Grilled Portobello Burgers with Tomato & White Bean Pasta Salad

Yum!  I realized I hadn’t shared any recipes in quite some time, and we had this last night and very much enjoyed it.  It’s good for you too!

Grilled Portobello Burgers

Ingredients:

• 4 Portobello Mushroom caps – snap off the stems and wipe down well with a paper towel
• 4 whole wheat hamburger buns
• 1/4 cup Fat Free Italian Dressing
• 1 small jar of roasted red peppers, drained and cut into strips
• 4 slices provolone (I used 25% less fat Alpine Lace and it tasted great)
• Cooking Spray

Directions: (These are supposed to be cooked on your charcoal grill… I did it on my grill pan over my stove and they turned out fine so that’s what my directions refer to here… but I bet that charcoal taste would be awesome too).

1. Coat grill with cooking spray and heat to about medium high.
2. Brush both sides of each mushroom cap with the Italian dressing, and place on grill.  Cover loosely with foil (or close the lid) and cook about 3-4 minutes.
3. While those are going… brush the insides of your whole wheat buns with the rest of the dressing, place dressing side down on the grill to toast.
4. Flip your “burgers”, and grill on the other side for 3-4 minutes.  You’ll be able to tell when they are done as they shrink a bit and smell REALLY good.
5. Top each mushroom cap with a slice of the cheese, and grill for about one more minute until the cheese melts. 
6. Assemble your masterpiece, bun, cheesy cap, sliced red pepper strips, and bun.  This is SO good. 

Tomato and White Bean Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz. can white beans – I used Bush’s - Maybe Navy beans?  Sorry I threw away the can.. really I bet any would do.  Drain and rinse these babies.
• 1 big tomato – chopped into good size chunks. 
• 2 cups cooked Rotini or Ziti or whatever you have on hand.  I like the fortified with fiber and calcium kind… tastes just the same and is better for you. 
• 2 cups finely shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/2 Cup Reduced Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette – I love Paul Newman’s… it’s the best.

Directions:

1. Mix the beans, tomato, dressing, and cooked pasta (slightly cooled off) in a bowl.  Be gentle with the beans so they don’t get smushed. 
2. If you’ll eat this right away, go ahead and stir in the shredded lettuce.  BUT – just the bean mixture will keep in the fridge at least overnight (so my tasters tell me).  Don’t mix the lettuce in until just before you’re going to eat.  Add a little more dressing if needed. 

This salad is fantastic with some tuna the next day for lunch!!

Hope you enjoy, and hope to share more healthy recipes soon.  Thanks for stopping by today, and have a great week!