Vegan Project: Mushroom CheeseFake Sandwiches

I love cheesesteak. What's not the love with the ooey-gooey cheese and thin slices of beef. Well, for a vegan, that description is probably just gross. So, I wanted to see if I could make a mock version of this classic using beautiful portabella mushroom caps as my meat substitute.



Ingredients:
2 large portabella mushrooms caps (about 9 oz. each)
2.5 oz sliced bell peppers
2.5 oz sliced onion
1 oz Daiya mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp vegenaise
4 slices low calorie bread (I used Sara Lee multigrain)
1/4 tsp steak seasonin
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Thinly slice the mushrooms.

Coat a pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat, and add mushrooms. Stir mushrooms and cover.

Cook over medium heat until mushrooms have released their liquid (about 7-10 minutes).

Push mushrooms to one side of the pan. Add the onions and peppers and cook until tender (3-5 minutes). Combine with mushrooms. Add mozzarella cheese to top of the mushroom mixture. Heat until melted.

Spread a slice of bread with 1 tbsp vegenaise. Top with cheesy-mushroom mixture. Close sandwich with other slice of bread. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Serves 2

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Calories - 353

Calories from Fat - 231

Total Fat - 25.7g

Saturated Fat - 2.6g

Cholesterol - 0mg

Sodium - 805mg
Potassium - 1360mg

Total Carbohydrates - 43.6g

Dietary Fiber - 11.3g

Sugar - 9.1g

Protein - 14.1g

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Vitamin A - 3%

Vitamin C - 56%

Calcium - 5%

Iron - 45%

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Clean Eating: Cheesesteak Pasta

Pasta is so good. It's one of my favorite dishes, which probably explains why it makes an appearance on my blog 3 out of 5 times. It's just that it's so easy. All you have to do is perfectly boil some noodles and then add it to a delicious sauce. It's a quick and easy meal that I don't have to put a whole lot of thought into. And when it turns out to be delicious...well, that's just a bonus.

Today, I pay tribute to pasta. But I also have to lend a little respect to ground buffalo. It is definitely one of my favorite meats and is a good substitute for beef. If you find yourself with these ingredients on hand, you should definitely give this a try.

Ingredients:
8 oz ground buffalo
1.5 cup frozen pepper stir-fry (I used Bird's Eye brand)
2.8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 oz dry quinoa pasta elbows
4 tbsp light cream cheese
1 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flake
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder


Directions:
Fill medium pot with water. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste and add pasta. Return to boil. Cook for 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, spray a large saute pan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add frozen peppers and mushrooms. Cook until veggies are tender. Remove to bowl lined with paper towel.

Add ground buffalo to pan. Brown meat, breaking up with wooden spoon. Add a little water to help break up the meat. Sprinkle flour over browned meat. Stir until flour is cooked.

Add vegetables, cream cheese and milk to pan. Stir until cream cheese is melted and sauce is thickened.

Add cooked pasta to pan and stir for 3 minutes until pasta is evenly coated in sauce.

Good enough to eat on its own, or enjoy it with a fresh salad.

Nutrition Facts
Serves 2
Serving Size 421.4g
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Calories - 476
Calories from Fat - 142
Total Fat - 15.8 g
Saturated Fat - 7g
Trans Fat - 0g
Cholesterol - 70mg
Sodium - 723mg
Total Carbohydrates - 46.2g
Dietary Fiber - 5.3g
Sugar - 5.1g
Protein - 32.3g
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Vitamin A - 16%
Vitamin C - 17%
Calcium - 33%
Iron - 100%