Cheesy Stuffed Mushrooms With Butternut Squash Cream
People always ask me how I think of recipes. I usually shrug and smile and say I’ve been practicing a lot lately.
Here’s the real story of how it usually goes down:
I sit on my couch and think, “F! I really need to think of a new recipe. I have no idea what to make. Ugh. Am I bad at cooking? I bet my plant friends Laura, Jodi, and Lindsey don’t have this problem. They just flutter around their fully stocked kitchens in cool aprons and make stuff up.” And then I get frustrated and stop trying. And then, later in the week, like clockwork, a food I’m craving will pop in my head. Then I’ll obsess on how much I want to eat it, which leads to figuring out how to make it. And that’s how I create recipes.
I used to feel a little defeated by this approach. Shouldn’t I just be able to sit and think of a recipe? I’ve been practicing and all. But I realized that’s just not my process. And that’s ok. I need to let things marinate for a minute. I need to let it swirl around in my head and not feel pressured to come up with something on the spot. I need my belly to connect with my brain and share its deepest desires (sometimes that’s coconut cream with chocolate). I need to let it breathe.
And who knows how my other my food pals create their recipes. I was comparing my process to processes I don’t even really know. Which brings me back to one of my goals from last year: Less comparing, more doing. And maybe sometimes “doing” is not actually doing anything…it’s waiting for the idea to come. This doesn’t just have to apply to creating recipes – writing, designing, figuring out a theme for your friend’s baby shower…sometimes you can’t force creativity.
So here’s what popped in my head this week: stuffed mushrooms. The ones I’d had in the past were creamy and dreamy. So I used a little butternut squash and my pal nutritional yeast (inspired by this recipe) to achieve that. If you don’t feel like roasting the squash, skip it and use this easy pesto sauce instead. These make a great appetizer for parties or go well with a salad for a meal just for you. YUM!
{ Stuffed Mushrooms With Butternut Squash Cream }
16 ounces (two 8 ounce packages) of mushrooms, destemmed (keep the stems!)
1/2 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic gloves, minced
1 cup spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon tamari
Mushroom stems, finely chopped
1/2 cup butternut squash cream (recipe below)
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized pan, sauté onions in vegetable broth or a little olive oil until soft and translucent. Add garlic, spinach, mushroom stems, and tamari and continue to cook until mushrooms are soft. Remove from heat and add butternut squash cream. Set aside.
In a casserole dish lined with parchment paper, line up mushrooms and start to fill with heaping tablespoons of spinach and cream filling. Cook for 30-35 minutes until mushrooms are soft and cooked throughout. Serve with extra butternut squash cream or on their own.
{ Butternut Squash Cream }
1 cup butternut squashed, peeled and chopped into 1-2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon oil of your choice (coconut or olive)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put butternut squash in a casserole dish and toss with a tablespoon of oil and salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes until soft.
In a blender, blend butternut squash and all remaining ingredients together. Use your extra sauce to toss with greens and brown rice pasta.
Homework Time:
Check out Daily Rituals by Mason Currey. It’s one of my most favorite books and have bought if for about a dozen people so far. It’s really helped me understand that even the greatest writers, thinkers, and artists had to figure out their process too. Truly inspiring!
16 Comments
Laura
March 20, 2014Never been much of a flutter-er (or an apron wearer), but I’m kind of stoked that you think of my kitchen endeavours that way. Random combinations and things I want to eat come to me at surprise moments too. But holy jeez. I want these. I’ve been thinking about a cheesy butternut-based sauce for a nacho situation lately, so you basically just solved all of my life’s problems. Also. Daily Rituals. In my Amazon cart. Boom goes the dynamite.
Jessica
March 20, 2014You aren’t really a flutter-er – more of a grinder-er (probably to Drake). Can’t wait for you to read that book! Thanks for always being inspiring.
Jodi
March 20, 2014I have to go with Laura on this …. My kitchen is a mess 90% of the time, and so am I 😉 … and my craving usually conquer all. This recipe is ridiculous, and I am making asap. + You’re the cutest.
Jessica
March 21, 2014Well you do the most amazing job making it look sparkling clean. You guys always inspire me to make food prettier! And you are pretty cute too!
Cassandra
March 21, 2014Where can I find nutritional yeast and the tamari. This sounds so yummy!!!! Thanks for being the creative cook that you are!!
Jessica
March 21, 2014Hey Cassandra! You can find nutritional yeast at most health food stores or at Whole Foods. If you can’t find where you live – order online – try Vitacost or Abe’s Market! Tamari can be found at Whole Foods or even some standard groceries. It’s gluten free soy sauce. Liquid Aminos would work great here too!
pat stracquatanio
November 21, 2016I don’t see the cheese listed in recipe. They are called cheesy butternut squash stuffed mushrooms.
Jessica
November 22, 2016Pat, my apologies for the confusion. More of a “cheesy” vibe than actual cheese!
Tedi
March 21, 2014Cannot wait to try this recipe Jessica! Looks delicious. You’re an awesome chef!
And I was so happy to read your post because just today I was thinking the very same thing about my process for coming up with recipes (I even thought…”I bet she never struggles like this over at OPP!”). Made me feel much better 🙂 🙂 🙂 thanks for posting!!
Jessica
March 21, 2014Tedi, you’re welcome! Based on the comments, we all do this! Comforting, isn’t it? Can’t wait to try your recipes too.
Nicola Brown
March 25, 2014I am soooo making these! I love love love mushrooms. Was just about to compile this week’s shopping list – we might be able to have these tonight! Yum.
Jessica
March 26, 2014Nicola, hope you loved them! Let me know if changed up the recipe at all. I love learning how people change things up!
Nicola Brown
March 26, 2014Hi Jessica – made them yesterday and loved them – delicious! Going to share the recipe on the Nibl on This FB page if that’s ok.
I did change them a little – it’s the compulsive recipe-altering freak in me – I added chopped red capsicum with the spinach/onion filling mixture, and also added a handful of soaked cashews to the butternut puree to up the protein (and used another 1/4 cup of almond milk so the nuts didn’t make it too thick). YUM!!! Served them with a supergrain and corn risotto (black, red and white quinoa with amaranth, fresh corn, vege stock, onion, garlic and herbs). Going to have the leftovers for lunch and I can’t wait.
Thanks so much for the recipe. Clearly your creative processes work just fine!
Jessica
March 28, 2014YES! Please share away. Love your alternations!
Nicola Brown
April 7, 2014Hey there, check out your recipe at my dinner party:
https://www.facebook.com/niblonthis
Just scroll to the post from yesterday. That meal was a big hit!!
Jessica
April 7, 2014I love the pretty flowers on the plate. Nice touch!!!