With the holiday season upon us, we could all gain from making smarter eating choices, at least just for those few weeks, to limit the unavoidable damages… It seems particularly hard with the dropping temperatures when all we’re craving is heavy comfort food. Fret not, there are a few proven substitutes that will make you feel as nourished and warmed up, and lighter too!
Grilled portobello mushrooms are an obvious and easy choice as they can be served just like meat. Forget hiding them into a burger as we can all gain from loosing the bun from time to time! Here they are an elegant steak served over lemony spinach, toothsome and utterly satisfying.
A red wine marinade coats the steaks as they grill into a perfectly juicy cap.
Serve them over cooked spinach tossed with lemon and salt and top with a pomegranate glaze and pomegranate seeds for a startling contrast of sweet-acidity.
You can slice them like a hanger steak…
…or serve them whole for those with the desire to cut their entree with a knife!
These delicious mushroom steaks are a main course masterpiece with much fewer calories and fat than a piece of beef. An easy dinner that will have you feeling a little less guilty about your holiday choices…
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon pressed garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 portobello mushrooms
- 2 pounds spinach leaves
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- handful microgreens or sprouts, for garnish
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- Make the glaze first: In a small saucepan, combine all the glaze ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes to reduce into a thick sauce. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, red wine, red pepper flakes, garlic and salt (you can also use a small blender). Snap the stems from the portobello caps and discard or save for another recipe. Brush both sides of each mushroom cap thoroughly with the marinade. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and place the mushrooms inside, ribbed side facing up. Pour any remaining marinade over the mushrooms in the pan. Cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 to 7 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, wilt the spinach by either steaming lightly, or simply heating in a separate nonstick pan for a minute or two until just wilted. Toss with the juice of one lemon and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To assemble, place a bed of spinach on four plates. Set one mushroom on top of each spinach bed, then drizzle with the pomegranate glaze and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and microgreens or sprouts.
