Skip to main content

Portobello Steaks

Portobello (also called portabella) mushrooms are probably my favorite meat stand-in. They have a great meaty texture and the best flavor. Plus, you can marinate them just like you would your steaks!

Portobellos contain high amounts of Vitamin D. This mushroom has also been shown to possess possible immune system enhancing properties. These mushrooms are actually the common button mushroom, just matured.

My most common way of preparing portobellos is by marinating the cap for 30 minutes to an hour, then either cooking them on the bbq or grilling indoors on a grill pan. I serve them just as "steak" side or if I use lighter marinade ingredients we'll throw them on a bun with all the fixings and enjoy a great veggie burger! They are to die for! I like to char them a little bit because I think that helps give a meaty texture, plus, the grill marks just look pretty. You should definitely consider giving them a try! And to woo you, here are some recipes and photos. Enjoy!!

Grilled Portobello Mushroom "Steaks"

4 portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup olive oil ( or canola, if you prefer)
3 Tablespoons chopped onion ( I like red/purple onion)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Clean mushrooms and remove stems, reserve for other use. Place caps on a plate with the gills up.
        In a small bowl, combine the onion, oil, garlic, herbs and vinegar. Pour the mixture evenly over the mushroom caps and let stand for 1 hour. Rub caps into any extra mixture that may have poured over the sides onto to the plate.


Grill over hot grill for about 8 minutes, gills up. Turn over and grill another 3-4 minutes.


Serve immediately.
Alongside some sauteed greens would be perfect!

Grilled portobello steaks with sauteed Swiss chard and herbed, grilled polenta hearts.

 


Sauteed Swiss Chard

2 bunches Swiss chard
Generous pinch of dried crushed red pepper (or less, depending on how spicy you want it)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon earth balance, butter or margarine
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Rinse the chard and shake off excess water. Trim out the thick stems, reserve for other use. Cut or tear the leaves into 1-2 inch strips.
 
In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chard and stir to coat. Cover with a lid and cook the chard until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and serve immediately.

Now go try something new in the kitchen!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Carrots!

Lately carrots have been a favorite veggie of mine. I mean I've always liked them but just thought there was only so many ways to eat a carrot. But once I really jumped into vegetables I started exploring different recipes for so many different kinds. Carrots, making it to the top of my list. Now, carrots are great for you. They are fat free, low in sodium, cholesterol free, a great source of fiber and are high in vitamin A. No other fruit or vegetable contains as much carotene as carrots, which our bodies convert to vitamin A. Plus, they just taste great! Not to mention they very inexpensive. The carrots greens can also be eaten and are high in vitamin K, which the actual carrot itself, is lacking. For the greens, just sauteing in some olive oil with some red pepper flakes and garlic would be good. You can add a little earth balance butter or real butter to make them a little richer if you want. But for the carrots one of my favorite ways to dress them up is with a lemon-thyme...
3 comments
Read more

The road to healthy

In our home, my husband and I try to keep a healthy, balanced diet. We base our meals around a plant-based, whole foods diet and try to keep too much processed food out as well. I can't say that we are technically vegan, but that's how we eat about 90% of the time. I'd say we've come a long way though considering that my husband used to be known as one of the most carnivorous people that our friends and I knew. When we started dating I did not cook. A lot of our friends laugh at this because now I'm a cooking machine! At first i just made whatever recipes sounded good, whether they contained meat and dairy or not. Then after a few years I started taking more interest in my health. With a lot of help from my dear friend Grace, I became interested in the vegan diet. I set out to eat healthfully for one month. At first I was doing great, but after about 1 1/2 weeks in i started to feel light-headed and not very energized. I talked to Grace about getting the right nut...
3 comments
Read more

Summer Nights

When I think of warm summer nights I think of good times on the back porch: firing up the BBQ, fresh summer fruit, cool beverages, good conversation, good friends... and potato salad. Potato salad is one of those classic summer dishes that everyone enjoys. Unless for some reason you hate potatoes and in that case you must be from another planet. But I can't help you there... Jumping into a lifestyle of no dairy products had me wondering if I would ever be able to find a replacement for my beloved potato dish.  But when there's a will, there's a way. And I made sure I found my way back to a delicious, flavorful, healthier potato salad. After a lot of recipe searching and testing I found the perfect combination of ingredients to make one of the best potato salads I have ever had. Not only is this recipe perfect for summer nights, but it's perfect to pack up in tupperware and take on a picnic, bring to a potluck or to have just because it's so darn good. Enjoy! Cr...
2 comments
Read more