Portobello Pizzas

A portobello mushroom makes an amazing crust substitute for a pizza and it’s much lower in carbs and calories too!

Ingredients:

2 large portabello mushrooms (about 4-5 inches in diameter), stems removed
½ cup turkey or chicken sausage (precooked variety, about 1 large link) that is sliced into rounds, then sliced in half (*use a gluten-free brand such as Trader Joes or Applegate Farms if you are on a gluten-free diet)
2 tablespoons diced white onion
1/3 cp chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove diced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped black olives
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cups torn fresh spinach
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons tomato sauce (optional)
4 tablespoons cheese (mozzarella, feta, goat, parmesan all work well)(*use a gluten-free brand such as Trader Joes if you are on a gluten-free diet)
salt and pepper (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the mushrooms well, cut out the stems (without creating a hole in the bottom) pat dry and place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, stem side up. And bake for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add the teaspoon oil, sausage, onions, peppers, and garlic to a medium pan and sauté on medium heat for about 10 minutes until lightly browned/tender. Throw in the olives, spinach and sprinkle with the tablespoon water and heat for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then set aside. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and drain/blot any excess moisture. Spread each with a tablespoon sauce (if desired) and top with the sausage/veggie mixture and fresh basil, dividing it between the two. Place the filled mushrooms back in the oven and bake for 10 -12 minutes. Sprinkle each with two tablespoons cheese and bake for another 2-3 minutes, until cheese is slightly melted. Add a dash of salt and pepper if you like and serve!

Make 2 servings

Serving size 1 mushroom Calories 210 Protein 18 g Carb 14 g Fiber 4g Sugars 4 g Fat 11g saturated fat 3g Sodium 580 mg

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In the News: Vitamin D Expert Says More Than Half The World's Population Gets Insufficient Vitamin D

Click here and check out this eye opening article in Medical News Today summarizing comments by Anthony Norman, a distinguished professor emeritus of biochemistry and biomedical sciences and an international expert on vitamin D. Apparently, getting enough vitamin D is becoming somewhat of a concern these days, especially as more and more people avoid exposure to sunlight in fear of increasing their skin cancer risk. A lot of research is surfacing about the benefits of this vitamin, and questions the best ways to obtain enough daily. It will be interesting to see if guidelines will change anytime in the near future!

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Turkey Taco Salad

A heartier salad and a great way to use up ground turkey.

Ingredients:

16 ounces lean ground turkey
1-1.5 tablespoons taco seasoning (*use a gluten-free brand if you are on a gluten-free diet)
8 cups chopped lettuce (romaine, iceberg)
½ cup shredded low fat cheese (*use a gluten-free brand such as Trader Joes if you are on a gluten-free diet)
¼ cup chopped avocado
¼ cup fat free sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 cup salsa, or my Pico de Gallo recipe works well
chopped cilantro (optional, for garnish)
ICB spray or olive oil using olive oil sprayer (if both n/a use 2 teaspoons of olive oil)
A few low fat tortilla chips, crushed (*use a gluten-free brand if you are on a gluten-free diet)

Directions:

Spray a medium sized pan with ICB or olive oil sprayer (if neither are available, use a teaspoon of olive oil) add the turkey meat and brown on medium heat, breaking up into small pieces, for about 5-7 minutes, Add the taco seasoning, give a few more spritzes of ICB, olive oil with the sprayer (or drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil) stir well and heat until cooked throughout, about 5-7 minutes. Set meat aside. Divide the lettuce into four portions and plate. Top each with ¼ of turkey mixture, 2 tablespoons cheese, 1 tablespoon chopped avocado,1 tablespoon fat free sour cream or Greek yogurt, ¼ cup salsa and crushed chips and cilantro of desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Serving size: 1/4th recipe Calories 230 Protein 34 g Carb 10 g Fiber 3 g Sugars 3 g Fat 6 g Saturated fat 1 g Sodium 410 mg

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Asian Slaw

A light and refreshing side dish.

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded or matchstick carrots
1 cup red pepper sliced thin
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
4-5 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon low sodium soy sauce (*use a gluten-free brand such as San-J if you are on a gluten-free diet)



Directions:

Add the cabbage, carrots, cilantro and almonds to a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, water, soy sauce and sugar and pour into the bowl with the cabbage/carrot mixture. Toss well. Chill if not serving immediately.

Makes 3.5 cups 7 servings

Serving size: 1/2 cup Calories 40 Protein 1 g Carb 6 g Fiber 1 g Sugars 3 g Fat 2 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 240 mg

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