Broccoli and White Bean Portobello Melts

It doesn’t get any easier than these melts. The oven does most of the work and the results are cheesy, creamy, comfort food that is actually incredibly healthy and packed with protein and fiber. If you are looking for a filling and nutritious weeknight vegetarian meal try these.

Portobello mushroom caps make a great vessel but I feel like these would be good as zucchini boats or stuffed peppers too. If you’re not cutting carbs this would be awesome on toast or a baked potato. The options are fairly limitless. The mashed white beans here are crucial though, they add a creaminess that is clutch and the starch from the beans sort of glues it all together. I like frozen broccoli because it’s so easy, plus the florets are usually nice and small.

What you need:

olive oil 4 large portobello caps, stem removed

1 cup chopped frozen broccoli florets (thawed to room temp)

1 can cannellini beans, drained

1-1.5 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, swiss, havarti, any good melting cheese)

salt and pepper

steak seasoning

Preheat oven to 350. Rub olive oil on both sides of your mushrooms and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle with your favorite steak seasoning blend (something with salt, pepper, herbs, garlic) and place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through. Remove them from the oven and set aside.

In a medium sized bowl add your white beans and gently mash with a fork (don’t pulverize them, but mash into chunks). Next stir in your broccoli and add a dash of salt and pepper. Stir in half of the cheese. Using a large spoon scoop out 1/4 of the mixture and place on top of one mushroom. Repeat with the last 3 mushrooms. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly on top of the mushroom melts. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and evenly melted. I like to serve these with a light side salad. Enjoy!

Tortellini with Stone Fruit and Burrata

We stopped by the fruit stand yesterday and picked up some fresh cherries and peaches. I just love this time of year when we can find delicious produce grown right around the corner. Inspired by a tortellini salad I had on vacation and looking for a really quick and light dinner, I decided to throw the cherries and peaches right into the mix. Last summer I made tomato and peach salad, tomato and peach bruschetta, and basically tomato and peach everything. Switching out the tomatoes for cherries gave this dish a nice tartness but if you wanted to use tomatoes instead, it would be really delicious! We haven’t quite reached peak tomato season yet where I live but its looming right around the corner. I recommend using whatever is fresh and available at the time you are cooking and it will likely pair nicely, most summer fruits and vegetables go together in one way or another.

Last night I used frozen corn because we haven’t reached corn season yet either. I was feeling impatient and sautéed my Vidalia onion in a pan with olive oil and added the frozen corn and cooked them together for about 10 minutes. If you don’t like a strong onion flavor this is a good option for you. However, I think it took away the acidity and punch this salad needed so next time I am going to slice the onions very thinly and leave them raw. I will also just pull the frozen corn out in advance and let it thaw or better yet use fresh corn cooked in advanced and sliced right off the cob.

Here’s what you need:

1 package tortellini cooked according to package directions and cooled

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed or pre-cooked)

1 peach, peeled and sliced thinly (a just ripe one so it is still firm enough to slice but smells fragrant)

1/2 a cup of fresh cherries, pitted and halved

1/2 Vidalia onion sliced very thinly

1/4 cup olive oil

1 fresh ball of burrata cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

fresh ground salt and pepper

balsamic glaze ( I buy pre-made because its easy, Roland is a good brand)

If you are able to make this recipe a couple of hours in advance the flavors will meld together more, I discovered that it tasted even better for leftovers so I would recommend making it ahead of time if you are able. That being said, peaches are delicate so I wouldn’t do it more than 24 hours in advance. Begin by mixing all of your fruit and vegetables with the olive oil and pasta. Add salt and pepper in small increments so that you are sure not to over salt it. Cut your burrata in half and squeeze out all the cream, separating it into chunks. Take the outer mozzarella layer and slice into thin pieces. Carefully stir the burrata and mozzarella into the dish. Lastly, stir in your basil and mint and tear large pieces in 1/2 or 1/4s. If you are making in advance cover and refrigerate. At serving time, drizzle with the balsamic glaze and a bit more fresh herbs.

Creamy Cotija Poblano and Mushroom Tacos

Y’all know how much my family loves tacos but sometimes I just want something different and we are in the middle of spring and mushrooms are everywhere. These tacos are sure to please any vegetarian or meat eater in your life, they are really satisfying and filling and we were stuffed after just two a piece. They come together in about 15-20 minutes.

What you need:

2 poblano peppers

2 cups mixed mushrooms (any you like, button, shiitake, portobello, trumpet, etc)

2 green onions

1-2 ears of fresh corn, sliced off the cob

1 tsp each smoked paprika, dried oregano, cumin

salt and pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup grated Cotija cheese

*tortillas, guacamole, hot sauce for serving

*lately I‘ve been making my guacamole with just 1 large avocado, squeeze of half a lemon, salt and pepper, 1 tsp cilantro, and 1 chopped small shallot. This paired perfectly with these tacos.

The poblanos take the longest amount of time to cook so drizzle a bit of oil in a saute pan and add your poblanos to cook for a few minutes on medium heat. When they have started to soften add your onion, corn, and mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add your spices, and a dash more salt and pepper. When all the vegetables have cooked through turn off the heat and stir in your sour cream and most of the cotija cheese. Mix thoroughly and serve with warm tortillas and the remaining cheese on top.