Portabellos, Born and Breaded Italian

Because of their sturdy texture and meaty flavor, portabello mushrooms lend themselves to breading and frying. Or you can try roasting them, which saves fat and calories.

Make sure the mushrooms brown evenly by arranging them in a single layer in a large baking pan and lightly spraying them with cooking spray. The mushrooms are best served hot--toss them at once with the Parmesan so it melts a little.

The light red sauce, served on the side, also keeps this dish’s fat and calories low.

Roasted Portabello Mushrooms With Red Sauce

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes * Vegetarian

Nonstick olive oil cooking spray

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, divided

1 teaspoon lemon juice

6 portabello mushrooms, about

2 1/2 inches in diameter

1 cup plain Italian bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup nonfat egg substitute

Spray a nonstick skillet with the cooking spray; heat over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic just until tender and beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of the oregano and the lemon juice. Heat to a simmer. Reheat just before serving the mushrooms.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray 2 (15x10-inch) jelly roll pans with cooking spray and set aside.

Cut the mushrooms into 3/8-inch slices.

Stir together the bread crumbs, the remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and the salt in a shallow glass dish. Pour the egg substitute into a second glass dish.

Add the sliced mushrooms, a few at a time, to the egg substitute and stir to coat. Add the mushrooms to the bread crumb mixture, turning to coat all sides.

Place the breaded mushrooms on the pans and lightly spray them with the cooking spray. Roast the mushrooms 10 minutes and turn. Continue to roast until the mushrooms are lightly browned, another 5 minutes.

Remove the mushrooms from the baking pans to a large bowl. Sprinkle them with the remaining Parmesan cheese and toss. Taste and add more salt if need be. Serve with the reserved red sauce.

4 servings. Each serving: 189 calories; 1,031 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 2.69 grams fiber.