Adding a Veggie to a Beefy Meal… (Secretly)

One of the things I’ve been trying to do is eat healthier. I’m a big guy so watching my diet is important as far as taking care of myself. There are certain meals I absolutely love to eat and many of them include beef. Meatloaf, burgers, tacos, COTTAGE PIE!!!! What if I told you I’ve found a great, and healthier way to enjoy all those foods without giving up taste, texture, and BEEF? Well, I have, and along with my girlfriend, we continue to enjoy those meals with one change… MUSHROOMS!

Now, some of you might be saying, GROSS!! But hear me out… the mushrooms are very well hidden and it’s all about the preparation. Say you’re making a meatloaf. Most people use around 1 to 1.5 pounds of ground beef in a meatloaf recipe. Substitute a quarter to half the total beef with finely chopped mushrooms out of the food processor. Mix it in with your beef, season and sauce it the same way and its going to be very hard to tell the difference between the ground beef and ground mushroom, plus, you’ve made your meatloaf, or whatever your purpose for the ground beef is, much healthier.

I have to make one thing perfectly clear… I am a MEATEATER, I love meat, all meat from chicken to beef to even the more exotic or crazy stuff. I am not saying that eventually you’ll substitute your entire beef diet with mushrooms. What I am saying is that mushrooms are a smart addition to your diet. Mushrooms bring a lot to the table as far as health benefits. Eating more mushrooms means taking in more vitamins as well as giving a boost to your bone health and immune system. Plus, with zero cholesterol and gluten, mushrooms are great for weight loss.

If you already enjoy mushrooms as part of your diet, maybe this is a new way to enjoy them. If you don’t enjoy mushrooms, this is a great way to eat them without knowing they’re even there. Mushrooms are a great mimic to ground beef, so, whether you enjoy meatloaf, tacos, or burgers, try your next batch a little differently…