Pot Roast, Vegetarian-Style. Like a warm hug to comfort even the Mondayest of Mondays. This one pot dish is brimming with meaty mushrooms and roasted root vegetables over a creamy cauliflower mash. It’s the epitome of comfort food. And ever since I’ve started eating mostly plant-based, I’ve had a hankering for a pot roast; this hits the spot and the meat isn’t even missed! Plus, it’s dairy-free, gluten-free and can be made Whole30 compliant so that you can please all eaters. Get ready to bring the supper club home. DEATs below!

When going mostly plant-based, there are a few things that I just MISS! Like a good burger, meatball or pot roast. There’s no replacement for these comfort foods…right? Wrong. Let me introduce you to something you already probably know well…mushrooms. Mushrooms mimic the meaty texture and umami flavor of beef and are significantly lower in calories, fat and cholesterol. Plus, there’s a whole wide world of mushrooms to discover. They’re the highlight of this vegetarian pot roast and just about any variety can be used. Here’s a brief overview to build your knowledge base so you can talk like a fine wine…err mushroom connoisseur.
5 Varieties of Mushrooms to Know:

1.) Portobello: These are likely the most familiar – the large size of the umbrella and meaty flavor make a great swap for a burger (just remove the stem) or can serve as the base for a personal-sized pizza (just flip the umbrella upside down, remove the stem and load with marinara, cheese, your favorite toppings and bake in the oven).
2.) Cremini & Button: These small mushrooms are often confused. What’s the difference? Cremini are just an older version of the common white button mushroom. Cremini are a bit browner and more firm, which makes them great for soups and stews. Button mushrooms come in white and brown varieties, but have a milder flavor.
3.) Oyster: The thin layers of these clumped mushrooms can often resemble petals of flowers. Because these mushrooms are quite thin, they can be easily torn and will cook more evenly and quickly than other mushrooms.
4.) Shiitake: These mushrooms have a large brown umbrella with a long, tough stem. Most often used in Asian cuisine, the stem should be removed because it is too chewy to eat.
5.) Enoki: The thin, long stems and small caps of these mushrooms make them a great addition to soups or noodle dishes. Reminiscent of noodles, you may be familiar with these mushrooms from your favorite Japanese ramen spot.

Now that you’re a ‘shroom expert, let’s get onto the pot roast!

What do I love most about this dish?
–Versatility: you can use any mushrooms or root vegetables you have on hand.
–Flavor: whether you choose to use vegetable broth, wine or whisky to flavor the sauce, it is guaranteed to comfort your pallet.
–Leftover-Friendly: this dish re-heats well so you can enjoy it again and again.
–One Pot: who doesn’t love to clean just one pot?
–Whole30, Paleo, Gluten-Free, Vegan: it accommodates any diet!

This thick mushroom and root vegetable stew is layered on a creamy cauliflower mash, but you could also eat it on its own or ladle over traditional mashed potatoes or even rice. This dish is the definition of “whatever you have on hand”! It may so like a lot of chopping, but this dish and the leftovers will be oh so worth it! So gather those veggies and let’s get cooking!

Vegetarian Pot Roast Over Cauliflower Mash
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:
Mushroom & Root Vegetable Stew
-1 yellow onion, diced
-6-8 cloves of garlic, diced
-20 oz of mushrooms (suggest 8 oz cremini, 8 oz Portobello and 4 oz oyster)
-1 parsnip, peeled and diced
-1 turnip, peeled and diced
-2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
-1 C of red wine, whiskey or additional broth
-1 T fresh thyme (leaves removed from the stem)
-2 rosemary sprigs, whole
-1 tsp garlic powder
-4 T soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos (if gluten-free)
-3 T tomato paste
-2 C broth
Cauliflower Mash
-1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
-3 T ghee
-1 tsp salt
-1/4 black pepper

Directions:
Step 1: Prepare the cauliflower mash by steaming the cauliflower. Bring about 1-inch of water to a boil in a large pot with a steam insert (I use this one). Add the cauliflower once the water is boiling and cover the pot. Allow to steam for about 15 minutes, or until the florets are soft when pierced with a fork, but not completely falling apart and mushy (very technical). Remove the cauliflower and reserve about 3/4 of the water from the pot.
Step 2: While the cauliflower steams, add a bit of olive oil to a deep saute pan or large stew pot on the stove top over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms and a pinch of salt once hot. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onions soften and become translucent. 
Step 3: Add the wine, whiskey or 1 C of broth. Stir to combine, cooking for about a minute. Then, add the diced carrots, turnip, parsnip, thyme, rosemary and garlic powder. Stir to combine before adding the tomato paste, soy sauce (or tamari or coconut aminos), the remaining broth and a big pinch of salt. Stir to combine, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the carrots, turnips and parsnips are soft.
Step 4: Once the cauliflower is steamed, place half the cauliflower in a food processor with 1/4 of the steamed water. Puree until smooth. Add the remaining cauliflower, butter and salt. Continue to puree, adding water as needed. The goal is to add as little water as possible since you don’t want soup, so you likely won’t need the full 3/4 C. Once it is the desired consistency, place in a serving bowl and set aside.
Step 5: Layer the cauliflower mash on individual serving plates, ladle the mushroom and root vegetable stew over the top and enjoy!

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Anything bathed in ghee (or butter) is better…can I get an Amen? Usually shrimp scampi is a don’t, but this VEGGIE NOODLE SHRIMP SCAMPI is a zoodle dee DO. I don’t know about you, but I get bored with the average zoodles and marinara. It’s just not the SAME. But when you jazz up zoodles, it doesn’t need to be anything like the OG because its BETTER than the OG. Case in point, my top 3 zoodles recipes that are more than marinara. Read on for the dEATs!

The other night I was out to dinner with some co-workers and we were gushing about our last meal – to sum it up there was lots of pasta and bread! Shocker. Mine was a juicy lamb burger with goat cheese and roasted red peppers BUT, a big bowl of creamy mac & cheese is a close second. Now there’s nothing wrong with a big ‘ole bowl of pasta here and there, but the carbs add up. Specifically, 1 serving of whole what spaghetti contains 42 grams of carbs compared to 1 serving of zucchini noodles with 7 grams. That’s 6x as many carbs math whizzes! And since no one EVER eats a single serving (seriously, who stops at 1 cup of pasta) you can double those numbers.

In case you fainted after seeing those numbers, welcome back! And welcome aboard the veggie noodle train! Now that you’re on board, let me introduce you to the world of “beyond the zoodle”. Yes, friends, the zoodle is but one of the veggie noodle wonders of the world.

Here are some of the best veggies for spiralizing IMHO:

1.) Zoodles (zucchini noodles): 3g of carbs per 100g, plus vitamins A, C & K.

2.) Coodles (carrot noodles): 10g of carbs per 100g, plus vitamins A, E & K.

3.) Swoodles (sweet potato noodles): 20g of carbs per 100g, plus vitamins A, C & manganese

4.) Spoodles (spaghetti squash noodles): 7g of carbs per 100g, plus vitamins B5, B6 & potassium

5.) Sqoodles (butternut squash noodles): 12g of carbs per 100g, plus vitamin A, E & potassium

TBH, more often than not I buy my veggie noodles because…easy! I love the variety and convenience of Cece’s Veggie Co. (found in the produce section), but have also had a lot of success with frozen ones from Green Giant (they’re just a bit more wet). I’ve used a hand spiralizer and it was not worth the effort, mess or frustration as well. So, if you’re into do it yourself, make sure to invest in a quality spiralizer like these recommended by Food & Wine.

Ready to get your spiral on? Find my recipes for Shrimp Scampi, Pad Thai, Carbonara and Eggs in a Nest below! All recipes are Whole30, Paleo and keto-friendly, too!

Shrimp Scampi with Veggie Noodles
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
– 1 lb of shrimp, shelled with tails on
– 1 package Cece’s Butternut Spirals
– 1 package Cece’s Zucchini Spirals
– 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
– 1/4 C butter (or ghee)
– 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
– 1/4 tsp oregano
– 4 cloves of garlic, minced
– 2 shallots, diced
– 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
– 1/4 C freshly chopped parsley
– 1/2 lemon, sliced into 2 wedges
– salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Step 1:  Heat olive oil and 2 T of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots, stirring frequently until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the shrimp. Toss to combine and cook for 4-5 minutes until the veggie noodles are tender.
Step 2: Season both side of the shrimp with salt and pepper. Then, create a nest in the center of the veggie noodles, adding the shrimp and remaining butter. Saute the shrimp for 1-2 minutes on each side until opaque.
Step 3: Remove the pan from the heat, add the parsley and squeeze the lemons on top. Toss to mix together and enjoy!

Veggie Noodle Pad Thai
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:
Thai Sauce
– One 13.5 oz can of full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk like Thai Kitchen
– 1/4 C of red curry paste like Thai Kitchen
– 3/4 C natural, creamy and unsweetened peanut or almond butter like 365 Everyday
– 3/4 C coconut sugar (or white refined sugar)
– 2 T apple cider vinegar
– 1/2 T salt
– 1/2 C water

Additional Ingredients:
— veggie noodles of choice (zucchini, butternut squash and carrot are great choices!)
— protein of choice (hard-boiled eggs, tofu and chicken are fantastic options!)
— optional fresh veggies (sliced bell peppers, diced carrots and snow peas as shown)
— top with crushed peanuts and cilantro for extra texture and flavor

Directions:
Step 1: Make the sauce by adding all of the ingredients to a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Whisk until it comes to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for another 3-5 minutes whisking sporadically to ensure the bottom does not burn. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Step 2: Cook the veggie noodles by placing in a large saute pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Heat for 3-5 minutes over medium heat until desired doneness.
Step 3: Assemble the pad thai by distributing the veggie noodles to individual serving dishes, top with as much sauce as you’d like and add protein along with additional veggie and toppings of choice. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash and Cashew Ricotta “Carbonara”
Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:
– 1 spaghetti squash
– 1 carton of portabella mushrooms
– extra virgin olive oil
Cashew Ricotta 
– 1 1/2 cups of raw cashews, soaked in water overnight (or at least 4 hours)
– 1/2 cup of water
– 2 T nutritional yeast
– 1 T apple cider vinegar
– 1 clove of garlic
– pinch of onion powder
– salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 
Step 1: Make the spaghetti squash by slicing it in half horizontally with a sharp knife (note: you’ll have to use some muscle!). Place a damp paper towel on a microwave-safe plate and put the spaghetti squash halves on top, cut-side up. Microwave for 15 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Once tender, set aside to cool.
Step 2: Prep the mushrooms while the spaghetti squash cools by slicing into 1/4 inch thick pieces. Add olive oil to a pan on the stove top over medium heat. Once hot (a few drops of water should sizzle), add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and stir occasionally until tender.
Step 3: Make the cashew ricotta by placing all the ricotta ingredients in a food processor. Blend until creamy, scraping the sides. Set aside in a bowl.
Step 4: Complete the dish by first removing the seeds and dried center tendrils of the spaghetti squash with a fork, leaving the tender edges in tact. Then, use the fork to scrape the interior sides of the spaghetti squash to release the “noodles”, scraping from the top edge down towards the center. Place the “noodles” in serving dishes, top with mushrooms, ricotta, a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Butternut Egg Nests
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:
-1 package of Cece’s Organic Butternut Spirals
-1 jar of Rao’s Tomato Basil Marinara
-6 Vital Farms pasture-raised eggs
-Italian Seasoning
-Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a sheet pan with olive oil then using Cece’s Butternut Spirals, form circular nests with a well in the middle. Make sure the nest is wide and dense enough to hold the egg. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning then place in the oven for 2-3 minutes. This helps to pre-cook the spirals and ensures the egg when you crack it into the nest since the pan will be hot.
Step 2: Remove the sheet pan from the oven and gently crack an egg in each of the nests. Return to the oven for 6-8 minutes. The egg will continue to cook a bit when you take it out of the oven to cool, but err on the side of 8 minutes if you like your eggs more done.
Step 3: Serve 1-2 nests per person with marinara sauce and your favorite fresh fruit.

Veggie noodles are anything but boring, friends! Share any of your favorite recipes or hacks in the comments!

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