Panini are Italian pressed sandwiches that come filled with just about anything your heart desires. This vegetarian version will satisfy even the biggest of appetites.  It’s filled with creamy caramelized onions and baby bella mushrooms that have been sautéed to perfection in an herb butter. It’s oozing with Swiss cheese and has a big crunchy exterior thanks to the Pan Bigio bread. It’s a stellar lunch or light dinner when accompanied with a hearty bowl of soup!

What you’ll need: (Makes 2 panini)

Caramelized Onions:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion – thinly sliced
salt/pepper
1 tablespoon sugar

Mushrooms:
2 tablespoons unsalted herb butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 ounces baby bella mushrooms – sliced

4 slices Pan Bigio – sliced thick on the bias
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 cherry tomatoes – halved, optional

What to do:
1. Place 2 tablespoons olive oil into a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add onions.  Season with salt/pepper.  Cook until onions are softened. Add sugar, continue cooking, stirring as necessary until onions have caramelized (approximately 30 minutes). Set aside.

2. Into a small sauté pan add: 2 tablespoons herb butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat over medium heat.  Add mushrooms. Season with salt/pepper. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Heat your Panini press to 350 degrees. Equally distribute mushrooms between two slices of bread. Equally top with mushrooms with caramelized onions. Place 2 slices of Swiss cheese on each piece of bread. (NOTE: if using tomatoes place them on at this time) Place corresponding slices of bread on top. Lightly brush tops of bread with room temperature herb butter.

4. Place sandwiches onto hot panini press. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes until bread is toasted and cheese has melted.

TIPS: If you do not have a panini grill, use a non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Place sandwich onto hot pan. Using a heavy pan (such as a cast iron pan), weigh sandwich down. Cook as directed above.

Mini Mushroom Quiche Caps

Many mushroom apps are easy to prepare, and they can be and budget-friendly, too.  Plus, they allow you to offer crowd-pleasing bites with different colors, flavors and textures. Serve ‘em on cocktail napkins for an easy clean up!

Stumped for ideas? Well, we’ve made a list and checked it twice. Serve one of these scrumptious ‘shroomy apps to bring holiday joy to all!

Stuffed Shrooms (Gluten-Free and Vegan) from Sassy Kitchen

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Gruyere Tartlets from Brown Eyed Baker

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Phyllo Bites from Kitchen Confidante

Caramelized Mushroom & Shallot Bruschetta from Shutterbean

Most doctors don’t make house calls, but lucky for us, Dr. Oz does! This week he invited one of our favorite dietitians, Liz Ward, onto the show to talk about the mighty mushroom. Watch the video to learn more about three different kinds of mushrooms – white buttons, creminis, and maitakes – and fun ways to cook with them to get more nutrients onto your plate!

Tasting is believing! Try one of the recipes mentioned on the show with your family today:

• Mushroom Tacos with Salsa Verde
• Mushroom Chips and Dip

Like what you see?

Check out the Facebook page for Liz’s new book, MyPlate for Moms, for more nutrition and cooking tips.

This is not a fancy kind of post. We can definitely dress it up around here (thanks to a phenomenal crew of contributors) but this is,essentially, the “favorite pair of sweatpants” sort of post. I’m talking about making breakfast for dinner. Any other fans out there?

As someone who has been on a personal quest for healthy menu planning in the last six months, I made a discovery this week that I think might make some of you pretty happy as well.  I was looking in my fridge, totally perplexed, one weeknight after work and a workout and had a Eureka! moment.

I, as an adult and mistress of my own menu, can absolutely have scrambled eggs for dinner but in my mind, plain scrambled eggs would be a sacrilege. Eggs are vehicles for other great food in my book. I think you know where this is going.

I had an 8 oz (pink!) till of sliced mushrooms and I wanted all of them. I sauteed that entire package with half of a jalapeno and a little red onion. Once we were good and browned, I added two fresh eggs scrambled with about a tablespoon of water and I turned the heat way down to medium-low, stirring constantly from the bottom.

What I ended up with was a creamy pile of light yellow fluff, filled with an entire container of mushrooms and some heat from that jalapeno. As with anything I intend to eat more than the recommended serving size of, I checked the packaging. The results were significantly more fun to consider than say, an entire pint of Cookies n’ Cream (ahem, not that I have any experience with that…).

I got 3 grams of fiber and a nice selection of nutrients, including well over 100% of my daily vitamin D, for all of 50 calories in mushrooms. This could vary depending on which mushrooms you pick up but raw mushrooms are always a low calorie option. Topped with a pillow of shredded sharp cheddar, it was one of the best dinners of the week and is officially on a regular rotation.

It would seem that a solid half of the US is experiencing a classically damp, cool fall day and that is nothing if not the ultimate in soup weather.  This particular editor has a  handy dandy “test kitchen” that’s been waiting for a night like this one to share a few fresh ideas. Both of these soups are lighter on calories but will leave you toasty and satisfied the whole night through.

Pictured up top is the Mushroom Barley Soup found via Post Punk Kitchen. Her photo is miles prettier than the one a snapped minutes before digging in but I stand heartily by the deliciousness of that recipe. Don’t skimp on the freshly shopped herbs on top- extra dill brightens the whole bowl!

The second soup in our arsenal could really be any soup- my point is that it’s all about the accessorizing.  The soup pictured just happens to be a beautiful Potato, Celery Root and Sunchoke Soup from Cannelle et Vanille. I love pureed soups because they taste so rich but I rarely find they need cream.

Instead I want to load in extra texture, which is where my mushrooms came into play.  Forget the bacon bits in potato soups, you guys. Just chop a mixed lot of mushrooms, saute them in a little extra virgin olive oil and season accordingly.  I added a little cinnamon when I paired them with Butternut Squash and Apple Soup and I added a little cumin for the Potato, Celery Root and Sunchoke Soup pictured above. In both cases, the mushrooms provided just the right amount of variety in the midst of a warm, creamy stew.

Do you share our love of a warm, hearty bowl for lunch and/or dinner? Any favorite mushroom varieties you’d care to share on a dark and stormy night?

Portabellas are wonderful meaty and flavorful mushrooms. They’re perfect for those nights when you want something vegetarian and filling. This recipe can be grilled or broiled making it perfect year round. It’s also incredibly versatile. You can stuff them with just about anything your heart desires. Cherry tomatoes would be a fantastic addition.

For another variation it would even be delicious made into a portabella mushroom burger simply by adding a great toasted bun and garnishing with balsamic vinegar!

Portabella Mushrooms filled with Goat Cheese
What you’ll need:

• 2 portabella mushrooms – stems removed
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• pepper
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• firm goat cheese – 2 slices or enough to cover mushroom caps
• 1/4 cup Parmigano Reggiano – grated
• flat leaf Italian parsley – roughly chopped

What to do:
1. Preheat broiler to HIGH. Place mushrooms onto a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle oil olive on both sides {using more if necessary}. Place portabellas gill side down. Broil for approximately 8-10 minutes.

2. CAREFULLY flip portabellas over onto baking sheet. Season with pepper. Add garlic and top with goat cheese slices and Parmigiano. Season with pepper. Return to oven for approximately 5 minutes OR until cheese is bubbly and golden.

3. Garnish with parsley.

Buon Appetito!

Paula
bell’alimento
www.bellalimento.com

Shiitake and Egg Breakfast Pizza courtesy of Chef Todd Humphries, Kitchen Door, Napa

We’re fresh from the studio, following our annual foodservice photo shoot of marvelous mushroom dishes from some of our favorite chefs.

To prepare for the shoot, we perused menus from top restaurants and college campuses across the country and selected the best mushroom entrees. After all that hard work tracking down awesome recipes, we got to have a little fun at the photo shoot.

Mushroom Bulgogi Tacos courtesy of Chef Robery Mayberry, University of Texas, Austin

A lot more goes on behind the scenes than you would think (a testament to our talented photogs, prop stylists and chefs)! From the slicing and dicing to the cooking and assembly, these plates had more prepping and primping than we do, all to ensure that our mushrooms looked porto-bellisimo! (you know, Italian-mushroom speak for “lovely.”)

It was like Goldilocks and the many mushrooms—we had to make sure that the size, shape, colors and props were just right. What can we say, all part of a day’s work here at the Channel. Though, staying focused is a challenge when the workplace is filled with one delicious aroma after another. While each dish was in front of the lens, our on-site chefs manned the kitchen cooking up the next shot. With this crowd of mushroom fans, it’s hard to believe any of these dishes made it from the stove to the set. Test out the recipes for yourselves!

This week’s recipe post comes to the Mushroom Channel from Paula of the positively bellissima blog bell’alimento. If your family is looking for tasty ways to cut down on meat during the week, this recipe would be an excellent choice for Meatless Monday (or Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday…you get the idea).

Vegetarian Mushroom Calzones are a quick and easy meal that you can pull together in about 30 minutes tops. It’s quick because we’ve taken a short cut and used refrigerated pizza dough. If you want to make your own pizza dough, you can find my pizza dough recipe HERE.

The filling is a classic mushroom mixture that starts by sautéing the mushrooms with butter, garlic, and parsley. A quick note: you’ll want to be sure your mushroom mixture is cool before adding it to the dough and topping with the cheese mixture. Then the assembly comes together in a snap: dough, cheeses, mushrooms, fold, seal and pop into the oven!

You can serve this with pizza sauce for dipping if desired. This recipe makes 2 very generous calzones, but can easily be doubled if necessary!

Vegetarian Mushroom Calzones
Ingredients: {Makes 2 large calzones}

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces mushrooms – sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf Italian Parsley – roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• cornmeal
• 13.08 ounces of refrigerated classic pizza crust
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese – divided
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese – divided
• salt/pepper
• extra virgin olive oil – enough to brush on calzones

Directions:
1. Place your pizza stone {or upside down rimmed baking sheet} into oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. WHILE the oven is preheating, into a sauté pan, add: butter and melt over medium heat. Add: mushrooms, garlic and parsley and sauté for approximately 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Sprinkle a small amount of cornmeal onto your clean work surface {so pizza does not stick} Unroll the pizza dough and cut it in half.

4. To assemble: Place 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese about 1″ from the bottom of the dough in a straight line. Top with 1/2 of the ricotta mixture. Top with 1/2 of the cooled mushroom mixture. Season with salt pepper. Using your finger, or pastry brush, LIGHTLY dab water onto the edges of the dough. CAREFULLY fold the dough over itself sealing the edges. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges. Continue with other piece of dough.

5. Transfer your calzones to the oven {A pizza peel is recommended but if you don’t have a pizza peel, a large grill spatula will work in a pinch} and onto pizza stone {or upside down baking sheet}. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until golden.

6. Carefully remove calzones from oven. Lightly brush the tops with olive oil. Allow calzones to cool slightly prior to serving.

You can win a free copy of some of the hottest nutrition books on the market! Re-tweet our hash-tagged #NNM mushroom fact each day, and you’ll be entered to win the daily drawing for one of the following books:

• 101 Optimal Life Foods
• Big Green Cookbook
• Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches
• The Flexitarian Diet
• The O2 Diet

Stay tuned to the Mushroom Channel on Twitter, and in the meantime check out the following roundup of some of our fave nutrition stories from this year – some easy reads that tout the benefits of nature’s hidden treasure:

March Is National Nutrition Month!: Self.com announces the American Dietetic Association’s theme for NNM this year: Eat Right with Color. Fill your plates with all the colors of the rainbow! It’s not always bright colored veggies that pack a nutritious punch – those that are light in color (or WHITE) do too, like mushrooms!

Knowing how many calories you need is what counts: To stop weight gain, remember one thing: energy in must equal energy out. In other words, the calories you consume must be equivalent to those you burn and if you want to lose weight, the scale must be tipped toward energy out. USA Today suggests cutting calories by using one of our favorite tricks – substituting mushrooms for meat.

ARE YOU “D”-PRESSED?: Dr. Keith Ayoob blogged about mushrooms as a unique source of vitamin D. That’s right, all mushrooms contain D – they’re the only source in the produce section – and like our skin, they can produce vitamin D when exposed to light.

Finally! Burgers and fries that are good for you: Martha Stewart highlights the benefits of mushrooms in this “TODAY Show” power food cooking segment. Give Stewart’s portabella burger recipe a shot for a guilt-free twist on one of America’s favorite foods.

To find these delectable mushroom recipes, we first tapped our network of champion mushroom chefs.  We received an overwhelming amount of recipe submissions from chefs in high-end, trend-setting restaurants, university dining halls and even fast food chains- the variety and breadth of mushroom love knows no bounds.

It was a tricky task to narrow down all 50+ recipes to only eight for the final shoot. We chose recipes that embodied new culinary trends, demonstrated creative mushroom applications and of course…tasted absolutely delicious!

Shooting eight mushroom dishes took more than you might think. A chef helped recreate each of the recipes while a special food stylist – armed with a pair of tweezers – painstakingly made each dish look picture-perfect (no pun intended).

But, the picture wouldn’t be complete without the help of a prop stylist. What’s a prop stylist you may ask? Check out the image below; lots of time and energy goes into each photo’s environment, so to speak, to create the perfect ambiance that accentuates the dish being photographed. This Thai Stroganoff was especially tricky. We went for the warm feeling of the brown setting.

Below are just some of the mouth-watering pictures we got to take home, but stay tuned; we’ll be featuring these new photos and their accompanying recipes regularly as we interview the chefs who created them.

Queso Fundido con Champinones Adobados – Chef Richard Sandoval, Zengo, Washington, DC

Sugarcane Portabella with Arugula Salad – Chef José Luis Ugalde, Gibraltar, El Granada, CA