Clean Eating: Asparagus Pesto Pizzettes

I'm a fan of asparagus, but I can see why other people may not like it. It has a distinct flavor and texture, and the smell can be a little off-putting. But it's a green veggie that I like to have as often as I'm able to get Cliff to eat it. So, I came up with a way to hide the asparagus: make it a pesto. I'm sure I'm not the first to come up with an asparagus pesto. But it's the first time I've used it in a recipe, and it turned out nicely. Even Cliff loved this yummy meal which incorporates all the food groups and earned a B+ nutrition grade on my calorie tracking site.

Ingredients:
2 pitas (I use the Joseph's Heart Healthy Oat Bran pitas as they are only 60 calories each)
40 grams raw almonds
111 grams raw asparagus
6 oz sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
6 oz Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh Chicken Breast Shaved Grilled Strips (this helped me save time, but increased the sodium content - if you prefer to roast your chicken, go for it)
1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Swanson 99% fat free all natural chicken broth
2 oz smoked gouda cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.

Rinse asparagus and snap off woody ends. Pat dry with paper towel. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange asparagus on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 15 minutes. After removing from oven, lower heat to 350.

Meanwhile, place almonds in a small, dry skillet. Over medium heat, cook until toasted.

Place almonds, roasted asparagus, garlic and chicken broth in a food processor. Pulse grind until a pasty consistency, scraping down the sides occasionally.

Spray a small skillet with cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms until browned, adding salt to taste.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place pitas on baking sheet. Divide the pesto mixture between the two pitas and spread over the pitas. Top with chicken, then mushrooms, then shredded gouda. Bake for 12 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve as is or alongside a lightly dressed salad of mixed greens. Enjoy.

Nutrition Facts
Serves 2
Serving Size 1 pizzette (345.2g)
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Calories - 407
Calories from Fat - 188
Total Fat - 20.9 g
Saturated Fat - 6.8g
Trans Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 76mg
Sodium - 1730mg
Total Carbohydrates - 20g
Dietary Fiber - 9.3g
Sugar - 4.4g
Protein - 43.4g
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Vitamin A - 15%
Vitamin C - 45%
Calcium - 26%
Iron - 34%