Sometimes I just don’t have a clue what to make for dinner.
I usually sit down on a Sunday night and plan my week’s meals, but some weekends are just too busy (go figure)! When that happens, I end up in the parking lot at Whole Foods on Monday morning staring into space, wondering what exactly I’m going in there to buy. During the week, I usually refer back to recipes that are quick and familiar to me. But, then there are those occasions where I’ll have no choice but to make up a recipe in my head at the grocery store. These stuffed mushrooms are one of those recipes!
When it comes to stuffing portobellos, the options are endless. But, the other day I was in the mood for something light, so I thought some whole grains and veggies would be perfect. The trick was how to get enough flavor in these babies to make them taste really amazing. I had a few simple ideas on how to make that happen.
I sautéed some aromatics (onions, carrots in fresh rosemary and thyme) before cooking the wild rice blend in vegetable broth (as opposed to water). Oh the smell! And toasted pine nuts add a crunchy, nutty flavor that goes well with the goat and parmesan cheese that tops it all off! Spinach is tossed in at the last minute and wilts down perfectly into the rice. The combination of flavors was a huge hit! So, the next time you find yourself staring into space in the parking lot of a grocery store, think of these yummy portobellos! You’ll be glad you did.
*Recipe Tips
- Toasting the pine nuts is the key to bringing out their nutty, rich flavor (you’ll see it really makes a huge difference). I keep a bunch of toasted pine nuts in an air tight container and use them for pesto and for adding to salads. Toast in advance to save some time.
- When selecting mushrooms, look for large, firm portobellos free from soft, dark brown spots or indentations.
- To remove the gills underneath the mushroom, gently scrape them off with a small metal spoon.
- 4 large portobello mushrooms (stems and gills removed)
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 2½ cups low sodium vegetable broth (plus more if needed)
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- 1 small onion chopped
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- 2 cups (or about 3 large handfuls) baby spinach
- 2 oz. goat cheese crumbles
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped + more for topping
- 1 tsp fresh thyme + more for topping
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + more for mushrooms
- coarse salt
- pepper
- preheat oven to 425 F.
- heat olive oil over medium high heat.
- add onions and cook until translucent and soft about 4 minutes.
- add garlic, carrots, herbs and good pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until fragrant about 1 minute.
- add in the rice and toast about 30 seconds.
- add in broth, stir and let rice come to boil.
- turn down heat and simmer for about 30-35 minutes until rice is tender (you may need to cook longer and add in more broth, depending on how tender rice you'd like the rice).
- while rice is cooking, place mushrooms on a baking sheet and lightly coat them with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- cook mushrooms about 4 minutes on each side until tender but not completely wilted down.
- transfer the mushrooms to a plate and gently use a paper towel to pat away any extra moisture.
- about one minute before you think rice is done toss in the spinach until wilted down.
- remove from heat and add in parmesan cheese, pine nuts and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- add a few spoonfuls of the rice mixture to the mushrooms.
- top with goat cheese and fresh herbs to serve.
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