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Introduce Your Friends and Family to the Mushroom Taco this Cinco de Mayo

Friday, April 26th, 2013

Mushrooms have been an authentic part of Mexican cuisine since the pre-Spanish days. Council Representative, Bart Minor, tells us how he’s converted mushroom haters into mushroom lovers with his mushroom blend tacos – just in time for Cinco de Mayo.

We all have a friend that at one time or another, said they don’t like mushrooms. No matter how many times you inform them of the many nutritional benefits, the flavor enhancing properties, and the fact that they are available year round, you are met with a list of many excuses.

The truth is these friends will come around. How you ask? Serve them mushroom blended tacos on Cinco de Mayo. Mushrooms have been an integral and authentic part of Mexican and other Hispanic cuisines since the pre-Spanish days, commonly used for their meaty texture and versatility. The mushrooms natural meatiness allows it to blend seamlessly with ground meat, while boosting flavor and adding a serving of vegetables.

My mushroom tacos have successfully converted several of my friends to mushroom lovers… well, at least they love the fact they are lower in fat, lower in calories, and less expensive! Make tacos for your friends this Cinco de Mayo and see if you can’t turn this celebration of Mexican culture and cuisine into a healthier, more delicious, and sustainable lifestyle move for you and your family!

Mushroom and Chorizo Tacos by We Are Not Marthas

Mushroom and Chorizo Tacos
Recipe Courtesy of the Mushroom Council and We Are Not Martha

Put a spin on tacos by blending spicy chorizo and hearty mushrooms for a quick and easy flavor-packed dinner.

Yield: 6 tacos
Serving Size: 1 taco

Ingredients:

12 oz. Mexican chorizo, casings removed and crumbled
1/2 C onion, chopped
6 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 medium potato, cut into small cubes
1 habanero pepper, finely chopped
1/2 t cumin
Whole wheat tortillas, lightly toasted
1/4 C cilantro, finely chopped (for topping)
2 oz. cotija cheese (for topping)
1 avocado, diced (for topping)

Directions:

Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add crumbled chorizo. Cook until mostly heated through (or mostly cooked through if chorizo was uncooked) and then add chopped onion, mushrooms, potatoes, and habanero.
Cook, while stirring, for about 4-5 minutes, until ingredients begin to soften and brown up a bit. Mix cumin in.
Serve chorizo mushroom mixture on a lightly toasted whole wheat tortilla. Top with cilantro, cotija, avocado, or absolutely anything you want.

Tags: Cinco De Mayo, mushroom tacos
Posted in Blendability, Cooking Tips, Council Representative, Party Ideas, swapability | No Comments »

The Mushroom Council Discovers Motivating Energy at PHA Summit

Friday, March 29th, 2013

The Mushroom Council was proud to announce earlier this month their commitment to the Partnership for Healthier America. Kathleen Preis, Marketing Coordinator for the Mushroom Council and this month’s Council Representative, was honored to attend the Partnership for Healthier America Summit in Washington DC, and share her experience while at the event.

Have you ever walked into a room filled with a diverse group of people, yet you all have one goal in mind? It creates a unique kind of motivating energy and buzz. I had the opportunity to witness this firsthand while attending the Partnership for Healthier America Summit in Washington DC. The Summit invited health and wellness leaders, child nutrition advocates, policy makers, members of the press, and industry suppliers to attend.

The summit kicked off with a rousing opening presentation calling all present to work together to find an end to childhood obesity. The inspiring speech motivated our table of school districts and fitness leaders to brainstorm out-of-the-box ideas to promote healthy lifestyles. Throughout the summit, the collaborative spirit continued as we had the opportunity to attend educational panels dedicated to initiating progress in providing healthier meals for children both in and out of school. We were able to share the mushroom message with all attendees, and link our goals with virtually every other attendee’s goals, through the potential of pilot programs, culinary demos or as a nutrition resource for existing programs.

The Great American School Lunch Challenge featured all-star chefs Ann Burrell and Jose Garces. The challenge prompted each team to create the most creative, appetizing, and visually appealing school lunch, while also meeting nutritional guidelines. Each team cooked live while all PHA attendees enjoyed samples of their creations in a family-style lunch. The contest highlighted our message that healthy AND delicious school meals are possible with a little creativity… and lots of mushrooms!

After panels, sessions, and ‘get fit’ activities, the closing assembly gave attendees the final spark needed to send everyone home with a feeling of renewed energy in the fight for a healthier America. The keynote presentation featured moving speeches by Mayor Corey Booker (Newark, NJ), Eli Manning of the New York Giants, First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, and our very own Mushroom Council chairwoman Fletcher Street.

Fletcher had the whole auditorium talking about the blendability concept, and our unique mushroom humor. I was even lucky enough to shake the first lady’s hand at the conclusion of the presentation. Next time I will make sure to bring a mushroom burger for her to try!

Our experience at PHA further invigorated our mission to educate Americans on mushrooms as a healthy meal alternative.

What event have you recently attended that reaffirmed your mission to promote better health?

Tags: Mushroom Commitment, mushroom council, PHA Summit
Posted in Commitment, Conferences, Council Representative | No Comments »

Simple Solution. Extraordinary Possibilities.

Friday, March 8th, 2013

Mushroom Council Chair, Fletcher Street, stands alongside Lawrence A. Soler, CEO of Partnership for a Healthier America, during PHA Summit on Friday, March 8th.

Every day, multiple times a day, families across the country are pulling out bowls and plates, forks and knives as part of an iconic routine: mealtime. Lately, the ultimate challenge is defining a place for the flavors we love with the nutrients we need. At the Mushroom Council, we say the phrase, “The trend is to blend” to recognize how mushrooms marry delicious and nutritious food.

This is why the Mushroom Council is bringing more vegetables to the plates of American families through a formal multi-year commitment with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA).

Veggies often fall victim to the myth that if something is good for you, it must not taste good. But mushrooms can help you create better-for-you meals that your family will love. Challenge common notions with these three quick and easy creative solutions.

1) Challenge: My kids refuse to eat anything with veggies.

Solution: Getting kids to eat vegetables can be a lofty endeavor. The best way to help them adapt something new is by serving it in a familiar way. Blending mushrooms with meat is a simple and easy way to introduce the entire family to mushrooms, in dishes they already love and eat. From family meals to school lunches and restaurant entrees, the Council is working to bring this mushroom and meat blend to plates across the nation.

2) Challenge: I don’t have time for meal prep.

Solution: The beauty of working with mushrooms is that they can easily added to the meals you’re already making. Love omelets? Start tossing in mushrooms. Craving a burger? Try mixing mushrooms into the patty or swap it for a meaty portabella. Mushrooms’ versatility and rich umami flavor make them a perfect and simple addition to family favorites. Just add nutrient-rich mushrooms to the meals you’re already making and get extra vegetables for fewer calories in the process. Bonus Tip: Sautéed mushrooms can last for a month in the freezer – ready to be tossed into any meal.

3) Challenge: I’m tired of the same flavors and recipes.

Solution: Check out how the Partnership for a Healthier America, Let’s Move!, USDA’s MyPlate and the nation’s top recipe creators have come together on Pinterest to offer hundreds of tasty recipes to anyone looking for healthier meals. Also, find recipes on Mushroom Channel Pinterest account for breakfast, dinner, appetizers and everything in between, with new flavor opportunities in every pin.

Stay tuned to The Mushroom Channel in 2013 and join us as we continue to seek new ways to get mushrooms on plates across the country.

Tags: Mushrooms on the Plate
Posted in Childhood Obesity, Commitment, Council Representative, Fresh Mushrooms | 2 Comments »

5 Facts You Probably Don’t Know About Mushrooms

Friday, February 22nd, 2013

“I didn’t know that!” A very common phrase that Council Representative, Bart Minor, hears on a regular basis when he exposes a little known fact about nature’s hidden treasure. Stick around to learn 5 facts about the mysterious mushroom.

In the past 14 years I have certainly learned a lot about mushrooms. Everything from the scientific measures it takes to grow a mushroom, to the underestimated nutrient value. It’s this knowledge that I love to share with all who will listen. To see someone’s eyes widen in happiness when I tell them mushrooms are low in fat and calories, or to see that jaw drop when I tell them mushrooms contain vitamin D – it all makes my day.

That said, I am here to share my knowledge, and potentially delight and surprise you with these 5 little known facts about mushrooms:

1. Mushroom Swapability Will Change the Way You Eat. Blending chopped mushrooms and meat in traditional recipes like meatloaf, burgers, taco filling and meatballs not only boost flavors, but brings another serving of vegetables to the plate. Even the kids will love the difference.

2. One Handful of Mushrooms Delivers Nutrition, Taste and Versatility. That’s right, mushrooms are in fact good for you! Fresh mushrooms are fat-free, low-calorie, nutrient-dense, low in sodium, contain natural antioxidants, and deliver important nutrients, including vitamin D, potassium, selenium, ergothionene and B vitamins. Another reason to add mushrooms to your everyday dishes.

3. Mushrooms are Full of Umami.Umami is the fifth basic taste after sweet, salty, bitter and sour. Derived from the Japanese word umami, meaning “delicious,” umami is described as a savory, brothy, rich or meaty taste sensation. It’s no wonder mushrooms have been called the “vegetarian’s meat.” All mushrooms are a rich source of umami and the darker the mushroom the more umami it contains.

4. Mushrooms naturally produce vitamin D. That’s right, following exposure to sunlight, mushrooms’ plant sterol – ergosterol – converts to vitamin D. Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, but mushrooms are unique for being the only source in the produce aisle.

5. Give Your Immune System a Boost. Within the produce aisle, mushrooms are a leading source of the antioxidant selenium, which helps strengthen the immune system and protect body cells from damage that might lead to chronic diseases. Mushrooms are one of the best dietary sources of the antioxidant ergothioneine, which is known for its role in immunity.

Posted in Council Representative, Editor Post, Fresh Mushrooms, Health, Immune boost, Nutrition, swapability, vitamin d | 1 Comment »

Healthy and Flavorful Meals to Keep you Motivated

Friday, January 25th, 2013

January is the month that can make or break a new year’s resolution. Mushroom Council representative, Bart Minor, is sharing his healthy eating progress for 2013 and three recipes to keep you motivated.

Coming out of a busy holiday season filled with endless meals and ample amounts of treats can make you feel sluggish and unmotivated – making it very hard to achieve your goals. Whether it’s exercising more or making small changes in your diet, taking the time to build a healthy habit is crucial during the first few weeks of your resolutions. In fact, the majority of New Year’s resolutions are broken within the first two weeks.

On the 25^th day of my healthy eating new year’s resolution I can say with pride and confidence that I feel much healthier (not to mention 15lbs lighter). It is this healthy endurance that is keeping me motivated. I’ve also discovered that just because something is healthy, doesn’t mean it’s flavorless.

Here are three mushroom recipes that I have recently re-discovered in our recipe database that pack both a nutritional and flavorful punch.

Mushroom Barley Risotto
Surprise taste buds by lightening up traditional risotto. Mushrooms, barley and basil combine in this hearty, vegetarian dish.

Quick Chicken and Mushroom Indian Curry
Chicken and mushrooms combine with Indian Curry spices in this quick, healthy & flavorful dinner recipe.

Mushroom Bassar: White Button Mushrooms in Onion Chile Sauce (Food service quantity)

“Loosely translated Bassar means with lots of onions. Here I have given you a basic Bassar sauce recipe and finished it with a mélange of mushrooms. Serve it with Basmati rice or Indian flatbreads.” ~ Chef Neela Paniz

What are some of your healthy yet flavorful recipes?

Posted in Cooking Tips, Council Representative, Editor Post, Fresh Mushrooms, Health, Nutrition | No Comments »