Grilled Mushroom burgers!  You know what these are?  Big, and I mean big problem!  Yup, for all you meat eaters out there, portabello mushrooms are the meatiest veggies and a great, if not even better, substitute as a burger.

The sad thing is, it breaks my heart knowing that I am the only household member that would eat a portabello, or any mushroom for that matter.  Mushrooms remind me of the hubby and his love for me.  He just can’t stomach a mushroom.  He doesn’t like the look of them, doesn’t like that they are a “fungi” and he thinks they are slimy and bland.

When we were first dating, many moons ago, I was cooking up a batch of buttered mushroom caps. Back in the day, butter was a household staple and used in mass quantities.  It was really!  Anyway, I knew he wasn’t a fan of mushrooms so I set out to change his mind and his taste buds too.  I pleaded with him. “Please, please try these sautéed mushrooms honey, I promise that you will change your mind about hating, err, disliking them.  Being the wonderful man that he is, he relented and gingerly placed a small piece of mushroom into his mouth.  And can you guess what happened?  If you think he fell in love with them, you are DEAD wrong.  He clasped his hand over his mouth and spit it out! He so apologetically lets me downs by saying “I am sure they taste good sweetheart, but I just can’t stomach mushrooms”.   I knew right then and there to never make him try something he didn’t like, unless, of course, he was a willing participant.

This unfortunate incident also made me discover why the boys are such picky eaters.  Uh huh, if dad won’t eat or try something why should they.  I believe that’s their motto.  Cole didn’t start eating hamburgers until he was 14. (Lord only knows why)  But, I always jokingly said that child was a project.

But, as you can see, it certainly doesn’t stop me from cooking for one.

This recipe will result in an incredibly low PP value and enough volume to fill that tummy of yours.

Serves 1

9 PP per serving

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 Portobello mushroom cap, stems and gills removed
• 2 slices sourdough bread, cut in half
• 1/8 cup sliced jarred roasted red peppers
• 1/8 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/2 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• handful loosely packed mixed baby salad greens

DIRECTIONS

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Mash garlic and salt on a cutting board with the side of a knife until it’s a smooth paste. Mix the paste with 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small dish. Lightly brush the oil mixture over Portobello and then on one side of each slice of bread.

Combine red peppers, feta, olives, vinegar, oregano and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl.

Grill the mushroom cap until tender, about 4 minutes per side; grill the bread until crisp, about 1 minute per side.

Where’s the beef?

Toss salad greens with the red pepper mixture. Place the grilled mushrooms top-side down on 4 half-slices of the bread. Top with the salad mixture and the remaining bread.

Glorious, oh glorious burger!

Moral of the story:  Now that’s the kind of guy you want to marry. (oh, and I did!)