Succulent Herbed Mushrooms

Sizzling and succulent, this could be a great brushstroke on any empty canvas, be it a side of rice, noodles, or tortilla bread–but  just as well, it can be enjoyed alone or as a side to any dish. The blast of flavors coming from the hint of garlic, slight tartness of vinegar, aromatic mushrooms, and parsley infusion is a taste-bud epiphany. In fact, I would say that mushrooms have always been the chewiest, juiciest parts of vegetarian meals–some would even refer to it as a vegetarian’s “meat”, due to its distinctly meaty personality. Also, a great way to redeem any leftovers of this simple stir-fry is to toss them onto pizzas as  toppings or to add them into pasta or pasta salads.

Preparing for this bunch of goodness is literally as easy as 1-2-3, as it takes 5 minutes of preparation and barely more than 5 minutes to cook.

And I don’t know why, but mushrooms are often disregarded by many when it comes to nutrition, as many often neglect the immune-boosting properties of these umbrella-shaped little foods. In other words, mushrooms are popularly thought of as pretty delicacies, and things usually stop there. But a mushroom is more than a pretty face…

So what are some of the benefits of mushrooms?

For one thing, mushrooms are the only vegetarian source of vitamin D, with ergosterols (also known as provitamin D2) converting to vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight.

Another nutritional benefit of mushrooms is their high content of B vitamins, which aid in providing energy by breaking down fats, carbs, and proteins. Moreover, mushrooms are also rich in selenium and ergothianeine, both of which protect against cellular damage that is caused by oxidative stress.

For even more additional fungus value, I would highly recommend shiitake mushrooms. Not only do they taste remarkably good, with their velvety richness and earthy aroma, but shiitake mushrooms contain a unique anti-tumor (and cholesterol-busting) chemical called lentinan.

All you need is the following (serves 4):

3 cups of fresh or frozen mushrooms–any type  that you like (I like the mix containing shiitake, button, portobello, ceps, and porcini)

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp vinegar (preferrably white vinegar, but any kind would do)

salt and black pepper to taste

1-2 tbsp oil (olive or rapeseed, a.k.a. canola)

To cook:

1. Heat the oil, adding in the bell pepper first (for about 1 minute), followed by the mushrooms, garlic, and parsley. Stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.

2. Turn off the heat, and add the splash of vinegar, salt and pepper.

3. That’s it!

Enjoy!

Roula 🙂