Funghi Ripieni di Sardina
(Smoked sardine stuffed mushrooms)
Keto, paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
2 cans of Polar Brisling sardines
2 6 oz. box of white or cremini mushrooms (~24)
1 medium sized onion
1 tbs of minced garlic / 4 cloves garlic
1/8 cup white wine (optional)
¼ cup of almond flour
½ tsp of salt
6 sprigs of fresh thyme / 1 tsp of fresh thyme
3 sprigs of fresh oregano / 2 tsp of fresh oregano
1 egg
Directions :
Wipe the mushrooms off with a damp paper towel. Remove the stems and save them.
Put the mushroom stems, onion, garlic, wine, almond flour, salt, egg, 4 sardines, leaves from thyme and oregano into the food processor. Pulse until it is finely chopped and mixed.
Fill the mushroom caps with the mixture, adding a piece of sardine into each mushroom cap in the center.
Put the mushroom caps on an baking sheet lined and covered with tin foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.
Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes to give it some color. When the mushrooms are done, they will start to leak water and be hot all the way through.
Serve by themselves or with something tangy - salsa, juice of lemon, or green goddess dressing.
Cooking Tip:
If you’re not dairy-free, top with 1/4-1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese before baking for a toasted crust.
For the reduced fat version (non-keto/paleo), replace almond flour with GF flour / buckwheat flour.
Stay healthy with Annie:
Having fatty fish like sardines as a snack is a trick my Eastern medicine doctor taught me on how to combat that afternoon sugar craving. I can’t say I understand why this works, but it worked for me, and got me through the toughest parts of the journey in reducing my sugar intake.
Nutritious and Delicious:
Sardine is a rich source of Vitamin B12, D, and Omega 3 - similar to salmon, but often times contaminated with less pollutants given its a smaller fish.
B12 is particularly important, especially if your diet is mostly plant-based, as there are very few natural plant sources of B12 available. (The only one I know being chlorella). This vitamin is critical our brain and nervous system function (good-bye brain fog!), and there are scientific theories out there that the human brain evolved the way it did through our rich diet of marine life and in particular - B12.
Don’t go without it, and if you’re vegan, make sure you are taking supplements for it to ward off fatigue and keep your brain sharp.