I'm not afraid to admit that I was once a picky eater. If a food wasn't familiar, then it certainly wasn't going on my plate. This was the trend for YEARS! As I started to learn more about nutrition, I understood that I would have to be more open to food. So there I was... forcing myself to eat vegetables and try new fruits (as a sophomore in college). My cravings began to shift and trying unfamiliar foods became a welcomed norm. In fact, some of my current faves are the same foods that I vowed to never touch.
What does any of this have to do with the yummy appetizer pictured above? ...Well, mushrooms were at the top of my foods to never touch list. "Mushrooms are fungi." That is the only thing I remember learning about them in middle school. No one ever mentioned the powerful antioxidant capacity in various mushrooms. No one told me they serve as a good source of potassium (that's right, not just bananas). Mushrooms are actually pretty great, and they provide several other key vitamins and minerals with disease-fighting abilities.
How could I say no to all this healthful goodness? I finally decided to try a mushroom... and I fell in LOVE! Why did no one ever tell me how perfect these little pale fungi could be? Now, I crave mushrooms at least once per week. This week's craving blossomed into our Mushroom & Smoked Gouda Crostini.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 French (wheat) baguette, sliced ¼” thick
- 1/2 cup smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
- 3 teaspoons chopped thyme
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Heat olive oil under medium-low heat, adding onion and garlic once warm. Continue to cook for 2 minutes.
- Add sliced mushrooms to pan and sauté, stirring intermittently for 5-6 minutes; season with salt and pepper as needed.
- When mushrooms are cooked, add thyme and stir mixture. Remove from heat, cover and let rest for 4-5 minutes.
- While mushroom mixture is resting, heat broiler. Lightly brush olive oil onto sliced baguette and cook under the broiler until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes (WATCH CLOSELY!). Remove toasted slices from broiler and gently sprinkle shredded Gouda.
- Top each crostini with some mushroom mixture and enjoy. Serve quickly!
Love,
