I prepared these easy “pizzas” on Hallmark’s Home and Family show for hosts Christina Ferrare and Mark Steines, along with the rest of the guests, and they were a huge hit! They are meaty, cheesy, and saucy, just regular pizza, but they are also lower in calories, fat, and sodium, waaay lower in carbs, and they’re gluten free!
So the next time you fire up the grill, why not consider a change from the usual burgers and dogs to easy, cheesy pizza! In just ten minutes, with just a handful of ingredients, you’ll have personal “pizzas” that everyone can enjoy. Feel free to experiment with different cheeses and veggie toppings, like onions, spinach, red pepper instead of green, or pump up the meatiness even more with reduced-fat pepperoni!
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients
4 medium portobello mushrooms, 4 to 5 inches in diameter
½ teaspoon canola oil
8 ounces lean ground turkey (93% lean*)
¾ cup marinara sauce jarred or homemade
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
4 slices green bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch rings
Instructions
1. Preheat a grill to 350°F. (Alternately preheat oven to 400°F). Set out 4 (12 x 12-inch) pieces of aluminum foil on the counter. Remove the mushroom stems by gently snapping them off. With a tablespoon, gently scrape the gills from the underside of the mushrooms. Spray the tops of the mushroom caps with cooking spray, and place each cap, sprayed-side down, on a piece of foil.
2. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Crumble in the turkey and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and oregano and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Spread ¼ of the meat mixture on each mushroom cap, top each cap with 2 tablespoons mozzarella and a bell pepper ring. Loosely wrap the foil around the mushroom cap. Grill for 10 minutes (or bake for 20 minutes), until the mushroom is cooked.
*Marlene Says: While I prefer the moistness of 93% lean ground turkey, making these with 99% lean ground turkey breast lowers the points to just 2. To add moistness to the meat, you can soak 1 slice of bread in a few tablespoons of water and blend it into the meat.
Nutrition Information Per Serving: (1 pizza) Calories 180 | Carbohydrate 7g (Sugars 2g) | Total Fat 8g (Sat Fat 3g) | Protein 20g | Fiber 2g | Cholesterol 60mg | Sodium 320mg | Food Exchanges: 2 ½ Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, ½ Fat | Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2 | Weight Watcher Plus Point Comparison: 5 (Freestyle) Smart Points: 4 (Net Carb 5 g)
