A slice of pizza from your local parlor, smothered with cheese and topped with sausage and pepperoni, is a fat and calorie catastrophe. Make it yourself, however, and you can end up with a relatively healthy meal.

First, lighten up on the cheese. Part-skim mozzarella and other lower-fat cheeses are a great source of protein and calcium and often have half the fat and a third fewer calories than regular versions.

Supplement the lower-fat cheese with just a sprinkle of a flavorful, full-fat hard cheese, such as Parmesan or pecorino.

Don't be afraid to slather on the tomato sauce. Tomatoes are loaded with antioxidants, plus they are high in flavor and fat-free. If you like, you can make a white pizza sauce by pureeing roasted garlic cloves with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil.

Vegetables are filling, loaded with nutrients and low in calories, so pile them high on your pizza.

If you want a meat topping, stay away from greasy sausage and pepperoni. Consider using prosciutto, which has a satisfying, salty flavor but is less fatty.

If you really want sausage, choose lower-fat turkey versions or even try vegetarian sausage crumbles, which are surprisingly tasty. You can find vegetarian sausage alongside other meat substitutes.

Finally, to add lots of nutrients and dietary fiber, use a whole-wheat dough to make your crust.

This whole-wheat pizza dough from "Pizza: Grill it, Bake it, Love it," by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, uses whole-wheat and all-purpose white flour, so it is has a little more toothiness and flavor than a standard pizza dough.

The earthier flavor of this crust stands up well to more robust flavor combinations, such as black olive tapenade (instead of tomato sauce) with caramelized onions and feta cheese, or roasted garlic puree, roasted red peppers, arugula and a sprinkle of Gorgonzola.

WHOLE-WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH

3/4 cup lukewarm water (about 110 degrees)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups whole-wheat flour

2/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting

1 tablespoon walnut, canola or vegetable oil, plus additional for greasing

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, yeast, sugar and salt. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the yeast has bubbled and foamed. If it doesn't foam, start again with fresh yeast and check that the water isn't too hot.

If working by hand, stir both flours and the oil into the yeast mixture until a soft dough forms. Lightly dust a clean dry work surface with all-purpose flour and turn the dough onto it.

Knead by holding the dough with one hand, stretching it with the other, then pushing the heel of the holding hand into the mass. Knead for 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough gets sticky, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.

If using a mixer, attach the dough hook and the bowl to the mixer. Add both flours and the oil to the yeast mixture. Mix on medium until combined. Knead on low until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. If the dough gets sticky, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour.

Using a paper towel, coat a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

When ready to bake the pizza, divide and roll out the dough as desired. Serves 6.

-- Recipe from Pizza: Grill It, Bake It, Love It by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, William Morrow, 2009