Mushrooms are known for their great taste and amazing health benefits. Packed with a ton of essential vitamins and minerals, they make for an excellent addition to your diet, adding flavor to many different recipes. Add mushrooms to your eggs, as topping on your homemade pizza or use them in your next stir-fry. Also, try our recipe below for Veggie-ful Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms.  

Nutritional Benefits of Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a rich, low-calorie source of fiber, protein and magnesium.

• Fiber is essential for good digestive health. Diets high in fiber-rick fruits and vegetables may help reduce your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.
  
  
• Protein is an important building block of bones and muscles. Additionally, your body uses protein to build and repair tissue. Protein also helps you stay fit as you age. Eating more protein is one of the best ways to reduce age-related muscle deterioration. Staying physically active is also crucial!
  
  
• Magnesium may promote heart health by helping to lower high blood pressure. Additionally, magnesium may support healthy blood sugar levels. Research indicates that people who consume more magnesium have a lower risk for type 2 diabetes.
  
  

Shopping Tips

Select mushrooms that are firm with a fresh, smooth appearance. The surfaces of the mushroom should be dry, but not dried out, and appear plump.

There are many varieties of mushrooms you may see at the grocery store or farmer’s market. From popular white buttons to more unique varieties like shitake or oyster, each with their own flavor profile, you can explore and find your favorite variety or two!

Storage Tips

Store mushrooms in their original packaging or in a porous paper bag for prolonged shelf life. Some mushrooms may keep up to one week in the refrigerator. Fresh mushrooms should never be frozen, but frozen sautéed mushrooms will keep for up to one month.

When you are ready to use your mushrooms, brush off any debris with your fingers or a damp towel, or rinse briefly under running water and pat dry with a paper towel.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage us to add plenty of color to our diet and make half of our plate fruits & vegetables. Here’s a delicious way to do just that!

Veggie-ful Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 2 – 8oz packages of large portobello mushroom caps
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely diced
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
  
  

Instructions:

1. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. If your mushrooms have stems, remove them and chop finely. Gently scoop out the dark gills of the mushrooms using a spoon and discard. Rub the outside of the caps with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Arrange mushrooms on the baking pan with space between the caps.
3. Heat a large skillet with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the onion until softened over medium heat. Then add the mushroom stems (if you have them), zucchini, bell pepper and garlic until softened.
4. Turn off the heat, remove the skillet from the burner. Next, mix in the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and ¾ cup of the cheese.
5. Scoop the filling into the mushroom caps evenly. Aiming for a flat even shape. Top with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese.
6. Bake at 375F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
   
   

Noteworthy:

-You may find 2 large mushroom caps per 8oz package, or 3-4 smaller ones. This is no problem!

-Serve this as a side dish using the smaller mushroom caps or ½ large cap. Or serve as a main dish paired with a side salad.