Mushroom Caps Filled with Cauliflower Stuffing

A super healthy and delicious alternative to the tradition Thanksgiving stuff!

This recipe is also totally vegetarian and could be made vegan just by cooking some of the ingredients in Coconut oil or a vegan cooking oil rather than butter! I do love me some butter though...

It was a blast to make too..but I think I say that about all my food?

You'll have to forgive the lack of pictures on this particular blog.

I was cooking 3 dishes at once and had to be at my husband's family Thanksgiving in 3 hours...we were crunched for time!

This is what the finished product should look like!

I'm actually pretty bummed I didn't get more pictures...I was hoping to take a picture of the leeks...I had honestly never seen or cooked with one before this recipe and it was a lot of fun! They're insane.

Google it.

Ingredients:

14 Mushrooms Caps- large enough to fill

1 Leek

4 Cloves Garlic- finely chopped

1 Loaf Whole Wheat Sugar Free Bread

1 Head of Cauliflower

1 Cup Shiitake Mushrooms-chopped

3 Cups Vegetable Stock 

1 Egg

1 Tbsp. Sage

1 Tbsp. Parsley

1 Tbsp. Butter

salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.

Next, cube the whole loaf of bread. I was a stickler about getting each square about the same size, but it's all going to get mashed in the end!

Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Lay the little squares of bread out on the sheet. Make sure they are evenly spread out.

Pop them in the oven for 10 minutes.

While those are baking cut the thick stem off of your cauliflower and cut all the little florets off. Do the same with a baking sheet and lay the cauliflower florets out on the sheet and salt them a bit. Put them into the oven with the bread.

After ten minutes, Take a spatula and flip everything over. (the bread AND cauliflower)

You want to ensure that everything is evenly baked!

Bake the bread for another 10-15 minutes and the cauliflower for 20-30 more. (make sure to flip the cauliflower every ten minutes)

Take your leek (such an awesome lookin thing) and cut that brown rooty part off of the bottom. Next cut off the grean leafy part.

You should be left with the long, light minty green colored part.
(pretty descriptive, huh?)

Cut that  width wise, cutting every 1/4 of an inch or so.

In a pan, melt your butter on medium and add your 4 cloves of Garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. 

Cook the garlic for a minute of two in the butter then add your chopped leeks and Shitaki mushrooms! 

Let everything cook on medium for about ten minutes.

Place your cubed, baked bread, the nicely golden, baked cauliflower, buttered leeks, shiitake mushrooms and garlic all into a large pot and put in on the stove. Turn the heat on low and begin to add the vegetable stock 1 cup at a time. Make sure everything in the pot is getting wet with the stock. Stirring the whole time to assure nothing at the bottom burns.

Once all of the stock has been incorporated, add the seasoning (sage and parsley) and add another pinch of salt and a bit of pepper.

Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Crack your egg into the pot and incorporate VERY well.

Line yet another baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Lay your mushroom caps upside down (so they look like little bowls).

Using a large spoon, spoon the mixture into the caps and with the palm of your hand, mold the stuffing into little mounds in the mushroom cap.

Fill each of the caps evenly, then pop them into the 375 degree oven for 25 minutes!

These were absolutely delicious and they even look pretty fancy!

This Thanksgiving, offer to make the stuffing and then bring these guys!

Everybody will be blown away, for sure.