Mushrooms
Mushrooms
Mushrooms
Eat mushrooms and earn a
circle
Mushrooms
This is my kinda mush!

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Fun Facts

Mushrooms are ancient fungi that love to grow in dark, damp places. Mushroom lover King Louis the XIV of France had his own private stash grown in underground caves in Paris. No one really knows how many varieties are out there, but we do know that 10,000 varieties are grown in the U.S. alone! Many ancient cultures thought mushrooms gave people special powers, like extreme strength, immortality and the ability to find lost objects! Wild mushrooms are still very popular, but be careful, some of them are poisonous.

Star Power

This fabulous fungus is full of selenium, zinc and manganese, much needed antioxidants that protect the body from cell damaging inflammation. Vitamin B takes the lead in helping your body metabolize fats and protein. Beta glucans support your immune system. And busy destroying nasty free radicals is an amino acid called L-erothioneine. Now that's a mouthful! Did you know that cooking mushrooms kills any natural toxins?

Quick Preps

PREPARE: Wash lightly under cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Do not soak mushrooms -- they will become waterlogged. Cut off a small bit of the stem, then slice or dice.

  • Add to stir fries, scrambled eggs and quesadillas.
  • Top your pizza with mushrooms.
  • Sauté in olive oil and top on your burgers and sandwiches.
  • Grill Portobello mushrooms for burgers instead of beef!
  • Stuff Portobello mushrooms with quinoa, veggies and cheese, and bake in the oven.
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Fun Tip

Make veggie kabob stick figures and use mushroom caps as hats!

Star-Powered Recipe

5 star dinner My Kinda Mush Tortilla Pizzas
My Kinda Mush Tortilla Pizzas

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • ½ tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 small whole wheat or gluten-free tortillas
  • ½ cup shredded low-fat mozzarella
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium sauté pan, heat oil on medium heat, add mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook until just softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Lay tortillas on a baking sheet and top each one with sautéed mushrooms and cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
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How to Store

Whole or sliced, uncooked: Refrigerate whole, uncooked mushrooms in a paper bag for up to a week. | Place sliced, uncooked mushrooms in a covered container and keep in the fridge for a day or two. To freeze, first steam or sauté for three minutes. Let cool, then transfer to covered containers and freeze for up to a year.

Cooked:Refrigerate mushrooms in shallow airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking for 3 to 5 days. To freeze, place cooked mushrooms in airtight containers and freeze for up to a year.

How It Grows

Mushrooms thrive in dark, damp places. Indoor mushrooms grow on various substrates like straw, grain, sawdust, compost, logs, manure -- even used coffee grounds and tea leaves! Wild mushrooms grow on logs or other organic matter. Different varieties grow at different rates -- some pop up overnight, while others take months to mature.

Peak Seasons

Fall, winter

Varieties

Chanterelle, Cremini, Morel, Portobello, Shiitaki, Oyster, Maitake, Pioppino

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