Recipes: Portobello Party!

As I returned back to my apartment after yoga class this evening, the intoxicating scent of pizza wafted down through the stairs. I audibly approved of the pizza party entering my nasal passages, and came face-to-face with the deliverer of dreams himself on the stairs. The scent was fresh. This prompted my first vehement thoughts of immediately ordering myself a pizza. I forced myself to think of the fresh vegetables and various proteins awaiting me in my refrigerator, and pushed the pizza longings to the back of my mind. A while later I was browsing Facebook and came across a friend’s status about binge eating pizza… aka my favorite (and most shameful) activity. The delicious dream flooded back, and I sat on my hands to keep from dialing a pizzeria. I don’t know what it is, but I LOVE pizza. I will shout it from the rooftops. The cheese, the sauce, the possibilities!

The health implications! Knowing I had two still-covered-in-dirt Portobello mushrooms and various other ingredients at hand, I set to work to create a healthier version of the food I love too much. They turned out amazing! It’s easy to throw things together that you already have in your fridge, if you grocery shop creatively with possibilities in mind. I’ll have an entry about things to keep on hand down the road!

The faux-pizzas are vegetarian and gluten-free, and could even be vegan if you exclude the cheese or substitute a vegan cheese. They are so easy and can even be made in a toaster oven if you’re cooking solo! Below the pizza recipe, I have also included another gluten-free Portobello recipe with ground beef, and it would be very possible to combine these recipes if you’re craving a meat-lover’s pizza. Mmm, pizza.

Portobello Pizzas!

2 medium-to-large Portobello mushrooms*

4-6 spoonfuls of tomato sauce/marinara (whichever you have on hand)

1 large handful of spinach, washed

Fresh mozzarella cheese

Aged balsamic vinegar

Fresh basil (if desired)

Aluminum foil

*To lower your grocery bill, I recommend buying the loose, priced-per-pound produce when possible. This way you don’t pay for someone else to wash and package anything for you.

-Preheat oven to 400F. Line a small, shallow baking dish or metal baking tray with sides in foil (as mushroom pizzas cook they will release liquid, which we don’t want spilling all over the oven). Create aluminum foil rings to sit under the mushroom so they don’t get soggy. They should be about the size of a bracelet, and should be about 1/3” high. Make one per mushroom, and space out evenly in baking dish.

-Remove stems from mushrooms so only the caps remain. Wash, pat dry, and scrape the gills (brown slits that run all along the bottom of the cap) out; discard. Set caps rounded top side down onto the foil rings, so that the freshly gill-less underside faces up.

-Spoon tomato sauce onto the entire surface of the mushroom, use as much as you would like on a normal mini-pizza. Arrange spinach on top of the two caps. Shred fresh mozzarella into strips by hand and cover as little or as much as you’d like atop the spinach. (Personal recommendation: go big or go home). Drizzle balsamic vinegar atop mozzarella, and garnish with basil if you wish.

-Bake for 15 minutes on middle rack, let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serves one happy camper :)

 

  They remind me of creepy sea creatures.

Hope you enjoy my socks

Ground Beef Stuffed Portobellos!

                                                              

¼ large yellow onion, diced

1/3 – ½ lb. lean ground beef

Olive oil

4 Portobello mushrooms

2 large handfuls of spinach, washed

Aged balsamic vinegar

Fresh basil

Oregano, thyme, salt, & pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Cover small, shallow baking dish or metal baking tray with sides (as mushroom pizzas cook they will release liquid, which we don’t want spilling all over the oven). Create aluminum foil rings to sit under the mushroom so they don’t get soggy. They should be about the size of a bracelet, and should be about 1/3” high. Make one per mushroom, and space out evenly in baking dish.

-Sautee onions until they start to become translucent, then add ground beef. Season with oregano, thyme, salt, & pepper and cook through, stirring frequently.

-While beef is cooking, remove stems from mushrooms so only the caps remain. Wash, pat dry, and scrape the gills (brown slits that run all along the bottom of the cap) out; discard. Set caps rounded top side down onto the foil rings, so that the freshly gill-less underside faces up.

-Drizzle balsamic with a heavy hand over the mushrooms, and follow with a lighter drizzle of olive oil. At this point, you can either add the spinach and cook it down with the beef, or spoon the beef onto the mushrooms then arrange spinach on top. Shred fresh mozzarella into strips by hand and cover spinach. Top with fresh basil leaves.

-Bake for 15 minutes, let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serves two happy campers :) Serve with (or over!) a simple spinach salad.