Family Meals Matter: Meatless meals are healthy meals

Published online on Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

One simple way to serve healthy meals on a budget is to reduce the amount of meat you consume. Even planning one or two meatless meals per week can help families save money without sacrificing taste or nutrition. This week's Featured Family Meal menu and additional side dishes are built around vegetables, milk and dairy foods like cheese and grains instead of meat.

Roasted Portobello mushroom caps provide rich flavor that some compare to beef, so even the meat lovers in your family should enjoy Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Portobellos with crunchy Herbed Sourdough Thins and Mixed Berry Cobbler for dessert. Other meatless entrees and sides to try this week include Sweet Potato Casserole, Polenta Primavera, Stir Fried Swiss Chard and Lower Fat Parsnip and Potato Casserole. Register for free at MealsMatter.org to add these and other healthy recipes to your own personalized meal plan and shopping list.

"Family Meals Matter" features recipes selected by registered dietitians from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at our free online nutrition and meal-planning Web site, Meals Matter (www.mealsmatter.org), sponsored by Dairy Council of California.

FEATURED FAMILY MEAL LINKS

Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Portobellos

4 large portobello mushroom caps

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach

1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons finely chopped kalamata olives

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place mushroom caps, gill-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash ricotta, spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan, olives, Italian seasoning and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place marinara sauce in a small bowl, cover and microwave on high until hot, 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes.

When the mushrooms are tender, carefully pour out any liquid accumulated in the caps. Return the caps to the pan gill-side up. Spread 1 tablespoon marinara into each cap; cover the remaining sauce to keep warm. Mound a generous 1/3 cup ricotta filling into each cap and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve with the remaining marinara sauce.

Herbed Sourdough Thins

1 sourdough baguette (15-inches, about 1/2 pound)

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 tsp freeze-dried chives

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp dried savory

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Slice baguette thinly into about 48 slices. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheets.

In a small pan over medium heat, melt butter with oil. Add lemon juice and bring to boil, stirring; cook for 1 minute. Mix in garlic and remove from heat. Stir in chives, paprika and savory.

Brush bread lightly with butter mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake until crisp and lightly browned, 30-35 minutes. Serve hot, or let cool on wire racks and serve at room temperature. Makes about 4 dozen slices.

Mixed Berry Cobbler

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter

2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries

2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) raspberries

2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blackberries