Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

jhornbecker — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:27:13 +0000

Last night we grilled steak, mushrooms and asparagus for Father’s Day dinner. It was amazing to me how quickly dinner was to prepare and how delicious it ended up being. We used minimal ingredients and a simple cooking method — the grill. This is what the end result looked like:

The mushrooms were my favorite part of the meal. Portobello mushrooms are available year round. They have a rounded, earthen tan flat cap with near black gills on their underside. Their stem is thick, white and edible. Their flavor is rich and their texture is meaty, which they retain even after cooking.

Of all the earth’s natural substances, mushrooms are among the most medicinal. Consuming mushrooms regularly has been associated with decreased risk of breast, stomach and colorectal cancers. Two compounds in mushrooms are terpenoids and polyaccharides. Terpenoids are potent antiviral, antibiotic and anti-inflammatory agents. Polyaccharides are chainlike sugars that enhance the immune system and may help the body fight cancerous tumors. All mushrooms are low in fat and are a good source of B vitamins — including folate, which protects against birth defects and may prevent heart disease — as well as fiber and protein. Mushrooms have been used in China and Japan for centuries to boost immunity and fight cancer and other diseases. ~ Information provided by Power Foods.

Grilled portobello mushrooms are low in sodium, and very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. They also a good source of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, zinc and manganese, and a very good source of dietary fiber, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, potassium, copper and selenium.

I served the leftovers this morning topped with fried eggs, sprinkled with sautéed ham and onions.