We at the Mushroom Channel can now add ESP to our list of good qualities (in addition to a generally friendly disposition and lovely amounts of vitamin D).  Food Blogger Flexy Flare let us know in Monday’s comments that she had JUST been thinking about a Portabella and Asparagus Quiche when she read our post about Allie’s! Flexy deserves some extra credit though- she skipped the cheddar and went straight for feta and rosemary for flavor making it a savory sensation in our book.

One of my favorite things to make for dinner is breakfast. I feel like I’ve mentioned this phenomenon before (and thus any perceived kitchen prowess is slowly eroded) but people should know.  I love going all out on a meal but when it’s late and I’m just hungry or I have some vegetable goodness in my fridge that needs attention?  Nothing beats an omelet.  Or a breakfast burrito.  Or Portabella Benedict.

When I caught Cucina Nicolina’s photo, I think I gave a little fist-pump. Spinach, Feta and Shiitake (or crimini or portabella or button or…) Mushrooms? Yes, please.  The recipe is simple. Sautee your veggies, scramble your eggs, combine them and add cheese. But the photos?  That’s what does the taste justice. Beauty in the simple things…I knew I liked her.

Those of you on Twitter may have noticed that every Monday there’s a trending topic on the right side of your homepage expressed as #MusicMonday.  Essentially it’s a way for the full Twitterverse to recommend great new music to one another in an organized fashion and I have to say, I’ve personally gotten some great recommendations this way. 

While I was pondering what exactly a #MusicMonday would look like from the Mushroom Channel, I got an email from the divine Allie Moss who not only creates some of my favorite music on Mondays or otherwise but also happens to be a fellow foodie. Allie’s email had me at hello…the subject line? “Quiche.”

I’ve long thought that music and food were a natural pairing and am rarely surprised to get some of my best restaurant recommendations from friends who tour often- they become experts on the different cities they stop through and, more than anyone else, seem hungry for a particular town’s flavor.

Allie is the definition of this phenomenon but with a healthy spin- she’s constantly looking for local food that feels as good as it tastes. On a quick break from touring her new EP Passerby, Allie had a craving for the blessed egg offering known as quiche and not just any quiche…veggie quiche…with some beautiful baby bella mushrooms.  A word from the Chantrelled chanteuse (forgive the alliteration- you can find Allie’s mushrooms at your local market!):

Eating well on the road can be difficult, so I savor the breaks and eat as many homemade meals as possible. I love quiche – it’s something I often crave – but I’ve never made one. Until today. I started with the idea of a smoked salmon asparagus quiche. But I got impatient and made this one with things I had on hand – baby portabella mushrooms, asparagus, onions, bacon, eggs. Not bad for my first try!

You can find Allie’s recipe below- I happen to think the flavor is enhanced by Let It Go or Corner on the cooking playlist.

• 5 slices bacon
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup portabella mushrooms, stem and ribs removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup chopped fresh asparagus
• 1 (8 inch) unbaked pie shell
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten (optional)
• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup half-and-half cream (I mixed heavy cream with milk because that’s what I had on hand)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until evenly brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels, crumble and set aside.
3. Reserve 2 TB of bacon grease and reheat over medium-high. Add onions; cook and stir until translucent. Reduce the heat to medium and add the portobello mushrooms. Continue cooking until the mushrooms are tender. Set aside.
4. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook asparagus in boiling water until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately drain and run under cold water to cool.
5. Brush the pie shell with the beaten egg white, if using. Place the onion and mushroom mixture, asparagus, and bacon into the bottom of the pie shell. Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese over the vegetables. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream mixture, salt, and pepper until smooth. Pour this mixture over the vegetable and cheese filling.
6. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned on top. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

The 10-ingredient shopping trip The New York Times has a 10-ingredient shopping list that will give you five days of meals, including recipes. It’s doesn’t get much easier than that! And, you guessed it, mushrooms are on the list.

High praise for mushrooms Think mushrooms are nutritionally worthless? Wrong! According to the Miami Herald, mushrooms are the best for ergothioneine, an antioxidant that is thought to protect the skin from oxidative and DNA damage. And, the research on health benefits keeps growing. In addition to great health benefits, mushrooms taste rich and delicious.

New and better test for vitamin D Top Cancer News reports that there will be a new standard for measuring vitamin D. Set to be revealed to the public later this year, this development could prove to lead to a better understanding of vitamin D in health and disease.

Unearth flavor of humble mushroom The Newark Advocate is touting mushrooms’ versatility and their ability to span many cuisines, while noting their multiple health benefits. What’s more, mushrooms present a range of textures and flavors — from delicate to meaty, mild to intensely earthy — and they take well to sautéing, grilling or broiling, microwaving and roasting.

Delicious D’s, ways to get more vitamin D in your diet Looking for a tasty way to include more vitamin D in your diet? EmpowHer has some great food suggestions, including mushrooms!

Marinated vegetables recipe Do you marinate your vegetables? If so, the Examiner offers some great tips and advice on suggested vegetables for marinating. If not, check out the link above and give it a try, it’s really tasty!

This week’s recipe comes from The Way the Cookie Crumbles.  Although from the looks of this blog, not many of Bridget’s cookies are terribly crumbly.   She based this mushroom salad on the one Mark Bittman masterminded in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.  It’s one of my favorite books…I knew I liked her!  It’s quick, simple and packed with flavor with beautiful photos along the way so hop on over and check it out.

And in case you needed two more reasons to add this blog to your reader? She does things like compare/contrast Dorie Greenspan’s cupcake recipe with Christopher Kimball’s and draws correlations between Gandalf and gastronomy.  That’s my kind of geeking out.