Ok, who doesn’t have pizza as one of their tops favorite foods? It is #1 on my list! But oh how we wish we could have it multiple times a week without feeling guilty! This portobello “crust” allows you to enjoy your favorite pizza toppings…mmmm cheese and meat… without the carbs. These are some of my favorite low-fat toppings, but you can definitely make it your own. It’s also a fun recipe you can make with your kids while giving them a good dose of veggies!

 -Mel

Health tips: Low carb, low fat, anti-inflammatory, heart healthy, kid friendly, diabetes friendly

Ingredients (4 servings) 

• 4 large portobello mushroom caps, wipe clean with a damp towel and pull stems off
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Italian turkey sausages, sweet or spicy depending on your taste (If you can only find sweet and you like spicy, just add some red pepper flakes when cooking)
• 1/2 cup low-fat and/or low-sodium pasta/pizza sauce
• 1 cup fat-free mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups kale, leaves cut off stems and chopped
• 12 cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
• Basil, julienned into thin strips

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Squeeze Italian sausage out of the casing and cook until just browned, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks, about 5-8 minutes. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
3. 
4. Take skillet off heat and add kale to the sausage. Quickly mix in for about 30 seconds, until it just starts to turn bright green. Set aside.
5. Place mushroom caps, tops down, on a baking sheet lined with foil and a baking rack to roast evenly and avoid soggy bottoms. (Tip: If you don’t have a baking rack, you can create aluminum rings you can place caps on top of. Point is to lift caps from bottom of pan.)
6. 
7. Brush olive oil on the inside and outside, and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper inside the caps.
8. Spread 2 tablespoons of pasta/pizza sauce around the inside of each mushrooms cap. Then, sprinkle each cap with 1/4 cup cheese. Next, top with sausage and kale mixture. Finally, top with 6 tomato halves. Drizzle a bit more olive oil and sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper.
9. 
10. 
11. Bake in oven for about 20-25 minutes until cheese has melted, and tops of sausage, kale and tomatoes are roasted and browned.
12. Remove from oven and garnish portobello pizzas with fresh basil. Serve immediately and enjoy!