Roasted butternut squash and fresh ricotta flatbread

Author Notes

pizza may just be the perfect food for reasons beyond its deliciousness. if done well, pizza can be very nutritious: a base of grains {the crust}, with a little dairy {cheese}, vegetables {tomatoes + whatever other veggies added}, and perhaps a little meat. it’s well-balanced and healthful.

i bought some fresh whole-milk ricotta from the union square greenmarket on saturday. ricotta cheese is an excellent source of protein, calcium, and omega-fatty acids. it’s a low fat and low calorie cheese, so go ahead and get the whole-milk kind. it tastes much better and provides much more nutritional benefit.

i had also picked up some arugula from the farmer’s market that needed to be used. like any dark, leafy green, arugula is full of vitamins and minerals, but since it is a young, tender green, those nutrients are more readily absorbed by the body.

while under normal circumstances, i would have made my own pizza dough – there are just busy days when one is happy places like trader joe’s exist. trader joe’s stocks refrigerated raw whole wheat pizza dough, which is a godsend if don’t have time to make your own dough. enjoy the recipe! —nadiact