I recently had the chance to tag along on a mushroom foraging excursion with an expert from Northern California.  It was fascinating what I learned about my favorite food!  Besides learning that mushrooms are primarily composed of water, I also learned that mushrooms shouldn’t be consumed raw since they contain chitin, a material that needs to be cooked in order to break down and become edible. Also, thanks to their high water content, you don’t need much cooking liquid when preparing mushrooms.

Luckily, mushrooms are also packed with nutrients and vitamins!  They are a great source of B vitamins, especially niacin and riboflavin and happen to be protein powerhouses.  I found it interesting that dried mushrooms have almost as much protein as a piece of veal. I could go on and on, but will save for that for another time!  I mean, you’re probably hungry by now, right?

This mushroom lasagna is my go-to recipe for vegetarian meals.  Since mushrooms are a great source of protein, this recipe is very filling.  I lightly saute a mixture of brown crimini, portobellos and shiitakes with a little olive oil. Thanks to their high water content, there’s no need to add more liquid! Here and there, I’ll add golden chanterelles and oyster mushrooms to the mushroom blend.  I love the meaty texture of the chanterelles mixed with delicate oyster mushrooms.

To balance all of the earthy goodness in this recipe, I use three cheeses: fresh mozzarella, mascarpone and ricotta. I also use an abundance of fresh herbs to round out the flavors. Yes, it is rather decadent, but it is so worth it!  Instead of a traditional red sauce, I use a creamy béchamel.  When béchamel bakes with the three cheeses it makes a delicious, creamy base that mixes perfectly with the earthy mushrooms and fresh herbs.

This recipe takes a bit of time to prepare, but it worth it.  When you take the bubbly lasagna out of the oven, your dinner guests are going to be WOWED from start to finish.   I’ll let you in on a little secret… we prefer this recipe over meat lasagna. It’s THAT good! Try it for yourself and let us know what you think.

Mushroom Lasagna

Mushroom Filling
Note: if omitting chanterelle and oyster mushrooms, use an additional 8 oz. of crimini, portobello, or  a blend of the two.

• 1 lb. of crimini brown mushrooms
• 1 lb. portobello mushrooms
• 4 ounces oyster mushrooms (optional)
• 4 ounces chanterelle mushrooms (optional)
• 1 yellow onion, minced finely
• 3 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

To make: In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low, add the onion, stir and cook until soft, about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic, stir, and lower heat to low, cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add all of the mushrooms except the oyster mushrooms.  Stir the mixture and cook over low heat for 12 minutes.  Add the oyster mushrooms (if using), stir and turn off the heat.  Set aside

Cheese Filling

• ricotta
• mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh oregano, roughly chopped
• 1 egg
• pinch of kosher salt and black pepper

To make: In a large mixing bowl add all of the ingredients and stir with a spoon.  Set aside.

Béchamel

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• kosher salt
• black pepper

To make: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat (about a 4) until melted.  Do not let the butter burn.  Add the flour and whisk until smooth.  Continue cooking over low heat until light and golden in color, about 5 minutes.  Add the milk to the butter mixture, slowly, whisking the entire time.  Raise the heat to a medium (about a 6), cook for 5 minutes, whisking the entire time.  Remove from the heat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Lasagna

• 1pound fresh or dried lasagna noodles
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella

To make: Heat oven to 350.  Butter a large glass baking dish.  Ladle a spoonful of béchamel over the bottom of the dish and spread about.  Cover the bottom of the dish with some of the pasta.  Smooth a third of the cheese filling over the pasta, add a third of the mushroom mixture, and then ladle 1/3 of the béchamel over the top.  Tear a 1/3 of the mozzarella into small pieces and scatter over the béchamel.  Continue the process;  you should have three layers.  You will have three layers built up with cheese and mushrooms.   Cover the third layer with pasta and pour the remaining of the béchamel over the top of the pasta.  Sprinkle with mozzarella.  Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, until golden and bubbly.  Serve.  Eat.

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!

Trend Alert: The ‘Fifth Taste’ Is Coming On Strong, As More People Say I Want My Umami We’ve heard that this is the year for umami and don’t you bet that WE of all people are excited! If you haven’t heard, umami is the savory fifth taste found naturally in mushrooms. Delish.  

How to Order a Healthier Pizza The Baltimore Sun helps readers make healthier pizza choices by advising to load up on the veggies – in particular mushrooms because they are nutrient-packed, high in fiber and low in calories.

Keri Glassman and The O2 Diet Glassman touts her love for mushrooms again in this segment featured on “700 Club.” She highlights mushrooms as the only fruit or veggie with vitamin D, which is very important for immunity. Also discussed are the benefits of swapping meat for mushrooms – if you take away about four ounces of meat a weak and substitute it with mushrooms, you can lose about five pounds over one year!

Recipes that Fight Belly Fat More magazine highlights our recipe for Portabella Omelet Topped with Portabella Bacon as one that fights belly fat. Why? Vitamin D. Deficiencies of vitamin D have been linked to both obesity and abdominal fat, so eat your shrooms to help shape up for bikini season (which scarily isn’t too far away).

Diet Detective: Hearty and Healthy Calorie Bargain Recipes In the healthy spaghetti and meatballs recipe, mushrooms and other veggies are incorporated into the meatball mixture for a nutrient boost, and to save calories. KPIC-TV touts mushrooms as a good source of crucial B vitamins that help convert food into energy. They also note mushrooms’ selenium content, an important antioxidant to help maintain the immune system.

Less meat, more taste Portabella burgers are common in restaurants, but don’t be afraid to make one at home – they’re super easy to make! Check out this recipe from the News-Leader, which also notes mushrooms as a great source of selenium, potassium, and B vitamins riboflavin and niacin.

The 02 Diet: Superfoods Rule Keri Glassman, MS, RD, author of the hot new book, The O2 Diet, talks with LX New York about ways to improve your diet, to make you feel energetic, thin and beautiful. Glassman recommends improving diet through inclusion rather than exclusion. Pack your meals full of foods rich in antioxidants, like mushrooms – the leading source of selenium in the produce aisle!

Appetite for Health Julie Upton, MS, RD, CSSD discusses ways to get more vitamin D through diet. Mushrooms are one of the only natural sources of vitamin D (the only fruit or veggie with it!) and like our skin, they can produce vitamin D when they’re exposed to light. The most popular types of mushrooms – buttons, criminis and portabellas – have 1-97% of the vitamin D you need. Put them atop pizzas, in sauces, sautéed as a side dish – mushrooms are so versatile they compliment almost any everyday favorite meal.

Cremini Mushrooms Stuffed With A Caper And Crab Salad Savory.tv shares many of the health benefits of mushrooms alongside a delightful recipe for stuffed caps. Mushrooms’ copper and potassium content is noted, as is their energy-boosting B vitamins and immunity-strengthening antioxidants!

100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories To stop weight gain, most Americans only need to remember one thing: energy in must equal energy out. In other words, the calories you consume must be equivalent to those you burn and if you want to lose weight, the scale must be tipped toward energy out. These tips for cutting calories from Prevention can help you do just that! They’ve provided great suggestions for all food situations: breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, beverages and even dining out. Check out the lunch/dinner tab for a great mushroom tip: slash calories by adding veggies, like mushrooms, to pasta sauces instead of meat!

Cutting Salt Intake Would Boost Nation’s Health Like the taste of salt? If Americans cut their salt intake by a mere half teaspoon per day, it would result in public health benefits on par with reducing high cholesterol, smoking and obesity. It could even reduce the number of heart attacks in the U.S. by up to 13 percent. All mushrooms are very low in sodium, so add them to your meals to get that great umami flavor to replace the desire for a salty taste!

Portobello Mushroom Marinara Sauce Get rid of meat in your pasta sauce and add the wonderful texture and flavor of Portabella mushrooms instead – cutting some calories, fat and sodium out of your meal. This sauce can be ready to serve in just 30 minutes or less, great for those late work nights.

Mushroom Love The News-Herald lets readers know that mushrooms are the key ingredient for livening up winter meals. Rich in antioxidants and vitamin D (perfect for cold and flu season), mushrooms can easily be added to many types of dishes. Give the Mushroom Strudel recipe a whirl, too!

Boost your immune system with healthy meals Mushrooms increase the production of white blood cells, our immunity bodyguards, making them the perfect low calorie choice for illness-ridden winter months. Jae Berman, MS, RD, also recommends eating chicken noodle soup, as the chicken releases an immunity-boosting amino acid as it cooks. Other protein sources are great for immunity as well – try fish and shellfish for the omega 3 fatty acids, or beef for its zinc content.

Illness Fighting Foods This “Today Show” segment features Fitness magazine’s executive editor, Pam O’Brien, to discuss foods that can cure and prevent an array of illnesses:

• Fend off colds and boost immunity with mushrooms, salmon, yogurt and sunflower seeds
• Stop stress with curry, milk, shrimp, red sweet peppers and pistachios
• Eliminate headaches with snapper, quinoa, black beans and cayenne pepper
• Soothe stomach pain with ginger, peppermint oil, yogurt, fennel and fiber

Healthy ways to beat the blues Kick the post-holiday blues with a diet full of nutrients. It is recommended to eat smart carbs (like whole grains) and vitamin-D rich foods (like mushrooms) to calm nerves. Both carbohydrates and vitamin D help to boost moods and reduce anxiety because they aid in raising levels of serotonin in the brain. The Times-Gazette also suggests eating foods that are high in protein to boost alertness. Protein-rich foods contain the amino acid tyrosine that boosts levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain, making it easier to concentrate.

Vitamin D: It does a body better than we thought We’ve all known that vitamin D is great for bone health, but more and more new scientific research suggests links between low vitamin D levels and many chronic illnesses. On the flip side, increasing the amount of vitamin D in your diet (by eating D-rich foods like mushrooms!) can possibly decrease your risk for certain cancers, help you lose weight and boost your immune system.

Fungus or Feast? Make Room for Mushrooms Need a last-minute recipe idea to spice up your holiday menu? Why don’t you give one of these five unique mushroom recipes a shot, per recommendation from The New York Times!