Maniolas

By Elena Johnson

As the demand for dairy-free foods continues to grow, more and more companies are introducing vegan products such as plant-based milk, ice cream, and cheese. One of my favorite new companies is Treeline Cheese, made from cashews. Their tangy soft cheese works well in recipes such as my stuffed mushroom caps. Treeline is available in many natural food stores, but if you can’t find it in your area yet, try substituting with vegan cream cheese flavored with crushed garlic, onion powder, and dried thyme. Since cream cheese has a higher moisture-content than Treeline, you may also want to increase the quantity of bread crumbs so that the resulting mixture is fairly solid. With relatively few ingredients, these mushrooms are simple to prepare but impressive when served as hors d’oeuvres at a cocktail party.

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

36 pieces

36 button mushrooms
¼ c fresh parsley, minced
6 oz. pkg. Treeline Herb-Garlic French Style Soft Cheese
½ cup dry bread crumbs
1 ¼ tsp. salt, divided
1 tsp. pepper

Carefully remove stems of mushrooms, to hollow out the mushroom caps. Mince the stems and place them in a mixing bowl. Add parsley, cheese, bread crumbs, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.

Arrange mushroom caps on baking sheets and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ tsp. salt. Fill each mushroom with cheese mixture, pressing down into the cap and mounding some of the mixture up on top of the mushroom.

Bake at 375°F for 15 – 20 minutes until mushrooms are cooked through and stuffing is slightly browned on top. If necessary, turn on the broiler for the final 2 – 3 minutes of cooking to brown the tops.

About the Author

Elena Johnson is a second-generation Filipino American living in Baltimore, MD. As a vegan chef and caterer she has been reinventing her family’s recipes and sharing them with friends, relatives, and those interested in vegetarian cooking. Elena is also the Special Projects Manager at Compassion Over Killing, a national animal advocacy organization focusing on cruelty to animals in agriculture and promoting vegetarian eating as a way to build a kinder world for all. Elena combines her passion for vegetarian food with a love of teaching by offering cooking demonstrations to the public. To learn more about why she went veg, visit TryVeg.com. Questions/feedback: email ejohnson@cok.net. Follow Elena on Twitter: @ElenaEJohnson.