It's Superbowl season.  That means the parties are about to start and your diet is about to run right off the tracks.

But wait...it doesn't have to!  I have the perfect thing for you to make for your party this year or to bring wherever you are going!  It is low fat, easy, and everyone will think you are a genius!

They are my whole wheat pita calzones.  I mean a calzone without having to roll out any dough?  Sign me up!  

Who doesn't love a calzone honestly?  And these are about the easiest thing to make....ever!  Perfect for a party because you can make everything ahead of time and let your guests create their own and then pop them into the oven!  That way everyone makes what they like!  Your meat lovers, your veggie lovers, and your picky eaters will all be happy!

Won't it be nice to not have to think about psyching yourself up for having some will power at one of the parties you will go to?  I know for me, I always have to have a pep talk with myself about how to say no to all of the fatty things that I know are going to be taunting me the whole night!  This year, I don't have to because I am not going to feel deprived at all and my guests will never miss any of that junk food!

I like to set all of my ingredients up buffet style and that way your guests can make their pita calzones as they get hungry and then just pop them into the oven!

I made three different calzones to appeal to all of my friends and family, but feel free to mix and match and have your guests make whatever they like!  These are just some examples and some of my favorite toppings and combinations.  

Ingredients:

• Turkey Italian Sausage (lower in fat, just saute ahead of time in a pan)
• Turkey Pepperoni (again lower in fat)
• Grilled Chicken (brush with olive oil and salt and pepper and grill on both sides until no longer pink)
• Grilled Portobello Mushrooms (brush with olive oil and salt and pepper and grill about 4 min on each side)
• Grilled Asparagus (again use olive oil and salt and pepper to coat and then grill about 2 minutes on each side leaving the asparagus with some bite and their vibrant green color)
• Caramelized Onions (saute in a pan with a little olive oil and salt and pepper on med-high to get them going and then reduce to a lower heat and cook slow until onions turn brown and their sugars caramelize)
• Raw Red Onion
• Green Pepper
• Sun Dried Tomatoes
• Homemade Pesto (you can find my recipe under my archives in the condiment section)
• Marinara Sauce
• Low Fat Ricotta Cheese
• Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese
• Goat Cheese
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Whole Wheat Pitas

Directions:

So I am not lying when I tell you that these are easy.  Prep any ingredients that you are going to use (chop, pre-cook, etc.) and then make a large buffet of all of your ingredients and so that you will be ready to fill your calzone pockets (pita pockets).  You will want to just leave a little room so that they don't spill out everywhere.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until pitas are golden brown.  THAT'S IT!  Put those bad boys on a platter or leave them on the pizza stone like I did and they are ready to eat!

Here are a couple of combinations that I made with the ingredients listed above!

Meat lover:  Turkey pepperoni, turkey sausage, green pepper, red onion, marinara, and mozzarella cheese.

Veggie: Grilled portobellos, grilled asparagus, caramelized onions, and goat cheese.

Pesto: Grilled Chicken, homemade pesto, red onion, sun dried tomatoes, ricotta, and mozzerella.

All of these are absolutely delicious!  And all of them are good for you!  

You control the ingredients that you put into them.  So nothing but yummy and nutritious goodies inside.

So go ahead and blow your friends away with your calzone presentation for the big game and feel good for staying on track while you do it! 

And hey no biggie if you aren't having a party, these are still the perfect weeknight meal that your whole family will be requesting on a regular basis!