Veggie Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

My friend Erin has been raving about this recipe from Skinny Taste for weeks now.   I finally got my act together and made it (and in my toaster oven no less) this week.  If you are not familiar with Skinny Taste she has some really awesome healthy recipes and a killer cookbook.  I have cooked several of her recipes before and they are always delicious.  These were fairly simple to make and can easily be made ahead of time.  I made the filling and stuffed all the mushrooms during the day then at dinnertime all I had to do was pop them in the oven or toaster oven which I am still rocking.  Good news our gas line was run yesterday and after the city approves it we can install our new oven later this week.  The toaster oven has served me well but I am so ready to have an oven again!   

Back to the stuffed mushrooms, they are full of so much flavor and they really do taste like lasagna! 

The kids thought they tasted like pizza which is always a good thing.  Frances loved them, Sterling was so sure about the mushroom part.  I would imagine if you wanted to add meat ground beef would be delicious since they are a take on lasagna.  I served ours with Ina Garten's Parmesan broccoli and it was a really filling meat free meal.

Enjoy!

|| V E G G I E   L A S A G N A  S T U F F E D  P O R T O B E L L O  M U S H R O O M S ||

adapted via Skinny Taste

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 loose cups baby spinach, chopped
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/3 cup chopped onion ( I used 1/2 large white onion)
• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper ( I used a whole red bell pepper)
• kosher salt
• 3/4 cup part skim ricotta
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 large egg
• 4 large basil leaves, chopped
• 4 large portobella mushroom caps
• 1 cup marinara sauce ( I used Raos our favorite)
• 1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I added this in because I like a touch of heat)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a baking sheet with oil. Gently remove the stems, scoop out the gills and spray the tops of the mushrooms with oil, season with 1/8 tsp salt and fresh pepper.

Heat a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, add oil, onion, garlic and red pepper and season with 1/8 tsp salt. Cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the baby spinach and red pepper flakes and saute until wilted, about 1 minute.

In a medium bowl add the ricotta, parmesan cheese and egg, mix well. Add the cooked vegetables and basil and mix. Stuff the mushrooms with ricotta mixture and top each with 2 tbsp marinara, 2 tbsp mozzarella.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with basil and enjoy!