I heart veggies, and you can too : Stuffed Green Chile Portabella Burger

We all know that we need to consume more vegetables and fruit, but can only think of so many ways to sneak them into our diet. About a year ago, I tried to incorporate more vegetables into my meals and had some successful and not-so successful attempts at veggin’ out (note to self: Bok Choy is not a good pizza topping).

I began very small. Adding squash to my spaghetti, avocado to my omelette, and even tossing in a handful of spinach into my morning protein shake. I am now no longer afraid to add my favorite leafy greens to just about any recipe! I have compiled a few delicious,veggie-centric recipes for you to experiment with. Over the next month, I will be sharing each of these recipes, one-by-one for a veg-tastic culinary series.

• Bacon and Maple Glazed Brussels Sprouts
• Chicken, butternut squash and black bean enchilada skillet
• Shrimp scampi and “Zoodles”
• Summer Veggie Tacos
• Stuffed Portabella Burger

Stuffed Portabella Burger
(vegetarian)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup green chile, diced and roasted
• 4 large portabella mushrooms, stems removed and caps cleaned
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil, for brushing
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• Burger buns or Butter lettuce wrap

optional toppings: feta cheese, bleu cheese, spinach, pine nuts, tomato, salsa, avocado

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, and green chile and cook just until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the  balsamic vinegar, cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Brush the tops of the portabella mushrooms with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. In as skillet, cook the mushrooms stem side down, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and continue cooking another 5 minutes. Remove to a work surface.
3. Fold the cheese into the caramelized onions and green chile just before building the burger. Carefully spoon the caramelized onions and melted cheese into the mushroom caps.
4. Build the burger by placing each stuffed mushroom on the bun bottoms. Top with the tomatoes and arugula.