I love mushrooms. In fact almost my whole family does too. I use mushrooms quite often in our meals; from fresh white, Portabella and even the canned ones, depending on what I’m making. My Italian dishes however, must have Portabella Mushrooms, for that delicious added flavor!
With a family of 8, adding mushrooms to certain dishes makes them stretch a little bit further too. In Spaghetti for example, I mix 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef and a tub of mushrooms in with my sauce. I cook the mushrooms with the meat, chopping the meat and mushrooms the whole time that I’m flipping/cooking. It gives it added flavor and that extra little bit of filling!
Did you know that you can swap mushrooms for meat in many foods? Now you don’t necessarily have to swap the whole pound of meat for mushrooms, but you could do half and half. This is called “swapability” and is a much healthier option. Here’s some fun facts that I just learned about mushrooms:
Eating Healthy Never Tasted So Good
- Mushrooms are not only low in calories and fat-free, but their flavorful umami content allows for less salt to be used in a dish, without compromising taste
- Mushrooms are the only fresh fruit or vegetable with vitamin D
- Within the produce aisle, mushrooms are a leading source of the antioxidants selenium and ergothioneine; these antioxidants help maintain a healthy immune system
- Mushrooms provide B vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, and pantothenic acid; B vitamins help to provide energy by breaking down proteins, fats and carbohydrates
Don’t just take my word for it, try a little “swapability” yourself. March is National Nutrition Month, so now is the perfect time to bring a little healthier eating into your family’s lives. I’ll even give you an easy one to try first. Who doesn’t like a mushroom burger?
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1-5 ounce burger in one tortilla
Ingredients
- 6 ounces white button mushrooms
- 6 ounces cremini mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
- 8 ounces 93% lean ground beef
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons dried basil or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 4 2-ounce whole-wheat tortillas
- freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Chop mushrooms into ?-inch pieces. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons canola oil. Place mushrooms in pan and saut? for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. Return mushrooms to pan and season with freshly ground black pepper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms, ricotta cheese, ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, and basil. Form mixture into 4 burgers.
3. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons canola oil. Cook burgers for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until done. (Or grill burgers.) Serve in tortilla.
Tips: These are delicious with caramelized onions, fresh tomato and cheddar cheese.
Nutrition Facts (5 oz patty in one tortilla): Calories: 393; Total Fat: 20 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Cholesterol: 98 mg; Sodium: 681 mg; Carbohydrate: 31 g; Dietary fiber: 11 g; Protein: 30 g
Party Time!
You can join in on the mushroom conversation during the Mushroom Channel Twitter Party! There are some great prizes up for grabs, so check out the post and RSVP to the Mushroom Channel Twitter Party!
