These Vegetable Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms are incredibly delicious! They’ve been a favorite in our home, for years! I made them as part of our Christmas dinner several years back and they were a big hit. They are hearty, filling and tasty, yet low in carbs and fat! This recipe makes Mindful Eating simple! Let's dive into the main ingredient. Portabella mushrooms are really fungi, not vegetables. They are a unique kingdom of living things. Fun fact: according to National Geographic's fungi are one of the oldest types of life on Earth, with the oldest Fungi appearing about a billion years ago. Like all mushrooms', portabella mushrooms are low in fat and calories - 100 grams of raw mushrooms have no fat and only 22 calories. They taste meaty and savory, with an umami quality that makes them a good substitute for foods higher in fat and calories like meat and cheese. Portabellas are a good source of many nutrients, including Vitamin B, phosphorus, selenium, copper, and potassium. They contain non-nutritive compounds like polysaccharides, polyphenols, and carotenoids, which may have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. Harvard Published a study in 2019 that showed "eating mushrooms may have protective effects on the brains of older adults and may reduce the risk of mild cognitive impairments." The polysaccharides in mushrooms act as a food for beneficial gut bacteria, helping those good strains grow and survive. Since 70% of the immune system is in the gut, eating gut-healthy foods like portabella mushrooms may improve immune function. Enjoy preparing this dish, soak in the smell of the fresh garlic, oregano and onion. This a a healthy and beautiful dish to prepare and serve to your family! 

I stuff the mushrooms with sautéed vegetables and just a bit of breadcrumbs and cheese, tastes like they couldn’t possibly be good for you…but they are! These mushrooms look so cheesy, but I use very little cheese. Between the mushroom and the vegetables, there is so much flavor, you really don’t need a lot of cheese or fat to make them taste good.

Use this recipe as a guide and feel free to substitute with whatever veggies you’ve got in the fridge. To make these vegan, either omit the cheese or use a vegan cheese and to keep these gluten free, use  gluten free breadcrumbs.

Recipe:

▢  4 large portabella mushrooms (wiped with a damp paper towel)

▢  2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more for coating the mushrooms)

▢  1 large sweet onion diced

▢  2 medium zucchini diced

▢  1 roasted red pepper diced

▢  4 – 6 sun dried tomatoes chopped

▢  2 – 3 cloves garlic minced

▢  1 large handful of spinach

▢  1 pinch dried oregano crushed between your fingers

▢   Dash of crushed red pepper flakes

▢   Freshly ground black pepper to taste

▢   1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs 

▢   1/4 cup grated Parmesan 

▢   1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a sided baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a small spoon, gently scoop the gills out of the inside of the mushroom. With a small knife, remove the stalk.
• Rub each mushroom with a bit of olive oil and set them on the prepared baking sheet, stalk side up.
• In a 12 inch sauté pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil then the onions. Sauté for 3 or 4 minutes, then add the zucchini and continue to cook as the zucchini begins to soften. Next add the red pepper and tomatoes. Cook for another few minutes. When the onions have become translucent and soft, add the garlic. Cook for one minute and add the spinach.
• Once the spinach wilts, remove the pan from the heat and add the rest of the ingredients, up to and including the Parmesan. Stir to combine.
• Divide the mixture in four; I spread the mixture out evenly in the pan and using my spoon, just slice through like a pie to divide equally. Stuff each mushroom with a quarter of the mixture.
• Bake in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes. Top each mushroom with about 1 tablespoon of the mozzarella and continue baking for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is just beginning to get golden on top.

These stuffed mushrooms are delicious served as a meal, with a salad and maybe some pasta, but they also make an amazing appetizer!

Recipe taken from : Calimeris, D., & Bruner, S. (2015). The anti-inflammatory Diet & Action plans: 4-week meal plans to heal the immune system and restore overall health. Sonoma Press.

Happy Cooking My Friends! 

Katie