The French call them hors d’oeuvres. The Spanish call them tapas. In Italy, they’re antipasti, and in Japan, they’re izakaya. From dim sum in China to mezze in the Middle East, cultures around the world have some version of small dishes that are served with drinks or as a first course to a fine meal. Sometimes they even make up the whole meal.
Sounds delightful, doesn’t it? The only hitch is that those little bites can quickly add up to a surprising number of calories, and that becomes an issue if you’re trying to maintain your weight during the holidays.
This is where our vegetarian stuffed mushrooms (just 45 calories each) come to the rescue. Their rich, savory flavor easily stands in for the taste of meat, and the depth of that flavor reduces the need to add salt.
Mushrooms are the fruit of a fungus called mycelium and they have surprising health benefits. In some cultures, they’ve been used as medicine for thousands of years. They’ve been shown to help protect brain and gut health, and they contain polysaccharides that act as a prebiotic, providing food for beneficial bacteria in the gut.
Mushrooms are one of the few foods that can provide vitamin D. If they’re exposed to ultraviolet light during the growing process, vitamin D synthesis is triggered. When buying mushrooms, check the nutrition label to see whether the kind you’re buying has vitamin D. Mushrooms also contain selenium, a trace mineral necessary to enzymes and proteins that help make DNA and protect against cell damage.
Most appetizers don’t require using utensils, which gives them an advantage. A recent brain science study showed that eating foods with their fingers causes people to experience the food as tastier and more satisfying. Whatever you call these pre-meal treats — hors d’oeuvres, appetizers or small bites — we suspect your guests will be calling you later for the recipe.
Bethany Thayer is a registered dietitian nutritionist with Henry Ford Health. For more recipes and health information, visit henryford.com/blog. For questions about today’s recipe, email [email protected].
Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms
Serves: 8 servings / Prep time: 20 minutes / Total time: 1 hour / Serving size: 2 mushrooms
Vegetable oil cooking spray16 white button mushrooms1 Tablespoon canola oil½ cup celery, finely chopped (about 2 stalks)¼ cup yellow onion, finely chopped¼ cup carrot, finely chopped1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth1 cup plain, whole-grain cubed bread for stuffing¼ teaspoon garlic powder¼ teaspoon parsley¼ teaspoon thyme¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 9-by-13-inch baking pan with vegetable oil cooking spray. Wash mushrooms and remove stems. Set mushroom caps aside.
Over medium heat, add canola oil to a large sauté pan. Add chopped celery, onions, carrots, broth, cubed bread, garlic powder, parsley, thyme and black pepper to pan and cover. Allow to simmer for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cubed bread is rehydrated.
Allow the stuffing mixture to cool. Generously fill mushroom caps and place in a single layer on baking pan.Bake for 30 minutes.
From Henry Ford LiveWell.
90 calories (27% from fat), 2.5 grams fat (0 grams sat. fat), 13 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 135 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 36 mg calcium, 2 grams fiber. Food exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegtable, 1/2 fat.