Portobello Mushrooms with Mediterranean Stuffing

Every time I cook with portobello mushrooms, I ask myself why I don't do so every night - they might just be my favorite food! On top of which, their meatiness makes for a satisfying vegan meal in whatever form. This could be an appetizer, or a main dish if you double the portions.

Remove the stems from 4 (4-inch) portobello caps. Chop the stems to equal 1/4 cup (discard any extra if you have it), and place in a bowl. Add 1/4 cup finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup finely chopped celery, 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot, 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper, 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning (available with other spices), and 2 minced garlic cloves.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the vegetable mixture and cook for ten minutes until tender.

Combine the vegetable mixture with about 3 cups of 1/4-inch cubed French bread in a large bowl. Slowly add 1/2 cup vegetable broth, tossing to coat. Add 1/2 cup crumbled vegan feta (try the one from Sunergia); toss gently and set aside.

Scrape the gills from the mushroom caps using a spoon. Place the mushrooms, stem-side up, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush evenly with one tablespoon balsamic vinegar.

The original recipe said to sprinkle each mushroom cup with 1 teaspoon of grated Parmesan. I bought the Vegan Parmesan topping from Galaxy Foods for this purpose, but since the flavor tends to be stronger than real Parmesan, I only used 1/2 teaspoon per mushroom. Also sprinkle each with a dash of black pepper. Scoop 1/2 a cup of the bread mixture into each mushroom.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Toss 4 cups of mixed salad greens with an additional 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette. For main dish servings, place 2 cups of salad on each of 2 plates, and top each with 2 stuffed mushrooms (380 calories). For appetizers, cut that in half for 4 servings of 190 calories.

Cost:
portobello mushrooms $3.49
celery $2.50
carrot $0.27
red bell pepper $1.88
green bell pepper $0.74
Italian seasoning $2.39
French bread $1.29
'feta' $4.19
balsamic vinegar $4.79
vegan Parmesan topping $3.29
mixed greens $4.99