Most of us are in agreement that the best thing about eating mussels is really the crusty loaf of bread sopped in mussel broth.  So what do you do when you still crave mussels but bread is no longer a thing in your kitchen?  You get creative with veggies, of course.

I modified this NY Times recipe left and right until I came up with a soupy broth that could take on the addition of sliced shiitake mushrooms and baby bok choy.  Afterward, I came to the conclusion that adding two-ish cups of veggie broth and additional seasoning {extra fish sauce in this instance} to a mussels recipe is the way to go.

But the critical part, the part that lets your mind forget about bread, is the shiitake shroom.  Because they contain less water than other mushroom varieties, they soak up the broth and keep their chew, which gives the dish more sustenance. And let me tell ya, a spoonful of mussel, shiitake, shallot, coconut, and lemongrass is quite the bite!