Using alternative proteins

Many of my meals this winter are based on mushrooms that I picked during summer/fall in our local forest. It was a double benefit - I got to have my walks and exercise and picked enough alternative protein that can be stored for winter. Fall time was especially good for me as I was able to find quite a bit of Maitake - sometimes called Hen of the woods. Many stores carry it in fall/winter time but depending on the store you'd also have to shell out quite a bit for each small package.

It's a bit hard to really see the amount of maitake on the table but you're looking at over 15 lbs of it. That small part on the right hand corner is what you'd get in a store for about $5 on sale. And if you got Wholefoods you're looking at about $20 per package. Just to make it easier to understand I also took a picture of cleaned and sliced mushroom.

I used 12" skillet to saute it with sliced onions and olive oil, packaged it into small portions and vacuum-sealed it for freezer - and had to repeat it 4 times to cook up everything because it just didn't fit on one skillet. And whenever I'm in a mood for good meal with alternative protein I take a package in the morning, leave in the fridge to defrost while I'm at work and then toss on skillet with a bit of cream and add to either pasta, rice or mashed potatoes. Yummy and it didn't cost me anything :)