Recipe: Bean Stuffed Portobellos

Ever since I started my new job at Alberta Pulse Growers, I've been eating a lot of pulses. (That is to say, I've been eating a lot of beans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas. You know, pulses.) And even though this blog is in no way affiliated with my work at APG and all opinions are my own, it's inevitable that I would write about something I eat a lot of.

And tonight, I ate a lot of bean stuffed portobello mushrooms.


I've never cooked with portobellos before, and I don't think I've ever gone out of my way to order anything with portobellos in it when I've gone out to eat. Turns out, they taste like mushrooms, only bigger. (A real foodie would probably cringe at that description; I'm sure there are subtle flavour differences that my unrefined palate can't distinguish. Whatever. I like mushrooms.)

The recipe itself (which I got from the Company's Coming web site) took a lot longer for prep time than I thought it would - around 20 minutes, between scraping off the portobellos' gills, chopping the veggies, and mixing the stuffing. A proficient cook would probably breeze through the prep though, and next time I make it, I'm sure it will be faster.

And, yes, there will be a next time. Of  course. The different flavours and textures of this simple dish complemented each other perfectly. It was filling but not heavy, which made it the ideal side to the barbequed herb-encrusted pork ternderloin and asparagus we also made. Ryan loved it; I loved it; Caddy loved the smell of it.

Designed for vegetarians, these portobellos are also gluten-free and could be made to be dairy-free for people with food allergies. Company's Coming says that each mushroom is around 180 calories; My Fitness Pal says the number is closer to 250 - but either way, the mushrooms are high in protein and fiber, which will keep you fuller longer.

But don't take my word for it. Here's the recipe as I made it. Try it yourself.

4            Small portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed (see Note)

2 tsp      Canola oil
1 cup     Canned white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup     Chopped green leaf lettuce
1/2         Finely chopped red pepper
1 tbsp    Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp    Canola oil
1/4 tsp   Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp   Garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Feta cheese, crumbled

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove stems from mushrooms and scrape out gills gently with a small spoon. Brush mushrooms with the first amount of cooking oil on either side. Arrange stem-side up in a baking dish. Mix the remaining ingredients, except the feta, in a small bowl and spoon the mixture evenly into the mushroom caps.

Sprinkle the feta on the mixture. Cover the baking dish with greased tin foil, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and then bake for another five minutes, or until the cheese is soft.

Yield: 4