Pizza-bella

A mushroom dressed up like a pizza? It's so beautiful, it brings tears to my eyes...

I have seen this recipe in two different cookbooks, and I have made this for both myself and my mother, who liked it as well. I love mushrooms and pizza, so combining them wasn't a problem for me.

Ingredients
Serving Size: (1/2 recipe: 1 pizza-bella) 118 Calories
2 large portabella mushrooms
2 sticks light string cheese (around 50 calories per cheese stick)
1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
Dash Italian seasoning
8 slices turkey pepperoni (like the kind by Hormel) or soy protein pepperoni (tofu), chopped
2 tbsp. canned sliced black olives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove mushroom stems, chop, and set aside. Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, break each stick of string cheese into thirds and place in a food processor or blender -- blend at high speed until cheese takes on a shredded or grated consistency. (Or just tear string cheese into pieces and roughly chop.) Set aside.

Remove sheet from the oven but leave oven on. Blot excess liquid from mushroom caps and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Mix well and equally distribute between mushroom caps; spread until smooth and even. Sprinkle shredded/grated cheese over the saucy layer on each cap. Top with chopped mushroom stems, pepperoni, and olives.

Bake in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes, until cheese has melted. Eat as soon as you can without burning your mouth!

String cheese is basically portion controlled cheesy goodness, which is fantastic! Don't like olives? Not into turkey pepperoni? Don't use 'em! Each standard saucy 'n cheesy mushroom "pizza" has 89 calories and 2.75g fat, so feel free to pick your own toppings and add their stats to those numbers.