Photo courtesy of The Comfort of Cooking

Welcome to 30 Days on a Mediterranean Diet, our new blog series! It’s no secret that eating the Mediterranean way helps with heart health and weight loss. But fast-paced modern living makes it hard to stick to any diet, which is why each 30 Days on a Mediterranean Diet post will feature a healthy Mediterranean recipe.

Okay, we’ve all been there: you’re on a diet and one of those late night cravings sneaks up on you. A monstrous itch that can only be satisfied by pizza. Sound familiar? If so, this recipe will save your butt (literally).

Pita pizza isn’t just fun to say; it’s also a tantalizing treat that happens to be Med. diet-approved. Not to mention, it’s full of fresh flavors that hit every pizza note right on.

Simply select a lean protein like lamb, simmer down with herbs and tomato sauce, and bake for a bit with cheese on top to get your pizza fix at a fraction of the carbs!

Greek Pita Pizzas
From The Comfort of Cooking
Makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients

6 oz. lean ground turkey/chicken or lamb
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 (6-inch) whole wheat pita bread rounds
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
12 pitted kalamata olives, halved (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Prep & Cook

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground meat, onion, and garlic until meat is browned; drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce, rosemary, basil and oregano. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
  3. Carefully split pita bread rounds in half horizontally. Place pita halves, rough sides up, in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 6-7 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
  4. Top toasted pita rounds with meat sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven. Top with tomatoes, feta, parsley and olives, if desired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.