Beef Stroganoff

A new book tackles the challenges that come with dairy-free dieting. Whether you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, or have sworn off dairy for other reasons, you know it’s not easy to find tasty substitutes. Chef Mini C and Tanya Haffner, RD, have teamed to create Healthy Dairy-Free Eating, which offers a handy guide to conquering the challenges of avoiding dairy along with more than 100 great recipes, including these.

When I was studying in the States, my guardian, Uncle Don, an American friend of my dad, used to make this dish for us every week. I loved it, and I’ve devised this recipe that replaces the usual sour cream with soy cream so that non-dairy eaters can enjoy it, too.

12 oz round steak, cut into thick strips
Salt and ground black pepper
1/3 cup vegan margarine
1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
8 oz (about 3 1/2-4 cups) button mushrooms
1/4 cup brandy
Scant 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
1/3 cup soy cream
1/3 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped chives
Boiled rice or pasta, for serving

Serves 4

Toss the steak strips in black pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of the margarine in a heavy frying pan until hot and sizzling. Cook the steak strips, in batches, for a couple of minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Heat the remaining margarine in the pan and cook the onion and mushrooms for a few minutes. Add the brandy, broth, and soy cream, and soy milk, and let simmer until the sauce thickens. Stir in the mustard and tarragon and season with salt and black pepper. Put the beef into the sauce and heat, stirring, until the meat is hot. Sprinkle with the chopped chives and serve with boiled rice or pasta.

Per Serving: 389 calories, 28.9 g fat, 7.6 g saturated fat, 21.6 g total protein, 0.5 g soy protein, 79 mg calcium, 470 mg sodium

Recipes reprinted with permission from Healthy Dairy-Free Eating by Mini C with Tanya Haffner, RD, www.kylecathie.com

— Photo by Gary Dolgoff for Today’s Diet & Nutrition