The Ideal Veggie-Packed Pizza Dinner for Watching Football

It's football-watching season (Sunday, Monday, or even Saturday... we don't make the rules) and you're getting ready to watch the big game in the comfort of your tiny apartment. Your #1 pal is on their way, but of course, y'all are starving and need some grub to chase the pregame jitters and celebrate your team. However, instead of ordering in like usual, we'd like to introduce you to a new way to fuel up: A good-for-you pizza dinner that's stealing hearts and taking names.

Just because it's football season doesn't mean your food has to weigh you down. You've still got a million other things to worry about (classes, feeling energized, crushing the career fair, ultimate frisbee) and keeping your body happy and full on nutritious foods is the number one way to set yourself up for success. Basically, we know you want to eat better, but need inspiration and simple recipes to get there. That's where we come in.

We've teamed up with DiGiorno *swoon* and Nestlé's Balance Your Plate to bring you two veggie-heavy side dishes you can make with your favorite DiGiorno pizza that you probably already have in your freezer. BYP is an educational program designed to help you put together nutritious meals that incorporate both prepared and fresh foods. And since DiGiorno pizza is quick and easy to prepare (it comes out of your oven hot and fresh-baked in about 20 minutes) you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying moments with your people. Watch the magic of transforming cauliflower, chickpeas, and artichokes into healthy sides below. 

All in all, you don’t need to give up foods we all love, like pizza, to create a well-balanced meal. With thoughtful portions and a healthy side dish, pizza can actually be enjoyed as part of a nutritious meal. We've included the recipes below, so screenshot 'em, send 'em to your bestie and get excited to make a good-for-you pizza dinner all on your own. The secret to creating this balanced and nutritious meal? Aim to fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. Boom, score. 

Oven Roasted Artichokes with Parmesan

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:50 mins
• Total Time:1 hr
• Servings:2
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• 3 large artichokes
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• Step 1

  Preheat your oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

• Step 2

  Fill a medium bowl with water and the juice of ½ lemon, set aside.

• Step 3

  Trim about ½-inch off of the stem of the first artichoke, leaving no more than 2 inches of stem intact. Peel the stem using a vegetable peeler, leaving only the tender inner stem.

• Step 4

  Cut about 1 inch off of the top of the artichoke.

• Step 5

  Using kitchen shears, remove the outer layers of hard, discolored leaves.

• Step 6

  Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scoop out the choke (the fuzzy center).

• Step 7

  Place artichoke, cut side down, in lemon water to keep from browning.

• Step 8

  Repeat process with remaining artichokes until you have 6 cleaned artichoke halves.

• Step 9

  In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, olive oil, garlic, and juice from the remaining lemon half.

• Step 10

  Place each artichoke half on an individual square of tinfoil and drizzle with the butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper and create a packet of foil, enclosing each artichoke half.

• Step 11

  Roast artichokes, cut side down, for 40-45 minutes, until tender.

• Step 12

  Carefully remove artichokes from foil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Roast, uncovered, for another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

• Step 13

  Remove artichokes from oven, transfer to platter and serve warm with dipping sauce of your choice.

Italian Chickpea Cauliflower Salad

• Prep Time:5 mins
• Cook Time:30 mins
• Total Time:35 mins
• Servings:2
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 small head cauliflower broken into florets and cut into 1” pieces
• 1 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• 3 tablespoons capers drained
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 15 oz cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 1 medium red onion diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 orange bell pepper cut into ½-inch pieces
• 2 Roma tomatoes cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 small avocado cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup packed fresh basil chopped

• Step 1

  Preheat your oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

• Step 2

  Toss the cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned and tender. Set aside to cool.

• Step 3

  
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir in the capers and set aside.

• Step 4

  In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, cauliflower, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, avocado and basil. Drizzle on the dressing and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sponsored by Nestlé's Balance Your Plate.