Creamless Creamy Mushroom Soup

Growing up, I have fond memories of lunches around the kitchen table with my mom and brother, each of us with a bowl of soup, a hunk of cheese, and a book in our hands, our heads buried in literary worlds while hot liquid filled our stomachs. My brother and mom preferred "orange" soup and "orange" cheese (Campbell's Tomato Soup and a big slice of cheddar), while I always insisted on "white" soup and "white" cheese (Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup and a big slice of mozzarella). As an adult, I've never lost my love for soup, cheese, or a good book. But Campbell's doesn't cut it any more, and with age I've also developed an intolerance to cream. Creamy soups, chowders, pastas, and soft serve - how I miss thee! But I never give up the fight to find ways to enjoy those old favorites with my new restrictions, a fight I've documented on this blog (such as here and here).

When I got my Blendtec for my recent 30th birthday, I immediately resolved to create a cream of mushroom soup that took me back to those days around the table with my family. I started to experiment immediately. I tried all sorts of ideas that sounded good in my head - white wine, onions, leeks, cream cheese. They were all too harsh or, in the case of the cream cheese, disappeared entirely. It turned out, as it often does, simplicity won the day. The glutamates in soy sauce bump up the umami-rich nucleotides in the mushrooms for full, savory flavor. A little garlic for depth, a touch of cornstarch to mimic the creaminess of the soup of my youth. Voila. That's all it takes.

"Creamy" Mushroom Soup

Serves 2.

12 oz. sliced crimini mushrooms

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 1/2 cups light, unsweetened almond, soy, or other milk substitute, or even milk, if you prefer

1/2 tsp corn starch

In a preheated skillet sprayed with PAM, saute mushrooms and soy sauce over medium-high until tender, about 6-7 minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for another 30 seconds - 1 minute. Remove from heat. In blender carafe, add "milk," cornstarch, and all but 2/3 cup of the mushrooms. Blend until entirely smooth and combined. Add the remaining 2/3 cup of mushrooms and pulse a couple times until the slices have broken up into smaller pieces without blending them in entirely. Transfer to a pot on the stove and heat over medium. Simmer for a few minutes until mushrooms are heated through. Salt and pepper to taste. Hunk of "white" cheese and tattered paperback optional.

A Lighter Creamy Pasta Sauce

Paaaastaaaaa. *drool* If you have the same Pavlovian response that I do to even the mention of creamy pastas, then you might also share my remorse in the carbo fat bomb nature of the dish. I've found a lighter way to create my favorite creamy pasta sauces without sacrificing on flavor or creaminess. In fact, what would you say to a plate of creamy pasta with 12 grams of fiber, 19 grams protein, and 2-3 servings of vegetables, all while staying under 500 calories and 10 grams of fat? I would think you would say, "Yes, please!"

This is my big one people. I use this trick to make creamy clam sauce, creamy garlic "alfredo" sauce, creamy tomato "rose" sauce, and creamy white wine sauces. I've shared this secret with very few people, and now I'm sending it out to my loyal readers (all three of you). To introduce you to my favorite trick, here are a couple versions of creamy, yet much lighter, vegetable farfalle. The unexpected twist: low fat cream cheese. Neither cream nor butter required.

Squash and Vegetable Farfalle in Creamy White Wine Sauce

Do not substitute the non-dairy milk alternatives with regular dairy milk. Milk will curdle when mixed with the wine. Serves 2-3.

6oz Whole Wheat Farfalle (I like Mara's Pasta because it has a lot of fiber and protein and stays under 200 calories per serving, but many brands, such as Barilla and Ronzoni, have their own healthier whole grain lines)
1 cob corn, kernels removed
1/2 cup chopped carrots
2 Tbsp shallot, minced
1/2 medium acorn squash, cooked, peeled, and chunked
3 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup unsweetened original flavor almond milk or unsweetened original flavor light soy milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 Tbsp low fat cream cheese
2 1/2 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat pan sprayed generously with Pam over medium-high. Sauté carrots and corn for 6 minutes, or until carrots are nearly tender-crisp. Add shallots and sauté another three minutes, or until shallots start turning translucent and carrots are tender-crisp. Add spinach and squash and continue sautéing another couple minutes until the spinach wilts, salting to taste as you stir. Remove vegetables to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium-low and respray empty pan. Add almond milk and wine; bring to an almost simmer. Add cream cheese and heat until melted and fully incorporated, stirring often and salting to taste. Add 2 tablespoons of the parmesan and stir gently and minimally to prevent the cheese from clumping as it melts. Add vegetables and mix thoroughly, yet gently. The squash will melt into the sauce as you stir. Take this final opportunity to add any additional salt or pepper to taste. Toss in pasta and remove from heat to serving dish. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan to garnish.


Vegetable Medley Farfalle in Creamy White Wine Sauce

You can grill vegetables on the George Foreman instead of sautéing, if you prefer. Do not substitute the non-dairy milk alternatives with regular dairy milk. Milk will curdle when mixed with the wine. Serves 2-3.

6oz Whole Wheat Farfalle (I like Mara's Pasta because it has a lot of fiber and protein and stays under 200 calories per serving, but many brands, such as Barilla and Ronzoni, have their own healthier whole grain lines)
1 small bunch asparagus, tough ends removed, chopped on the bias
1 small eggplant, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 a medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup unsweetened original flavor almond milk or unsweetened original flavor light soy milk
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 Tbsp low fat cream cheese
2 1/2 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup cashews
Lemon wedges

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat pan sprayed generously with Pam over medium-high. Sauté asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, and onion until tender. Add garlic and tomatoes and sauté another 30 seconds to one minute until garlic becomes fragrant, salting to taste as you stir. Remove vegetables to a bowl. Reduce heat to medium-low and respray empty pan. Add almond milk and wine; bring to an almost simmer. Add cream cheese and heat until melted and fully incorporated, stirring often and salting to taste. Add 2 tablespoons of the parmesan and stir gently and minimally to prevent the cheese from clumping as it melts. Add vegetables and cashews and mix thoroughly, yet gently. Take this final opportunity to add any additional salt or pepper to taste. Toss in pasta and remove from heat to serving dish. Drizzle with juice squeezed from the lemon wedges and sprinkle with remaining parmesan to garnish.