Create a high end dinner featuring plump, grilled, portobello mushrooms, braised chard and butternut squash in a creamy Alfredo type sauce!
The sauce itself is made from steamed and blended zucchini. Garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper provide that alfredo type flavor with none of the fat.
Finish this off with some fresh chopped parsley and a little grated almond for a true high-end experience. (Leave off the almond if you are limiting your fat).
Surprisingly, this could be a detox meal as it is incredibly low in fat!
To round out this meal, serve with an air baked “blooming onion” and a simple side salad with Caesar dressing.
If you prefer a spicy Italian dressing, try Calabrian Chili Italian Dressing.
Any winter squash could be used for this dish. Sometimes I use the neck of the butternut squash for steaks, and reserve the the bulb for other dishes like this one. Butternut squash is a great fall addition to a salad as well like my Butternut squash and jewel salad.
You could make squash noodles with your spiralizer.
Portabella Mushrooms with Chard and Butternut Squash slices
Ingredients
- 1-2 Large Zucchini
- 1 TBSP Minced garlic
- 1/4 TSP Nutmeg
- 1/4 TSP Himalayan Salt
- 3 TBSP Lemon Juice
- 1 TBSP White balsamic vinegar
- 2 Large Portabella mushrooms
- 1 Bunch Swiss Chard
- 1/2 Butternut squash The bulb
- 1/4 Sweet Onion
- 1/2 Cup Portabella mushroom stock or broth As needed to sauté
- 1/2 TSP Herb De Province
- 1/4 TSP Pepper
- 1/2 TSP Red pepper flakes Prerably Calabrian chili or Aleppo
- 1/2 TSP Minced garlic (for mushrooms)
Instructions
- Peel zucchini. Cut into chunks and place in blender. Add next 5 ingredients. Blend until smooth. (Add a little water if necesssary).
- Clean and slice the mushrooms into 1/2" slices. Set aside.
- Wash the swiss chard. Remove the stems and rough cut the leaves into more bite sized pieces. Set aside.
- Peel the butternut squash. Slice in half and remove the seeds. Slice as thinly as possible to make wide but thin "noodles". Set aside.
- Peel and thinly slice 1/4 of the sweet onion. Set aside.
- Sauté the mushrooms in a frying pan to sear them. Don't crowd them or they will steam instead of searing. Add mushroom broth in small amounts if necessary. Don't cook all the way through, you just want them lightly browned. Remove from pan and add the onions to the pan.
- Sauté onion for a few minutes to render some of the juices. After about 5 minutes add the Swiss chard. Sauté just until wilted and remove from pan.
- Add the banana squash to the frying pan. Add remaining broth and seasoning. Sauté until just starting to get translucent. Move to a casserole baking dish.
- Cover squash with 1/3 of the Alfredo mixture. Top with Chard. Top chard with 1/3 the Alfredo mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Finish with mushrooms and remaining Alfredo Mixture.
- Cover with parchment paper (or lid). Bake at 375 ° F 15 - 20 minutes.
- Serve with baked Vidalia onions or favorite side dish. See notes.
Notes
This is a Snap Pea Sheep recipe.
I generally utilize the neck of a butternut squash to grate for salads, spiralize for noodles or cut into 1" medallions for "steaks" so I always have the bulb left. Use any part or spiralize it instead of making wide noodles.
This dish could be combined in the pan and cooked just a little longer with the sauce and served without baking. I happened to be baking the Vidalia onions and wanted everything to come out hot at the same time. 
