Weeknight Mushroom Stroganoff

 

Stroganoff is one of those deeply warming, classic winter dishes, but even in its vegan form it can be time consuming and high in fat and calories.

To make an authentic-tasting vegan stroganoff, I like to use homemade seitan and plenty of tofutti cream cheese/sour cream, a kick of salt and a gob of earth balance. But as per usual, I am on the mission to make my favorite vegan even dishes lighter and healthier without sacrificing taste or the warm fuzzy feeling I get from eating them :)

My lighter take on this stroganoff is easy enough to whip up on a weeknight and doesn't skimp on flavor.

Instead of using dairy-free cream cheese and sour cream, this recipe uses just a touch of soy creamer and spinach to give it that creamy, thick texture that is so satisfying.

It is served over spaghetti squash instead of the traditional semolina pasta and paired with a "three beet salad" :)

Weeknight Mushroom Stroganoff (Serves 2 hungry people)

• 1 Tbsp grapeseed or olive oil
• 12 oz mushrooms (I used baby portabellas but you can also use crimini or button)
• 1 full sweet yellow onion
• 5-6 large cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup soy creamer (I used Trader Joe's brand!)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch (dissolved in broth/wine!)
• 1/4 cup veggie broth or white wine
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard (I used honey mustard)
• 1/2 Tbsp Sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)
• 3 GIANT handfuls of spinach (imprecise measurement; I buy spinach in bulk and never ever measure it. Put it this way: you can't have too much, it will cook down a ton)
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 2 tsp curry powder

• 1 medium spaghetti squash

Begin by stabbing your spaghetti squash with a fork 5 or 6 times and sticking it in the microwave. It takes about 12 minutes to cook, rotating every 2 or 3, so I just did it while I was making the rest of the stroganoff. It comes out hot so make sure to give it enough time to cool slightly so you can shred it with a fork.

In a large skillet, saute the garlic, onions and mushrooms in the oil over medium high heat. After about 5-6 minutes, add in the soy creamer, cornstarch, veggie broth/wine, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and mustard (and hot sauce if you so choose). Reduce heat to low and allow ingredients to simmer, stirring occasionally, for an additional 5-6 minutes.

Finally, add in spinach, fresh herbs and curry powder, stir together, and allow to all cook down for just a minute or two.

Pull the spaghetti squash out of the microwave and cut in half. With a fork, remove the seeds from the center and discard. Then, shred the flesh of the squash over a large bowl. It'll look something like this when you take a fork to it:

Spoon out a portion for each person and top with hot stroganoff! It looks and tastes surprisingly like noodles. Only gluten free, low calorie and high fiber! Woo!



The salad along side this dish was simple mixed greens tossed with beet juice, canned and seasoned beets and fresh beets! Triple beet salad! Full of anti-oxidants. And it will make your pee really red so don't freak out! My step-mom is an advice nurse and people call her all the time with concerns about red urine. The first question she asks them is whether or not they recently ate beets. It's okay, it's good for you ;)

Live long and prosper! And find a way to eat the food you crave, any night of the week!