Mushroom Stroganoff (Low-Fat & Vegan So You Can Eat More!)

Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, I love their earthy meatiness and how hearty and satisfying they are, especially paired with whole wheat pasta. This Mushroom Stroganoff comes from "The Engine 2 Diet" by Rip Esselstyn, the book that the 28 Day Challenge I am doing is based on. I added some chopped kale near the end of the cooking time to get some extra nutrient-packed leafy greens into my day. A vegan dish with no oil and limited fat--but enough flavor to make you feel like you are eating something decadent.

Mushroom Stroganoff
"The Engine 2 Diet"
(Serves 3 to 4)

1 large yellow onion, chopped
8 oz crimini or other wild mushrooms, sliced (I used crimini and shitake)
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup milk substitute (I used almond milk)
thyme to taste
16 oz cooked whole wheat fettuccine noodles (I used rotini)

(2 cups chopped kale)

(sea salt and black pepper to taste)

Cook the onion in a nonstick skillet on high heat for 3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic, then cook until the mushrooms begin to release their juices. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms. Stir continuously with a whisk or wooden spoon until the flour is evenly dissolved. Add the vinegar and milk substitute, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Add thyme to taste. Serve warm over cooked noodles.

Notes/Results: This dish hit the spot for me because of how meaty and substantial it is. I did find it needed a touch of salt and black pepper to bring out the flavors along with the balsamic and garlic. Whole Foods has these great bags of chopped greens in the frozen foods section that so are easy to toss into soups, sauces, smoothies, etc., and tossing them into the sauce at the end was a nice touch. I would make this again.

***Giveaway Winner***

I finally had a chance to draw a winner at random for my giveaway of a copy of "The Kitchen Daughter" by Jael McHenry. (No picture of the drawing though due to my crazy week.)

And the winner is...

Libby of The Allergic Kid!

In her comment about her favorite comfort food Libby said, "The traditional family recipe that means the most to me is probably Swedish rosettes, which my family has been making in this country since they got off the boat in the 1880's. Each year during the holidays, I get a little closer to perfecting a version that's safe for my son's food allergies. Maybe this December..."

Congrats Libby! Email me with your address and I will have the publisher send out your copy.

I am so happy Friday is here. It has been a long, crazy week. I am looking forward to some downtime this weekend to get around and see what everyone has been posting.

Happy Weekend!