Mushrooms Canada Blog

Share the Good!

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Wed, 30 May 2012 15:45:00 +0000

Yesterday was the 6^th Annual Foodland Ontario Celebration of Local Food at Queen’s Park, Toronto. It truly was a farmer’s market of Ontario commodities and a celebration of the wonderful foods Ontario has to offer. It was such an excellent opportunity to Share the Good, especially with our Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ted McMeekin, who stopped by the Mushrooms Canada booth!

The day turned out to be absolutely wonderful, with very little (but welcome) rain! In the heat, our fresh Crimini Mushrooms with Spinach Dip were a hit along with the other samples of everything from ice cream, to hot dogs, to devilled eggs!

Enjoy your local foods because Good Things Grow in Ontario!

-Shannon

Meatless Monday: Stuffed Caps on the Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:01:00 +0000

What a warm weekend it was! It was absolutely perfect timing for a backyard barbeque with friends. I was in charge of bringing a salad and an appetizer- a great time to show off my new skills and love for stuffed mushrooms. These were super easy and were made with things found in my fridge!

In a bowl I mixed up herbed goat cheese, minced garlic and pesto. This was all added “to taste” and since we were all garlic lovers there was an obscene amount of minced garlic! After removing the mushroom stems, we brushed the caps with extra-virgin olive oil and set them on the grill with the lid closed for about 5 minutes (during which time, we helped ourselves to the stuffing mixture right out of the bowl). Once the caps were browning, the mixture was lovingly spooned in and the caps were left for another 5 minutes with the lid down. Once done, they were pulled off the grill and sprinkled with panko bread crumbs for an added crunch. All-in-all it was a fantastic appetizer that went all too quickly for my liking!

What You Need:

extra virgin olive oil

herbed goat cheese

minced garlic

pesto
panko bread crumbs

white button or crimini mushrooms

*add all ingredients “to taste” and make it your own!

Try these Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms! Another Meatless Monday favourite of mine. Enjoy!

What did you cook on the grill this weekend?

-Shannon

Wordless Wednesday: Chicken in Chipotle Cream Sauce with Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:08:00 +0000

Chicken in Chipotle Cream Sauce with Mushrooms and Onions by From Away

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Long Weekend Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:08:00 +0000

Sunny?! Warm?! This is a Victoria Day weekend, is it not? Over the years, it has been rare that we see a May 2-4 weekend where we aren’t sitting around a campfire in long-johns and a winter coat, so LET’S CELEBRATE!

If you’re heading out, trailer-in-tow to a campground, packing up the cooler for an outdoor party, or getting the kids organized for an outdoor barbeque, Mushrooms Canada wants to help make the food part easy!

This is a great dinner dish if you’re heading to a campground. Simply alter the recipe to be cooked on a grill or over a fire by preparing each Baja Salmon Filet with Mushroom Salsa in a separate tin foil wrap.

If you’re on your way to a party, do up a large batch (it will go fast) of this Balsamic and Chili Glazed Mushrooms with Walnuts. It’s a dish that can be served hot or cold, so you can leave it out on the food table. The worst is trying to fuss with crock-pot or steamers when all you want to do is relax and enjoy yourself.

Porcupine Meatballs are an excellent snack for the kids and are easily prepared ahead of time. Just because your weekend plans involve the kids, doesn’t mean you spend your weekend cooking for them!

So sit back with a cold drink in hand this holiday weekend and soak up the sun, have some fun and indulge in the YUM!

Cheers!

-Shannon

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Guest Post: Wild Mushroom & Asiago Risotto Cakes by Sweet Sugar Bean

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in our kitchen today...Welcome back Renee of SweetSugarBean

Hi everyone! My name is Renée Kohlman and SweetSugarBean is my food blog I started in January of 2011. I live in beautiful Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where I happily whip up delicious creations in my little green kitchen. Being a professional chef as well as a food blogger, I’m fortunate to have turned my passion for all things food into a career I absolutely love.

Mushrooms have always been a big part of my culinary life. Simply frying them in butter with a good crack of pepper, slices of fresh garlic and a few chili flakes makes me happy. Versatility is their big draw - you can combine any type of mushroom with goat cheese and roll them in puff pastry for a killer appetizer, or simmer them in a simple, yet satisfying soup. It’s always a treat to use local wild mushrooms in these dishes. This time of year, the wild morels are thriving right in my sister’s backyard some three hours away from here.

She’s fortunate to live lakeside and these little beauties are ripe for the picking. Even my 2 and 3 year old nieces are great at spotting them! Every year I tell my sis that I’ll make it there for mushroom picking season, but they are fickle little beasts and their timing is “sometime in May” depending on rainfall etc and other variables conducive for morel growth. After she was bombarding my inbox with lovely photos of these tasty mushrooms, I asked her quite nicely if she would mind putting some on the bus for me to sample. Her sisterly love shone through and the package arrived, with two big bundles of light brown morels. They are neat, webby little things, and I love their wrinkly textures. Quite soft, they almost crumbled under water while I was cleaning them, so not a lot of chopping was necessary when I threw them into the risotto. These morels smell of the earth and the forest and I’m so grateful for my stash. I’m crossing my fingers that next year I’ll be able to go pick some of these delicious mushrooms myself!

Risotto is one of those dishes that may have a bad reputation for being stuffy or time-consuming. And while there is a fair bit of stirring involved, the end result is well worth it. Just have a glass of wine handy to keep you company :) So you know what’s even better than risotto? Risotto cakes.

Leftover risotto doesn’t reheat to its former glory super well, but rolled into patties and dredged in Panko bread crumbs, then pan-fried to crispy perfection, well, these are pretty glorious. You’ll be making a batch of risotto just for this reason alone! Don’t fret if you don’t have a generous sister nearby who’ll pick your wild mushrooms for you! Feel free to substitute your favourite variety in this recipe.

WILD MUSHROOM & ASIAGO RISOTTO CAKES

3 tbsp butter

1 small onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup chopped wild mushrooms of your choice, or your favourite mushroom

a good glug of white wine (about ½ cup)

cracked black pepper

½ tsp thyme

1 tsp coarse salt

3-4 cups chicken broth

1 cup grated Asiago cheese

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock over medium heat. Melt butter over medium heat in a medium size saucepan. Stir in the onions and garlic. Cook over medium low heat until softened and garlic is golden. Stir in the rice until evenly coated in butter. Add the chopped mushrooms. Increase heat to medium high and stir in the white wine, salt, pepper and thyme continuing to stir until the rice absorbs the liquid. Ladle in hot chicken stock and continue to stir until the rice absorbs all of the liquid. Continue adding one ladle full of stock at a time and stirring until the rice is softened, but still has a bit of a bite. Takes about 30 minutes or so. When the rice is soft, stir in the Asiago cheese. Spread in a shallow dish to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate.

To make the risotto cakes:

1 ½ cups Panko crumbs, divided

1 egg yolk

3 tbsp fresh chives

2 eggs beaten

canola oil for frying

fresh chives or pea shoots for garnish

Stir ½ cup of Panko, the egg yolk and fresh chives into the chilled risotto. Shape into 1 ½ inch balls, and flatten a little bit. Place these balls on a cookie sheet. Have the beaten eggs in one bowl and 1 cup of Panko crumbs in another bowl. Dip each ball into the beaten egg, then the Panko, and set on another bake sheet. Pour canola oil into a skillet, just to coat the bottom and heat the pan over medium high heat. Fry each risotto cake until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Place in a pre-heated 250 degree oven to keep warm while you cook the rest. Garnish with chives or pea shoots. Makes about 8-10 servings.

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Thanks so much Renee for being our guest! Don't forget to follow Renee on her blog SweetSugarBean, on Twitter and on Facebook.

If you like this recipe, you may also want to try:

Creamy Quinoa Mushroom Risotto

Baked Mushroom and Leek Risotto

Mushroom, Walnut and Barley Pilaf

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Mother's Day: Mushroom Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:17:00 +0000

One sure-fire way to make your mom smile this Mother’s Day is to take cooking off of her to-do list. Take her to her favourite place with her favourite people or better-yet, pamper her at home with your latest, greatest creations and really WOW her. The day of cooking for mom doesn’t have to stop at Breakfast in Bed, but boy should it start there!

Start the day with some simple Baked Eggs with Mushrooms. It’s a delicious way to wake her up with a smile and light enough that she will keep smiling when she crawls out of bed and get’s ready for the day.

For lunch, try a nice salad like the PBLT Salad or a Warm Mushroom & Chicken Salad.

If mom is more of a sandwich lover, blow her mind with this delicious Grilled Mushroom, Cheese & Spinach Panini that will not disappoint!

Of course, our weather has been horribly unpredictable, so on a chilly Mother’s day, this Mushroom Soup au Gratin will certainly make you her “favourite” hehe.

Dinner is really your time to shine and show mom what you’re made of! Charred Beef Steak and Veggies with Orzo Pasta will delight your mom with both taste and presentation- a stunning meal for an even more beautiful woman!

Mother’s day is about expressing your love for that amazing woman who kept smiling, even through your teen-angst years. She deserves at the very least one day for her.

How are you spoiling your mom this Mother’s Day?

-Shannon

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:15:00 +0000

{Via Jo Cooks}
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Here Comes The Sun!

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:14:00 +0000

It’s going to be warm this weekend! Finally! We’ve only been waiting for this for how long? Oh ya, since that obscure heat-wave at March Break, but since then we’ve been waiting! I’m so excited; I’m already looking for recipes that compliment this beautiful weather perfectly.

My first rule, always start with a salad! Like this fabulously put-together Chophouse Caesar- it’s sure to be a hit.

Then of course, in this heat, I look for something that makes me break out the barbeque sauce. Glazed Beef Medallions with Mushrooms? Was that my stomach speaking? Perfect. Not only are these delicious but they are also an excellent source of both Iron and Zinc!

Mmm! Enjoy your weekend in the sun... Here’s a few of my other favourites:

- Grilled Philly Cheese Mushroom Sandwich

- Mushroom & Pork Souvlakia

- Grilled Chicken & Portabella Mushrooms with Peppercorn Sauce

Do you have recipes you break out every time the sun is shining?

-Shannon

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:50:00 +0000

{Via A Thought for Food}

Meatless Monday & Mushroom “Swapability”

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:36:00 +0000

I’m sure at this point everyone has seen the #hashtag and has embraced the concept of eating meat-free meals on Mondays. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, Meatless Monday is an online initiative that encourages the elimination of meat from meals, one day a week.

There are many personal health benefits of going meat-less including fighting the risk of Diabetes, improving your diet and curbing obesity and long-term weight gain. Replacing meat in your diet means lower calorie consumption and a larger intake of essential vitamins and minerals. That’s where mushrooms come in!

Many Mushroom varieties have a meaty texture (Crimini, Portabella) that make them very versatile in meals that typically contain meat. Even if you don’t plan to cut out meat completely, you can try out “Mushroom Swapability” and cut down on the calories. You do this by simply swapping or adding mushrooms to your meal, replacing some meat content for mushrooms instead. This is great for burgers and lasagna; cut up mushrooms, cook them the same way you are cooking the meat, and then combine the mixture for your recipe. This is an easy technique that will cut down on calories and cost and will up your nutritional intake.

Try going Meatless today with some of my favourite recipes:
Fragrant Thai Curry Dinner
Lasagne with Slow Roasted Mushrooms and Goat Cheese
Easy Mushroom Ravioli with Three Cheese Sauce

What are your favourite Meatless Monday recipes?

-Shannon

Bringing California Home - Spicy Coleslaw, Mushroom and Tomato Fish Taco

noreply@blogger.com (Mushrooms Canada) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:29:00 +0000

I have returned to the Land of the Cold! Leaving California was just about the hardest thing I have ever had to do, leaving behind 12 days of sunny, glorious weather with temperatures reaching as high as 37 degrees! Of course, I came home with memories including all of my feasting adventures. We made an effort to eat as much seaside and Mexican cuisine as possible, since that’s a favourite of mine anyway, and what better time and place! I spent 12 days eating nothing but tacos, burritos, enchiladas, empanadas, chili relleno and sure, I even threw in some taco salad and fresh Californian fruit for self-esteem purposes.

Coming home I knew the food wouldn’t be the same, so to fill the void and sadness we had, I decided to recreate one of our favourite dishes from the trip, fish tacos!

I baked breaded haddock at 425°F for 25 minutes, turning once. While the fish was baking, I mixed up some light mayonnaise with habanero sauce and chili powder which was an excellent spread for the flour tortillas. I sautéed a handful of sliced crimini mushrooms and diced tomatoes in a pan and added a cup of homemade spicy coleslaw towards the end and topped the mixture with fresh lime juice.

Once the fish was done, I lined the flour tortillas with my hot spread, added the breaded haddock, topped with my spicy coleslaw, mushroom, tomato mixture and added my garnish of lime and the sweet addition of fresh mango. YUM! This meal was a great way to bring a bit of California back home with us. Plus, including the crimini’s gave us some much needed nutrients, provided vitmains and antioxidants...

What are your go-to Mexican dishes at home?

-Shannon

Mushrooms Canada is now on Pinterest!

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:28:00 +0000

Mushrooms Canada get's our "Pin" on! That's right, we are now on Pinterest. Are you on Pinterest? Leave your links in the comment section below.

And don't forget to follow our many mushroom boards!

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Eating Well for Swimsuit Season | Twitter Party

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:15:00 +0000

Being overweight can increase the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Carrying excess weight can also put stress on joints causing pain and making it difficult to enjoy daily life. Eating more fruits and vegetables, including fresh mushrooms, is a tasty way to help you keep your weight in check.

Mushrooms Canada and HealthCastle.com want to help get you ready for swimsuit season. Join our Twitter Party next Wednesday, and let's chat about ways to include fresh mushrooms as part of your Swimsuit Season healthy eating plan.

#GoUnDiet Twitter Party
Party Topic: Eat Well for SwimSuit Season
Party Hashtag: #GoUnDiet #mushrooms
When: Wed April 18, 2012 at 8 pm EST (5 pm PST)
Where: TweetGrid or TweetChat
Party Favor Draw: A Mushrooms Canada prize pack, including a T-Fal Frying Pan, and very stylish mushroom apron, and a $75 Visa Gift Card.

Panelists:
Mom Panelist: @JeanettesHealth
Dietitian Panelist: @NutriSpeaking
Moderator: @HealthCastleGlo

RSVP:
Don't forget to RSVP at HealthCastle.com with your Twitter handle to put your name in the draw! And we can all follow each other too :-)

If you have any questions about including mushrooms in your healthy diet, this would be the time to ask! We hope to see you all there!
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Guest Post: Crimini Mushroom & Asiago Rice Bake by Family Feedbag

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 10:16:00 +0000

Amy Bronee is a home cook and the blogger behind Family Feedbag, a collection of original recipes and photos from her family kitchen in Victoria, B.C. Home cooks from around the globe visit Amy’s blog for inspiration and creative yet easy recipe ideas, and her work has been honoured with numerous features and awards, including Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Blog of the Month. Amy is most comfortable in the kitchen making apple pie and family comfort food.

I love a versatile recipe and that’s exactly what you get with this comforting casserole. It works nicely both as a side dish for six to eight people or as a vegetarian main course for four. It’s easy to prepare and will satisfy any mushroom lover around the table.

There is a full pound of dark and delicious crimini mushrooms used here. Their rich, robust flavour cozied up against the sharp saltiness of the Asiago cheese is simply heavenly! Some bacon adds subtle background smokiness while keeping the earthy mushrooms centre stage. Every forkful is a tribute to the fabulous pairing of crimini mushrooms and Asiago cheese.

While some rice varieties could easily become over-cooked in the oven, the long grain brown rice used in this dish holds up nicely during baking. Cooked until al dente in a saucepan, it’s combined with the other ingredients to finish cooking until tender in the oven.

This casserole coming out of the hot oven all bubbly and golden and richly aromatic is enough to make me weak in the knees!

CRIMINI MUSHROOM & ASIAGO RICE BAKE
Makes 4 main course servings or 6-8 side dish servings

Ingredients
1 ½ cups long grain brown rice
3 ¼ cups water
½ tsp salt
½ cup onion, diced
6 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup cream cheese
½ + ¼ cup Asiago cheese, grated and divided
freshly cracked black pepper

Method
Combine the rice, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes until al dente (there will still be water in the pot). Meanwhile, cook the bacon and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until nearly crisp. Transfer the bacon and onion to a large heat-proof mixing bowl and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and cook about 10 minutes until dark and delightful! Add the mushrooms to the large mixing bowl. When it’s done, add the rice (including the remaining water) to the large mixing bowl, along with the cream cheese and ½ cup of Asiago cheese. Stir well to melt the cheeses. Pour the mixture into a 9x9 baking dish and top with the remaining ¼ cup of Asiago cheese and black pepper. Bake at 375 degrees (F) for 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly.

If you like this recipe, you may also want to try:
- Pork chops with rosemary & mushroom cream sauce
- Stewed beef & mushrooms
- Chicken stroganoff

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Thanks so much Amy for being our guest...again! I love the umami flavours in this dish!

Don't forget to follow Amy on her blog Family Feed Bag, on Twitter and on Facebook.
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For Those Hectic Weeknights... Dinner in 15 Minutes

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:49:00 +0000

I am a sucker for good pasta, and in my books good pasta should always have red peppers, asparagus and of course mushrooms!

I cooked up some boneless chicken breast in the skillet and tossed in halved crimini mushrooms, par-boiled asparagus and sliced red pepper, along with some garlic and sesame seeds.

It was such a delicious mixture to top off my pasta, and only took me about 15 minutes total - now that’s my kind of dinner! This simple, colourful dish looks beautiful plated and the mushrooms provide fibre and Vitamin D, as mushrooms are the only vegetable with natural Vitamin D.

Check out some of my other favourite pasta dishes, like Creamy Mushroom Penne, Mushroom Fettuccini and Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Garlic, Chili and Lime. Each of these is a quick dinner solution and provides great nutritional value too - my mouth is watering already!

What’s your favourite Mushroom Mixture for pasta?

by Shannon
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Guest Post: Beef, Beans & Veggie Skillet by Marvelous Mommy Meals

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 10:03:00 +0000

Hello, my name is Jennifer; if you are looking for easy, quick and tasty kid friendly meals come by my blog Marvelous Mommy Meals. Every Monday we share our family meal plan for people to get ideas for their meals along with great kid approved recipes. I love to play around in the kitchen and always seem to have at least one helper with me.

I have always loved mushrooms, from raw with dip to cooked mushrooms added on the side or in my dinners. My husband also loves mushrooms and works as a mushroom farmer at a local farm. We try to include mushrooms in a lot of meals that we have as they are a great source of important vitamins and nutrients including fibre. I have to say my favorite mushrooms are grilled portabella burgers with garlic and butter; add some mayo and cheese, yum.

Beef, Beans and Veggie Skillet

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
8 oz of white or brown button mushrooms sliced - (you can also use a mixed variety of mushrooms. We usually add 16oz in everything that we make that calls for 8oz but that is our preference)
1 ½ cups of spiral macaroni (you can use other pasta of your choice)
2 cups of hot water
2 tsp of Beef bouillon *optional
2 cans – 14 ½ oz each of seasoned diced tomatoes (you can instead use 1 can –28 oz diced tomatoes and add 1 tsp dried Parsley, 1 tsp dried Basil, 1 tsp dried Oregano)
1 can – 19oz/540ml of mix beans drained and rinsed (Kidney, Chickpeas
1 can - 14oz/398ml of green beans cut
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese *optional

Directions
1. Brown ground beef, drain and reserve in a medium bowl.
2. Add mushrooms, onions, and minced garlic to skillet and cook about 10 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked through, return ground beef to skillet.
3. Add canned tomatoes, hot water, beef bouillon and macaroni bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.
4. Add mixed beans, green beans and heat through.
5. If you are adding cheese add it right near the end and let it melt.

Serves 6 -8

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Thank you so much Jennifer for sharing this family friendly recipe with us!

Make sure you follow Jennifer over on her Blog, on Twitter and on Facebook.
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Recipe of the Month: Easy Mushroom & Cheese Frittata

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 10:03:00 +0000

Easy Mushroom & Cheese Frittata

Frittata is an Italian version of an omelet that has the vegetables mixed in with the eggs and since it is not folded but served open face, it is easier to handle. It may be baked in oven or cooked on top of stove and served any time of day.

Ingredients
8 eggs
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried sage leaves
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
8 oz sliced small mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp minced parsley (optional)
3/4 cup shredded Provolone, Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese

Method
In a large bowl or measuring cup whisk eggs, milk, Parmesan cheese, sage and pepper together until well mixed, set aside. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

In a 10”(25 cm) non-stick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat; sauté onion and red pepper 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add mushrooms and sauté 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned; add garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour egg mixture into skillet mixing lightly to incorporate mushrooms; sprinkle with parsley if desired. Bake in oven about 12-15 minutes or until just set in the centre and no longer moist on top. Sprinkle with cheese and return to over for 2 minutes to melt cheese. Loosen around the edges with a rubber spatula and slide out onto serving plate. Cut in wedges to serve. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings

Variation:
Instead of cooking the frittata in oven it may be cooked on top of stove over medium-low heat; lifting outer edges of omelet to allow uncooked portion to run underneath, then cover and cook until just set. Turn off heat. Sprinkle with cheese and cover to melt cheese.

Tip:
Substitute 4 eggs and 4 egg whites for the 8 eggs to lower fat.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 346, Sodium: 416 mg, Protein: 22.9 g, Fat: 24.6 g, Carbohydrates: 8.7 g, Dietary Fibre: 1.7 g.

Download Printer Friendly Version
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Dinner Made Easy on the Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:53:00 +0000

The past couple weeks have been such a treat, weather wise, before cooling off again to these normal March temperatures. In the warm weather, I took advantage of barbecue, and grilled up a tasty rendition of a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich.

In this quick and easy meal, I was able to incorporate mushrooms in every serving, from sliced crimini’s on the sandwich, to cheese-stuffed mushroom caps, to fresh Enoki’s on the Summer Salad. Every bit of this meal was a hit among my dinner guests - and it passed me off as a half-decent cook! This part counts for a lot, since I’m not so handy in the kitchen or on the grill, but wow did these mushrooms make my job easy! All-in-all the dinner took about 20 minutes which left me lots of time to visit and relax with friends.

Mushroom Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich

Ingrediets
Steak (I used the thin-cut fast fry steaks)
1 Red Pepper, sliced
4-5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 Sweet Onion
2 large rolls or crusty buns
2 cups Marble Cheese, shredded

Method
1. Barbecue steak on medium heat until desired rareness.
2. Meanwhile, sauteed peppers, mushrooms and onions, 3-5 minutes or until tender crisp.
3. Slice steak and place on bun. Top with peppers, mushrooms, onions and cheese. Return sandwich to grill for 1 minute, or until cheese is melted.

Crimini Caps Stuffed with Garlic Pesto and Cream Cheese

Ingredients
8-10 medium sized mushroom caps
Jar of prepared pesto
4 oz cream cheese

Method
1. Clean mushroom caps and remove stems.
2. Spoon in each cream cheese and pesto.
3. On a baking tray, place on BBQ for 8-10 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft. Serve hot!

Fresh Summer Salad
This one was easy just toss any amount of fresh spinach with enoki mushrooms, blueberries, mandarin oranges, sunflower seeds, creamy poppyseed dressing, and whatever else you desire!

What are your favourite mushrooms recipes on the grill?

by Shannon
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Guest Post: Double Mushroom Pizza with Bacon & Balsamic Drizzle by Sweet Sugar Bean

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:03:00 +0000

Hi everyone! My name is Renée Kohlman and SweetSugarBean is my food blog I started just 14 months ago. I love whipping up delicious creations in my little green kitchen here in Saskatoon, Sask. Being a professional chef as well as a food blogger, I’m fortunate to have turned my passion for food into a career I absolutely love.

When we were kids, my Mom made the best mushroom soup ever. Rushing home for lunch was always worth it when we found a pot of her mushroom soup greeting us. Since then, I’ve always been a fan of mushrooms. Sliced button or cremini always find their way into an omelet or stir-fry. Portabellas are amazing when done up on the grill, or stuffed with herbs and diced vegetables for an excellent vegetarian main course. And of course I always seem to have a pot of mushroom soup on the stove for our catering clients (I sneak a little sherry into mine - don’t think Mom did that!). What I love about mushrooms is that they are so adaptable. You can throw them in coconut milk curries, or in red wine sauces, or with cream and Dijon mustard for an amazing compliment to chicken. Pan-fried with butter and slathered on toast is a favourite after-work snack of mine. Besides being utterly delicious, mushrooms are also super good for you. They are the only vegetable source for Vitamin D - how cool is that? Also full of B Complex vitamins, fibre, antioxidants, and immune-boosting goodness, mushrooms deserve a little space in the shopping cart.

By far my favourite way to get mushrooms into my life is by eating them on pizza, especially with their best friend, bacon. This recipe is my dream pizza - mushrooms, bacon, Boursin and feta cheese, tomatoes and of course, fresh basil. I used button and portabella mushrooms - giving them a light sauté first to eliminate some of their juices (helps avoid a soggy pizza!). The whole wheat crust is simple to throw together, but if you are tight for time, the toppings would work well on a pre-made crust, or even pita bread. Balsamic vinegar reduced down turns almost syrupy and provides the perfect finishing touch when drizzled over a slice of this dreamy pizza. The sweet/salty/cheesy/mushroom goodness happening here makes for one delightful biteful.

Double Mushroom Pizza with Bacon & Balsamic Drizzle

To make the crust:
1 package dry yeast
2 cups warm water
2 eggs
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp hot chili flakes
2 tsp dried oregano

In a large bowl, stir yeast into warm water and let sit for 10 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, sugar, salt, and oil until foamy. Slowly mix in the flour and herbs, mixing well until everything is absorbed. The dough will be soft but not too sticky - if this happens just add a bit more flour. Drizzle some more olive oil into a large bowl and place your round of dough inside, turning it over to coat in oil. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for an hour in a warm spot. Dough will double in size, then punch it down. Divide into three portions. For this recipe you only need one portion, so go ahead and freeze the other two for later use. Cool! Pizza dough in the freezer!

For the Pizza:
2 tbsp butter
1 portabella mushroom, sliced
3 ½ cups button mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper
1 package Boursin cheese (the herb and garlic is great)
8 slices bacon, cooked until medium crisp, chopped
handful cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup fresh basil, sliced
½ cup balsamic vinegar

Method
Melt 1 tbsp of butter in large skillet and fry the portabella mushroom slices until soft. Remove from pan. Melt the other tbsp of butter and fry the remaining button mushrooms, until soft and all liquid is evaporated. Season with a little salt and black pepper. Remove from heat.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one third of the above pizza dough recipe, so it’s around 12” by 16”. It doesn’t have to be perfect - it’s pizza. The thinner you roll it out, the thinner it will bake up, obviously. Place on a pizza stone, or a parchment lined bake sheet. If using a pre-made crust you can proceed with the following as well. Scatter the Boursin cheese over the base of the crust. Top with bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes and crumbled feta. Place in the lower rack of a preheated 400*F oven and bake until golden, 20-30 minutes, checking centre for doneness. (If using a pre-made crust, your baking time will be less). Sprinkle the pizza with fresh basil before slicing.

While the pizza is cooking, pour ½ cup of balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan or skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes until it begins to turn syrupy. It will thicken as it cools. Pour into a squeeze bottle.

Let pizza stand for a few minutes before slicing. Drizzle with balsamic reduction. Serves 3-4.

If you love the mushroom/balsamic vinegar combination, check out my recipe for Sausage & Asiago Stuffed Mushrooms with Balsamic Glaze.

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Thank you so much Renee for sharing this fabulous recipe with us!

Make sure you follow Renee over on her Blog, on Twitter and on Facebook.
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Behind the Scenes: Hamilton Food & Drink Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:39:00 +0000

Why hello again Mushroom Lovers! It was a close one, but we made it through yet another Food and Drink Fest! Can you believe the people of Hamilton ate over 200lbs of mushrooms? That's right, the Mushrooms Canada team sauteed over 200lbs of fresh crimini mushrooms... that equals almost 6000 samples!

The most successful part of the show was our "Ask a Farmer" session, where Paola Piccioni from Piccioni Mushrooms came out to answer all your questions. The question of the night: "What mushrooms are grown locally in Ontario?" Our answer is simple: these 7 varieties.

I was pretty excited to see Chef David Adjey on stage again. He whipped up a delicious (and very expensive) Tuna dish... shocking the crowd when he told them the piece of tuna he was using retails for about $90!

My favourite dish of the weekend? Roasted Tri Tip with Mushrooms & Sweet Onion from VG Meats... sooo good!

I always find Hamilton to be a great crowd with a wide range of exhibitors; everything from local restaurants and bakeries, to winery's & breweries. I can never resist all the wonderful food and drink!

I would like to thank everyone who came out and tried a sample, asked a question, and filled out a ballot for our T-Fal pan draw!

I also want to thank my amazing staff, Shannon and Amanda.

See you all next year at the 2012 show!

For more show pictures, check out our album on Facebook.
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Join Us at the 2012 Hamilton Food & Drink Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:16:00 +0000

Mushrooms Canada is out & about again this weekend. This time we are taking our mushrooms and heading to Hamilton for the 7th Annual Hamilton Food & Drink Fest!

Come and experience an exciting variety of local and international wines & spirits, craft beers, and culinary treats created by some of the Hamilton, Burlington & Niagara Regions' most popular restaurants, breweries & wineries. Enjoy terrific live musical entertainment and a fun informative cooking demonstration from Chef David Adjey on Sunday!

Make sure to stop by Mushrooms Canada's booth for a sample of our Crimini Mushrooms (they are always a big hit!). While you're there, enter our draw to win a T-Fal Hot Spot Frying Pan, pick up our NEW recipe booklet, and ask us a few questions!

I will be tweeting while at the show, so make sure to follow Mushrooms Canada over on Twitter or on Facebook!

But hey, where are you going!? I can't let you leave empty handed, we have a little coupon for you, $3.00 Off the price of admission at the door. Simply CLICK HERE, print it off and bring it with you; you'll receive your discount at the door.

I hope that everyone has a great time, enjoys themselves, and travels responsibly.... Don't drink and drive! See you at the show!
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Guest Post: Mushroom & Lentil Ragout by Communal Table

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:58:00 +0000

Hi everyone. I’m Neil from Communal Table. My wife, Jenny, and I have a shared love of food and cooking, and we started our blog to document some of the things we create together in our kitchen. I’m excited to be contributing our first-ever guest post to the Mushrooms Canada blog, because mushrooms are definitely one of my favorite vegetables to cook with.

I don’t cook with mushrooms on a regular basis. Instead, I tend to go on kicks where I randomly decide to buy mushrooms, and then I remember how great an ingredient they are and become temporarily obsessed with cooking with and eating mushrooms for a while. When I do cook with mushrooms I try to make sure they’re the star of the dish. In fact, I tend to use mushrooms when I’m creating vegetarian dishes, since the textures and flavours of different varieties make them perfect stand-ins for meat in meatless dishes. I came up with this recipe in January. I’d decided to challenge myself by giving up meat for the month, and decided to make a mushroom-based dish to satisfy my cravings for some deep, rich umami flavours.

Enjoy, and if you like this, you might also want to try:
Grilled Portobello with Asparagus Pesto and Poached Egg

Mushroom and Lentil Ragout

Ingredients
1 shallot, diced
1 carrot, diced
A quarter of a fennel bulb (or 1 celery stick), diced
A mix of fresh mushrooms (I used cremini, oyster and shitake), roughly chopped
A handful of dried porcini mushrooms, steeped in a cup or so of boiling water for 20 minutes
1 bay leaf
1 can of lentils, drained
1/2 C white wine
Ricotta cheese (optional)
Truffle oil (optional)

Method
1. Remove porcini mushrooms from steeping liquid and chop them into small pieces. Reserve the liquid.
2. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add shallot, carrot and fennel and sauté for about 5 minutes.
3. Add in the chopped fresh mushrooms and some salt and pepper. Saute for 5 more minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add in wine and let it cook off for a minute or two.
4. Add chopped porcini mushrooms and steeping liquid to the pan.
5. Stir in lentils, and throw in a bay leaf. Turn heat to low and let the ragout simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Serve in a bowl, topped with a small spoonful of ricotta and a few drops of truffle oil.

Yield: About 4 Servings

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Thank you so much Neil and Jenny for sharing this gourmet recipe with us!

Make sure you follow Communal Table over on their Blog, on Twitter (Neil & Jenny) and on Facebook.
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Behind the Scenes at Mushrooms Canada: Toronto Wine & Cheese Show 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:49:00 +0000

I am happy to announce... we made through another fantastic Toronto Wine & Cheese Show!

This past weekend Mushrooms Canada set up shop in Toronto at the Wine & Cheese show. We handed out recipe booklets, brown paper bags, and over 250lbs worth of mushroom samples! Yes it looks like Toronto loves their mushrooms!

We were happy to answer lots of questions like, "What kind of mushrooms are these!" and of course the infamous, "Mushrooms have no nutritional value, right?"

We even had a few true mushroom lovers show up at the booth for a sample, like this young lady, who proudly came to our booth and pronounced, "I had to come have a sample because I am wearing my mushroom dress!" Now that's true love!

As I mentioned last week, I was really excited to see Chef Lynn Crawford on the KitchenAid cooking stage... and she did not disappoint! She made a wonderful pasta dish, and even challenged audience participants to make the "World's Longest Lasagna Noodle." Very fun!

And of course we can't ignore all the glorious food that was served....

Join Us at the 2012 Toronto Wine & Cheese Show

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:23:00 +0000

It's that time of year again! Mushrooms Canada is heading to the Toronto Wine & Cheese Show for a weekend full of gourmet foods (like our mushrooms), wines, beers, and spirits.

Every year this show gets bigger and better! Make sure to stop by our booth (822) for a sample of Simple Sauteed Mushrooms, and to pick up some NEW mushroom recipes! While you are hanging out with us, fill out a ballot to win a T-Fal Hotspot Frying Pan!

Other Show Highlights:

Learn how to perfectly pair wine with cheese from the Dairy Farmers of Canada
Craft Eatery “Pop Up” Restaurant.
Sip & Savour Stage: Watch ongoing cooking demos on the KitchenAid Sip & Savour Stage, featuring Lynn Crawford!

Don't miss my live tweets from the show! Follow Mushrooms Canada over on Twitter or on Facebook!

What are you looking forward to trying?

Personally, I can't wait to see Lynn Crawford again... she is a riot!

I hope that everyone has a great time, enjoys themselves, and travels responsibly.... Don't drink and drive! See you at the show!
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Guest Post: How to Incorporate Mushrooms Into Your Diet by Jennifer Molnar

noreply@blogger.com (Brittany) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:48:00 +0000

Mushrooms are clearly beneficial as both foods and drugs. The question is, how can we benefit from their unique disease-fighting and health-promoting properties?

One option is mushroom supplements. While mushroom tonics, powders and extracts have been popular in Asian countries for a while now, Canada is catching up: there are already a handful of licensed natural health products containing reiishi and shiitake extracts for immune system support.

An even better (and more delicious) option is to simply eat more mushrooms. Mushrooms contain a lot of things that are good for us. “A 100-gram serving of fresh white mushrooms—about 4 or 5 medium-sized mushrooms—has only 25 calories, no cholesterol and is virtually fat-free,” says Brittany Stager, Marketing Manager at Mushrooms Canada. To add to their health-conscious nutrient profile, mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light (most commercial type have) are a good source of vitamin D, an essential nutrient that is typically obtained only from animal-based products like meat, poultry and seafood (20). “Just one serving of shiitakes can provide up to 48% of your daily requirement for vitamin D,” Stager explains. Better yet, mushrooms contain dietary fibre, are low in sodium and are a good source of riboflavin, copper, selenium, niacin and panthothenic acid.

To find fresh, tasty mushrooms, look no further than your neighbourhood grocery store or farmer’s market for locally grown finds. According to Stager, many of the most popular types are produced right here in Canada. “There are seven varieties of fresh mushrooms grown in Canada,” she says. “White, crimini, portobella, shiitake, oyster, king oyster and enoki are all grown and harvested from coast to coast every day of the year.” Even thick slices of the melon-sized giant puffball have been known to appear at Ontario farmer’s markets from time to time.

To up your mushroom intake, Stager recommends adding half a cup of white button mushrooms to your omelette instead of cheddar, or tossing diced grilled portabella with pasta in lieu of sausage. These swaps will cut your sodium intake by a significant amount and provide you with extra potassium. Not bad for a fungus.

Any way you slice it, the world as we know it simply wouldn’t exist without fungi. Through reading this and the other wonderful articles in this volume, I hope you have gained an appreciation for—or at the very least, an understanding of—these fascinating organisms and their contribution to food, health and medicine. And maybe, just maybe, you will come to love mushrooms as much as I do.

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Thanks so much Jennifer for joining us as a guest blogger. For those of you who missed Jennifer's first post on Medicinal Mushrooms, you can find it here.

Don't forget to follow Jennifer over on her blog The best thing I ever ate...and then some, and on Twitter.
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