Turkey Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Serves 8 people
Ingredients
-8 (3 to 4-inch diameter) portabella mushroom caps
-1 pound Hot Italian Turkey Sausage
-1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
-1/2 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
-8-ounces cream cheese, softened
-1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
1. Remove stems from mushrooms and coarsely chop the stems.
2. Squeeze sausage from casings into a large skillet. Sauté sausage over medium heat, breaking up sausage into small pieces. Add chopped stems and fennel seed to pan and sauté until sausage is cooked through.
3. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon into a medium size bowl. Stir bread crumbs into sausage. Add softened cream cheese, cayenne, salt and pepper; mix well.
4. Place mushroom caps on baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Brush mushrooms, top and bottom with small amount of olive oil.
5. Fill each cavity with ¼ cup sausage mixture. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese.
6. Bake stuffed mushrooms in a preheated 325 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until mushrooms and stuffing are hot throughout.
Healthy Tip!
Choose good carbs, not no carbs. Along with the trend in no-carb diets, has come a certain stigma about carbohydrates in general. Many people hear the word and are certain they’ve gained weight just then. In truth, carbs are not the root of all body fat and excess weight. They provide the body with energy and keep us going. Sure you know someone who dropped a bunch of weight by cutting out carbs, but because this diet is so difficult to stick to, and because these carbs are being substituted for unhealthy fats, few people are able to keep the weight off without incorporating exercise, as well as a healthy diet. Lowering your carbs is a better, and healthier idea. Try to include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet every day. For best results, get your grains intact from foods such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, and other possibly unfamiliar grains like quinoa, whole oats, and bulgur. Not only will these foods help protect you against a range of chronic diseases, they can also please your palate and your eyes.