The MyPlate Team offers the final “Makeover Monday” recipe this week on the USDA blog and the MyPlate Facebook page.
I love mushrooms and could probably eat them every day. They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, textures, and flavors and can be worked into every meal. On their own, mushrooms are pretty healthful – very low in calories, free of cholesterol and (almost) free of fat. They are also naturally low in sodium, high in potassium, and are generally high in vitamins and minerals.
Stuffing mushrooms just makes something wonderful ever better! But what you stuff in these tasty little vegetables can make or break the dish. Typically, mushrooms are stuffed with foods containing saturated fats and sodium. So, if you’re trying to watch one or both of these in the New Year, consider various herbs and spices!
Herbs and spices do a nice job of seasoning many of my favorite foods. When I decided long ago to reduce my intake of saturated fats, I knew that my taste buds would miss the flavors of these fats and the foods that contain them, but I didn’t want to settle for a bland diet. So, I invested in several healthy cookbooks and read (and reread) the chapters on herbs and spices. The results have been quite impressive.
They say that “variety is the spice of life,” but I like to think that “spices add variety to life.” Along with the spices came exciting and unlimited flavor combinations. Now, I choose whatever suits my mood. (Is there anything more inviting than a kitchen that smells of sautéed fresh rosemary?)
Start adding more flavor to your plate in 2014 and you’ll see what I mean. Enjoy the Herb-Stuffed Mushrooms!
Be sure to check out the rest of our MyPlate Holiday Makeover Series and visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov for more ideas, nutrition advice, and recipes.
