I was feeling the craving for barbecue this afternoon and this was my delicious solution. I ran to the store and picked up these ingredients – enough to serve 2 people – and my grand total was: $10.08!
Ingredients to buy:
- Whole grain buns (1 bag)
- Mushrooms, fresh sliced (this medley of oyster and shiitake mushrooms happened to be on sale in my local Kroger – chopped shiitake alone should be fine! I got 2 containers for $3.58)
- Yellow onion (1)
- Red potatoes (2)
- Broccolini (1 bunch – substitute for a head of regular broccoli to save money!)
- Zucchini (1)
Ingredients you likely already have on hand:
- Barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s honey chipotle bbq – I highly recommend!)
- Seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, optional: smoked paprika and Everything Bagel Seasoning)
- Smart Balance EVOO “Butter” substitute (click here to buy – a cheap and healthy butter alternative)
1) Slice zucchini into rounds, place with broccolini on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Bake at 400° for ~15 minutes. Once finished, top with Everything Bagel Seasoning
2) Red potatoes…bake em….you know what to do
3) Chop up 1/2 yellow onion and begin to sauté them until they’re just starting to caramelize, then add your mushrooms. Place a lid over the mix to trap the steak and allow it to soften for about 3-5 minutes. Add in a 1 tsp cornstarch to 2 tsp water slurry and allow extra moisture to thicken. Add in your favorite barbecue sauce (~¼ cup) along with garlic (~½ TBSP), smoked paprika, and any other BBQ spices as desired. Cook until desired consistency and serve on a toasted, buttered bun.
Now seems like a good time for a gentle reminder that by eating this recipe and replacing beef with mushrooms, you can take a stand in the environmental movement to preserve land (such as the Amazon) that is being altered and destroyed to accomodate for more cattle for our consumption. Click here to donate to Amazon Watch that has been fighting to defend the Amazon for over 20 years. Congratulations on taking this step and standing with Mother Earth!
