Ethel and Portbello Weekend

This weekend was all about getting stuff done. It was time to get Ethel ready for summer, shop for groceries and prep healthy food for the week. Somewhere in there I had hiking plans.

Saturday we cleaned out, re-stocked and fixed Ethel, our pop-up camper. It took eight hours but the kitchen is restocked, we made a new shower curtain holder, cleaned the vinyl on the bunk-ends, washed the outdoor rug, oiled the pull-outs, fixed the frame on the dinette and tried and failed to fix the toilet paper cabinet door. The lid to the TP cabinet slaps shut after each use and at 2 a.m. that's an issue! My hike was put on the back burner. Eight hours on my feet was workout enough.

Sunday morning we made our way to the farmer's market and Costco. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE our local farmer's market! I picked up some amazing portobello mushrooms, which inspired dinner, grilled portobello mushroom burgers. These mushrooms were bigger than my hand.

Pre -heat the grill. Brush off any dirt on the mushrooms using a dry paper towel. Gently pull the stem off and then use a spoon and scrap off the feather-like membrane from the back of the mushroom. Do this gently because the spoon will go through the mushroom.

Place the mushrooms in a zip lock bag. Add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2/3 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Add a tablespoon each of chopped fresh thyme and oregano.

Squeeze all of the air out, zip the bag close, do a little shake and bake dance with the bag and put in the refrigerator. I marinated the mushrooms for a couple of hours but an hour would work as well. 

Grill both sides of the mushrooms until they shrink to half their size. I thought I burned them but thankfully they were perfectly done. I also grilled yellow, orange and red peppers along with slices of onions tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper.

To assemble your burger, spray the cut side of the buns with ICBINB and brown in a skillet. Place a grilled mushroom on the bun, add feta cheese, grilled veggies, fresh tomatoes and spring lettuce. I splurged today and picked up brioche hamburger buns from TJs. Because they were high in calories we saved calories, carbs and fat by having sauteed kale on the side.

Absolutely the best mushroom burger I've ever had. Even my carnivore lovin' partner said, "Wow, these are great!" My veggie daughter never looked up from her plate. She was busy!

Most of my Sunday was spent cooking food for the week. I made black bean burgers and butternut squash soup for lunches and quick dinners. I did make a trip to Costco but had no idea the store would be closed on Easter Sunday. Who knew? So, I made my way to TJ's and along with those amazing buns, picked up some staples for the week.

I have a confession. I have not exercised all week. My hike today was also a no-go. I am exhausted after my full day of food from raw to cooked form. I feel good the kitchen is stocked with healthy food and the camper is ready for summer fun! This coming week I'm back at the gym and downward doggin'.