What is Blenditarian and what does it have to do with mushrooms?
Everyone has that one food that they really don’t care for, including me! A few years ago, it was mushrooms. I couldn’t stand them until I started trying them in different ways, like stuffed, roasted, on pizza, etc. I eventually started to be ok with them, dare I say, like them? So now I’m a mushroom fan and love putting them into a blended burger!
Fast forward to a few weeks ago when a new idea of being a “blenditarian” showed up in my inbox. If you haven’t heard of this new movement, it is the idea of supplementing a meat recipe with ground-up mushrooms to make a blended burger or taco meat, etc. It gives you moisture, a similar meaty texture, and that oh-so-popular umami flavoring. I had to give it a try, so I started with the basics: burgers, meatloaf, and taco meat. The burger was certainly the winner for me, but they all turned out great! Even the mushroom-haters in my life gave it a try and gave it a thumbs up (maybe slightly begrudgingly, but that’s ok).
So what are the benefits of supplementing your meat with mushrooms to make a blended burger or other beef dishes?
- Flavor! Mushrooms boost the umami taste in the dish. Umami is often described as a savory, meaty flavor.
- Nutrition! Mushrooms are a great source of nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, potassium, etc. By adding them to your meat mixture, you also decrease the amount of meat consumed per serving. This could mean reducing the amount of saturated fat which is great for heart health.
- Budget! Meat is typically the expensive component of a meal. Stretch your dollar further by adding mushrooms. A pound of beef that typically makes 4 burgers can then make 5 or 6 blended burgers (depending on the beef to mushroom ratio used).
If you are looking for a way to increase the volume of your meals without breaking the bank, increase the nutritional value of your meals (more veggies!), or just looking to boost the flavor, this could be something to try!
With a few extra steps (roasting and processing), you can easily incorporate mushrooms into your favorite meat dishes, like a blended burger! Check out my recipes (with links) below!
3 Recipes That Will Change The Way You Think About Mushrooms
Beef and Mushroom Blended Burger
Something that I hear a lot from clients when they use lean ground beef is “it is so expensive AND it tastes dry!” By adding some mushrooms to the mix, you can stretch 1 lb of ground beef much farther AND it adds moisture while keeping the saturated fat content down. Check out the recipe here for a tasty blended burger!
Beef and Mushroom Blended Meatloaf
This most definitely is not your mom’s old meatloaf recipe. We use lean ground beef and the mushrooms give a nice hearty flavor! Recipe here!
Beef and Mushroom Blended Taco Meat
The RBA love affair with tacos is no secret. Here is another “blenditarian” version to add to the mix! You can find the recipe here.
The plant-based movement is gaining traction, and I think there are a lot of good reasons. But what I also think is important to recognize is that you can eat plant-based or you can eat more plants, without necessarily giving up meat. Looking for more ways to eat more plants? Check out these recipes and blogs!
11 High Protein Vegetarian Meals to Keep you Full and Focused
7 Healthy Vegetarian Barbecue Recipes to Try this Father’s Day
If you are looking for additional healthy swaps to make in your cooking, call (301) 474-2499 or click here to make an appointment with one of our Registered Dietitians today!
Blog updated February 2021.
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
