Almond Stuffed Mushrooms

These almond stuffed mushrooms make a delicious appetizer, or you could make a meal by putting the stuffed mushrooms on a bed of greens or grains. Mushrooms, as a relatively solitary representative in our diet from the fungi family, bring a very different nutrient profile from most other vegetables. They are thought of as an important component of healing in Chinese medicine.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 8 mushrooms

Ingredients

• 12  large mushrooms
• 1  small yellow onion
• 1  teaspoon olive oil
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
• 2  tablespoons red wine (or white)
• 3  tablespoons water
• 1  bunch fresh spinach leaves, chopped
• 1  pinch sea salt
• 1⁄4 cup  almonds, toasted and then ground
• 1  pinch sea salt
• 1  pinch black pepper
• 1  tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)

Directions

1. Pull the stems off the mushrooms, chop them, and set them aside. Brush any dirt off the mushroom tops. Toast the almonds lightly in an oven or toaster oven at 300 degrees F for 5 minutes.
2. In a large pan, sauté the chopped onion in olive oil until translucent, then the garlic along with chopped mushroom stems and thyme.
3. Once the stems are soft, deglaze the pan with wine (red or white will each give a very different flavor, but whichever you prefer), and then add water.
4. Put the mushrooms in pan, tops down, and spoon a bit of the juice over them. Let them simmer in the liquid for about 5 minutes.
5. While they are simmering, grind the toasted almonds in a coffee grinder, blender or food processor. You can also use pre-ground almonds, but the flavor will not be as rich. Mix the ground almonds in a small bowl with salt, pepper and nutritional yeast.
6. Take the mushrooms out of the pan, and add the spinach to the pan. Sprinkle with salt, allowing the spinach to just wilt.
7. Take the pan off the heat, and stir in the almond mixture.
8. Fill the mushroom caps with the filling, then put in a single layer on a baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at about 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. The mushrooms should start to turn golden, and the stuffing will start to brown.