Mini Bruschetta Pizza

Ingredients

5 English Muffins, 100 Calories Multi-Grain (I prefer Thomas)
1 1/4 cups part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping:
6-7 roma tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds) – skins removed,* stem and seeds removed, chopped into small pieces.
1.5 tsp garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (I often use less)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

* I use the following method to remove tomato skins: fill a medium pot 2/3 full of water. Bring water to a boil. Once water is boiling, carefully drop all the tomatoes in the boiling water. Boil 2-3 minutes (for romas, probably closer to 2). Using tongs, remove tomatoes from boiling water and place in a bowl of ice cold water. Let cool for about a minute. Remove tomatoes from ice water and use fingers and a knife to remove the skins. The skins should almost fall right off!

Directions:

Combine tomatoes, garlic, EVOO, and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl (I use a small glass bowl with a lid) and combine. Add basil, salt, and pepper (adjust to taste). Refrigerate until ready to use.

When you are ready for lunch or a snack, cut 1 english muffin in half and pre-toast in a toaster or toaster oven (2-3 minutes or until desired crispiness). You can always skip this step if you prefer a softer english muffin!

Place 1/5 of the tomatoe mixture on the english muffin (divide equally among the two halves). Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. Place english muffin halves back in the toaster oven (or regular oven) and broil until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Repeat with remaining english muffins, cheese, and tomato mixture. If making all 5 english muffins at once, you can broil them together in the oven, but keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn!

I make my tomato mixture on Sunday nights and take it to work with me on Monday. It stays fresh in the fridge all week and there is enough tomatoe mixture for me to have a mini bruschetta pizza each day for lunch. I like to add a 1/2 cup of nonfat cottage cheese (or greek yogurt) and a fruit (peaches, apple, etc.) for a complete lunch. Enjoy!