Last Updated on January 4, 2026
Managing your diet – Mushroom Stroganoff with Lentils.
I’m back on a diet now, my first full fast day for a few weeks will be tomorrow. In the meantime, I am attempting to ease myself in gently by eating light meals today, like this diet mushroom stroganoff with lentils, which would potentially be good as one of the two fast days on this diet. I know it’s sometimes hard when you’ve been overindulging a bit over the holiday period to face the idea of just 500 calories – the allowance for a 5:2 fast day – so instead I’m trying to keep well under 1500 calories today in an effort to make tomorrow easier.
I’ve heard some people saying they like to do their two fast days back to back, but I simply couldn’t face that. And for me, the joy of the 5:2 diet is that you can fit it around your normal life. I love cooking my 5:2 diet recipes and perhaps because psychologically I don’t feel ‘pressured’ I generally enjoy fast days. This Mushroom Stroganoff and its spicier sister, Mushroom Goulash, are regular diet recipes for me, but I’ve made a few adaptations this time, which I hope you’ll like.
I’m still learning about what works best for me, and the trick I’d like to share with you today is one that was explained to me on a Bootcamp by our Chef/Nutritionist, Diana. As I think I’ve mentioned, I really didn’t ever feel hungry. It was, she told us, the fact that she included an element of protein in every meal and most of the snacks. Maybe just a few nuts, maybe lean meat or fish. The result was great. Not only did our diet of 1300 calories a day feel quite easy, but a diabetic on the programme was astonished to find that her normally brittle blood sugar readings were stable and within the correct range the whole time on Diana’s carefully balanced five-meals-a-day meal plan.
Mushroom Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 40 g Black or Puy Lentils Dry weight – rinsed well
- 1 Medium Onion Finely chopped
- 4 Small Spring Onions Trimmed, cleaned and chopped
- 400 g Mushrooms Sliced – pick your favourites or use a mixture
- 30 ml Low Fat Creme Fraiche
- 1 pinch Smoked Sweet Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Coconut Oil or Olive Oil
- 1 handful Flat Leaf Parsley
- 10 g Dried Porcini Mushrooms Optional – soak in 20 ml warm water or vegetable stock for at least half an hour
Instructions
- Put the lentils into a pan with around 150-200ml of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer
- Soften the onion and garlic with the paprika in the oil over a low heat for around 10 minutes.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and stir well
- Chop the dried mushrooms and add to the mixture. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes till the mushrooms are sealed
- Add the stock or liquid used to soak the mushroom and cook for 5-10 minutes or so to reduce down. If the mixture becomes too dry add a little more stock or water
- When the lentils are cooked – tender but still slightly nutty – drain them well and cover to keep warm
- Stir the creme fraiche through the mushrooms, taste and season well with salt and pepper and serve garnished with chopped parsley
Nutrition
So, while I’ve enjoyed Mushroom Goulash and Mushroom Stroganoff in the past with zero noodles or white rice, today I’ve made a serving of black lentils. According to Wiki, about 30% of the calories of lentils come from protein. While a serving will add around 100-150 calories, it will also fill you up and keep you feeling full for longer. Which, after all, on a fast day, is what most of us are looking for. Pairing a small portion with an utterly delicious Mushroom Stroganoff makes a meal that is a meagre 193 calories per serving and a nutritious and tasty recipe for a 5:2 diet meal plan.
Like the idea of this recipe and keen to try it for yourself? Why not pin it for later!
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