Mushrooms are full of savory flavor compounds, and lend a satisfying taste to meatless dishes. Stuffed mushrooms are traditionally served as an hors d'oeuvre, but paired with a salad and rice or other cooked grain, serve handily as a main dish as well.The process within our brains that creates habits is a three-step loop. First, there is a cue, a trigger that tells your brain to go into automatic mode and which habit to use. Then there is the routine, which can be physical or mental or emotional. Finally, there is a reward, which helps your brain figure out if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future. Over time, this loop — cue, routine, reward; cue, routine, reward — becomes more and more automatic. The cue and reward become neurologically intertwined until a sense of craving emerges. What’s unique about cues and rewards, however, is how subtle they can be. ...Habits aren’t destiny — they can be ignored, changed or replaced. But it’s also true that once the loop is established and a habit emerges, your brain stops fully participating in decision-making. So unless you deliberately fight a habit — unless you find new cues and rewards — the old pattern will unfold automatically.
This recipe is perfect for this transitional time of year. The toastiness of the baked whole wheat crust is cozy for still-wintry days, but the brightness of the filling hints at the coming spring. The crust method here is a little unorthodox, almost a quick-and-dirty puff pastry. This allows the crust to be flaky, yet durable enough for a free-form tart, and whole-wheat without becoming tough.
