Avocado and Feta Stuffed Portabellos

~Jackie~

Summer is in full swing here and bringing the heat. Steve and I were happy to move into our first home after getting married, but made the sacrifice of no air conditioning for a great location by the city. The idea seemed great at the time when we were buying in April and the days were still cool, but as June approached and brought us some 90 degree days we started questioning our decision. But we discovered that a two bedroom town home is easy to cool down with some window AC units and a few fans – whew – don’t have to sell the house! Anyways, on these hot hot days I still refuse to use the oven during the day or at night to try and keep the house cool so I have been sending Steve out to grill almost every night for dinner. This has been keeping the house cool and less dishes for me – win! You can only eat so much grilled chicken and peppers though so this week we were craving something different. I always forget about mushrooms and how much Steve and I both love them grilled, so I knew they would be a welcomed change for our dinner. These mushrooms are not only delicious and healthy, but took less than 15 minutes to make.

Anyone that knows me knows that I am obsessed with guacamole – to the point where I have made myself sick. This stems from my love of avocados which I eat almost daily. I was pretty upset the first time I found out that avocados are actually classified as a “healthy fat” and not a vegetable, but that has not stopped me from eating them and it should not stop you. Although there are about 20 grams of fat in each avocado, it is actually a heart healthy monounsaturated fat and they also contain more potassium than bananas. And they are not only healthy, but so versatile when cooking and even baking. They can be put into smoothies, topped on salads, mashed into dips, or even pureed into pudding or brownies. They pair perfectly with both savory and sweet foods. This particular dish is vegetarian, but the meaty mushrooms with huge chunks of avocado will leave you full and satisfied. 

My inspiration for this recipe came from my new favorite cook book, “Absolutely Avocados.” My thoughtful mother-in-law saw the book when she was out shopping and got it for me (she knows me well!) I was instantly inspired and after going to the grocery store that day I came home with 6 avocados. I only needed one for this recipe, but I knew the rest would get eaten up this week. This recipe has simple ingredients, but the flavors are very complex and compliment each other. To begin, clean the mushrooms with a paper towel or cloth to remove all dirt then brush with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill on medium heat for about 5 minutes per side. While mushrooms are grilling (or baking) pour balsamic vinegar in small pot and bring to a boil to thicken, watch carefully as this happens quickly. In small bowl combine the avocado, feta, roasted red pepper, green onion, dill, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Stir to mix all ingredients together but don’t mash up the avocado – this is not a guacamole (unfortunately). Take the mushrooms off the grill and drizzle with the balsamic syrup on the gill side and top high with the avocado and feta mixture in the middle. 

The meaty mushroom with tangy balsamic glaze and salty feta are just delicious combined together with the creamy avocado. Next time I think I might add some cayenne pepper to the avocado mixture for some heat or top with some hot sauce, but they are perfect as is. Make a few and serve as a main dish or serve as a side dish with some grilled chicken or pork loin. The presentation and flavors of this dish will wow your family and friends!