Meatza - Healthier Alternative For Pizza

Pizza is a plate full of doughy and cheesy deliciousness. But it can leave us feeling greasy and fat afterwards. It isn't the healthiest of dishes, and it's usually loaded with calories. Eating pizza too often is not a good idea. You don't have to give up your pizza altogether though. Have you ever tried meatza? It's a tasty, meat based dish that's a much healthier alternative to pizza. Here's the recipe!

Ingredients List:

• Lean ground beef.
• Tomato salsa.
• Olives (optional).
• Feta cheese.
• Spinach.
• Mushrooms.
• Onions.
• Sweet peppers.
• Garlic, herbs, and spices of your choice.
• Avocado.
• Sea salt and black pepper.
• Lime.

Preparation:

Step 1:

With wet hands, mix your ground beef with the garlic, herbs, and spices. You can use any herbs and spices you'd like to experiment with. There are all kinds of other meatza recipes online to give you some inspiration. Add your sea salt and black pepper too. Make sure everything is thoroughly mixed in. Don't be afraid to get stuck in with your hands.

Step 2:

Preheat your oven on a high heat. Grab a baking tray and roll your meat up into a ball. Begin to flatten the meat in the middle of the baking tray, taking care to make it as even as possible. Spread it right to the edges. Make sure there are no bits that are too fat/thin. Pop in the oven. As it cooks, it'll shrink and fatten, so make sure to stop it from being too thick. You don't want to end up with one huge chunk of meat that won't cook in the middle!

Step 3:

Check your beef after around 15 minutes. Your beef should be browned. Drain and soak up the excess oil using kitchen towels.

Step 4:

Spread on your salsa with a spoon, leaving a 1 inch gap around the edge. Spread it on evenly and thickly. Add your mushrooms, onions, olives, and sweet pepper by pressing them into the salsa. They should cook due to the moisture of the salsa. Pop back in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

Step 5:

Take the meatza out of the oven. Sprinkle over your feta cheese, spinach, and chopped avocado. You can now drizzle over the juice of a slice of lime, and then garnish with fresh herbs if you like.

Serving Options:

Serve a slice of this meatza alongside a nice salad, and you should find it filling enough. However, if you feel you need more carbs for energy, serve alongside wholegrain brown rice or sweet potato discs/wedges.
You can make sweet potato discs/wedges by chopping them in the shape you like, drizzling with oil and seasoning, then placing in the oven for around 30 minutes. Cook until crispy on the outside.

As you've been so well behaved with your main meal, you may like to treat yourself to a small slice of cake or a piece of chocolate after. If you don't deprive yourself of little treats you'll feel much better about living a healthier lifestyle!

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Contributed By: Emily