Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Meatballs

Blending minced mushrooms into your ground pork is a great way to reduce calories, add nutrients and save money. 

Image and recipe courtesy of Ontario Pork.

Prep Time: 15 mins. | Cook Time: 20 mins. | Makes: 24 meatballs.

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) lean ground Ontario pork
1 egg
2 Tbsp (30 mL) milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) mushrooms, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) EACH salt and pepper
1 Tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup (60 mL) goat’s cheese or cream
cheese
1 Tbsp (15 mL) honey
2 Tbsp (30 mL) EACH fresh basil, sun dried
tomatoes, black olives; minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) nonstick oil spray

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together ground pork, egg, milk, mushrooms, onion, salt/pepper and balsamic vinegar till well combined.
2. In a separate small bowl, mix together cheese, honey, basil, sun dried tomatoes and black olives till well combined.
3. Take 1 tsp of the cheese mixture and form it into a ball. Take 2 Tbsp of the pork mixture and make a bowl shape. Place the ball of cheese in the centre and wrap the pork around the cheese mixture forming it into a ball.
4. Spray a large skillet with nonstick oil spray and brown the meatballs over high heat. Once browned on all sides, turn to medium heat and cook covered for 5 minutes or until no pink remains and aninternal temperature of 160°F (71°C) has been reached.
5. Serve as part of a charcuterie plate or an appetizer on its own.

Nutritional Information

Per 1 Portion (1/4 Recipe):
Calories 263, Fat 8.7 g, Saturated 2.5 g, Cholesterol 69 mg, Sodium 193 mg, Carbohydrate 18.5 g, Fibre 4.5 g, Protein 27.1 g
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Loco Moco

It’s probably best known as Hawaii’s answer to the classic greasy spoon hangover breakfast, and it’s absolutely delicious. Adding finely chopped mushrooms to the beef patties really takes this dish to another level – they add a serving of vegetables to the plate, layer in delicious earthy flavour, save you a few pennies, add a healthy dose of anti-oxidants and other nutrients, and best of all, cut down on fat and calories.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Isabelle from Crumb: A Food Blog.

Prep Time: 20 mins. | Cook Time: 35 mins.

Ingredients

Beef-Mushroom Patties:
¼ lb cremini mushrooms
¾ lb lean ground beef
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp canola oil
Sweet Onion Pan Gravy:
½ cup thinly sliced sweet onion (like Maui or Vidalia)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
Assembly and Garnishes:
4 eggs
2 cups cooked Calrose rice (or any other medium-grain rice)
Thinly sliced green onion, for garnish
Sriracha sauce, for garnish
Soy sauce, for garnish

Method

Make the Patties:
1. Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the mushrooms until very finely chopped.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped mushrooms with ground beef, egg, panko, onion, soy sauce, Worcestershire, and pepper. Using your hands, gently mix together until well incorporated. Divide into quarters, and shape into four round patties.
3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil. Add the patties, and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until cooked all the way through on the inside and crisply browned on the outside. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate, and tent loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Set aside.
Make the Gravy:
4. Add the butter to the hot skillet. Once the butter starts to foam, add the sliced onions and saute for 7-10 minutes or until soft and golden. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Whisk in the beef broth, and bring to a simmer, scraping up the crispy browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Once the broth comes to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gravy is thick and smooth.
Assemble and Serve:
6. While the gravy is simmering, pan-fry the eggs as you like them – I’m a fan of sunny side up, but over easy is just dandy, too.
7. To serve, scoop ½ cup cooked rice into a wide, shallow bowl. Top with a patty, and ladle a generous amount of gravy and onions overtop before finally topping off with an egg. Garnish with green onions, and dashes of sriracha and/or soy sauce.
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Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Finely chopped mushrooms look very similar to ground beef, so it blends in seamlessly and little watchful eyes are none the wiser. Not only is it a fantastic way to boost vitamin and mineral intake, such as Vitamin D, iron, and zinc, it helps add volume to dishes, extending the serving portions.

Recipe and photo courtesy of The Brunette Baker.

Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 25 mins. | Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 punnet white mushrooms, chopped
¾ cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups red, orange, yellow, OR green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
2 cups long grain white rice or brown rice, cooked
1 jar of your favourite spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 3-quart baking dish by lightly spraying with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In a large saucepan, brown ground beef, mushrooms, and onion. Halfway into the cooking process, add in peppers and garlic. Once peppers are tender, drain excess fat. Return meat to the stove and add in worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
  3. Stir in cooked rice and spaghetti sauce. Spoon mixture into prepared dish, top with cheddar cheese.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or heated through.
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Creamy Stroganoff Meatball Skillet

Isabelle’s version of the comfort food classic was already pretty thrifty, since it replaces the more expensive cuts of beef in the traditional stroganoff with relatively cheaper ground beef, but adding finely chopped mushrooms to the meatballs helps to stretch that pound of beef even further. Not to mention that the mushrooms do a great job of keeping the meatballs juicy and tender, while boosting the earthy mushroom flavour in the dish (which, let’s face it, is really the best part of a stroganoff).

Recipe and photo courtesy of Isabelle from Crumb: A Food Blog.

Prep Time: 15 mins. | Cook Time: 35 mins.

Ingredients

Meatballs:
½ lb sliced cremini mushrooms
1 lb lean ground beef
¼ cup finely diced onion
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Stroganoff Sauce and Noodles:
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
3 cups uncooked broad egg noodles
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup parsley (plus more for garnish, if desired)

Method

Make the Meatballs:
1. Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the mushrooms until very finely chopped.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped mushrooms with ground beef, onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs.
Make the Sauce and Noodles:
3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium-high, cook the bacon in olive oil until browned and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
4. Add the meatballs to the hot pan, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until well browned all over. (They are quite fragile at this stage, so be gentle when turning them over!) Transfer the meatballs the same plate as the bacon, and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan.
5. Add the onion to the pan and saute for 6 to 8 minutes, or until soft and lightly golden. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms start to soften. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
6. Whisk in the broth, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Stir in the noodles, along with the bacon and meatballs, and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and let simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the noodles are soft and the meatballs are cooked all the way through.
7. Remove from heat, and stir in the sour cream and parsley. Serve immediately.
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Blue Cheese Mushroom Blended Burger

Meaty crimini mushrooms are finely chopped in a food processor, quickly sauteed to release all the flavours, and then combined with lean ground beef to make a BIG burger that doesn’t skimp on flavour! The addition of blue cheese takes this umami burger to the top!

Recipe and photo by Brittany of My Daily Randomness.

Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 20 mins.

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh crimini mushrooms, finely chopped and cooked
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/2 tsp dehydrated minced garlic
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dehydrated minced onion
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp hot red pepper flakes
Crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Method

1. In a food processor, finely chop mushrooms.
2. In a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat, cook chopped mushrooms until most of the moisture has been evaporated, approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl combine cooled mushrooms, beef, breadcrumbs, egg, and spices. Using your hands mix until incorporated.
4. Form into patties, and cook either on the barbecue or on the stove-top until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Place burger patty on buns and top crumbled blue cheese, and any other toppings you desire. Serve hot!
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