high on 'shrooms

I wrote and scheduled this blog post to come to you while I was in France, to give you a little something to do, but technology and I are not friends, because, well, clearly it didn't post. So I'm doing it manually now.

This post begins with a long story, and because I love you all so dearly I'll spare you the details, but a couple of weeks ago I started seeing a functional nutritionist. And after doing some tests and finding out some things about how my body works (i.e., not well), she promptly took me off all sugar and gluten. No potatoes or rice, either.

If you've met me, you realize what a problem this is. I am (was) the dessert/carb queen. The only thing keeping me sane? Up to two 5-ounce glasses of wine a day is A-okay. But still. It's quite the lifestyle change.

So now, we're scrambling to search for new recipes I can eat (beware: you're going to see a lot of gluten- and sugar-free recipes coming this way soon). The good news? Red meat, butter, oils, and veggies are all on the table. Butter and bacon are not just tolerated, they're encouraged.

As of the writing of this, I'm four days in and have managed not to kill anyone. In fact, while I've had a few moments of really wanting something sweet, especially to finish a meal, I've already noticed a little extra energy, a little more enthusiasm for life. Of course, part of that is because of these mushrooms.

The story behind them is funny, actually. I'd had them on my Pinterest board for a while, but I finally un-pinned them because they seemed so unhealthy (Parmesan? Cream cheese? Heavy cream?!). But lo and behold, my nutritionist sent me her Pinterest board, and what was on it? These mushrooms.

We had them with steak, Brussels sprouts, and a glass of French red wine one Saturday night, and holy mother of decadence. They were amazing. I scarfed all my mushrooms well before the steak and sprouts.

If you're looking for a sugar- and gluten-free side dish, these are phenomenal and super-easy to whip up. They only take about 10-15 minutes, and aside from the mushrooms, they basically feature stuff you'd probably have in your pantry/fridge already. These will definitely make an appearance on the (sugarless) Stevenson family table again.

xoxo,
E and B

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creamy dreamy mushrooms

ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms (we used 16 ounces)
2 cloves garlic, minced (we used about 3-4, because, hi, garlic).
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (not the powdered stuff)
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chopped parsley for garnish (we used thyme)

directions:
In a medium-size skillet over medium high heat, add butter and olive oil.
Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until tender.
Add heavy cream, Parmesan, cream cheese, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper.
Stir with the mushrooms until the sauce is bubbly and smooth (and your desired consistency).
Serve immediately.
Devour!

nutrition:
No sugar
No gluten
No meat (just dairy)

Recipe adapted from The Recipe Critic.