One of my culinary missions is to make healthier versions of my favorite foods. Stuffed mushrooms usually have ingredients such as butter, multiples types of cheese in large quantities, mayonnaise, salt, oil and greasy bacon or sausage.
My recipe still has the flavor you seek in a stuffed mushroom, but it uses less than 2 teaspoons of oil, 1 ounce of cheese, and ¼ teaspoon of salt to make 12 hors d-oeuvres. It’s guilt-free party snacking at its best.
There are a few things I do to maximize the taste while minimizing the calories. First, I like to use quite a bit of freshly ground black pepper which provides a mild, smoky heat. I also use dried thyme which works well with the earthy wild rice, mushrooms and onions. I like to use a salty cheese such as pecorino or parmesan because it eliminates the need for extra salt. I stretch the cheese’s volume by using a microplane zester to turn one ounce of cheese into one cup. This allows you to spread it more effectively throughout the stuffing mixture, providing the desired taste without the excess calories and fat. These small adjustments to this party classic will keep you coming back for more with a clean conscience!
Ingredients
½ cup uncooked wild rice
12 large stuffing mushrooms – stems removed and finely chopped
2-3 cremini mushrooms – finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion
1 ounce pecorino or parmesan cheese – finely grated to make 1 cup
½ cup finely chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
½ teaspoon dried thyme – crushed between fingers
1 teaspoon coconut oil
½ – 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
cooking oil spray (I used coconut oil)
Directions
- Place ½ cup uncooked wild rice and 1 ½ cups of water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 50 – 60 minutes until water is absorbed and grains have broken open. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid. (This will make more rice than is needed for this recipe, so reserve and store remainder for future use.)
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Gently wipe dirt from mushroom caps and carefully pull out the stems. Reserve the stems for later use.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the mushroom caps gill side down on the sheet and lightly dust each cap with a very thin layer of cooking oil spray. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt over all of the caps. Sprinkle ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground pepper over the caps. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
- While mushrooms are baking, finely chop the mushroom stems and 2-3 cremini mushrooms to yield 1 cup of chopped mushrooms. Finely chop the onion to yield 1 cup. Finely chop the parsley to yield about ½ cup plus extra for garnish.
- Melt 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add the onions and crushed thyme. Saute for 3 minutes until onions begin to soften. Add the mushrooms, garlic and ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Cook for another 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. Reduce heat to lowest setting and cover.
- When mushrooms have finished baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to be handled. If any juice has dripped onto the parchment, carefully gather it up at the edges and pour the liquid into the onion and mushroom mixture. Discard the parchment.
- Add 1 cup of cooked wild rice and ½ cup of chopped parsley to the onions and mushrooms. Mix thoroughly. Evenly spread ¾ of the cheese over the mixture and stir until completely blended. Add more ground pepper to taste, if desired.
- Using a ½ tablespoon measure, stuff the mushroom caps with as much mixture as it can hold. Arrange the mushrooms on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top of the filled mushrooms.
- Place the mushrooms under the broiler for 2 – 4 minutes until the cheese turns golden brown. Watch them carefully to prevent burning.
- Arrange the mushrooms on a serving dish and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.
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