Photos by Laura Hobbs

“Everyone that knows us knows that we’re rich in umami, which counterbalances saltiness and allows for less salt to be used in a dish without compromising taste!”

It’s no secret I love mushrooms, but what I love even more is passionately defending the poor buggers. An appropriate metaphor here would be “mushrooms are like celebrities”: they have to deal with constant criticism, people are destined to hate on them for no apparent reason, they’re misunderstood, and they’re incredibly rich – in nutrients, that is, like minerals, vitamin B and beta-glucans (whatever the heck those are). In order to offer an explanation, clear their name, and dispel any rumors, mushrooms have issued a statement, which I will now share with you:

Japanese Mushrooms

Swiss Chard

Brown Rice

Olive Oil

Mushroom Mix

This is probably the hardest thing we’ve ever had to write. We see all of the support and we are so thankful for our fans, friends and family (shout out to the truffles! what whaaat!) who are helping us through the ongoing difficulties of being mushrooms. We are trying not to read all of the different blogs and reports that hate on us – that think we’re dirty and gross – but it’s hard not to see all the negative ones. First and foremost, fresh mushrooms can be added to everyday dishes to provide an extra serving of vegetables and deliver important nutrients, including vitamin D, potassium, selenium, ergothionene and B vitamins. We can’t believe we even have to defend this! We would not have spent so much time in people’s stir fries, on people’s pizzas and atop people’s salads just to be picked off and thrown away! This is who we are! We share deliciousness, we give nutrients, we love our fans and we are open to any dish you want to put us in!

Everyone that knows us knows that we’re rich in umami, which counterbalances saltiness and allows for less salt to be used in a dish without compromising taste! We believe in nutrition, and low sodium, and the dream of what we want so badly – worldwide acceptance. We felt like we were on an out-of-control produce cart and couldn’t get off until our name was finally cleared. We didn’t want to disappoint a lot of people, and most of all, our fans.
We’re being honest here and we hope you respect our courage, because this isn’t easy to go through. But we do know that we have to follow our hearts – and speaking of hearts, studies from Asia suggest that compounds in mushrooms, particularly maitake and shiitake, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. We’ve never had the intention of hurting anybody – we only want to be ideal accompaniments to your pasta dish or your omelet, or adorn the top of your Salisbury steak – and we accept full responsibility for our actions and decisions, and for taking everyone on this journey with us. It just didn’t turn out to be the fairy tale we had so badly hoped for.

We’re sorry if we have hurt anyone; we were just trying to be a satiating main dish option for vegetarians, offering a hearty and meaty texture. But like our dad always told us, we have to follow our gills, and we believe now that we really are.”
(Special thanks to Kim Kardashian and the Mushroom Council.

I think that’ll do it. Without further ado, Simple Mushroom Sauté. Enjoy!

Flyer Foodie on Facebook
Like what you just read? Then join me on Facebook for daily foodie inspiration and to share your meals and ideas with others! You can find me at facebook.com/flyerfoodie

Simple Mushroom Sauté

Download this recipe

Ingredients:
2 c. favorite mushrooms, chopped
1 Tbs. garlic, chopped
2 Tbs. butter
1/3 c. white wine
4 c. Swiss chard or kale, rinsed and torn
2 c. cooked short grain brown rice
olive oil, salt and pepper, and Parmesan

Cooking Away

In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and the butter, and cook for a minute longer, until the garlic is fragrant and the butter is completely melted. Add the white wine and the Swiss chard or kale, covering the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes, until the greens are wilted. Remove the lid and allow some of the liquid to cook off, about 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper, serve over cooked brown rice, and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Photo Slideshow

* If the above slideshow doesn’t load, you can view all the photos from this recipe on Flickr.

Laura Hobbs
Laura is a regular contributor for the Fayetteville Flyer. She was born and raised in Fayetteville, but has recently moved to Boulder, Colorado. She is a self-proclaimed foodie and avid cook. For more from Laura, see her past stories, visit Flyer Foodie on Facebook or check out Prana & Pie.