RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — There are many kinds of vegetarians out there, but my version falls closer to the “selectatarian” category. I’m a used-to-be-meat-free-butgot-sidetracked-by-the-bacon vegetarian. I do eat meat once in a while, but I like to limit it to special occasions.
Whether or not you’re a full-on vegetarian, there are plenty of reasons to eat less meat - even once or twice a week. It’s better for your health, not to mention the planet. Plus, you can save a lot of money! Just think of all the delicious, healthy meals you could make with a can of beans. With all those benefits, it’s no wonder the Meatless Monday movement (meatlessmonday.com) is growing in popularity across the country.
For the most part, I love to let my vegetarian food be what it is: vegetables. But sometimes a little irony is fun, too. Recently, I was invited to a dinner where Philly cheese steaks were the main course. I offered to bring these Portobello “Philly Cheese Steak” Sandwiches as a vegetarian version. The meaty mushroom and melty cheese combo was a big hit - even better than the real deal, in my opinion.
Try classic meat dishes like this one with a vegetariantwist and challenge yourself to go meat-free at least once a week. I dare you!
PORTOBELLO ‘PHILLY CHEESE STEAK’ SANDWICH Makes 4 sandwiches Prep time: 25 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Cheese steaks are a Philadelphia tradition: thin slices from a rich and very fatty slab of beef, fried up and topped with a heavy cheese sauce. We’ve cut down on the fat considerably - but not on the taste. All it needs is a cold beer or a glass of pinot noir on the side. Make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth in place of chicken stock.
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, sliced 4 large portobello mushrooms, stems and gills removed (see tip below), sliced 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/4 cup vegetable broth or reducedsodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce 3 ounces thinly sliced reduced-fat provolone cheese 4 whole-wheat buns, split and toasted Directions:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, oregano and pepper, andcook, stirring often, until the vegetables are wilted and soft, about 7 minutes.
Reduce heat to low; sprinkle the vegetables with flour and stir to coat. Stir in broth and soy sauce; bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, lay cheese slices on top of the vegetables, cover and let stand until melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
Divide the mixture into 4 portions with a spatula, leaving the melted cheese layer on top. Scoop a portion onto each toasted bun and serve immediately.
Tip: The dark gills found on the underside of a portobello are edible, but if you like, you can scrape them off with a spoon.
Recipe nutrition per serving: 258 calories; 9 grams fat (3 gramssaturated, 3 grams monounsaturated); 12 milligrams cholesterol; 35 grams carbohydrate; 0 grams added sugars; 12 grams protein; 6 grams fiber; 529 milligrams sodium; and 708 milligrams potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (94 percent daily value), vitamin A (30 percent DV), calcium (24 percent DV), potassium (20 percent DV) and folate (16 percent DV).
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable and 1 high-fat meat.
Penelope Wall is a web producer for EatingWell.com. EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life, online at www.eatingwell.com.
River Valley Ozark, Pages 59 on 05/31/2012