Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

I have a healthy alternative to the grilled burger for your backyard barbecues this summer from Livestrong.com. Try grilled portobello mushrooms instead. They’re thick and meaty, but lighter on calories.

They’ll offer a great alternative for your party guests who are trying to watch what they eat this summer. Many guests will appreciate having a choice, especially one that looks as delicious as this.

Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 Portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed
• 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
• 1 cup sliced heirloom tomato
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup loosely packed mixed baby salad greens

Preparation:

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Mash garlic and salt on a cutting board with the side of a knife until it’s a smooth paste. Mix the paste with one tablespoon oil in a small dish.
3. Lightly brush the oil mixture over Portobellos and then on one side of each slice of burger bun.
4. Grill the mushroom caps until tender, about 4 minutes per side; grill the buns until crisp, about 1 minute per side.
5. Place the grilled mushrooms top-side down on 4 half-slices of the burger buns.
6. Top with the salad mixture, tomato and the remaining bun.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:

301 Calories, 9g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 7g Monounsaturated Fat, 3mg Cholesterol, 40g Carbohydrate, 10g Protein, 4g Fiber, 795mg Sodium, 691mg Potassium

I have a few more tips from Livestrong.com for creating a healthier barbecue featuring vegetables:

While it may seem odd, you can cook vegetables on your grill along with your meat, which makes barbecues healthier. Cut the vegetables into chunks that will cook evenly. Soak them in water for about half-hour and then lightly coat with oil.

Choose from the many different flavored oils available to have some fun with different flavors. Some people wrap vegetables in aluminum foil to keep juices close to the vegetables or put vegetables on a kabob.

Kabobs are fun to eat, easy to cook and the juices from the vegetables cook together to create an interesting flavor. Look up recipes so you know how long to barbecue specific vegetables.