Mushrooms

Mushrooms are non-fat, contain potassium, antioxidants, B vitamins and many other good nutrients.  They are almost void of calories- just 15 calories per cups of raw mushrooms.

We use mushrooms in many of our meals as an extender- adds volume without adding a significant number of calories.

The recipe I offer below is one that we have enjoyed for many years, but we have lightened it up and veganized it.  I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do.

Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms

12 mushrooms that measure 1.5-2 inches across

1 cup of diced onion (we like Vidalias)

1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup non-dairy cheese (we used Daiya cheddar)

1/3 cup vegetable stock (low or no sodium if you purchase it)

1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs- I used sage, thyme and parsley

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Coat a non-stick skillet and a glass baking dish with spray olive oil

Wipe the mushrooms with a towel to remove an debris

Remove the stems from the mushrooms

Place 11 mushroom caps in the baking dish with the hole side up

Dice the stems and the one remaining mushroom

Saute the onions and mushrooms over medium heat until they begin to caramelize

Add the bread crumbs to the mushrooms and onions and stir and then add the herbs and broth.  Stir until it begins to hold together

Add the cheese and mix in well

With a teaspoon top the mushroom caps with the mixture

Spray the filled mushrooms with olive oil spray

Bake 20-30 minutes or until the filling browns and the mushrooms are cooked.

The entire recipe has just 384 calories.  Each stuffed mushroom has 34 calories.

The original recipe was for an appetizer.  I can't eat just one or two, so we always make these a meal.

The mushrooms are on the left side of the plate and the yummy looking stuff on the right side is a watermelon salad.  Very easy, colorful and tasty!  I cut some seedless watermelon into small cubes and mixed that together with some mini heirloom tomatoes we had cut in half.  We spooned that onto a bed of lettuce fresh from the greenhouse.  Then we drizzled over a little bit of balsamic reduction.

Balsamic reduction is sugar and balsamic vinegar that are boiled together and then cooled.    You can buy this in many markets, but why spend $7-$8 on something you can put together for fraction of that and in just a few minutes.

So here is the recipe...

Balsamic Reduction

Place into a small sauce pan one cup of balsamic vinegar and two tablespoons of sugar (we used evaporated cane juice).  Bring to boil, reduce to a simmer, set the timer for 15 minutes and then you are done.  Cool before using.  It takes just a small drizzle because the flavor has been concentrated.  I use less than a teaspoon.

The entire batch has just 330 calories.  This one is a little on the sweet side because I like it on fruit.  You can use less sugar.