So with my journey of getting back to a healthier me, we had to explore some other ways of cooking. We eliminated red meat from our diet almost completely, save some pork here and there, but mainly NO BEEF. It causes me to feel awful, it makes me sick to my stomach and causes my inflammation to flare up something terrible. With this came the idea to look for alternatives to things I really enjoy eating. Like a French Dip Sandwich!

I love a really good French Dip with a hot cup of Au Jus on the side to dip the sandwich into on a chilly day. While it does not get overly cold in Georgia, there are some times when there is a chill in the air and with fall setting in I needed to find some warm comfort food alternatives. I found a recipe that I thought was worth trying and I AM SO GLAD WE DID. This Mushroom French Dip Sandwich is not only affordable, it is delicious! If you do not have a lot of time to make the Au Jus yourself you can always sub it for a package of mushroom soup or even onion soup, just add water/ heat it on the stove and call it good.

This will quickly become one of my new cold weather comfort foods from here on out. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think ❤

INGREDIENTS

• 1 yellow onion ( for those who cannot have onions, consider subbing in 2 shallots)
• 3 Portobello mushroom caps (about ½ lb.)  [ Also you can add in more mushrooms if you want to add in more flavor and more textures, I would suggest adding in some Shitakes, white or even some lion’s manes]
• 2 Tbsp. butter 
• 1/8 tsp salt 
• 1/8 tsp freshly cracked black pepper 
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme 
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano 
• 2 cups vegetable broth/stock [ I prefer to use stocks because the flavor is more bold]
• 1 Tbsps. soy sauce (you can use gluten free soy sauce or vegan)
• 1 Tbsps. Worcestershire Sauce ( Optional, I added it in for a but more flavor]
• 1/2 Tbsps. brown sugar 
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder 
• 4 6-inch French or Hoagie rolls 
• 4 slices provolone ( may want to add more, we are a cheese loving family and provolone is one of the cheese our son CAN have so we usually double up on it.
• Optional Mozzarella for topping at the end

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INSTRUCTIONS 

• Slice the onion into thin strips. Rinse the portobello caps to remove any dirt or debris. Slice each cap in half, then crosswise into 1/4-inch thick strips.
• Add the butter to a deep skillet along with the sliced onions. Sauté the onions over medium heat for a few minutes, or just until they begin to soften.
• Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet along with the salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Sauté the mushrooms until they release all their moisture and the liquid in the bottom of the skillet has evaporated (about 10 minutes). You should see some browned bits coating the bottom of the skillet.
• Add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic powder and stir to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the liquid to come up to a simmer, then turn down to low and simmer for about 5 minutes while you toast the bread.
• Open the rolls and place them on a baking sheet, open sides up. Turn the oven on to broil and place the rolls in the oven on the middle rack. Watch the rolls closely and broil just until you see a slightly browning on the edges (about 5 minutes).
• Use a slotted spoon or tongs to take the mushrooms and onions out of the au jus. Divide the mushrooms and onions among the four rolls. Top each sandwich with a slice of provolone.
• Return the sandwiches to the oven and broil for a few minutes more, or just until the cheese is melted. Close the sandwiches up and serve with the au jus from the skillet for dipping.

These were so good that it had even our pickiest of eaters going back for more!