Meatzza | Slimming Friendly
When it comes to substituting ingredients on your weight loss journey, there are a few ideas that I just can’t get onboard with.
Spiralised courgette doesn’t compare to a steaming bowl of fresh spaghetti.
Grated cauliflower is rarely going to satisfy you in the same way that rice does.
And a giant mushroom slapped on top of a burger instead of a bread bun, in my humble opinion, is nothing short of an insult.
Though I’m always open to trying new things, I’ve learned over the years that these fads come and go. More often than not, I’d much rather stick with having the ‘real thing’ in moderation.
Recently though, I came across a substitute that I’d argue is just as good as the original – and that’s the meatzza.
It’s quite simply a pizza but the doughy base is replaced with a meaty one, giving it a real, satisfying bite, and a load of flavour.
Fancy trying it yourself? Here are the details…
For the full ingredients list and detailed instructions, see the recipe card at the end of this post. Make sure you check out this important information first though…
Why substitute bread for a meat base?
Because it’s absolutely delicious, is the first and most important answer.
But if you’re wondering how things measure up nutritionally, let’s take a bit of a closer look…
Following the Slimming World plan, the meatzza base is entirely Syn free. A similar one-portion size of a leading brand’s readymade dough base would set you back around 8 Syns.
But what about if you’re tracking calories instead?
Per serving, the meatzza base contains 230 calories. The readymade dough base contains 145.
So on the calorie front, a meaty base is actually going to cost you rather than save you.
If you’re looking to increase the protein in your diet though, cut down on carbohydrates, or you have allergies that mean that bread is off the menu, that could be a cost that you’re happy to live with.
It’s all swings and roundabouts, and it’s very rarely a case of being able to say that in all instances, one option is good, whilst the other is bad.
It’s simply a case of having the right information, and being able to make informed decisions based on your plans and your goals.
And like I said, this meatzza tastes AMAZING. If you fancy a change from your usual pizza night, it’s a great recipe to try to shake things up a little bit.
Choosing toppings for your slimming meatzza
I like to use veggies toppings, as there’s already enough protein in the base.
My go-to options are mushrooms, peppers, and onions, though you can use anything that you might already have in your kitchen.
You might want to add sweetcorn, pineapple, olives, jalapeños, scallions, pesto, sundried tomatoes, or spinach.
It’s a great opportunity to get in some extra veggies, though do make sure that you check Syn values of your toppings if they’re important to you!
Serve with a side salad, and some slimming friendly chips or wedges.
Slimming Friendly Meatzza
Ingredients
- 500 g lean minced beef less than 5% fat
- 1 200g tin chopped tomatoes
- 125 g light mozzarella grated
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 red pepper sliced
- 1/4 red onion sliced
- 2 mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- Low calorie cooking spray
- Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
- Fresh basil leaves to serve
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 200 degrees, and spray a loose bottomed quiche tin liberally with low calorie cooking spray.
- Add the minced beef to a bowl, and with a fork, mix in the egg, oregano, chilli powder, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Add the meat mixture to the quiche tin, and use the back of your fork to flatten firmly, so that it forms your pizza base.
- Cook the base in the oven for ten minutes.
- Drain any excess water off your tinned tomatoes, and spread over the base. Add three quarters of your mozzarella, and arrange the mushrooms, peppers, and onions on top. Sprinkle over the remainder of your mozzarella.
- Put your meatzza back in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and your meat base is cooked through.
- Arrange your basil leaves on top of the meatzza, and transfer to a board or plate.
- Slice, serve with your choice of sides, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe? I’d love to see it!
Be sure to use the hashtag #slimmingviolet and tag me @slimmingviolet over on Instagram.
Oh, and before you go…
Why not pin this recipe so you can come back to it later?
