Vegan mushroom stroganoff

Since starting my nutrition course, I’ve learnt a lot about vegetarian and vegan diets and I must admit, I wasn’t aware of just how important it is to substitute certain foods that you are cutting out of your everyday diet. It made me realise how many people take the plunge (myself included) by reducing or completely avoiding meat and animal products without thinking what will replace them.

Soy beans make up a large proportion of meat and dairy free alternatives from veggie sausages to milk and cheese and they are a great source of protein and fibre which can help to reduce cholesterol. One of the benefits of eating a more plant based diet is that you naturally eat more fruit and veg (which can only be a good thing!) and it gives many people more variety in the meals they eat through trying new recipes. However don’t be afraid of making your old favourites with meat/dairy free alternatives as eating healthier should always be about what you can add to your diet, rather than take away!

Although cream is not something we buy regularly to have in our meals, sometimes coconut milk is too sweet or simply doesn’t taste right in certain recipes so I was chuffed when I found Alpro Single Soya in Asda and tried it out in one of my favourite dishes. Previously I used sour cream or crème fraîche but they both have a slight sharpness to them which I’m not massively keen on so this cream works brilliantly as a diary free substitute. I’ve not tried it poured over a desert yet so can’t comment on how it tastes on it’s own but it definitely works in this delicious stroganoff…

This is a great midweek meal to rustle up in 20 minutes or so and is so full of flavour! If you wanted extra for lunch the following day you could bulk this out by adding a variety of different mushrooms, some chopped leeks or even Quorn chicken pieces for some plant based protein.

Ingredients:

• 2 white onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 heaped tablespoon of smoked paprika
• 1 carton of dairy free cream (I used Alpro Single Soya)
• 200ml of vegetable Stock
• 250g or 1 punnet of chestnut mushrooms
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce

Method – Serves 2

1. Finely slice the onions, roughly chop the mushrooms and mince the garlic cloves
2. Add all of the above into a pan on a medium heat with a good glug of olive oil and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
3. Add in the paprika,  season well with salt and pepper and leave for another 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid it catching.
4. Add the stock and turn the heat up high for a further 5 minutes until the stock starts to reduce and thicken.
5. Finally mix in the soy cream, and a tablespoon of soy sauce and stir until fully combined.

Serve with brown rice or quinoa and a sprinkle of parsley!