Portobello Mushroom Burgers

I know I've mentioned in a previous post that I've been trying to partake in "clean eating." What this means is basically omitting any foods with chemicals or preservatives, and focusing on cooking with nutrient-packed ingredients. Clean Eating also means making an effort to eat produce that's in-season. The reason for this is most likely that vegetable or fruit will be grown in the US and will taste way more delicious.

My new plan this spring/summer is to go the grocery store and buy whatever produce looks good and create a meal out of it. So, instead of writing "cauliflower" or "brussel sprouts" on my grocery list, I simply write "vegetable one" and "vegetable two."

This weekend I ventured to an amazing farmer's market near me and they had the most beautiful portobello mushroom caps. Along side these were the biggest heirloom tomatoes that I've ever seen! As soon as I saw both of these ingredients, I instantly knew I had to make portobello mushroom burgers.

I loaded these "burgers" with fresh avocado, salty pickles, sauteed red peppers, the gorgeous heirloom tomato, and spicy mayo. My, oh my, these were ridiculously good!

Mushrooms are superfoods because they contain compounds such as lectins and glucans which are said to lower the risk of getting certain cancers. Mushrooms are a also a great source of potassium which helps keep blood pressure low. Additionally mushrooms contain many nutrients including selenium, biotin, and riboflavin which are essential to maintaining good skin and hair health.

You need to do a little bit of prep work with these mushrooms. First things first- don't ever rinse mushrooms under water. They are super porous so if you drench them in water they will never brown up in a pan. Start by getting a damp paper towel or cloth and cleaning the grit and dirt of the mushrooms. Then remove the stem and either discard or chop up to saute on the side of your "burgers."

Ingredients:

2 portobello mushroom caps

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 lime- juiced

1 avocado- sliced

1 red bell pepper- sliced

1 pickle- quartered

2 slices of ripe tomato

2 whole wheat hamburger buns

2 slices low-fat cheese (I used Provolone)

3 tbsp. light mayo

1 tbsp. sriracha 

Directions:

1) Marinate mushrooms in a zip-loc back olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and lime for 20 minutes in the refrigerator 

2) Make spicy mayo by mixing sriracha and mayonnaise 

3) Heat pan over medium-high heat and add a little bit of olive oil

4) Saute bell pepper for 5-7 minutes or until tender

5) Heat grill pan over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray

6) Add mushrooms to the pan (just the mushrooms not the marinade) and sprinkle with salt/pepper. Cook for 6-7 minutes before flipping

7) Sprinkle salt/pepper on other side of mushroom and continue to cook for another 6-7 minutes or until mushroom is tender

9) When the caps are just about done, top with cheese and cook until melted

8) Toast buns and spread with spicy mayo. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, tomato, pickles, and avocado.

9) Eat up and enjoy!!

Superfood Breakfast Cookies

I know what you must be thinking... cookies for breakfast?! Yes, my friend, these cookies are so hearty and healthy that you can have them for breakfast and feel absolutely great about it. These breakfast cookies are packed with superfoods: oats, bananas, cashews, chocolate, chia seeds, flax seeds, and my superfood of the week- hemp seeds. You can find hemp seeds in the organic section in your grocery store, at Whole Foods, or on Amazon.

Personally, I think the best way to eat these cookies is right out of the oven when they're hot and chewy and the chocolate chips are melted and gooey. Another great option is to re-heat them in the oven for a few minutes or microwave them until the chocolate melts. If you are not going to finish the cookies in one day, I would recommend storing the rest in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

I don't know about you, but any breakfast that contains chocolate is sure to make me smile. These cookies are so decadent and delicious that you'll find it hard to believe how incredibly nutritious they are. Similar to many of my other recipes, these cookies are super versatile. Feel free to play around and make them your own by switching up the dried fruit, nuts and seeds. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Hemp seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids which can help prevent against coronary heart disease. Additionally, hemp seeds contain the antioxidant Tocopherol which is known to help lessen a person's chances of developing Alzheimer's Disease. Lastly, hemp seeds contain all of the essential amino acids, as well as a good amount of fiber, protein, and fat, making them a fantastic addition to one's diet. 
*Try these magical seeds in oatmeal, smoothies, cold cereal, and baked goods.

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

2 bananas

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts and cashews)

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/8 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries)

1 tbsp. hemp seeds

1 tbsp. chia seeds

1. tbsp flax seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray

2) Mash bananas with a fork and combine with oats

3) Add remainder of ingredients and stir with a spoon until well combined

4) Spoon batter onto cookie sheet and press down to flatten slightly

5) Bake for 12-14 minutes

*Recipe yields a dozen cookies