You’ve heard of Banters, vegans and grazers. Well now get acquainted with the flexitarian – that’s someone who follows a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables with lean meats and fish. Your average healthy Jane or Joe, I’d say. Fresh mushrooms make the whole process of getting in more fruit and veg while limiting meat so much easier – all you have to do is combine chopped mushrooms with a smaller amount of meat for a full-flavoured but kilojoule reduced version of your favourite foods, like these Bacon Honey Bourbon Chicken Meatballs http://bit.ly/2fuLlOQ! Ways to be more of a flexitarian? Go meatless once a week and make sure your plate is always at least half fruit and veg – not forgetting the mushrooms, of course! #TheBlendTrend #blendability #meatandmushrooms #fruitandveg #healthyappetite

Bacon Honey Bourbon Chicken Meatballs

Makes 48 meatballs

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

6 strips of bacon

225g button mushrooms, washed and dried

450g ground chicken

1 hot Italian sausage link, casing removed

½tsp salt

¼tsp pepper

1tsp chilli powder

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 fresh basil leaves, chopped

½ cup breadcrumbs

HONEY BOURBON BARBECUE SAUCE

½ cup water

1 cup barbecue sauce

3tbsp bourbon

1tbsp honey

fresh chopped parsley, to garnish (optional)

 

Method

1 Meatballs: preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with aluminum and spray with non-stick cooking spray or grease a large skillet. Set aside. Pulse together the bacon and button mushrooms until blended. Place the mushroom and bacon mixture, ground chicken, and hot Italian sausage, salt, pepper, chilli powder, garlic, herbs and breadcrumbs into a medium mixing bowl and mix until combined.

2 Scoop the meat mixture using a medium cookie scoop and place onto the baking sheet or in the skillet. Repeat until all of the meat has been used. Bake for 20 minutes.

3 Honey Bourbon Barbecue Sauce: whisk together the water, barbecue sauce, bourbon, and honey in a large skillet. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, add the cooked meatballs to the sauce, coat each meatball, and simmer over low-to-medium heat for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

 

For years we’ve been hearing how we need to eat enough protein in our diets. But more and more, research suggests that eating more plant-based protein and less meat can increase longevity. Fresh mushrooms are a great source of plant protein, with 2,1g protein from 100g Portabellas and 3,1g protein from 100g White Button Mushrooms. And mushrooms make the job of eating less meat and more veg so much easier because they have a natural meaty texture and flavour, not to mention they are the kings of umami, making every savoury dish that much tastier! Embrace plant protein in a breakfast of Greek Baked Eggs http://bit.ly/2hMKNol. #TheBlendTrend #Mediterranean #meatandmushrooms #plantprotein #blendability

 

Greek Baked Eggs

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

115g Portabellini mushrooms

115g ground lamb

½ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

400g can tomatoes, drained

1tsp dried oregano

½tsp salt

4 eggs

¼ cup sliced Kalamata olives

¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese

2tbsp chopped fresh parsley

 

Method

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Have four 350ml ramekins or oven safe bowls ready. Alternatively, you can use an oven safe skillet.

2 Using a food processor or a knife, finely chop the mushrooms to match the consistency of the minced meat. Mix together chopped mushrooms and lamb in a large bowl.

3 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the lamb mixture and onion. Cook until lamb is no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, and salt.

4 Divide lamb mixture among the ramekins and create a well for the egg. Crack each egg and add to each well. Bake 10-15 minutes or until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not yet hard. Top each with olives, cheese, and parsley.

 

 

Let’s be honest here, diets are really, really hard! So coming across a life hack that can improve your health, help you lose weight and tastes amazing is nothing short of miraculous. What are we talking? The miraculous little mushroom!

It can potentially lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, balance blood sugar and lower cancer risk. The trick is to simply mix finely chopped fresh mushrooms into any of your favourite minced meat dishes (beef, chicken, lamb, turkey and even fish!) in a 50/50 ratio.

The only thing you lose is kilojoules, but you add in so much extra flavour! Try it in Mushroom Chicken Parmesan Hand Pies http://bit.ly/2uZvwF9. #TheBlendTrend #blendability #meatandmushrooms #loseweight #betterhealth

 

Mushroom Chicken Parmesan Hand Pies

Ingredients

CRUST

1½ cups flour

½tsp fine sea salt

½tsp garlic powder

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

6tbsp ice cold water

1 large egg

1tbsp water

FILLING

225g white Button mushrooms

225g ground chicken

1tsp fine sea salt

½tsp dried basil

½tsp garlic powder

½tsp onion powder

¼tsp ground black pepper

1 cup chopped, fresh spinach

½ cup napolitana pasta sauce, plus extra for serving

½ cup shredded Parmesan

¾ cup shredded mozzarella

 

Method

1 Crust: To make crust, place flour, salt and garlic powder in bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few short times to mix ingredients. Add butter and pulse until it is evenly distributed in pea-size pieces, about three to four, 15-second pulses. With the processor on low, add water 1tbsp at a time until dough comes together in a ball in the center of the bowl. Remove dough and place on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten into a disk, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2 Filling: To make the filling, add mushrooms to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Blend together mushrooms and ground chicken in a medium bowl. Cook in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Drain any excess liquid. Return pan to heat and stir in salt, basil, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Stir in spinach and cook for about 1 more minute, just until it wilts. Transfer filling to a bowl. Stir in pasta sauce and ¼ cup Parmesan. Let cool completely.

3 Preheat the oven to 200°C. When dough is ready, roll the disk out on a floured surface to approximately ½cm thickness. Cut in circles about 10cm in diameter. Stretch circle slightly and lay it on a baking sheet, 5 circles to a standard baking sheet. Working one pie at a time, spoon about 2tbsp of filling, allowing excess liquid to drain back into bowl. Place filling in the center of the circle. Top with a sprinkle of mozzarella. Stir together egg and water, and brush all edges of circle with it. Carefully fold crust over to create a half moon and press the edge together to seal. It will be a little messy and some edges may tear. Simply patch them up as best you can and wipe away any sauce that leaks onto the baking sheet. Repeat for remaining pies.

4 Brush pies with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes, until edges of crust are browned and cheese begins to bubble out at edges. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving with extra pasta sauce for dipping.

You read that right: Mushroom Meat http://bit.ly/2tNztOb. It’s a great substitute for minced meat in any dish you can think of, or can be used half/half with beef, lamb or pork mince to make your favourites, from bobotie to cottage pie. #blendability #meatandmushrooms #lasagne #vegetarian

 

 

Mushroom Meat

Makes about 4 cups

 

Ingredients

¼ cup black olives

5 cloves garlic

6 drops liquid smoke (optional)

¼ cup olive oil

450g Button, Portobello or Portabellini mushrooms

4 cups eggplant (peeled, diced)

1 cup onion (diced)

½tsp salt

¼tsp pepper
Method

1 Preheat oven to 175°C. In your food processor, make a paste out of the olives, garlic, liquid smoke, and olive oil. Set mixture aside in a bowl.
2 Add mushrooms, stems and all, to your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Dump processed mushrooms onto a large, rimmed sheet pan. Pulse the eggplant in the food processor in the same manner and dump it onto the sheet pan with the mushrooms. Repeat this process with the onion.
3 Drizzle the mound of mushrooms, eggplant and onion with the olive and garlic paste, and using your hands, toss it all together. Spread the mixture evenly over the sheet pan. Sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper. Pop it into the oven for a total of 30 minutes; turn the mixture over a few times with a spatula. The mixture will release a lot of juice, and then it will start to dry out. Once most of the liquid had evaporated or been absorbed, the mixture is ready. Allow it to cool in the pan.

 

You know those days when you just feel like eating something ‘junky’, but your inner policeman keeps throwing guilt missiles your way? Well bring on Martha Stewart’s Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole http://bit.ly/2vbTzxY– satisfying on so many levels! #fakeaway #nachos #plantprotein #casserole #couchpotato #meatymushrooms #MarthaStewart #treat

Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

2tsp extra-virgin olive oil

340g Portabellini or Button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

1 garlic clove, minced

¼tsp cayenne pepper

coarse salt and ground pepper

1x400g can black beans, rinsed and drained

8 corn tortillas, warmed and halved

2 cups good store-bought salsa

1¼ cups shredded Gouda
Method

1 Preheat oven to 200°C. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until browned, 7 minutes. Add garlic and cayenne; season with salt and pepper. Add black beans and stir to combine. Cook until beans are warmed through, 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

2 Arrange 5 tortilla halves in a 2 litre baking dish. Top with half the bean mixture and ½ cup salsa, then sprinkle with one-third the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortilla halves, bean mixture, salsa, and cheese. Top with remaining tortilla halves, salsa, and cheese.

3 Cover with foil and bake until centre is hot and cheese melts, 10 minutes. Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbling, 5 minutes.

Gone low-carb and now missing your favourite risotto? Here’s a winner: Mushroom Risotto with Cauliflower Rice http://bit.ly/2sOUjHD. #lowcarb #banting #plantprotein #fibre #selenium #goodhealth

 

Mushroom Risotto with Cauliflower Rice

 

 

Serves 6
Ingredients
2tbsp butter
2tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
120g onion, diced
1 large shallot (about 30g), finely chopped
225g fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups chicken stock, divided
4 cups fresh cauliflower, riced (use a food processor or box grater)
1 cup cream
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2tbsp Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped
sea salt and pepper, to taste

 

Method
1 In a large pan, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and shallot. Sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

2 Add mushrooms and 1 cup chicken stock.  Simmer until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.

3 Add cauliflower and remaining 1 cup chicken stock and, stirring frequently, cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, parsley, sea salt and pepper. Let simmer for another 10 minutes to thicken.

Soft, warm and in a bowl. That should be the official definition of comfort food.

Mushrooms, Fontina and Speck on Soft Polenta http://bit.ly/2sgRDHe definitely qualifies. Make it, you’ll see what I mean! #comfortfood #plantprotein #polenta #spoon #cheesy

 

Mushrooms, Fontina and Speck on Soft Polenta

Serves 6

 

Ingredients

2 cups instant polenta

2 cups finely grated Parmesan

200g unsalted butter, chopped, brought to room temperature

100ml olive oil

700g mixed fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

⅓ cup each of marjoram, basil and flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

juice of 1 lemon

1½ cups grated Fontina cheese (or use Provolone, Gouda or Gruyere)

12 thin slices speck or pancetta, grilled until crisp (streaky bacon would also work)

 

Method

1 Bring 1.75L (7 cups) water to the boil in a large pan. Add a pinch of salt, then reduce heat to low and whisk in polenta in a slow, steady stream. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and 150g butter. Season well, then cover to keep warm.

2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Once oil is almost smoking, add mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes until mushrooms are golden and any liquid they give off has evaporated. Add the garlic, herbs, lemon juice and remaining 50g butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir to coat evenly in the herb mixture and remove from heat.

3 Divide polenta among plates and scatter with a little grated Fontina. Spoon the hot mushrooms and their juices over the polenta, top with remaining Fontina and serve topped with crisped speck or pancetta. Serve immediately.

While I love meat, I really do think that vegetarians very often get the better meal. Just look at this Artichoke Mushroom Lasagna http://bit.ly/2sDulZ0 – doesn’t it just make your mouth water? And forget about it serving 12 – I’d freeze it in slices and eat for weeks! #lasagna #makeahead #vegetarian #filling #artichokes #realmeneatmushrooms

Artichoke Mushroom Lasagna

Serves 12

 

Ingredients

450g sliced Portabellini mushrooms

2tbsp butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

2x400g tins artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped

1 cup Chardonnay or other white wine

¼tsp salt

¼tsp pepper

SAUCE

¼ cup butter, cubed

¼ cup flour

3½ cups skim milk

2½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup Chardonnay or other white wine

ASSEMBLY

9 fresh lasagna sheets

4 cups grated Mozzarella cheese, divided

 

Method

1 Preheat oven to 175°C. In a large skillet, sauté mushrooms in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute. Add artichokes, wine, salt and pepper; cook over medium heat until liquid has evaporated.

2 For sauce, in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese and wine.

3 Spread 1 cup sauce into a greased 33x23cm baking dish. Layer with three lasagna sheets, 1⅔ cups sauce, 1 cup Mozzarella and 1⅓ cups artichoke mixture. Repeat layers twice.

4 Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

From pan to plate in under 30 minutes, this Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff http://bit.ly/2sWRy8A will have you dinner party ready in no time – and without the usual fuss and fluster. It’s also an amazing Banting meal for anyone taking that route! #classic #realmeneatmushrooms #Banting #creamy #meatandmushrooms #maincourse

 

 

 

Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

500g lean beef stir-fry strips

1tsp sweet paprika

1tbsp olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

250g button mushrooms, halved

1 cup (250ml) beef stock

1tbsp Worcestershire sauce

¾ cup (180g) sour cream

200g green beans, trimmed

2tbsp chopped chives

4 slices wholegrain toast, to serve (optional)

salt, to season

 

Method

1 Toss beef in a bowl with paprika and some salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, then brown beef in batches for 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2 Reduce heat to medium, then add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until soft and light golden. Increase heat to high, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add stock and Worcestershire and bring to the boil. Simmer gently over low heat for 5 minutes or until sauce is reduced slightly. Stir in sour cream, return beef and any juices to pan, then cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Meanwhile, steam the green beans for 3 minutes or until tender.

3 Divide the stroganoff and beans among bowls, sprinkle with chives and serve with wholegrain toast, if using.

Making dinner for the wife and kids tonight? Get them eating great-tasting mushrooms loaded with plant protein and immune-boosting selenium! Excellent for your heart and prostate health, too! This hearty Russian Potato Casserole with Minced Meat and Mushrooms http://bit.ly/2sgIn2i will keep the chill out, and you can have it on the table in next to no time! #dudefood #sixpackshortcut #plantbasedprotein #itsinthefood #foodfact #whatmenneed

 

Ingredients

800g potatoes, peeled and cut into disks

2 onions, diced
400g mushrooms, roughly chopped

a few sprigs thyme
500g minced beef
2tbsp tomato paste
250ml cream
salt, pepper, dried red chilli, paprika, to taste

100g grated melting cheese

handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method

1 Heat oven to 200°C. Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water for 5-6 minutes. Drain.
2 Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onion until transparent. Add the mushrooms and sauté them well, about 7-8 minutes. Season to taste and stir in a little thyme. Remove from pan and set aside.

3 In the same pan, fry the minced meat for 5 minutes, add the tomato paste, cream, salt, pepper, dried red chilli and paprika and mix well. Allow the cream to come to the simmer, then add mushrooms and cook together for a couple of minutes.
4 In a baking dish, layer half the meat and mushrooms, top with potatoes and then remaining meat and mushrooms. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for about 30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is golden and bubbling. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.