Delectable with Mexican Spices – these caps are stuffed with flavor! Lots of colorful vegetables and ground turkey.
I’m all for stuffing mushrooms with a healthy portion of vegetables – yes we should all be eating more plant-based foods!
Here I sauté lots of veggies and ground turkey – add some smokey ground chiles, cumin and tomatoes.
You can easily substitute Vegan Tempeh (which I love), beans or grains for the ground turkey.
Shiitake mushrooms are known for their powerful umami (savory) flavor, which means they’re a great way to amp up the tastiness of a dish without turning to salt, sugar or fat. Shiitakes are a natural source of glutamate.
Many types of mushrooms can be “stuffed” ~ these Shiitake caps are shallow and can hold a good amount of filling. Their smokey flavor works well with Mexican seasonings – I blend a few dried chili varieties for complexity and flavor.
While I talk a lot about adding more plant-based foods to your daily routine, Shiitakes are in the Fungi Kingdom, but these are eaten by vegans and people who follow a “plant-based diet”.
This mushroom is the second most widely cultivated mushroom in the world. As they are becoming increasingly popular, and not just in gourmet cuisine. One reason is for their flavor, meaty and buttery fresh, and smoky when dried. They’re low in calories but high in protein, B vitamins, vitamin D, minerals, and dietary fiber. They provide healthful flavonoid compounds, comparable to apple peels.
With regard to its health benefits and nutritional value, the shiitake mushroom is notable for its high content of fiber, proteins, essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals (especially the antioxidants selenium, manganese, and zinc).
A growing consensus indicates that these mushrooms act as immune-system boosters.
Shiitake mushroom are seasonal! Many varieties fungi are grown locally in the North East, indoors and out on logs. Look for them at your local Farmers’ Market – and buy directly from the grower.
Shiitake mushrooms have one of the highest amounts of glutamic acid, the active ingredient in all meat and seafood. They add richness, a long-lasting savory flavor taste to any diet.
Log-grown shiitake mushrooms tend to be thicker and more flavorful than commercial shiitake grown in sawdust.
In Chinese culture, the shiitake mushroom, known for its aphrodisiacal qualities, is a symbol of youthfulness and virility. The shiitake is vastly popular as a dietary choice in China and Japan.
Unlike most other vegetables, mushrooms contain two important B vitamins―niacin and riboflavin. The shiitake is a particularly healthful mushroom, as it contains lentinan, which may help fight cancer and bolster the immune system.
A new vendor to the New Canaan Farmers’ Market I’m Loving is Seacoast Mushrooms from Mystic, CT. They provide gourmet mushrooms to local restaurants, health food stores and farmers’ markets and grow free of pesticides and fungicides. What a delight – can’t wait to cook up the Lion’s Mane variety!
Enjoy!
Karen