I have been contemplating this idea of comfort food. The word "comfort food" seems to be the hallmark of good cooking as the weather turns cool.
Now listen, I'm one who will go the extra mile for comfort food. Nothin' says lovin' like meatloaf from the oven, in my opinion. I love a good, old-fashioned roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy and the whole nine yards. This is my son's favorite meal, and I make it for him on various occasions, like his birthday. I have a feeling he'll be looking for a gal who can make chicken like his mama once he gets to a marrying age.
But that's not for a few years, thank heaven. In the meantime, this dilemma about what constitutes "comfort food" continues to weigh on my mind. What is it that makes a comfort food a comfort food? Is it the warmth and coziness of the food or the fond memories it instills (like mom's home cooking)? Maybe it is the creaminess of the mashed potatoes or the stick-to-your-ribs feeling you get after eating some good, old-fashioned beef stew.
Whatever it is, there is definitely something about comfort food that satisfies a very primal need we all have.
There are, however, "issues" with comfort food. And those are that most of them are just dang unhealthy. I hate that. But that doesn't mean they need to STAY unhealthy — they just need an extreme makeover, and that's something I love to do. So here you go — my very fabulous Beef Stroganoff, extremely made over — lower in fat, lower in carbs and every bit as comforting as "the real thing." I ADORE this recipe. I know low carb is no longer the "in" way to do things, but doing things in a lower carb way is a dream come true for me.
Low-Carb Skillet Beef Stroganoff
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion — chopped
1 1/2 cups mushrooms — sliced
1 pound top sirloin, sliced thinly
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup sour cream (to substantially lower fat grams, use low or nonfat sour cream)
4 cups fresh spinach
1 teaspoon paprika
In a skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions for about three minutes. Add the mushrooms and keep cooking till the mushrooms begin to lose their liquid. Remove and keep warm. Add the beef and cook till completely browned, salt and peppering as you go.
Drain the fat, if any, and sprinkle the flour over the top of the beef. Add the broth and cook until slightly thickened.
Add back the mushroom mixture and mix well. Season again with salt and pepper and add the thyme finally. Once hot, turn down the heat and add the sour cream. Don't let it boil, or the sour cream will turn into nasty little curds like cottage cheese, and you don't want that.
Place 1 cup of raw spinach on each plate and top with the stroganoff. The heat from the stroganoff will wilt the spinach nicely. You can saute it first if you like, but it's good this way. Sprinkle the top with paprika. (Serves 4)
SERVING SUGGESTION: Instead of serving it on spinach, serve traditionally on wide noodles. LOW-CARB SERVING SUGGESTION: Just add a big salad.
Per serving: 370 calories; 26g fat (64.4 percent calories from fat); 26g protein; 7g carbohydrate; 2g dietary fiber; 78mg cholesterol; 420mg sodium. Exchanges: 0 grain (starch); 3 1/2 lean meat; 1/2 vegetable; 3 1/2 fat.
Leanne Ely, a k a Dinner Diva, is the author of the best-selling "Saving Dinner" and "Saving Dinner the Low Carb Way" (Ballantine). What's for dinner? Go to www.savingdinner.com and find the solution!