Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Hold onto your chairs… that is NOT a juicy steak sandwich pictured above. It is actually an OUTRAGEOUS marinated portobello mushroom “burger”.
Portobello mushrooms are one of the heartiest varieties of mushrooms and they are out of this world when marinated. They provide the meaty flavor of a burger without the heavy feeling of red meat. Perfect.
Start with a few whole portobello mushrooms caps. I like to pull the stems off so they lay flat on the sandwich. Chop up the stems and save them to eat raw or sauteed later.
Preheat the oven to about 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. of reduced sodium soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 Tbsp. canola oil, and 1 tsp. chopped dried rosemary or thyme. Toss the portobello caps in the marinade and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Place the portobello caps gill side up on a baking sheet with a rim to catch the juices (they release more liquid when cooked). Spoon a little bit of marinade into each one. Bake for about 15 minutes or until desired tenderness. They are pretty resilient… don’t stress about over- or under-cooking them.
Serve them on a whole grain bun with your favorite toppings. I used caramelized onions, roasted red peppers from a jar, fresh spinach leaves, and a smear of light mayonnaise.
In case you are wondering, mushrooms do not technically fulfill the protein section of the FUEL plate. But that problem is easily solved. Just include a good protein source with your meal. For example, serve them up with a side of Beans and greens:
or have a little bowl of non-fat cottage cheese with fresh cantaloupe and mint for dessert:
