Cheesy Stuffed Portabella Parmigiano

Looking for a gluten-, sugar- and meat-free dish that’ll keep you full till morning? Keep reading. This meal came together for me in about a half an hour and made my taste buds spaz out. My husband found that he didn’t need to hit the ice cream as hard as he usually does post-vegetarian dinner, and we had those hearty beans to thank.

I’ve made the filling for these mushrooms several times over the past few weeks; I spoon it into Tupperware and happily nosh away at lunchtime. It tastes like lasagna but with only beautifully healthy ingredients (and about an eighth of the calories). The visual appeal is sorely lacking, so before I could share this recipe with you, I needed a vehicle to serve the concoction.

Enter, my good friend the portabella mushroom. Portabellas are not only wonderfully nutritious, they also provide an excellent canvas for creativity. You could pretty much stuff anything in there, cover it with cheese and call it dinner. As zucchini begins its prolific takeover at your local farmers’ market and you find yourself baking yet another oil-drenched zucchini bread, think portabella instead!

Cheesy Stuffed Portabella Parmigiano
Serves four

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large zucchini, diced
1 (15 oz) can cannelini beans (also called Great Northern beans), drained and rinsed
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 c. tomato sauce
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
½ tsp. dried oregano
4 large portabella caps (stem removed, gills scraped clean)
¼ c. grated parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil.
3. Add zucchini and sauté until softened and starting to brown, about 8 minutes.
4. Add beans, salt, garlic, tomato sauce, vinegar, and oregano and stir to combine. Let cook about five minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Line baking sheet with foil and spray foil with nonstick spray. Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet.

6. Divide mixture between mushroom caps and top with parmesan cheese.

7. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cheese is melted and mushrooms are softened.

Per serving (one mushroom cap): 172 calories, 6.1 fat grams (including 1.6 saturated fat), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 507 milligrams sodium, 22 grams carbs, 6 grams fiber, 3 gram sugar, 10 grams protein.