Mushrooms cap a pair of healthful dishes

How can you tell if a mushroom is spoiled?

If it has an ammonia smell, throw it out.

If it's slimy, toss it.

If it's dark, it's old.

A spoiled mushroom can make you sick, according to Lydia Medeiros, food safety specialist with the Ohio State University Extension.

"Any time they have discoloration or sliminess, you should discard them," she said. "It's a sign they've been kept too long or under conditions not conducive to safety."

One such condition is humidity. "Too much moisture on them allows fungus or bacteria to grow," Medeiros said. "Don't wash them before you put them in the fridge. Clean them right before you put them in the food. And don't store them in the vegetable bin. There is high humidity in that drawer."

A fresh mushroom is light-colored, dry but not dried out, and has a pleasant, earthy aroma. Mushrooms add rich flavor to dishes and are very low in calories. Bob Greene, known for helping Oprah lose weight, gives mushrooms his mark of approval in his new book, "The Best Life Diet" (Simon & Schuster, $26). Greene's twist on risotto features barley instead of rice, along with mushrooms, onion, shallots, wine and fresh basil. The satisfying dish is sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan just before serving.

For a special brunch, lunch or dinner, consider a recipe from the Mushroom Council for a healthful alternative to potato skins. Fill large portobello caps with low-fat cheddar cheese, crisp turkey bacon and chopped tomato, then garnish with minced fresh chives. Serve whole as a side dish or cut into quarters for an appetizer.

PORTOBELLO SKINS

4 portobello mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2/3 cup reduced-fat, shredded cheddar cheese

2 slices turkey bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

1 small tomato, seeded and chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Yields 4 servings.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Line baking sheet with foil. Spray foil lightly with cooking spray; set aside. Brush mushroom caps and edges with oil. Sprinkle stem side with salt and pepper and place, rounded side down, on baking sheet.

Divide cheese among mushroom caps and bake 10 minutes or until cheese begins to melt and edges begin to brown. Remove baking sheet from oven and sprinkle bacon, tomato and chives over mushrooms. Return baking sheet to oven and cook 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and mushrooms are hot. If desired, cut into wedges and serve with toothpicks.

- The Mushroom Council.

MUSHROOM-BARLEY RISOTTO

4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth

2 tablespoons olive oil (divided use)

1 small onion, chopped

3/4 cup pearl barley, sorted and rinsed

1/3 cup dry white wine

8 ounces portobello or white button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Yields 4 servings.

In saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Cover pan and turn off heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft. Reduce heat to low. Add barley and stir to coat with oil. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine is absorbed. Add hot broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and adding 1/2 cup more of broth each time the previous addition is almost absorbed. This should take about 30 minutes. (You might have a little leftover broth.) If barley is not yet tender and all the broth is gone, add a little water and cook until tender.

In skillet over medium-high heat, place remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add mushrooms and shallots and saute until mushrooms are golden and shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. (If mixture begins to stick, remove skillet from heat and spray mushrooms with nonstick cooking spray. Return skillet to heat and cook until mushrooms are golden and shallots are soft).

Stir mushroom mixture and basil into barley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

- "The Best Life Diet" (Simon & Schuster, $26) by Bob Greene.