Potato-Mushroom Gratin

Serves 8 / If you don’t divulge it to your party guests, they might never guess this is dairy-free and low-fat—but don’t let your heart-conscious friends miss out on trying a spoonful. TIP: If you have a mandoline, use it to slice the potatoes, which should ideally be about 1/16-inch thick and no thicker than 1/8 inch; otherwise use a thin, sharp knife.

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 pound button or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
Cooking spray
2-1/2 tablespoons nondairy canola spread, divided
3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced (about 2 pounds)
4 large cloves garlic, diced or pressed (about 1-1/2 tablespoons)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups plain soy milk
2 ounces meltable, nondairy cheddar cheese alternative, grated

1. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet on high. Add onion and mushrooms and steam thoroughly, stirring occasionally, until all liquid evaporates and mushrooms nearly burn. Remove from heat and toss with 1 tablespoon of the nondairy spread.
2. Preheat oven to 400º. Coat a 1-1/2- to 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Arrange one-third of the potatoes in a layer and dot with 1/2 tablespoon nondairy butter spread. Sprinkle with one-fourth of the garlic. Salt and pepper lightly. Repeat.
3. After the second layer, add mushroom-onion mixture in single layer. Sprinkle with half of the remaining garlic; salt and pepper lightly. Layer remaining potatoes, garlic, and nondairy butter spread.
4. Whisk flour into soy milk and pour over potato mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes. (Place a sheet of foil under the pan to catch any drips.) Uncover and sprinkle with cheese alternative. Reduce heat to 350º and cook until potatoes are tender, 20–30 minutes more. Cool 5–8 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

PER SERVING: 188 cal, 22% fat cal, 5g fat, 0g sat fat, 0mg chol, 7g protein, 30g carb, 4g fiber, 132mg sodium