Savory and Satisfying Dishes with Mushrooms

Most people either love or hate mushrooms. But hear me out: the beauty of mushrooms is that they take on the flavor of whatever they’re cooked with. They become Asian cooked in a soy or teriyaki-style sauce. They’re Italian sauteed in olive oil, garlic and fresh basil. Sprinkle middle Eastern spices on them such as zaatar or sumac and they become Moroccan or Lebanese.

For those who want to cut down on eating meat, a portobello mushroom grilled and placed in a hamburger bun is very satisfying.  Mushrooms provide that ‘fifth taste’ (joining sweet, salty, sour and bitter), umami, which is a Japanese term that doesn’t have an exact translation into English but is generally understood as a savory or delicious flavor (think of the savory richness of Parmesan Reggiano cheese).

Mushroom Benefits

Mushrooms are loaded with health benefits that include:

1. Decreasing the risk of cancer — A review of 17 cancer studies from 1966 to 2020 indicates that eating two medium mushrooms or about a 1/8-cup a day may lower cancer risk by as much as 45%. Mushrooms are a powerful source of ergothioneine, an amino acid and antioxidant that prevents or slows cellular damage.
2. Lowering sodium intake — Sodium causes the body to retain excess fluid, which can increase blood pressure. Mushrooms are naturally low in sodium – an entire cup of white button mushrooms has just five milligrams of sodium. They offer savory flavor that reduces the need for added salt to keep your blood pressure low.
3. Helping lower cholesterol – They make an excellent substitute for red meat while minimizing calories, fat and cholesterol. Research suggests that shiitake mushrooms in particular help to keep cholesterol levels low. They contain compounds that inhibit the production of cholesterol, block it from being absorbed and lower the overall level of cholesterol in the blood.
4. Protecting brain health — Researchers continue to study the effects of eating mushrooms on mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI causes memory and language difficulties and is often a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. A study in Singapore suggests subjects who ate more than two cups of mushrooms a week had a 50% lower risk of developing MCI.
5. Being a vegan source of vitamin D – Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium to maintain and build strong bones. Many people rely on supplements, milk with vitamin D added or sunshine to get vitamin D. Exposure to UV light or sunlight can increase the amount of vitamin D in mushrooms. White button, portabella and cremini mushrooms provide the most vitamin D after exposure to UV light or sunlight. To get the recommended daily amount, slice three mushrooms (or one portabella), expose them to sunlight for at least 15 minutes and enjoy.
6. Stimulating a healthier gut – Your digestive system requires the growth of healthy bacteria. The carbohydrate in mushrooms, polysaccharides, stimulates the growth of healthy bacteria. Most foods break down with stomach acid, but the polysaccharides found in mushrooms go right through the stomach unchanged and can reach the colon to encourage bacteria growth there.
7. Supporting a healthy immune system – Mushrooms contain good amounts immunity-supporting nutrients such as:

• Selenium, which helps your body make antioxidant enzymes to prevent cell damage.
• Vitamin D, which encourages bone and cell health, boosts immune function and reduces inflammation.
• Vitamin B6, which helps your body form red blood cells, proteins and DNA.

For more details on how mushrooms support your health and well-being, check out one of my earlier blogs, https://foodtrients.com/aging-gracefully/miraculous-mushrooms-a-food-powerhouse/ and articles written by our FoodTrients dietitian, Ginger Hultin, MS, RDN, LDN, Top 5 Medicinal Mushrooms for the Immune System and  The Top 5 Medicinal Mushrooms To Fight Cancer.

Following are some delicious recipes that feature mushrooms prominently:

Smoky Skewered Mushrooms with Labneh & Herbed Green Sauce

Labneh is a yogurt-like dairy product used frequently in Middle Eastern cuisine. The plentiful herbs provide healthful vitamins and antioxidants.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Herbed Green Sauce

1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves (about ½ ounce)

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves (about ½ ounce)

2 scallions, coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup)

2 cloves of garlic, minced

3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

2 fresh serrano chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 3 Tbs.)

2 (1 ½ -inch) ice cubes

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Grilled Mushrooms

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. kosher salt, divided

¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 lb. fresh whole oyster mushroom heads (about 2 heads), trimmed and cut into 6 large pieces

1 lb. fresh medium-size king trumpet mushrooms (about 6 mushrooms), cut into 2- x 3/4-inch pieces

Note: You can substitute cremini, shiitake or button mushrooms for the king mushrooms

Additional Ingredients

Labneh, rounds of warm pita bread, and roasted, shelled, chopped pistachios for serving

Procedure

Make the Herbed Green Sauce

1. Pulse the parsley, cilantro, scallions, garlic, lemon juice, chiles, and ice cubes in a food processor until roughly chopped, about 10 pulses. With processor running, pour oil through food chute, processing until mixture is smooth, about 15 seconds. Transfer mixture to a bowl; stir in salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days.

Make the Grilled Mushrooms:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high (400 to 450 degrees F). Whisk together oil, garlic, ¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper in a medium bowl until combined; set aside. Thread the oyster mushrooms evenly onto 2 (9-inch) metal or wooden double-prong skewers; thread king trumpet mushrooms (or substitute) evenly onto similar skewers. Brush mushrooms with some of the garlic-oil mixture; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tsp. salt and remaining ½  tsp. pepper. Place mushroom skewers on oiled grill grates; grill, uncovered, until lightly charred, about 10 minutes, turning once or twice and basting with remaining garlic oil.
2. Serve mushrooms with herbed green sauce, labneh, warm pita, and chopped pistachios.
   

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Oregon Vegan Mushroom Soup

This recipe is from my latest cookbook, Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World.

Oregon is a fabulous place to forage for mushrooms. There, varieties such as chanterelles, hedgehog, matsutake, lobster, morel, black truffle, white truffle, and milky cap grow under Douglas fir, pine, oak, western hemlock, Sitka spruce, aspen, willow, and birch trees. If you can get your hands on any of these exotic mushrooms, especially morels and/or chanterelles, use them in this soup. Vegetable broth and the secret ingredient rolled oats—not steel-cut or instant—blend together to create vegan creaminess in this light, healthy soup that’s low in calories and fat, yet packed with flavor and nutrients. White miso paste, if using, adds umami depth. You can purchase it online or in Asian sections of your local market.

Benefits

Every ingredient in this recipe lends itself to health. Mushrooms are packed with immune-boosting compounds called beta-glucans and are a rich source of vitamins and minerals. The selenium in mushrooms supports detoxification in the body. Miso paste helps fortify the immune system.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tbs. grapeseed or coconut oil
1 lb. mushrooms (white, cremini, shiitake, Portobello, baby bella, or more exotic varieties), sliced
2 cups roughly chopped yellow onion
1½ tsp. minced garlic
4 cups vegetable broth
⅔ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ tsp. Himalayan salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. white miso paste (optional)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, as garnish

Procedure
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and sauté for 3–4 minutes or until the vegetables soften.

3. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 4–5 minutes or until the mushrooms release their liquid.
4. Add the vegetable stock and oats. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Transfer the soup to a blender or use an immersion blender in the pot. Puree, adding salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the miso paste (if using) when the soup is no longer boiling hot, as boiling can destroy miso’s probiotics.
7. Garnish with the parsley and serve hot.

(Gluten-Free if using gluten-free miso, Vegan/Vegetarian)

Baked Eggs with Mushrooms, Spinach and Leeks

Because this dish features eggs, most people will associate it with breakfast or brunch. However, it’s substantial enough for a tasty dinner and becomes a really special occasion meal paired with a glass of Beaujolais. The vegetables and mushrooms provide excellent nutrition, but the eggs really add a wallop. Eggs are affordable, nutrient dense and offer six grams of complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. They increase your LDL or ‘good’ cholesterol and can lower your triglycerides.

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 large leek, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 Tbs. butter

1 lb. white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

1 Tbs. soy sauce

¼ cup dry red wine

5 oz. baby spinach

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

4 large eggs

4 slices of sourdough or whole wheat toast

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the leek and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the butter and mushrooms. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for about 7 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and a lot of liquid is released. Uncover and add the soy sauce and red wine and cook over moderately high heat, stirring for about 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to 2 Tbs. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Coat four 1-cup ramekins or small gratin dishes with oil. Transfer the mushrooms and spinach to the ramekins and crack an egg on top of each. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the white is barely set and the yolks are runny. Let stand for 2 minutes; serve with the sourdough or whole wheat toast.
   

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Okinawan Sweet & Spicy Soba Rainbow Salad

This recipe is also from Anti-Aging Dishes from Around the World. It features Japanese soba noodles, which are made from buckwheat flour and contain 8 grams of protein per serving. The vegetables add lots of vitamins and minerals and make this salad filling and satisfying. For a main course, toss in some cooked, shredded chicken breast or cooked shrimp.

Benefits

Buckwheat is full of vitamin E, which supports healthy brain function, as do its omega-3 fatty acids and tryptophan. Bok choy offers indoles, a sulfur compound that neutralizes carcinogens, and nitrate, which can help reduce blood pressure. Shiitake mushrooms contain detoxifying selenium and cholesterol-lowering beta-glucans.

Serves 4–6

 Ingredients

1 package (12 oz.) soba noodles

¾ cup peeled and shredded carrots

5 scallions, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal, halfway up the green stalk

1 cup torn baby Bok choy leaves

¾ cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup Chinese pea pods or snow peas

½ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

3 Tbs. fresh cilantro leaves

1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds, as garnish

Dressing

¼ cup smooth (natural) peanut butter

¼ cup hot water

1 Tbs. honey

1 Tbs. mirin or seasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp. soy sauce

4 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. hot sauce (I use sriracha)

3 Tbs. sesame oil

 Procedure

1. Cook the soba noodles in salted water according to package directions or until they are al dente. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water and set aside.
2. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, hot water, honey, mirin, and soy sauce. Whisk in the lime juice, garlic, hot sauce, and oil until thoroughly combined.
3. In a large bowl, toss the noodles, carrots, green onions, baby bok choy, pea pods or snow peas, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and cilantro. Add the dressing and toss well.
4. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds on top and serve.

(Vegetarian)

Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms, Parsley, and Lemon

This dish comes together in a short time and is so satisfying with its bright flavors and the umami of the mushrooms. Chicken is a high-quality protein that builds bone and muscle and also provides vitamins and minerals that support brain function. The plentiful lemons in this recipe provide vitamin C that supports immunity.

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ lb. mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake and cremini,  stemmed and halved

1 small sweet onion, sliced

2 lemons, thinly sliced, plus slices for garnish

½ cup finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

2 large garlic cloves, minced

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven to heat. Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil onto the hot baking sheet. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on the hot sheet and roast for about 5 minutes, until the chicken begins to brown.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the mushrooms, onion and lemon slices with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil, then carefully scatter evenly around the chicken in the oven. Roast for about 30 minutes, until the mushrooms and lemon are browned and the chicken is cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the remaining 6 Tbs. of olive oil with the ½ cup of parsley, the vinegar and garlic. Season the sauce with salt.
4. Transfer the chicken, mushrooms and lemon slices to a platter. Drizzle with some of the sauce and garnish with lemon and parsley. To serve, pass the remaining sauce at the table. Whole grain cous-cous soaks up the sauce deliciously.