blissful eats with tina jeffers: Roasted portobellos with parsley cashew cream

 

I have been trying to get my boys to eat less meat and they have been pretty resistant to the idea.  I love the meaty texture and flavor of roasted mushrooms and paired with this amazing parsley cashew cream this is a vegan dinner that satisfies. 

The Meyer lemons are mellow enough that they can be eaten skin and all and I love the bright tang they add to the mushrooms.  If you’ve never made cashew cream you are in for a treat. It’s buttery and rich and goes well with a number of dishes.  For a heartier meal you can serve them on top of some brown rice or quinoa.

We like on top of scrambled eggs, or as a base for a sandwich and it’s delicious scooped on top of a baked potato or swirled into a veggie soup for extra richness and flavor. 

You can also get creative with what you flavor it with; I’ve used cilantro in place of the parsley and added a roasted poblano for a more Mexican inspired twist.  As long as you start with the cashews and water you can add whatever herbs and citrus you’d like.  I’d love to hear what flavor combinations you come up with!

For more recipe inspiration visit me at www.scalingbackblog.com!

Roasted portobellos with parsley cashew cream

Ingredients:

4 large Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed

1 Meyer lemon, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

a handful of fresh thyme

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

For the parsley cashew cream:

1 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked in water for 30 minutes

½ cup water

1 cup fresh Italian parsley

1 medium clove of garlic

¼ cup diced onion

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

For the mushrooms:

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Place mushroom caps, gill side up, on the pan.  Divide the garlic between the mushrooms and sprinkle with the thyme.  Layer a few slices of the lemon onto each mushroom, season with salt and pepper and drizzle the olive oil over the top.

Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.  Serve with the parsley cashew cream.

For the parsley cashew cream:

Rinse and drain the cashews and then add them along with all the other ingredients into a high-powered blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth and well incorporated, adding more water as desired.