
This recipe for French Bread Pizza is so simple and delicious. It is so delicious and unlike any French bread pizza you’ve ever had. So Thanks for sharing it!
Martha McKinnon
Thanks so much!!
Barbara
Pic deceiving. Portion size less than pictured. Recipe said half of 5-6inches. That pizza is larger and more than one serving. At first I was excited thinking pizza pictured was serving. Know this pic makes for a more attractive pic than a small piece. Just my thought. Anyway, good recipe. Thanks.