It doesn’t need to be Cinco de Mayo to get this mama hungry for Mexican food. Mexican cuisine is among my favorites, and not just the cheesy Tex-Mex dishes most popular in the States. Don’t get me wrong—I love those, too—but Mexican food is so much more than burritos and quesadillas, and mushrooms play a significant role in Mexican regional cooking. Mushrooms’ meaty texture and earthy flavor perfectly paired with chiles.

Mushrooms—hongos, in Spanish—have long been enjoyed by cooks from the mountainous regions of Mexico where they grow wild. Their texture is ideal for many traditional Mexican preparations. They are great in moles, stews and as a stuffing in anything from peppers to quesadillas. Cook them in beans and fried with onions, and they pair well with fish, meat, cheese or just other veggies. And, if you ask me, that’s the best way to enjoy mushrooms in Mexican food: in hearty vegetarian dishes that satisfy even the most serious meat eater.

This recipe is one of my favorite ways to incorporate mushrooms into traditional Mexican cooking. Rajas con crema—strips of roasted poblano peppers cooked in cream—is popular in, among other cities, Puebla and Oaxaca, both of which are surrounded by mountains. It only makes sense, then, to add mushrooms—so I did!

This dish, rajas con crema y hongos, is as gratifying as vegetarian food gets. It’s complex, filling, delicious, and not just in a delicious-for-vegetarian-food kind of way! It’s great all year around and with whichever mushrooms are in season. I especially love this dish in summer when roasting the poblano peppers is as simple as throwing them on the grill. Serve with warmed corn tortillas for a fresh take on taco night or do like many Mexican locals and enjoy these for breakfast. They are delicious alongside scrambled eggs!

Rajas con Crema y Hongos (Roasted Poblanos with Mushrooms)
Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 8 poblano peppers
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, divided
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 24 ounces cremini mushrooms, wiped, trimmed and sliced
• 3/4 cup Mexican crema (you can substitute sour cream)
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Begin by roasting the poblano peppers. If you have a grill, set it to high and place peppers on the rack; close the grill and allow the down side to   blacken. Turn peppers and repeat. Continue until the peppers are completely charred on all sides. (You can also do this on a gas stovetop, using the open flame to char the peppers.)
2. Put blackened peppers in a brown paper bag or in Tupperware and seal shut; allow peppers to cool, about 5-10 minutes. Remove peppers from bag or container and peel off the blackened skin—it should come right off leaving you with soft flesh. Remove the stem and seeds, and cut the flesh into ½-inch wide strips. Set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. Once melted, add shallots and sauté until caramelized. Add mushrooms and sauté for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, at which point the mushrooms will shrink and release their liquid. Continue cooking until the liquid evaporates, another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add remaining butter and roasted peppers; cook for 2 minutes. Add crema and cheese. Stir and cook for a minute or so, just until the cheese melts and the flavors come together. Be careful not to overcook or it will get gummy.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with warmed tortillas or scrambled eggs.

Even though I love to cook, I’ve found eating out is more convenient and mushrooms are frequently on the menu! This is not only trending in restaurants in my area, but also with our Mushroom Channel Facebook fans! We recently asked our Facebook fans what their restaurant favorites were. One restaurant in particular seemed to have a pretty strong following. We also received some great shout-outs for other chains and local hangouts. (Rightly so, many just bragged about their own in-home table!).

Here are some notable recent dishes I have observed (and enjoyed!):

Flat Breads. Mushrooms help make these filling items a little lighter, under 500 calories for a whole flatbread, not to mention the numerous combinations.

Mushroom Bacon. Mushrooms and eggs for breakfast are always a favorite. How about taking this one step further by seasoning and cooking strips of portabellas or king oysters as if they were bacon? The other night I enjoyed shiitake bacon chips, or “bits,” in a spinach salad at a local restaurant in Mountain View, CA and it had the flavor and crunch of bacon. Outstanding!

Turkey Burgers. Chopped mushrooms, when combined with ground turkey are a delectable demonstration of what we call our swapability concept. Simply substitute mushrooms for a higher calorie ingredient, such as meat. Not only do you add an extra serving of veggies to the plate, but you also reduce calories and fat in a meal.

Do you have a favorite mushroom menu item?

Our spring started nice and warm, with the breeze feeling much more like June than March, and then as we set into April, the earth seemed to remember that it couldn’t warm up quite yet. A few weeks of random snow dustings, cold rain, and more moderate temperatures, and spring is finally here in its true form.

Unfortunately for our family, it brought a nice, late season cold along with it, the kind that settles in your chest and makes you feel rundown, but doesn’t knock you down completely. Your throat hurts just enough that you feel a bit out of sorts, but your hunger at mealtime isn’t completely erased.

When I’m sick, I crave soup, but it also seems impossible to stand at the stove long enough to get a proper one going, which means they must be fast. Antioxidant-rich kale, immune-boosting mushrooms, and chewy udon noodles come together in a light miso broth. It’s the perfect recipe when you’re sick, but this meal is also an easy lunch to throw together. The soup comes together seamlessly in just under 15 minutes.

Mushroom and Kale Miso Soup (Makes 4 servings)

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 5 scallions, diced
• 4 cups water
• 1 ½ teaspoons dashi granules
• 1 cup baby portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 12 ounces fresh udon noodles
• 3 tablespoons white miso paste

Directions: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in kale and scallions and sauté lightly, just until the kale starts to wilt. Add the water and dashi and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add in mushrooms and udon. Simmer for 5 minutes or just until the mushrooms are transparent. Turn the heat off and whisk in the miso paste until combined. Serve immediately.

So, I thought what better way to celebrate Earth Day then to teach your kids where food comes from, to engage them in eating well, to plant fruits and veggies, and best of all, to have fun as a family!

Here are some creative ideas to get your kids involved in honoring Earth Day around the globe and keep the tradition alive:

1. Grow your own garden. Spend the afternoon outside with your children getting your hands dirty. Teach them how to grow their own fruits and veggies by planting a garden full of carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon and cantaloupe. Gardening benefits kids’ health, as well as their attitudes towards learning and the environment. It gives them a sense of pride in their accomplishments, captures their interest and introduces them to healthful foods.

2. Grow mushrooms indoors. We recommend using this Back to the Roots Mushroom Kit to bring a sustainable urban mushroom farm into your kitchen! Just place the mushroom kit on the windowsill and mist twice a day with the mister provided. Within 7 days, you’ll witness mushroom pinheads sprouting and before you know it, they’ll be ready to harvest!

3. Spend a day at your local farmers market. Treat your kids to a morning picking out fresh fruits and veggies. By talking to the growers/famers directly, they’ll learn about where food comes from and you’ll be able to explain the health benefits of eating fresh, locally grown foods. Check out this Sheknows.com article talking about the lessons children will gain by talking to farmers and things they’ll learn at the farmers market.

After searching for mushroom recipes that could easily be made on the grill, I settled on this tasty little number… burgers, of course! I decided to put together a batch of meaty Mushroom Burger Wraps. The original recipe is made in a skillet, but when the weather is this beautiful, you have to hit the grill. I’m telling you, these bad boys are so tasty, you may not ever make a full beef burger again! Of course, for all you turkey fans out there, this is a delicious swap for you, too.

In addition to swapping mushrooms within the burger wraps, I also marinated some sliced portobellos in a balsamic vinaigrette and threw them on the grill alongside the burgers for a complete lean, mean dinner that had me thinking summery thoughts in the middle of March. Not too shabby!

Mushroom Burger Wraps (serves four)

Ingredients

• 6 ounces white button mushrooms
• 6 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces 93% lean ground beef
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons dried basil or 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 4 2-ounce whole-wheat tortillas
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Chop mushrooms into ¼-inch pieces.  Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 2 teaspoons canola oil.  Place mushrooms in pan and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes.  Drain. Return mushrooms to pan and season with freshly ground black pepper.

2. In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms, ricotta cheese, ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, and basil. Form mixture into 4 burgers.

3. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons canola oil. Cook burgers for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until done. (Or grill burgers.) Serve in tortilla.

Tips: These are delicious with caramelized onions, fresh tomato and cheddar cheese.

Remember, the three-step technique for “swapability” is to chop, cook and combine mushrooms into recipes to add an extra serving of veggies to the plate so your meal is tasty and healthy.

Treat yourself tonight by making this lightened-up simple, flavorful and filling pizza.

Recipe for Mushroom Flatbread (serves two)

• 6 ounces white button mushrooms
• 6 ounces cremini mushrooms
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces 93% lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 – 12 inch light whole wheat wraps
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Chop mushrooms into ¼-inch pieces.
3. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat and cook, breaking meat into very small bits. Drain. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Remove from pan and reserve.
4. Add olive oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. Add beef back to pan and combine with mushrooms.
5. In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, oregano, and basil. Spread the cheese mixture on two 12-inch light whole wheat wraps, dividing evenly. Layer equal amounts of the beef and mushroom mixture on top of the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the grated cheese.
6. Place the pizza directly on the oven rack. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

** Tips: ½ cup cottage cheese blended with 1 tablespoon of milk in blender or food processor is a suitable substitute for ricotta cheese. Use fresh herbs like oregano and basil instead of Parmesan cheese and also use reduced fat cheese for a lighter version with less cholesterol, fat and saturated fat. **

And if this “swapability” technique intrigues you and you’re looking for other ingenious ways to eat healthier, then we have two exciting Twitter parties coming up that you’ll want to join. Both are in celebration of National Nutrition Month and should deliver lots of fun tips! Mark these dates on your calendar:

• March 8, all day: Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion (CNPP) Twitter Day. Join the conversation to engage with different communities and organizations in helping to promote the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, using the hashtag #MyPlateYourPlate on Twitter.
• March 12, 8 p.m. – 9 p.m. EST: Feed Your Family Well Twitter Party. Use the hashtag #Mushrooms on Twitter to join the conversation about how to serve your family more nutritious meals that they’ll love to eat. Beloved blogger Resourceful Mommy will lead the conversation and author of MyPlate for Moms, How to Feed Yourself & Your Family Better, Elizabeth Ward, will be dishing out expert advice. You’ll even have the chance to win awesome prizes valued up to $150! 

We look forward to chatting with you there!

Luckily, we are working closely with registered dietitian Elizabeth Ward who shared this healthy Almost Lasagna recipe with us. Here at the Channel, we are no strangers to adding mushrooms to dishes to up the nutritional content and we jump at the chance to ‘shroom up meals that usually don’t get enough mushroom love. Judging by the pantry-friendly ingredient list of this recipe and the fact that it calls for swapping a portion of beef with mushrooms, I thought it might deliver the perfect trifecta of easy, tasty and filling. (And fourth: healthy, but what is that… a quadfecta?)

Traditional lasagna feels so labor-intensive, but this recipe came together with minimal effort.

• Chop mushrooms to look like meat? Check.
• Cook ‘em like you would the beef? Easy-peasy (And a bit surprising because they really do look just like ground beef!)
• Combine the cooked mushrooms and beef and add ‘em to the recipe? 1-2-3 and done.

Is there anything more comforting than freshly-made tomato sauce enveloping tender pasta and morsels of beefy mushrooms? I think not!

This time around, I followed the recipe pretty close to the letter. Granted, I love spicy food, so I added a pinch (or three) of red pepper flakes to punch up the flavors. While I’m partial to ground beef, this dish would be just as tasty with ground turkey or chicken or tofu if that’s more your flavor. You can even use no meat and all mushrooms! We’d love to hear how you adjust a recipe to suit your tastes.

Stay tuned for more “swapability” adventures as we amp up the nutrition of other favorite meals!

Recipe for Almost Lasagna (serves six)

Ingredients

• 1 pound long fusilli pasta or linguine
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
• 8 ounces 93% lean ground beef
• 1 28-oune can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook according to package directions.
2. Chop mushrooms in ¼-inch pieces. Reserve.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, carrot, onion and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and reserve.
4. Place ground beef in pan and cook over medium-high heat, breaking meat into very small bits. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
5. Add the vegetable mixture to the beef in the skillet. Stir in the tomatoes, broth and basil; simmer for 5 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and parsley. Toss hot pasta with the margarine and return to skillet. Mix with meat sauce. To serve, scoop equal amounts of the ricotta into shallow bowls, top with pasta/sauce mixture.

Tip: Substitute firm tofu or 100% ground turkey breast meat for ground beef.

I love serving this Mushroom Ragout served with Taleggio Polenta and Gremolata when I’m craving a light but satisfying vegetarian meal. Cremini and portobello mushrooms are great “meaty” mushrooms and are a staple in our house.  I just happened to have some shiitake and oyster mushrooms on hand, so I added them to this recipe.  Really, this recipe features a medley of mushrooms, so feel free to add whatever types you like; just be sure to include a few of meaty types to fill it out.

When choosing mushrooms at the market, I tend to prefer smaller and tighter mushrooms that have firm flesh.  Yes, I am that annoying person at the market picking through the mushroom bins.  When buying shiitake and oyster mushrooms, I like to find small ones that can be used whole in recipes, which saves time and makes the dish look great. Don’t buy a mushrooms with a slimy film over the top;  most likely they have been sitting in that bin a little too long.

The seasoning for the simple mushroom ragout requires  a little shallot, olive oil and salt and pepper.  I wanted the ragout to be seasoned lightly to enhance the earthiness of the mushrooms. The tangy polenta and fresh gremolata really tie the flavors of this dish together.  Instead of incorporating olive oil into the gremolata, I like to drizzle a high quality olive oil over the top of this dish just prior to serving.

To make a complete meal serve this with a simple salad and warm bread. This recipe is comfort food taken up a notch!

Recipe:  Mushroom Ragout served with Taleggio Polenta and Gremolata
serves 4

• 7 ounces crimini mushrooms
• 2 ounces shiitake
• 2 ounces portobello
• 2 ounces oyster mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small shallot minced finely
• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• high quality olive oil

Gremolata

• 1 tablespoon lemon zest, I like to use Meyer Lemons
• 4 tablespoons italian parsley
• 1 garlic clove, peeled

Taleggio Polenta

• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup polenta
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 ounces Taleggio cheese, rind removed and cubed

For mushroom ragout: Using a mushroom brush or a paper towel, gently clean the mushrooms.  Cut the end of the stem off, and then slice into medium sized slices.  Not too thin.  In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil, over medium heat.  Add the shallot, stir and cook until soft;  about 2 minutes.  Add the crimini and portobello mushroom, stir.  Over low heat, cook the mushrooms until lightly caramelized, about 7 minutes.  Add the shiitake and oyster mushrooms, stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Add the stock, stir and cook for 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from the heat.

For gremolata: Add ingredients to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.

For Taleggio polenta: Heat stock in a saucepan over medium heat until just heated through. Add salt and gently whisk in polenta, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Whisk in butter.  Turn the heat to a very low simmer.  Cook for 20 minutes until the polenta is creamy, stirring often to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat and whisk in the Taleggio until creamy.

To serve: In a medium sized bowl, add Taleggio polenta and top with the mushroom mixture and gremolata. Drizzle with  high quality olive oil and enjoy!

If you’re looking for a simple and scrumptious meatless meal option, you can’t go wrong with this vegetarian mushroom, spinach and roasted red pepper wrap. In less than 10 minutes you can have this on your plate and on its way into your belly!

A secret weapon in my fridge is flour tortillas. You can add just about anything to them, roll them up and ,voila, you have a meal in ready minutes. They also double as an easy peasy appetizer! I’m a big fan of easy and effortless entertaining, so these are a staple when I’m playing host.

This vegetarian wrap is “meaty” without the meat. The mushrooms are gently kissed with butter, added to silky smooth roasted peppers and given a little texture with the fresh spinach leave.  They’re then enveloped by a soft, warm tortilla to complete the dish.

It’s refreshing, delicious and EASY.

Sauteed Mushroom, Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Wrap (Serves 4)

What you’ll need:
6 ounces button mushrooms – sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
salt/pepper
1 loosely packed cup fresh spinach
1 roasted red bell pepper – sliced
4 flour tortillas – warmed

What to do:
1. Into a medium sauté pan over medium  heat add butter. Melt. Add mushroom and sauté for approximately 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Season with salt/ pepper. Turn off heat.

2. To assemble:  Equally distribute spinach, bell pepper and mushrooms between each tortilla.

3. Wrap each like you would a burrito (or you could also simply fold in half and enjoy soft taco style).

I love mushrooms! They have a fantastic array of flavors, taste meaty without any fat, and can be cultivated and harvested in a sustainable way. On top of all this, they are very versatile and can be used in many recipes as a favorful, nutrient rich ingredient. So, when asked to photgraph a dozen new recipes for the Mushroom Council, I replied with an enthusiastic, “Yes, please tell me more!” The result was a delicious culinary and photographic adventure and I’ve shared a few highlights below.

Ingredients for our adventure

One of my favorite recipes was the Mushroom Orzo with Parsley, Lemon Zest and Olive Oil. First of all, the shapes of the enoki and oyster mushrooms were fun to photograph! After the photo shoot, we all just had to try a bowl. WOW! The lemon and parsley give it the most refreshing taste and I’m pretty sure we all had seconds!

Mushroom Orzo with Parsley, Lemon Zest and Olive Oil

Enoki mushrooms

In the next recipe, mushrooms were used discreetly in meatballs, or albondigas. We made plenty of these and shared them with our crew and family. Even if you don’t like mushrooms, you’ll love this dish! Developed by a nutritionist to lower fat and boost health benefits, this is a great affordable choice for an omnivorous crowd. You wouldn’t know mushrooms were in here unless you had the recipe!

Cremini and Pork Albondigas with Chipotle Tomato Sauce

One of the biggest hits of the day was the Jamaican Jerk wrap. The vibrant colors and flavors of these wraps brightened up the cold, wintry day. Juicy papaya, meaty button and oyster mushrooms, and a zesty hand made jerk sauce all added to the exciting colors, flavors and textures of this vegetarian dish.

Jamaican Jerk Mushroom Lettuce Wraps with Papaya Salsa

Special thanks to my mushroom loving team of assistants for helping to make this delicious day a success!

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