Mushrooms are the new meat

Mushrooms are the new meat

I am by no means a vegetarian- my vegetarian sister can tell you that- but I don’t always want to buy meat or trust myself to cook it properly. It has the potential to add on a lot of calories and fat depending on what meat you choose, so bear with me a second and put the meat on the back-burner for those mushrooms in your box. Mushrooms are (from what the internet tells me) rich in umami- or that fifth sense of savory/ meaty taste, meaning they are the perfect substitute! Now mushrooms do not have the same source of protein, so make sure you are replacing that in your dish, but why not let these guys take center stage because they’re in your box already and they deserve it! I added them into my store bought pasta sauce, but you could substitute these in for your typically carnivore lasagna, tacos, pizza… use your imagination and let us know what you think up!
Servings: 1 
Ingredients:

• 3 mushrooms, sliced fairly thin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced/ finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup pasta sauce
• 1/2 acorn squash/ pasta/ whatever base you would like for your pasta

Directions:

• Heat olive oil over medium heat on the stove
• Add in garlic and cook till golden
• Add in mushrooms and let cook for 3 minutes on each side
• After both sides of mushrooms have cooked a bit add in balsamic vinegar and let cook for 8-10 more minutes, stirring occaisionally
• Add in cumin and cayenne to really bring out the meaty taste- let cook for 2-3 more minutes
• Add in pasta sauce and continue cooking until desired thickness- some liquid will evaporate and if you want the mushrooms a little more toasty- tasting let them cook a bit more
• Place on whatever base you would like- I roasted an acorn squash for 40 minutes (cut in half) on 400 degrees and it was AWESOME together!
• Add desired pasta toppings and enjoy!