Yesterday I was watching the cooking show rachael ray on food tv channel 561 she eats low carb. She made chili burgers and used grilled portabala mushrooms as the bun it looked so good I am going to try it. First they where big mushrooms she brushed them in olive oil. Then she made up the burgers using whatever you like she put chili and tomato paste in hers as well as other spicess. I think I will try this next week when Christmas settles down. She grilled the mushrooms on and indoor smokeless grill I will be using the barbacue.

I've made those, they're wonderful! Kind of greasy and hard to eat because the mushrooms release moisture and get slippery, but really good. I've cooked the mushrooms in a pan and under the broiler, either way worked.

Rachel is definitely not into low carb. She just makes low carb dishes once in a while on her show. Ever notice she always wears black pants on the show? Lucky for her she doesn't bake or she'd look more like Paula "let's add a little Mayonnaise to it" Dean.

Some helpful hints IMO I use portabello mushrooms not only for a "bun" but also as a pizza "crust"

1. Scrape out the black gills with a spoon.

2. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes at 350-375. Pull out and blot any moisture that has accumulated. If your using as a pizza crust, load the shroom and broil until the insides are bubbly and hot. If using as a bun just bake a bit longer after blotting until they are the consistency you like.

Hope this helps. Enjoy.
Lisa

I had to laugh!

I watch the cooking shows, too. One time Paula Dean was adding butter to a pot for something or other, and she says, "I guess you could call this low-fat because I'm only using 1/2 a stick of butter!"

The portabella mushrooms are a good idea. I've made them lots of times, but never thought to use them as the bun!

Am I correct in assuming these burgers are 'open-face'? (no mushroom on top, right?) I think that might be a bit too much.

I think it could be really good, especially if you had like, mushroom on the bottom,then the burger, then some cheese or grilled onions (or both!).

Also, did she make the burgers separately, or cook the meat in the top of the mushroom in the oven?

BTW, the pizza shrooms sound good, too! Thanks for the idea!

You cook the meat separately and just substitute the mushroom caps for the bun. We used a top and bottom "bun" so it would handle like a burger but it was so juicy it was hard to handle. Just using one and making it open faced would probably be easier though.

The pizza idea is great! Think I'll do that one day this week. Thanks!

I really like Paula but 98% of her stuff is slow suicide. Have you seen her bread pudding made of Krispy Kremes? I feel bad cause it's like we're all sitting around knowing what's about to happen to her and she is so clueless.

Honestly I don't think she's clueless at all. Every once in a while she will make good natured jokes about the healthfulness of her cooking, or have a special show that does feature healthy foods. Paula is just one of those women who enjoy food and while she's pleasantly plump, she doesn't really have to worry about getting huge. As for cholesterol and such I'm sure it's crossed her mind and her doctors lips, but again she grew up with a certain way of eating and she's perfectly happy sticking to it.

I don't think she's clueless, either.

Actually, I love Paula, and now she's the only show I watch. I hate those skinny cooks (Everyday Italian and that one that uses 1/2 store bought stuff - I forgot her name.) They look like they never even eat the stuff they cook!

Paula enjoys her own cooking, and I enjoy watching her enjoy it! (she really has no shame about that!) She knows it's high fat, that's why she jokes about it! But she prepares what she likes. I think I could prepare a lot of her recipes with less fat, and still be happy with the flavor.

Every once in a while, she looks thinner, then heavier - whatever. She seems really happy, and if you didn't know this, she was once agoraphobic! (she didn't want to leave the house.) I can hardly imagine what it must have been like to have a personality like that and to be afraid to go out!

If she can overcome that, I think I can stick to a food plan. My challenge seems much less of an obstacle!

Well, happy cooking! Sorry I went off on a pro-Paula rant. I really do like her, and never meant to put her down, in case that's what it sounded like.

On this day I watched her she cooked the mushrooms and meat separate on the grill and added top and bottom. Good point you had I bet it is hard to handle but it would have to be easier than a lettuce wrap. Like the pizza idea. Yes the food she cooks the few times I saw her did not look low carb. But she did say that her and friends are eating low carb maybe she just meant that week. But I remember thinking well maybe she does not eat what she cooks on the show. Anyway I enjoy watching her.

I've used grilled Portabella's as the bread under bruchetta topping. That was great!

Nancy, that sounds like a great idea! I'm definitely going to try that one!

Thanks!

Me to the one thing I have missed was brushetta going to buy some big mushrooms today.

I have used portobellos as the English muffin for eggs benedict. First, you broil the mushroom until it is tender, then make your eggs benedict as usual. I use mushroom soup instead of hollandaise sauce.