Portabella BMT

Okay, so I'll admit, I made up that acronym. Basil, Mozzarella, Tomato is a bit lengthy for a recipe name. Now I've coined the term BMT. Not a BLT, but a BMT. Why not? It works. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Well it appears that pizzas sin pizza crust are the new rage. I snagged this idea from You Blog What You Eat and Hungry Girl and tweaked it a bit to a) fit the ingredients I had and b) well, make it a bit different. So next time you have a hankering for a Portabella mushroom and aren't sure what to do with it, try out this recipe and make yourself a Portabella BMT.

Portabella BMT

Serving Size: 1 Portabella BMT

Nutrients per serving: 225 calories; 18.3g fat; 18mg cholesterol; 184mg sodium; 7.4g carbohydrate; 9.6g protein


Cook Time: 20 minutes

• 1 portabella mushroom (3 ounces)*


• 1/3 tomato, thinly sliced (2 ounces)


• 3-4 thin slices of fresh mozarella (1 ounce)


• 5 leaves of fresh basil


• 1 tbsp olive oil


• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.


2. Remove stem from mushroom and place mushroom on baking sheet. Place it in the oven for 10 minutes.


3. Remove mushroom and baste underside with olive oil using a basting brush or the back side of a spoon.


4. Arrange basil first, then tomato slices, then cover with mozarella.


5. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the top.


6. Place Portabella BMT back onto the baking sheet and place in the oven for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

As an aside, I made this with my 2nd portabella mushroom (since they tend to come in packs of 2) and instead of basil, I put spinach on it. I used approximately 1/3 cup of spinach and it turned out to be a delicious alternative if you dont have fresh basil lying around your house.

*Also - you could substitute the portabella mushroom for pepper, eggplant, etc.

Spicy Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ever tried PF Chang's lettuce wraps? Truth be told, I haven't. But I hear they are great. This recipe is premised on that idea but are unique in their own right...and a heck of a lot healthier. They are also so easy to make that even the most hesitant of cooks can't go wrong.

Spicy Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Servings: 8 leaves + spicy basil chicken


Serving Size: 1-2 leaves + spicy basil chicken

Nutrients per serving (based on 1 serving): 127.1 calories; 7.5g fat; 65.0mg cholesterol; 207.0mg sodium; 70.0mg potassium; 5.7g carbohydrate; 10.2g protein

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

• 1 lb lean ground chicken*


• 1 tbsp thai style chili sauce


• 1 tbsp hoison sauce


• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce


• 1 tbsp water


• 1 tbsp olive oil


• 1 tbsp rice vinegar


• 1/2 tbsp sugar


• 1 cup green onions, chopped


• 10 fresh basil leaves


• 1 tbsp sirachi sauce, optional


• 8 lettuce leaves, Bibb, boston or romaine leaves will work

1. Add olive oil and water to a large pan and heat.


2. Brown the chicken until cooked, roughly 10 minutes.


3. Add remaining ingredients, except basil leaves, and stir.


4. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, ensuring chicken is thoroughly cooked.


5. Add basil leaves and let wilt, approximately 2 minutes.


6. Spoon a healthy serving of spicy chicken onto lettuce leaves and serve immediately.

*Ground chicken can be difficult to find, at least in Chicago. If you can't find it, you can easily substitute this with ground turkey.