DAIRY-FREE BEEF STROGANOFF

~ K & R Adventures

1 1/2 lb. sirloin steak tips or lean stew beef, cut into small pieces
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
2 T. olive oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 1/4 c. beef broth
1/4 c. coconut aminos or low sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. canned coconut milk or coconut cream
3 T. flour
2 T. water
egg noodles
chopped parsley, to taste

Toss beef, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until coated.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add coated beef to hot oil and stir until browned on each side. Remove beef from pan and set aside.

Add onions and garlic to pan and saute 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add mushrooms and saute another two minutes. Add coconut aminos or soy sauce and vinegar to deglaze pan, then stir in browned beef and beef broth.

Reduce heat to low, then cover and simmer for about three hours, stirring occasionally. Once beef starts to become tender, stir in coconut milk or cream.

Whisk flour and water together in separate bowl until smooth, then stir into beef mixture. Simmer uncovered about 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened and beef is fork tender.

While beef is simmering, cook egg noodles according to package directions.

Serve beef over noodles and garnish with chopped parsley.

Notes: I know egg noodles are the classic stroganoff pasta, but any shaped noodle will do.

CREAMY PALEO CHICKEN SOUP WITH MUSHROOMS & KALE

~ Paleo Running Momma

3 T. ghee, grass-fed butter, or refined coconut oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped
2 c. mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 large handfuls kale, roughly chopped
2 T. plus 2 t. arrowroot starch or tapioca
2 2/3 c. chicken bone broth
2/3 c. organic, full-fat coconut milk
2 T. nutritional yeast
1/2 T. brown mustard
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cooked and chopped
2 sage leaves, minced
2 t. fresh minced rosemary
salt & pepper, to taste

In large saucepan over medium heat, melt ghee, butter, or oil. Add leeks and cook until softened. Add mushrooms and garlic, stirring to coat and cooking 2-3 minutes until soft.

While veggies are cooking, whisk arrowroot starch into broth until dissolved; set aside. Gently stir kale into to saucepan, then add broth with arrowroot and coconut milk. Stir in nutritional yeast and mustard until thoroughly combined.

Increase heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce heat to low and mix in chicken, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Simmer a few minutes longer until heated through.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: As written, this recipe is Whole30 compliant, but it's still delicious if you adapt it to use whatever you have in your kitchen. We've made it with coconut oil, yellow onion instead of leeks, cornstarch instead of arrowroot or tapioca, regular chicken broth, non-organic coconut milk, and dried sage. 

ONE PAN BALSAMIC CHICKEN VEGGIE BAKE

~ The Real Food Dietitians

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. olive or avocado oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 T. fresh basil, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
1 t. fresh thyme or 1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2. t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs, cut in half if large
4-5 c. chopped broccoli
3-4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks
2 c. mushrooms, cut in half if large
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes

Preheat oven 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together vinegar, oil, garlic, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper to make sauce. Place chicken in ziploc bag or glass container with about half of the sauce, moving around until fully coated. Place in fridge to marinate.

Chop broccoli, carrots, mushroom, onion, and tomatoes. Place all except the tomatoes on baking sheet. Top with remaining sauce and toss to coat. Remove marinated chicken pieces from fridge and nestle among veggies.

Bake 10 minutes, then remove from oven. Add tomatoes and toss veggies before placing baking sheet back in the oven. Bake 10 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through. Garnish with additional basil before serving.

Notes: I often chop regular tomatoes because they're significantly less expensive than grape or cherry ones and we always have them on hand. The sauce can be prepared in advance and the chicken marinated longer than the time it takes to prepare the veggies. I skip the parchment paper on a baking sheet and use my Pampered Chef stoneware instead.

BEEF & MUSHROOM SPAGHETTI SAUCE

~ Bethany Weathersby 

2 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
6 oz. tomato paste
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
2 t. garlic powder
2 t. oregano
1-2 c. water

Cook beef, onion, and mushrooms over medium-high until meat is browned and onion is translucent. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thoroughly combined and desired consistency is reached.

Makes about six cups.

TUNA CASSEROLE

~ Bethany Weathersby

pasta
tuna
veggies
sour cream or yogurt
seasonings
milk, if desired
grated or cubed cheese, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil pasta until desired tenderness is reached, then drain. Saute any firm vegetables until tender. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour into baking dish and bake 30 minutes or until heated through.

Notes: There are countless ways to make tuna casserole, but I recently realized I don't have any posted. My approach is more method than recipe, so you can tweak it to fit your needs and preferences. I use one pound of shaped noodles and three cans of tuna, saute bunch of onion, celery, and mushrooms, thaw some frozen peas and corn, and add sour cream, seasoned salt, and pepper. Whether I thin it out with milk or add cheese varies from time to time.

WILD RICE HOT DISH

~ unknown source

3 c. boiling water
1 c. wild rice
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2 10.75 oz. cans cream of chicken soup
2 4 oz. cans sliced mushrooms
14 oz. can bean sprouts, drained
10.5 oz. can condensed beef broth
1 1/3 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 bay leaf, crushed
1 T. dried parsley flakes
1/4 t. each: celery salt, garlic powder, onion salt, paprika, pepper, and poultry seasoning
1/8 t. dried thyme
1/2 c. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, pour water over rice and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a skillet, brown turkey and onion. Drain, then add to rice with remaining ingredients, except almonds. Transfer to a 9x13-inch pan. Cover and bake for two hours. Sprinkle almonds on top; bake, uncovered, 30 minutes longer.

Notes: I use fresh mushrooms instead of canned and sometimes sub ground beef or venison for the turkey.

SMOKED SALMON PESTO PASTA

~ allrecipes

8 oz. spaghetti
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 c sliced mushrooms
3 T. tomato paste
3/4 c. pesto
1 T. chopped fresh basil
1/4 c. water
5 oz. smoked salmon, flaked

Cook pasta until desired tenderness is reached; drain.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms, stirring until onion is transparent and mushrooms are tender. Stir in tomato paste, pesto, basil, water, and smoked salmon. Reduce heat slightly and stir gently 5-10 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.

Serve sauce over cooked pasta.

Notes: This tastes way more like pesto than smoked salmon, but it's good.

ROASTED MUSHROOMS WITH GARLIC, THYME, AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

~ Kalyn's Kitchen

1 lb. mushrooms
2 T + 1 t. olive oil, divided
salt and pepper, to taste
1 T. finely minced garlic
1 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 T. chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash mushrooms, remove stems, and cut tops in halves (or quarters, if the mushrooms are large). Put stems and tops in a bowl and toss with 2 T. oil, salt, and pepper. Cover a roasting pan with foil, then arrange mushrooms in a single layer, spreading out as much as possible. Roast for 15 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, mix the thyme, garlic, vinegar, and 1 t. oil. After 15 minutes, drain off any liquid that has accumulated, then toss hot mushrooms with garlic mixture. Spread out in a single layer again and roast about 10 more minutes. Serve hot, sprinkling with parsley, if desired.

Makes four servings.

Notes: We leave out the parsley and sometimes use two teaspoons of dried thyme instead of fresh. We either skip the foil and just use a little cooking spray on the pan instead or use Pampered Chef's stoneware without oil or foil. You can check out the link to Kalyn's Kitchen at the top of the post for tips on roasting the mushrooms on a grill, which we've never done before.

COCONUT CHICKEN SOUP

~ Frugal Living NW

2 T. olive or coconut oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
5 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 c. greens (chopped spinach, bok choy, and/or broccoli)
2 c. cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
1 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
1/4 c. tamari or soy sauce

Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapenos; saute 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add broth, red pepper flakes, and mushrooms. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add bell pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Add greens, chicken, milk, and soy sauce. Simmer 3-5 minutes or until soup is heated through and greens are barely wilted.

Makes about 10 cups.

Notes: This has a little kick to it, but not so much that I, a wimp when it comes to spicy things, can't handle it. I think it's delicious! You could cut back on the pepper flakes if you wanted to, though. We've made this with both bok choy and kale and both button and shiitake mushrooms. There is absolutely no difference in taste when you use the shiitake mushrooms, so save yourself a chunk of change and just buy button ones. 

PESTO PASTA WITH PROTEIN & PRODUCE

~ Bethany Weathersby

orzo, cooked
chicken, cooked and shredded
spinach, chopped
mushrooms, chopped
roasted red bell peppers, chopped
marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
pesto, store-bought or homemade
parmesan
oil from artichoke jar, as needed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix orzo, chicken, spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, artichoke hearts, and pesto together.  If the mixture seems too dry, then mix in a little bit of oil from the artichoke jar.

Pour half of pasta mixture into baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese; repeat layers.  Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbling on the sides, then broil long enough to toast the top layer of cheese.

Notes: You can use whatever quantity of each ingredient sounds good to you, but we like to go pretty heavy on all the produce.  

ZESTY PORK STIR FRY

~ Take Shape For Life Lean & Green Meal Cookbook

30 oz. pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat
8 c. bok choy, chopped
4 c. mushroom, sliced
4 t. fresh ginger, grated or diced
4 t. olive oil
non-stick cooking spray

Slice tenderloin into 1/2" thick pieces; set aside. 

Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add ginger and saute 1-2 minutes. Add bok choy and mushrooms; saute 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from skillet and place in a bowl, covering with a plate to keep warm.

Add olive oil to skillet, then add pork slices. Stir fry 3-4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Serve pork slices over vegetables.  

Makes four servings.

Notes: Contrary to the name of the dish, it's actually very mild. It tastes good on its own or served over rice.

BRUNCH EGG BAKE

~ adapted from allrecipes

2 c. shredded cheddar
2 c. shredded mozzarella
2 T. butter
4 oz. chopped mushrooms
1/3 c. sliced green onions
1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper
2 c. diced cooked ham
1/2 c. flour
2 T. minced fresh parsley
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 3/4 c. milk
8 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine cheeses in a bowl, then place three cups of the mixture in the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add mushrooms, green onions, and bell pepper, stirring until vegetables are tender; drain. Spread vegetables over cheese in pan, top with ham, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Slowly add milk, pouring a little at a time and whisking until smooth before adding more. Beat in eggs. Pour egg mixture into baking pan.

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: I wanted a breakfast casserole that didn't have bread or potatoes and everyone loves this one, even our mushroom haters. I've used fresh basil instead of dried when I had it handy and just increased the amount.

STUFFED PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS

~ Take Shape For Life Lean & Green Meal Cookbook

2 lb. portabella mushroom caps
1 lb. (4 c.) shredded moderate-fat mozzarella cheese (3.6 grams of fat per oz.)
1 c. tomato, chopped
1 t. fresh rosemary, finely chopped or 1/4 t. dried rosemary
4 t. lemon juice
4 t. cilantro, chopped
2 t. low-sodium soy sauce
2 t. olive oil, divided
1/4 t. pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees or grill to medium-high heat.  In a medium-sized bowl, combine tomatoes and mozzarella; toss with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, rosemary, pepper, and garlic.  Set aside.

Remove stems from mushroom caps and discard.  Using a spoon, scoop out inside of mushrooms to create mushroom bowls.

In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of olive oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce.  Using a pastry brush, apply soy sauce mixture to both sides of mushroom caps. 

OVEN - Bake mushroom caps until soft, then divide tomato and cheese mixture into caps.  Cook an additional two minutes or until cheese is melted.

GRILL - Once warm, grill mushroom caps, starting with stem-side down, five minutes on each side or until soft.  Divide tomato and cheese mixture into each cap.  Cover and grill about two minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Garnish with cilantro and serve.  Makes four servings.

HEARTY CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP

~ Take Shape For Life Lean & Green Meal Cookbook

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into 1" pieces
4 c. reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
2 c. mushrooms, quartered
2 c. celery, diced
1 c. each yellow, red, and green bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces
1/2-1 c. water, if desired for thinning the soup
1/2 c. scallions, chopped
2 T. cream
1/4 c. parsley, finely chopped or 2 T. dried parsley
4 t. olive or canola oil
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/4 t. pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and chicken, cooking about five minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.  Add bell peppers, celery, and mushrooms, cooking about seven minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add scallions, broth, water (if using), cream, thyme, pepper, and parsley.  Simmer until ready to serve.  Makes four servings.

Notes: I actually throw all the ingredients, including frozen chicken breasts, into the crockpot, cook on high for four hours, then shred the chicken before serving.  This soup freezes well.

OLIVE & FETA PASTA

~ allrecipes

8 oz. uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
1 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
dried oregano to taste
salt and pepper to taste
12 black olives, pitted and sliced
1 oz. crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the garlic for two minutes. Mix in the mushrooms and zucchini. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir in olives and cook until heated through. Place pasta in the skillet, toss to coat, and continue cooking about two minutes. Top with feta cheese to serve.

Notes: We use shaped pasta instead of spaghetti, sometimes swap marinated artichoke hearts for the zucchini, and always add extra olives and feta. You can use button mushrooms instead of crimini ones. 

MARINATED MUSHROOMS

~ Angela Avers

up to 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, cleaned & quartered
2 T. teryaki sauce
2 T. butter
1 t. sugar
1/4 t. garlic powder

Put all ingredients in skillet and heat over medium-high until mushrooms are as soft as desired, stirring frequently.

Notes: Depending on the sweetness of your teriyaki sauce, you may want to omit the teaspoon of sugar. We use Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki with one pound of mushrooms and it's almost too sweet with the sugar. I like serving these over couscous, as it absorbs some sauce and cuts the sweetness a little.

VEGGIE SCRAMBLE

~ Finding Joy in My Kitchen

2 eggs
1/2 t. olive oil
1/2 c. broccoli, chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/8 c. colby jack cheese, shredded
pepper, to taste

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add the veggies and saute for 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender. Add eggs, stirring occasionally until cooked through. Top with cheese. Serves two.

Notes: We triple this and add four eggs for our family of five.

BARLEY BAKE

~ allrecipes

1/4 c. butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 c. uncooked pearl barley
1/2 c. pine nuts
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
2 14.5 oz. cans vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in onion, barley, and pine nuts. Cook and stir until barley is lightly browned. Mix in green onions, mushrooms, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a 2 quart casserole dish, and stir in the vegetable broth. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until liquid has been absorbed and barley is tender.

CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA

~ allrecipes

16 oz. linguine
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
2 T. Cajun seasoning
6 T. butter
3 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
12 mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, minced
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
1 t. dried basil
1 t. lemon pepper
1 t. salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. ground black pepper
6 T. grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add linguine and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl, and toss to coat. In a large pot, over medium heat, saute chicken in butter until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5-7 minutes. Add green and red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms and green onions; cook for 2-3 minutes or until desired tenderness. Reduce heat, and stir in heavy cream.

Season the sauce with basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper, and heat through. In a large bowl, toss linguine with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes: The original recipe only makes two servings and has way too much liquid, so I'm giving you our revised version. You can check out the link to see the original recipe. We use Tony Chachere's Creole for the Cajun seasoning and let people do their own Parmesan.

** This post contains affiliate links and I'm grateful when people use them. ** 

PESTO CHICKEN PIZZA

~ Bethany Weathersby

one pizza crust
pesto
cooked chicken, diced or shredded
marinated artichoke hearts
sliced mushrooms
grated mozzarella or Monterey jack

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread pesto over crust. Sprinkle toppings over pesto, using as much or as little as suits your taste. Bake 15-20 minutes or until crust and cheese are beginning to brown.

Notes: I buy quartered artichoke hearts, then slice them in half or thirds before sprinkling on the pizza. Using store-bought is fine, but here are recipes for two homemade crusts and one homemade pesto for those who'd like to go that route.