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.

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!

This is not a fancy kind of post. We can definitely dress it up around here (thanks to a phenomenal crew of contributors) but this is,essentially, the “favorite pair of sweatpants” sort of post. I’m talking about making breakfast for dinner. Any other fans out there?

As someone who has been on a personal quest for healthy menu planning in the last six months, I made a discovery this week that I think might make some of you pretty happy as well.  I was looking in my fridge, totally perplexed, one weeknight after work and a workout and had a Eureka! moment.

I, as an adult and mistress of my own menu, can absolutely have scrambled eggs for dinner but in my mind, plain scrambled eggs would be a sacrilege. Eggs are vehicles for other great food in my book. I think you know where this is going.

I had an 8 oz (pink!) till of sliced mushrooms and I wanted all of them. I sauteed that entire package with half of a jalapeno and a little red onion. Once we were good and browned, I added two fresh eggs scrambled with about a tablespoon of water and I turned the heat way down to medium-low, stirring constantly from the bottom.

What I ended up with was a creamy pile of light yellow fluff, filled with an entire container of mushrooms and some heat from that jalapeno. As with anything I intend to eat more than the recommended serving size of, I checked the packaging. The results were significantly more fun to consider than say, an entire pint of Cookies n’ Cream (ahem, not that I have any experience with that…).

I got 3 grams of fiber and a nice selection of nutrients, including well over 100% of my daily vitamin D, for all of 50 calories in mushrooms. This could vary depending on which mushrooms you pick up but raw mushrooms are always a low calorie option. Topped with a pillow of shredded sharp cheddar, it was one of the best dinners of the week and is officially on a regular rotation.

You can win a free copy of some of the hottest nutrition books on the market! Re-tweet our hash-tagged #NNM mushroom fact each day, and you’ll be entered to win the daily drawing for one of the following books:

• 101 Optimal Life Foods
• Big Green Cookbook
• Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches
• The Flexitarian Diet
• The O2 Diet

Stay tuned to the Mushroom Channel on Twitter, and in the meantime check out the following roundup of some of our fave nutrition stories from this year – some easy reads that tout the benefits of nature’s hidden treasure:

March Is National Nutrition Month!: Self.com announces the American Dietetic Association’s theme for NNM this year: Eat Right with Color. Fill your plates with all the colors of the rainbow! It’s not always bright colored veggies that pack a nutritious punch – those that are light in color (or WHITE) do too, like mushrooms!

Knowing how many calories you need is what counts: To stop weight gain, 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. USA Today suggests cutting calories by using one of our favorite tricks – substituting mushrooms for meat.

ARE YOU “D”-PRESSED?: Dr. Keith Ayoob blogged about mushrooms as a unique source of vitamin D. That’s right, all mushrooms contain D – they’re the only source in the produce section – and like our skin, they can produce vitamin D when exposed to light.

Finally! Burgers and fries that are good for you: Martha Stewart highlights the benefits of mushrooms in this “TODAY Show” power food cooking segment. Give Stewart’s portabella burger recipe a shot for a healthier twist on one of America’s favorite foods.

Our good friend and vitamin D expert Dr. Michael Holick was the speaker of a session, “Vitamin D: Connecting Science to Health,” in which he discussed the importance of vitamin D, its impact on our health and solutions for maintaining healthy D levels. Mushrooms are on his list of recommended foods since they’re one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D (and the only natural source for vegans!). Following the session, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Holick at the Mushroom Council booth to greet attendees and distribute copies of his book, “The Vitamin D Solution.”

In addition to our D-lightful day with Dr. Holick, we continued to discuss the Council’s commitment to breast cancer research. For every attendee who scanned his or her badge at the booth, the Council increased its contribution to the breast cancer research taking place at City of Hope. We tip our caps in appreciation for the hundreds of attendees who helped build our “Wall of Pink” by signing tributes to loved ones who have faced the disease. We were moved by their messages and proud to watch the wall turn pink throughout the event. Check out some of the messages in the photos below.

Being the fun-guys that we are (get it, fungis?!), we toured the city for the best mushroom recipes in town. One of our favorite dishes was this grilled sashimi of chanterelle and shiitake mushrooms at O Ya. We snapped a quick pic on blackberry, but the photo doesn’t do the flavor of these mushrooms justice. You’ll have to taste it for yourselves next time you visit. Boston was incredible and we were lucky to be joined by some of our favorite food and nutrition friends. Can’t wait to catch you all in San Diego for FNCE 2011!

Health Benefits of White Button Mushrooms If you’ve questioned the necessity of having white button mushrooms in your diet, you might find yourself thinking otherwise after you read this awesome laundry list of health benefits provided by AssociatedContent.com.  Mushrooms provide 1-97% of the recommended Daily Value of Vitamin D?  Check.  They contain immunity-boosting antioxidants?  Check.  Chock full of potassium?  Check.  White button mushrooms pretty much have it all!

Gloss How-To: Eat More Fruits & Vegetables Every now and then we all feel like we could use a friendly reminder on how to eat healthier and improve our diets.  After all, USDA guidelines recommend we each eat 2 cups of fruit and 2 and ½ cups of vegetables each day!  MyGloss.com, a popular health and lifestyle blog, published a list of clever tips on incorporating more fruits and veggies into your daily meals.  We like this article because the tips are realistic and not out of reach.  Our fave suggestion? Replace a serving of meat once a week for a serving of vegetables.  Their recommendation?  Instead of a grilled hamburger, enjoy a grilled Portabella Mushroom Sandwich.

Fresh mushrooms a virtual powerhouse of goodness, says nutritionist It still amazes us that some folks out there are only now just discovering that mushrooms really are great for you.  Our buddies in Canada are once again spreading the word in this interview with Toronto nutritionist Clare Jones.  As mushrooms are nearly fat-free, cholesterol-free, and sodium-free, chock full of essential vitamins and minerals, and contain cancer-fighting antioxidants, they’re basically a nutritionists dream. Add the delicious taste and unlimited ways to serve them in the kitchen, and you have a “powerhouse of goodness.”  Don’t forget to read her do’s and don’ts  on care, handling and storage of mushrooms, too!

Work some healthy mushrooms into diet Jackie Silver, founder of Aging Backwards, really hits a homerun with this informative piece on the Tampa Tribune’s website, TBO.com.  It is just another reminder of how beneficial mushrooms are to your health. Silver specifically cites an Australian study on mushrooms and breast cancer prevention, not to be confused with the research we’ve help provide funds for at City of Hope in Duarte, Calif. But hey, we’re happy to see any research that’s fighting for the cure. Make sure you check out the healthy (and delicious) recipe for Carrot Mushroom Spinach Loaf.

Vitamin D is THE talk around town, which you may have noticed just from reading some of our recent mushroom news posts. As mushrooms are one of the only food sources of the “sunshine vitamin,” not to mention the only source in the produce aisle, we’ve invited leading global vitamin D expert Dr. Michael F. Holick to tell us what we need to know about vitamin D.

Q: Why is vitamin D so important?

A: “The benefits of vitamin D are varied and profound. Emerging research suggests vitamin D may be as vital to your heart and brain health as it is to bone health. Increasing levels of vitamin D may also play a positive role on immunity and a remarkable number of daily ailments.”

Q: How can we get more vitamin D?

A: “I recommend a combination of food, sun exposure and supplements for my patients. Research suggests adults should try to aim for about 2,000 IUs daily. I personally take 3,000 IUs daily from supplements and food sources combined. I also expose my arms and legs to natural sunlight for about 10-15 minutes, two to three times a week, while cycling or playing tennis followed by good sun protection. I always wear sunscreen on my face since it is the most sun-exposed and is only nine percent of your body surface.”

Q: What are the best foods to eat for vitamin D?

A: “Mushrooms happen to be one of the top food sources of vitamin D. Mushrooms are unique because they’re the only item in the produce aisle to contain vitamin D. Did you know that mushrooms are actually like humans as they can synthesize vitamin D when exposed to light? You can also find vitamin D in wild-caught salmon and fortified foods like orange juice, milk, cereal or yogurt.”

If you’re looking to add more vitamin D to your plate, check out these D-lightful recipes: Baja Salmon with Mushrooms or a Portabella Omelet Topped with Portabella Bacon. If you’re interested in more information about mushrooms and vitamin D, check out the vitamin D download. A special thanks to Dr. Holick for his special guest appearance on the Mushroom Channel. To learn more about vitamin D and Dr. Holick’s latest book, check out The Vitamin D Solution at DrHolick.com.

Q: I’ve heard a lot of talk about vitamin D lately. How important is it for our bodies? – Brian (Grand Rapids, MI)

A: Most of us don’t get enough vitamin D, which is troublesome because it plays an important role in supporting a healthy immune system and lowering the risk of certain diseases. You can increase your D levels by including foods containing D in your diet. I mentioned that mushrooms are the only item in the produce aisle to contain vitamin D; salmon and dairy are great sources as well.

Q: I’m trying to lose weight. Where can I cut corners on calories without feeling hungry and bored? — Jill (Boulder, CO)

A: It can be challenging to find foods that fill you up, but are good for you. Reach for foods that are low in calories and high in fiber like fruits and whole grains. Try substituting veggies for meats once a week to lose weight. For example, studies have shown substituting four ounces of mushrooms for four ounces of meat once a week for one year could save more than 18,000 calories and nearly 3,000 grams of fat – that adds up to more than five pounds. Lastly, sauté an assortment of vegetables as a meal starter; it’s a great way to pack in antioxidants and help you eat less throughout your main meal.

Q: How can I satisfy snack cravings without killing my diet? — Jessica (St. Louis, MO)

A: Be a conscious snacker. You can’t go wrong dipping cut up veggies in hummus. You can sprinkle a few mushrooms into a quesadilla, or grill up a veggie sandwich for a satisfying snack. Consider keeping a healthy side salad around as a snack, especially when making dinner for the kids. Marinated mushrooms with pine nuts is a great one! And if you need something sweet, you can give in a little without giving up; I love dark chocolate and almonds, and portion controlled treats make managing snacking a lot easier for me. Just put one serving of almonds or chocolate in small Ziploc bag, and keep it in your purse or desk drawer for when hunger strikes.

Q: I have a deep love for cooking and food, but I also have a passion for health, and I am taking the steps of going back to school to pursue a career as a Registered Dietitian. What are your thoughts on combining a career as a personal chef with a dietetic degree? — Renee (Chicago, IL)

A: I always say that I love food, which is one of the reasons I love being a nutritionist. You have to love food! Combining being a chef with an RD is a powerful combo and I wish you the best of luck!

A special thanks to Keri for making a special guest appearance on the Mushroom Channel. To learn more about Keri Glassman and The O2 Diet, visit www.nutritiouslife.com.