How to make a delicious and healthy portobello pizza

Portobello mushrooms have a wide, flat cap that makes an innovative base for mini-pizzas. For a fabulous first course, top the "crust" with a bean puree flavoured with fresh basil and Parmesan, then layer on shredded mozzarella and tomatoes. Check out this mouthwatering recipe and try making a portobello pizza today!

• Preparation time: 10 minutes.
• Cooking time: 15 minutes.
• Serves 8.

Ingredients:

• 8 large portobello mushrooms (50 g/2 oz each), stems removed
• 1 can (550 g/19 oz) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 125 ml (1/2 c) water
• 125 g (1/2 c) chopped fresh basil
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) grated Parmesan
• 2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) pepper
• Salt to taste
• 175 g (3/4 c/3 oz) shredded fat-free mozzarella
• 3 large plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, and diced or slivered

1. Preheat oven to 200° (400°F). With spoon, scrape out and discard the black gills from mushrooms. Spray jelly-roll pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place mushrooms stemmed side down in pan. Cover pan with foil and bake until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan and drain stemmed side down on paper towels. Leave oven on.
2. Meanwhile, combine beans, water, basil, Parmesan, pepper and salt in medium bowl and mash until smooth with a potato masher or large fork.
3. Return mushrooms, stemmed side up, to jelly-roll pan. Spoon bean mixture into mushroom hollow and bake 5 minutes.
4. Top with mozzarella and tomatoes and bake until cheese has melted and bean mixture is hot, about 5 minutes.

Each serving (1 pizza) provides:

• Key nutrients: 110 calories, 10 calories from fat, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 9 g protein, 14 g carb, 4 g fibre, 280 mg sodium.
• Blood pressure nutrients: 4 mg vitamin C, 22 mg magnesium, 400 mg potassium, 139 mg calcium.

• Use the filling to stuff 500 grams (1 pound) of small cremini mushrooms instead of the portobello.
• Use any other cheese you desire; try reduced-fat cheddar or Swiss.
• Kidney beans are also good in place of the pinto beans.

• Beans are one of the highest-fibre foods you can consume. Try to purchase beans packed without sodium, or rinse them well.
• Fresh or dried basil is teeming with powerful antioxidants. In addition, flavonoid and terpene phytochemicals in basil are under review for their potential benefit in reducing cholesterol.

Overall, portobello pizza is a delicious meal with healthy advantages. Keep this recipe in mind and add portobello pizza to your weekly menu.