Spaghetti Squash Gratin

Inspiration: Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. Summer will always win out for me, but there’s something so wonderful and comforting about the leaves turning, the wind blowing, the holidays approaching. And fall food is definitely a bonus. B always teases me for being such a seasonal eater, but there’s just nothing like a cup of creamy soup in the cold or some pico de gallo atop grilled fish in the summer. Squash is such a great fall food, and I’m sad to say that they’re really an unexplored territory for me. I’ve decided to change that, and next on the list is butternut squash!

What we Loved: This was our first experience with spaghetti squash, and we both were really happy to discover such an awesome vegetable! I love the way that the squash just pulls apart into spaghetti strings after baking.  Knowing nothing about the flavor or texture of this squash, I think we both expected it to be soft like spaghetti, but it’s actually quite crunchy, which was a nice surprise. The texture is crisp and fresh like a vegetable should be. In this dish, the squash was mixed with sour cream, chives, and cheese, and the end result was a creamy comfort dish that we both really enjoyed. The flavor of the squash was rich and cheesy, and I just loved the crunch. I’m so excited to try more spaghetti squash recipes!

Helpful Hints: The sticker on my squash directed to cut it in half before baking, but I couldn’t get a knife through my squash while it was raw. I was quite worried about cutting myself with my chef’s knife, so I just poked holes all over the squash with a fork, as the recipe suggested, and that worked just fine. I also want to note that this dish is very filling! I served it as a main vegetarian course, and B and I were both completely full halfway through our supper. The squash that I bought was really large, so I think I also could have added more sour cream and cheese to make it creamier, but it was great as it was, too. And the leftovers were just as good!

Spaghetti Squash Gratin
Source: Daily Unadventures in Cooking

1 spaghetti squash
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded (or whatever cheese you’d like, really!)
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
Salt and pepper

1. Cook the spaghetti squash. Poke all over with a fork, and bake at 400 degrees for one hour.

2. Cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds from the center of the squash.

3. Scrape the squash strands into a mixing bowl. Mix with the sour cream, half of the cheese, the chives, and a healthy amount of salt and pepper.

4. Pour the mixture into a baking dish, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

Saag Paneer (Curry with Spinach and Cheese)

Inspiration: We have been eating food other than Indian lately, but with the recent successes that I’ve had cooking chicken tikka masala and shahi korma, I’ve been really looking to find and try new Indian recipes. B and I went out to an Indian restaurant recently and had this spinach and cheese dish, and we both really loved it. I always love to be inspired by restaurant meals!

What we Loved: This is the third Indian recipe that I’ve made in about a week and a half that has been absolutely delicious. Paneer cheese doesn’t have a whole lot of flavor on its own, but B and I both really loved the nice, brown crust on the cheese and how the creamy spinach sauce went so well with the texture and mild flavor of the cheese. This dish is loaded with spinach, but it doesn’t in any way taste like you’re eating a bowl of spinach. The curry sauce contains so many spices that combine really well with the cream, spinach, and cheese for a wonderfully flavorful curry that has a nice, yellow color from the turmeric that is added to the sauce. There’s a bit of richness from the cream and tomato, a fresh vegetable flavor from the spinach, and a wonderful, creamy depth of spices from the sauce. This is definitely another success!

Helpful Hints: I was a bit worried about sauteeing the paneer, since it is a cheese and I didn’t want it to melt into a gooey mess. It’s a very firm cheese, though, and it won’t melt. In a hot pan, it sautees up very quickly, so keep a careful eye on it. I only needed a minute or two per batch.

Saag Paneer
Source: Tea & Cookies

I modified the recipe just a bit. Here’s the recipe as I made it.

Extra virgin olive oil
8 oz paneer cheese, chopped into cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 green cardamom pods, smashed
1 stick cinnamon
3 small bay leaves
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1 16 oz bag frozen spinach, thawed
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pinch of cloves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 tesapoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup cream

1. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add the paneer cubes and saute until golden, just a few minutes. Remove the paneer from the pan and set aside.

2. Add another drizzle of olive oilt o the pan. Saute the onion until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, cardamom, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, garlic, ginger, and tomato. Mix to combine.

3. Add the spinach to the pan, and stir to combine. Saute for approximately 5 minutes, letting some of the water from the spinach cook off.

4.  Add the red pepper flakes, cloves, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

5. Add the cream and tomato paste, and mix everything well to combine. Bring to a simmer, and continue to cook for approximately 5 minutes.

Roasted Red Pepper and Black Bean Soup

Inspiration: I’ve seen a lot of recipes for various kinds of black bean soup floating around the internet lately. While trying to plan a really healthy week of suppers to counteract my love of beer, wine, cheese, etc. etc., I decided that a black bean soup would be perfect. And it just so happened that I served this on the first day of fall, too, which was nice.

What we Loved: I chose this particular black bean soup recipe because it had so many ingredients in it that B and I both adore. Black beans, roasted red peppers, chiles in adobo sauce, a heaping cup of cilantro. I had high hopes for this recipe, and it really didn’t dissapoint. While B was eating, he said that it would have to be a repeat recipe in our household for sure. That’s always a good thing! The flavor combination is really just amazing, with a nice smoky flavor from the adobo sauce and the roasted peppers and a great freshness from the cilantro. The soup turned out really thick and creamy, too, and it was also very spicy, which we loved. I really enjoyed this soup topped with plenty of avocado and green onions.

Helpful Hints: Because of the chile in adobo, this soup is very spicy. If you don’t like much spice, I would consider adding just a bit of the adobo sauce to keep the nice, smoky flavor, or maybe just a small amount of the pepper. I added one chile and some sauce for a super spicy soup. The soup in the original recipe was topped with sour cream, which I omitted because I needed to use up some vegetables, but next time I would definitely serve this with my favorite alternative to sour cream, 0% Greek yogurt. I’d highly recommend that, because this spicy soup would be even more fantastic with the nice chill of the yogurt. And I love 0% Greek yogurt because it’s so similar to sour cream, but so healthy.

Roasted Red Pepper and Black Bean Soup

Source: A Good Appetite

I changed a few things around in this recipe, using canned beans and using cilantro instead of parsley. Here’s the recipe as I made it.

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 red peppers, roasted, stems and seeds removed, and chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup fresh cilantro
Kosher salt
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth to keep this vegetarian)

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat in a pot. Add the onion, and cook until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue to cook for an additional minute.

2. Stir in the red peppers, chipotle, oregano, cilantro, and a big pinch fo salt. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth and one can of black beans, and stir to combine.

3. Pour the soup into a food processor, and process until very smooth. I let my food processor run for several minutes to achieve the right consistency. Alternatively, use an immersion blender.

4. Return the soup to the pot. Add the remaining can of beans. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes and serve. Top with sour cream, yogurt, avocado, green onions, or any other desired toppings.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Cuisine: Italian

Inspiration: For the last few weeks, I’ve mentioned how I have ton of fresh garden vegetables to use. Lasagna is one of those dishes that will use up a whole lot of ingredients that need using, and a lot of vegetables that I had seemed to lend themselves really well to being roasted. Thus, I’ve had the idea in my head for a roasted vegetable lasagna for about a week now, and I was just waiting for a nice weekend day at home to try it out.

What we Loved: B and I both agreed that this was the best meal that we’ve had in a really long time. For the vegetable filling, I used a combination of zucchini, yellow squash, red peppers, broccoli, onions, and garlic, and the flavor combination of all of those vegetables was just amazing. That slightly charred, roasted flavor really seeped through the entire lasagna and was the predominant taste, which was a great surpise as I was wondering if the roasted vegetable flavor would cut through the other more intense ingredients. Combined with a bechamel sauce that stayed really creamy and the sharp, nutty flavor of parrano cheese, this was just a really great lasagna that we both loved. I’m really excited about this recipe, and I’m really looking forward to the leftovers.

Helpful Hints: Cut up a lot of vegetables, many more than you think you will need. I had an entire pan heaped with what I thought was way too many vegetables, but they reduce a lot in the oven as you’re roasting them. After my vegetables had roasted, I wondered if I had enough. So use plenty! I also like to use olive oil and skim milk to make a bechamel sauce, which isn’t the traditional route, but I honestly think that it’s much better than using butter and/or a heavier milk/cream. In my opinion, using olive oil and skim milk is so much healthier, still tastes great, and still thickens up just like it should, so it’s my preferred method.

Other Lasagna Recipes: seafood lasagna

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Source: Original Recipe

For the Vegetable Filling
1 medium-sized zucchini, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium-sized yellow squash, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 red pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets
1 small vidalia onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

For the Bechamel Sauce
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups skim milk
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parrano cheese, shredded

For the Lasagna Layers
1 box lasagna noodles
3/4 cup Parrano cheese, shredded

1. Place the zucchini, squash, red pepper, and broccoli on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well to coat. Roast the vegetables in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, flipping every ten minutes.

2. In a saute pan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Saute the onion until softened, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional minute. Add the onions and garlic to the roasted vegetables when they come out of the oven.

3. Boil the lasagna noodles in a large pot of salted water for 7 minutes. Remove the noodles from the water, separating them onto paper towels or wax paper to avoid sticking.

4. In a sauce pan, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat to begin making the bechamel sauce. Add the flour, and stir for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and bubbles, approximately 8-10 minutes. Season the sauce with pepper and a liberal amount of salt. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and a 1/4 cup Parrano. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.

5. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, spread enough bechamel sauce to lightly coat the bottom of the dish. Add a layer of lasagna noodles, 1/2 of the roasted vegetables, and 1/3 of the remaining bechamel.

6. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles, the other 1/2 of the vegetables, and 1/3 of the bechamel.

7. Top with a last layer of lasagna noodles and the last 1/3 of the bechamel. Sprinkle the top of the lasagna with Parrano cheese.

8. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Fried Green Tomato Sandwich

Cuisine: American

Inspiration: I thought of trying out a fried green tomato sandwich a few weeks ago, and I’ve had the idea stuck in my head ever since. I was a little worried about whether or not green tomatoes would make a good sandwich, but in the end, curiosity won out.

What we Loved: This sandwich was packed with flavor. Tart green tomatoes, fresh cilantro, sharp cheddar, and crispy caramelized onions all paired really well together for a great sandwich. I loved that this was something different than your ordinary sandwich, and I really loved how well the tartness of the green tomatoes really complimented the other flavors.

Helpful Hints: I debated what bread to use for this sandwich. Originally, I was going to use hamburger buns, but I had too many tomato slices and wanted something with more surface area. I was also worried that the buns would be too soft for my liking. In the end, I toasted some rye bread. The flavor was great, but I was a little disappointed that the bread got way too crispy and crumbled apart a bit as I cut the sandwiches in half. I’m thinking that a hoagie roll would work perfectly. Also, I rarely fry and instead use very small amounts of olive oil to saute, so my tomatoes aren’t fried in a lot of oil as they often are. If you want a more traditional, heavily fried flavor, use maybe 1/4 inch of canola oil to fry your tomatoes.

Other Sandwich Recipes: grilled portabella caprese sandwich, turkey tango joes

Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
Source: Original Recipe

4 slices bread, or two rolls/sandwich buns
1 green tomato
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, more if necessary
Handful fresh cilantro, stems removed
1/4 cup cheddar cheese, freshly grated
1 red onion, sliced into rings
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a small sauce pan. Add the red onion rings, and cook until very brown and carmelized, approximately 20-25 minutes. Stir often.

2. While the onions are cooking, slice the green tomato into 1/4 inch slices. Place the flour in a shallow bowl, the egg in a second shallow bowl, and the bread crumbs in a third shallow bowl. Dip each slice of tomato into the flour, then the egg, and then the breadcrumbs. Place the prepared slices on a plate.

3. Heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a saute pan, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato slices, and cook until browned on each side and softened, approximately 5 minutes per side. Use more oil if necessary after flipping your tomatoes.

4. Assemble your sandwich, adding a handful of cilantro, the tomatoes, the shredded cheese, and the onions.

Zucchini, Onion, and Cheddar Quesadillas

Cuisine: TexMex

Inspiration: B’s parents gave us a ton of fresh vegetables from their garden. A ton.  So instead of picking out what vegetables I need at the grocery store, I’ve got a whole supply of produce that I need to figure out what to do with. It’s really fun, and I’ve got a list of new recipes all lined up.

What we Loved: To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect with these quesadillas. I wasn’t even sure that they would be all that great. As it turned out, B and I both loved them. They were crispy on the outside, and the fresh zucchini and sweet onion flavors paired really well with the sharp cheddar cheese on the inside. I used a sparing amount of cheese, which I liked a lot because I could really taste the freshness of the vegetables. I served these with a tomato salad for a light summer meal that I plan to make again and again.

Helpful Hints: After grating your zucchini and onion, be sure to drain as much water from the vegetables as you can, to ensure that there isn’t too much moisture in the quesadillas.

Other Zucchini Recipes: zucchini saute with almonds and Parmesan, breaded zucchini and squash

Zucchini, Onion, and Cheddar Quesadillas
Source: Original Recipe

1 small zucchini
1/2 small Vidalia onion
1/2 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
4 flour tortillas
Extra virgin olive oil

1. Grate the zucchini and the onion on a box grater. Pat the grated zucchini and onion between paper towels to absorb as much moisture as possible. You will need to use several paper towels to absorb all of the moisture.

2. To assemble the quesadillas, sprinkle 1/4 of the cheddar cheese on a flour tortilla, then top with half of the zucchini and onion mixture. Top with another 1/4 of the cheese, and then top with a second tortilla. Repeat with the second quesadilla.

3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a saute pan, enough to very lightly coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, add one quesadilla to the pan. Saute until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is browned, approximately 2 minutes per side. Repeat with the second quesadilla.

4. Slice into wedges and serve.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Black Beans and Cheddar

Cuisine: TexMex

Inspiration: It’s great to have meals sometimes that can use up all of your leftover odds and ends in the refrigerator and pantry. Somehow this week, I managed to overbuy all kinds of produce, and I found myself with a drawer full of vegetables that needed to be used. Omelets and pastas are other great meals for these situations, but I had a lot of vegetables with TexMex flavors, so I decided on stuffed peppers.

What we Loved: I really loved the flavor of the stuffing in these peppers. I put together a mix of black beans, garlic, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and black olives, and the resulting filling tasted really great both cold and after having been cooked inside the peppers. I had some extra filling, so I snacked on it as I prepared supper and B ate the rest alongside his meal. I served these with some avocado slices sprinkled with Kosher salt for a really healthy and vegetable-filled supper.

Helpful Hints: I would suggest making sure to cover your baking pan with foil before cooking the peppers. I didn’t, and the black beans that were on top before I added the cheese got far too crispy in the oven.

Other Stuffed Pepper Recipes: stuffed poblano peppers, stuffed hot peppers

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Black Beans and Cheddar
Source: Original Recipe to serve 2

2 bell peppers, any color
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 roma tomato, chopped
10 black olives, roughly chopped
1 generous bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese
1 avocado

1. Slice the peppers in half vertically, and remove the seeds and insides. Set the peppers in a baking dish.

2. Heat a drizzle of exra virgin olive oil in a saute pan. Saute the onions for two to three minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional minute.

3. Place the onions in a bowl. Add the black beans, tomato, black olives, and cilantro. Mix well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Fill each bell pepper to the top with the black bean filling.

5. Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

6. Remove the baking dish from the oven, and discard the foil. Sprinkle some of the cheddar cheese on each pepper, and return to the oven. Cook for an additional five minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

7. Serve with salted avocado slices for garnish.

Spinach, Feta, and Pine Nut Tart

Cuisine: Greek

Inspiration: I don’t buy phyllo dough often. There are a lot of sheets in just one box, and they don’t last very long in the fridge, so I only buy it when I have a lot of meals lined up that use phyllo. I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for quite some time for just an occasion.

What we Loved: Before I made this tart, I was wondering if it was going to turn out a lot like spanakopita, because it uses many of the same ingredients. I was very surprised and happy to find out that this recipe had its own unique texture and taste that was very different from spanakopita. In particular, I really thought that the pine nuts and the Parmesan cheese gave the tart a really great flavor. The pine nuts were buttery and had a nice toasted taste, and the Parmesan cheese cooked really well into the top of the spinach and into the layers of crust, giving the tart a rich and nutty flavor. My favorite part about this recipe was that the tart came out of the oven really thin and really crispy, so that you could pick up the pieces like a piece of crispy thin-crust pizza. I still used a fork and a knife, because phyllo dough tends to make a mess, but I really loved that unexpected crispy texture. I served this with some roasted tomato soup for a nice, light supper.

Helpful Hints: The original recipe calls for you to use butter between the phyllo dough layers, but unless I’m making baklava, I almost always use extra virgin olive oil when working with phyllo. I think that it works great, but if you want that richer flavor, use butter.

Similar Recipes: puff pastry spanakopita, spanakopita

Spinach, Feta, and Pine Nut Tart

Source: Annie’s Eats, originally from Epicurious

I made a few changes to the ingredients to adjust to what I had on hand and to my preferences. Here’s the recipe as I made it.

½ cup pine nuts
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Extra virgin olive oil
1 16 oz package frozen chopped spinach
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
7 sheets phyllo dough (12”x17”)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1. Toast the pine nuts in a small saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned.

2. Cook the frozen spinach according to package instructions. Drain all excess water from the spinach.

3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Saute the onions until they are softened. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional minute.

4. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the spinach, onions, pine nuts, salt, and feta, and stir to combine.

5. Place the phyllo sheets on a clean surface, covered with a damp towl. Pour some extra virgin olive oil on a small plate, and grease a baking sheet.

6. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on the baking sheet, and brush lightly with oil. Sprinkle with just a bit of Parmesan cheese. Repeat with the rest of the phyllo sheets.

7. Spoon the spinach filling on top of the phyllo, spreading evenly and leaving the outer 1 1/2 inches of phyllo dough free of filling.

8. Fold the edges of the phyllo dough pastry over the filling, leaving the center uncovered. Lightly brush the top of the phyllo dough with oil, and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the spinach filling.

9. Bake at 375 for approximately 15 minutes, or until the crust is browned.

Black Bean Burgers with Cumin Cheese and Avocado

Cuisine: American

Inspiration: B and I have had a fabulous summer. We’ve been riding bikes, grilling out, and generally enjoying the great weather. We were lucky enough to travel to Europe, and we’ve got some great mini-vacations and time with family and friends lined up for the rest of the summer. When we’re home for a weekend, we love to explore the downtown restaurants, and with our new love of beer, we’ve been trying everything that the breweries in town have to offer.  That being said, sometimes we need a solid week or two of vegetables, fish, and vegetarian meals to even things out :)

What we Loved: I really fell in love with this sandwich. The black bean burgers had a ton of spice and flavor with the inclusion of cumin, chili powder, garlic, anaheim peppers, and onions. I also loved the nice brown crust that formed on the burgers while cooking, which was a good contrast to the soft inside of the burgers. All of the different flavors paired so well with a cumin seed cheese that I bought at a local wine shop and with a generous helping of mashed avocado. I’ve been really into avocados lately, and I don’t think that you can ever go wrong when adding avocado to a sandwich. And the cumin seed cheese, if you can find something similar, is amazing! It has such a strong, fantastic cumin taste. All together, this sandwich was a great burst of flavor, and I’m glad to have a couple of extra burgers tucked away in the freezer for later.

Helpful Hints: A cheese like the cumin seed cheese that I used might be difficult to find, but I would think that a couple of great alternatives would be pepperjack or a sharp cheddar. Really, the toppings for this burger are endless. With the leftovers, I’m thinking of using goat cheese and green chiles.

Other Sandwich Recipes: grilled portabella caprese sandwich, turkey tango joes with chimichurri sauce

Black Bean Burgers with Cumin Cheese and Avocado
Source:  A Veggie Venture

I made a couple of changes to the recipe to adjust to what I had on hand. Here’s the recipe as I made it, to serve two and with two extra burgers to freeze.

Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup anaheim peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 slices cheese
1 avocado
1 lime
Sprinkle of kosher salt
2 whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a saute pan. Add the onions and peppers, and cook until they are just beginning to brown. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

2. Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor. Add the cilantro, and process for just a few pulses until the mixture is roughly chopped. Add the beans, and pulse just a few more times until the beans are broken down but still in small chunks. You do not want a puree.

3. Transfer the bean mixture to a bowl, and add the bread crumbs, egg, chili powder, cumin, and a sprinkle of salt. Mix well, and form the mixture into four burgers.

4. Heat another drizzle of olive oil in the saute pan. Add the burgers, and cook for approximately 3 minutes to brown. Flip the burgers when they are brown. Add the slices of cheese, cover the pan, and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

5. While the burgers are cooking, mash the avocado in a bowl. Add a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lime juice.

6. Serve the burgers on hamburger buns, topped with the mashed avocado.

Grilled Portabella Caprese Sandwich

Cuisine: American

Inspiration: We always want to squeeze every drop of summer out of the year that we can, and that means a lot of grilling!

What we Loved: This meal is so easy to prepare and so healthy to eat, and it still has a ton of flavor.  Caprese salad (mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil) is great on its own, but it’s even better when you add a nicely charred mushroom cap. I love to eat vegetarian meals a couple of times a week, and this is a great grilled vegetarian meal that tastes just like summer. And it can be on your plate in about 15 minutes, which is really nice for a busy night.

Helpful Hints: I think that this sandwich is deserving of a grilled sandwich bun. We ate ours without grilling the buns, and they were great, but I really think that grilling the bun would give the sandwich a nice, crispy texture that it was missing. I also think that adding a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of black pepper on top would taste wonderful.

Other Portabella Recipes: grilled portabella mushrooms stuffed with zucchini and roasted yellow peppers, portabella mushrooms stuffed with sundried tomatoes and kalamata olives

Grilled Portabella Caprese Sandwich
Source: Original Recipe, to serve 2

2 large portabella mushroom caps
Extra virgin olive oil
4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
4 slices tomato
A handful of fresh basil
2 whole wheat hamburger buns
Balsamic vinegar or black pepper, if desired

1. Drizzle both sides of the mushroom caps with extra virgin olive oil, and grill until the mushrooms are browned, approximately 10 minutes.

2. Place the mushrooms on the buns, and assemble the sandwich using mozzarella, basil, and tomato slices. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or sprinkle with black pepper if desired.