Who doesn’t love pizza? That combination of sweet and salty. That crunch with the gooey cheese.  And, if you’re eating pizza from my kitchen, the feeling of bursting cherry tomatoes, the snap of red and yellow peppers, and the savory and earthy spinach all combine for some serious sensory satisfaction.

Pizza is always being reinvented to meet different nutritional needs. The recent surge of cauliflower crusts, for example. This recipe was created for ease and kid-involvement!

Involving your child in menu selection (to an extent), shopping, gardening, and cooking is a great way to spend quality time together while creating great memories. Your child will associate good, healthy food with spending time together and getting that one-on-one attention so important in childhood.

But how can you involve your child in the creative cooking process? Mixing, sprinkling, rolling, folding, spreading, and chopping are all actions your child can start as early as they can stand! Check out this video for more o teaching your child knife skills. Welcoming your child to the kitchen helps them to develop both fine and gross motor skills while learning passion for such a valuable skill.

Try out this lavash pizza recipe! I know you’ll love it as much as my family does.

Real-Life toddler-involved photos courtesy of my good friend LaKeta at Tandem Trouble!

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 450* (230*C)
• Oil a cookie pan or large piece of foil. Alternatively, you can dust the bottom of the pan with a tablespoon of organic corn meal- this helps to aerate the crust and makes it crunchier!
• Use lavash flatbread as the base for an easy and crunchy pizza. There are even whole wheat versions available!
• Help your child chop the vegetables by using a toddler knife or a lettuce knife.
• Ask your child to spread sauce on the lavash with a spoon. Don’t overdo the sauce or the lavash will become soggy.
• Have your child add the vegetables and sprinkle the desired amount of cheese on top. Cooking the vegetables under the cheese helps them to cook a little faster and more evenly.
• Have the child sprinkle the dried oregano and basil on top.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and starts to brown (about 10-15 minutes, depending on the amount of cheese).
• Let cool, slice, and enjoy!