Blogs4 Flavor-Packed Lower Carb Meals and Snacks

Mushroom Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ large Spanish onions, minced (about 2 cups)
• 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• ½ cup store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound assorted mushrooms, such as white button, oyster, and shiitake
• 1 2/3 cups of dry, unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 large egg plus 1 large egg white, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons Porcini Powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 slices 7-grain light bread, toasted
• Optional garnishes: lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, sliced red onion

How to Make It:

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and add the onions, garlic, white wine, and vinegar. Cook until the wine evaporates, the pour in the broth and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the broth is reduced by about half, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, set aside, and let cool.
2. Put the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse to a fine dice, but not so much that they turn to a paste.
3. Working in batches, put the diced mushrooms in a nonstick pan and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, over medium heat until dry but not scorched, 3 to 4 minutes. Put the cooked, diced mushrooms in a large mixing bowl; add the onion and garlic mixture and the bread crumbs, egg and egg white,, thyme, Porcini Powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until well incorporated. Divide the mushroom mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each one into a patty. Set aside on a plate for 10-12 minutes.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide, deep, heavy-bottomed nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 patties to the pan and cook until browned and beginning to crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining 1-tablespoon of oil and patties. You can also cook all 4 patties in 2 pans simultaneously.
5. Serve the mushroom burgers on the bread slices and with lettuce, tomato, and red onion, if desired.

Nutritional Information:
(per serving with bread; without garnishes)
Calories: 380
Fat: 11 g
     Saturated Fat: 1 g
     Trans Fat: 0 g
Total Carbohydrates: 53 g
     Dietary Fiber: 5 g
     Total Sugars: 7 g
Protein: 15 g
Cholesterol: 54 mg
Sodium: 983 mg

Mushroom Burger Tips:

• Be sure to read the pages on porcini powder!
• If you aren’t a master chef, and don’t have a huge chunk of time to create this meal, you may want to start preparing the night before
• Aim for flatter patties, as opposed to thicker more burger-like patties. The thicker they are, the longer they take to cook.
• The patties are big enough to cut them in half and make 8 smaller ones instead of 4 huge ones. Depending on your appetite, you may wish to do this