Word to my mother.

When I was growing up, my mom was known around our house as "Mother Hubbard". She could always find something to make no matter how few ingredients we had in the pantry. It's a pretty great skill to have, and my mother has perfected it. This isn't necessarily one of her Mother Hubbard meals, but it uses ingredients that you most likely already have around, and is one I remember her making when I was little. I think since I loved stroganoff so much, I just eventually took over the job of cooking it. This is how I make it now, using fat-free sour cream to make a guilt-free stroganoff sauce that is creamy and delicious.

Beef Stroganoff: (serves 2)

• 1/2 lb. grass-fed steak
• 4 oz. dry no-yolk egg noodles
• bouillon cubes
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 5 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 5 tbsp. fat free sour cream
• 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

Cut steak into cubes and pour 1 tbsp. soy sauce over top. Cover and refrigerate up to a few hours. The longer you marinate, the better flavor your meat will have. I never measure out the amount of soy sauce I use, just make sure you cover all the beef.

Boil water, adding the appropriate amount of bouillon cubes based on how much you are using. Cook egg noodles as directed.

While noodles are cooking, cut up veggies. I feel like stroganoff is supposed to have mushrooms, but you can add whatever floats your boat. I know from working at Noodles & Co that people add all sorts of things to stroganoff. Spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, and broccoli are all great additions. But I kept it simple here.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic, cook for another minute, then add beef. Cook until steak begins to brown, then add mushrooms. Continue cooking until steak is cooked through and mushrooms are tender. Drain most of liquid out of pan, leaving just a small amount in with the meat mixture. Add remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, then turn heat to low. Stir in sour cream and seasoned salt, and cook until heated through. If sauce is too thick, add soy sauce or chicken broth. If sauce is too thin, add more sour cream. (Fat free sour cream is my favorite base for cream sauce: only 30 calories for 2 tablespoons, obviously no fat, and no one ever knows it's not the regular kind unless you tell them!)

Pour over top of cooked egg noodles, and top with parmesan cheese if desired. EnJOY!

And a shout out to my mom, since she originally taught me to cook this, and lots of other things I still make today. You rock, Mom! Love you!