Thank you to California Pizza Kitchen for sponsoring this post.
Matt and I are big fans of frozen pizza.
We’ve tried a ton of different kinds over the years, and our favorite, hands down, is California Pizza Kitchen, or CPK. Their frozen pizza is really delicious, budget friendly, and makes a great convenient yet balanced thrown-together meal when paired with fresh sides, like this yummy massaged kale salad we’ve been into lately (recipe at the end of the post)!
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As a dietitian who believes in intuitive eating, I’ve always been a big fan of the “add vs. subtract” approach to food. Rather than trying to limit certain foods from your day to day (which will just set you up to fail because it won’t be sustainable), think about what you can ADD instead to balance out your meals.
Frozen pizza is a great example here; serving it with a fresh side, like salad or veggies and fruit, helps to make the meal more balanced nutritionally as well as more satisfying.
The easiest way to go about it is to simply aim for half of your plate to be fruits and veggies.
If you’re not feeling a salad, another idea is to pair your frozen pizza with a roasted veggie, like broccoli, or raw veggies, like carrots, celery, and/or bell peppers! Then simply add a fruit, add your pizza, and there you go – a balanced, colorful plate.
As for our fave frozen pizza, have you tried CPK’s Uncured Pepperoni, Mushroom & Sausage Cauliflower Crust Frozen Pizza yet? (If not, check out that link for where to find it!)
It’s so yummy and made with 100% real cheese, gluten free and preservative-free cauliflower crust. We also really love the CPK Artisanal Style Cheese Cauliflower Crust Frozen Pizza.
Y’all know I’m down with gluten, but it’s fun to mix it up, and the CPK cauliflower crust is legit as good if not more tasty than regular crust. It’s nice and thin and super crispy. We didn’t even notice it was cauliflower!
And now, for that kale salad recipe, if you want some frozen pizza side dish inspiration!
My taste testers, Matt and my mom, loved it as much as I did, and it’s incredibly easy to throw together – you can make it in the time your pizza is cooking in the oven.
The key to this salad is that you massage the dressing into the kale – this takes out the bitterness from the kale leaves and adds a beautiful flavor to the entire salad. To make the dressing, simply combine 3 tablespoons each of olive oil and apple cider vinegar, then add 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard and the juice from 1 small lemon. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and that’s that!
Don’t worry about measuring the rest of the ingredients. Simply place as much chopped kale as you want in a bowl, making sure you’ve removed the stems (they are really bitter). Pour the dressing over it, then roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty by literally massaging the dressing into the kale by hand! Trust me, this step is key.
Once the kale is fully coated with dressing, add some chopped fresh red bell pepper, diced avocado, pumpkin seeds, and a small handful of dried cranberries. That’s it! It’s ready to enjoy.
And if you’re crunched for time (or ingredients), this kale salad is also super delicious with just the kale and no other toppings – so feel free to keep it simple, too. You do you!
I hope you love this frozen pizza and kale salad combo as much as we did!
For more information on where you can find CPK frozen pizzas near you, click here. Please let me know what you think when you try it!
And tell me – what’s your favorite way to balance out your plate when enjoying frozen pizza?
