While calories at parties can add up faster than snowflakes in a blizzard, these hand-to-mouth stacks provide quality nourishment without sacrificing a shred of muscle. If you’re keeping tabs on your fat intake, opt for pork labeled “lean” to get some less calorie-dense protein into your tummy.

Ingredients

  • 2 large sweet potatoes
  • 1 lb lean ground pork
  • 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella
  • 1 cup arugula
  • 1 roasted red pepper, sliced

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Slice sweet potatoes into 12.5" rounds. Don’t slice too thin or they won’t be able to handle toppings. Lightly grease a baking sheet, arrange potato slices on the sheet in a single layer, and lightly brush tops with some oil. Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and continue baking until fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, gently mix together pork, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, shallot, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a couple of pinches each of salt and black pepper. Form into 12 small patties.
  3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook patties for 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through. When burgers are almost ready, top each with some cheese, cover skillet, and cook till melted.
  4. To assemble, place a few arugula leaves on each sweet potato round, add a burger, and top with one slice red pepper.
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