This is one recipe you'll want to keep at your fingertips for those special occasions when you're looking for either a fabulous first course or a side dish for a celebratory meal.

Use this triple mushroom sauté as the topping for canapés for passing with cocktails, as a first course on top of toasted rounds, or as a special side dish with dinner.

Mushrooms are a nutrient-dense food, low in calories and high in phytochemicals. They're also a wonderful accent to other foods.

One of the beauties of this recipe is that you can easily substitute your three favorite kinds of mushrooms, depending on availability and preference.

•  White mushrooms, also referred to as "button" mushrooms, are the most common variety of the cultivated ones - and usually the least flavorful. They keep better than most wild mushrooms as they tend to be firmer.

•  Their brown siblings, generally referred to as "crimini," have a slightly fuller flavor than their paler relatives.

•  Portobello mushrooms are the fully mature form of crimini, which, in the 1980s, became popular as the result of a brilliant marketing ploy.

At one time, they were often disposed of due to their size and color, but once introduced as a new type of fancy mushroom, they became an instant gastronomic hit.

Medicinal uses? 

While mushrooms have been used medicinally in Eastern medicine for centuries, Western medicine is beginning to pay more attention to their scientifically demonstrated healing properties.

For instance, research suggests that shiitake mushrooms may have a potent immune-stimulating effect, including improved resistance to infections, liver protection, and cardiovascular benefits.Cultivated mushrooms, like buttons and crimini, also may have anti-cancer properties and small amounts of calcium and vitamin B12. 

And there's good health news about walnuts, those staples of quintessential, heart-healthy "Mediterranean diets." 

Rich in omega-3 and vitamin E, they may help detoxify cancer-causing substances. Consumption of walnuts are also thought to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.

However you choose to serve this delightful trio, you are doing a kindness to your body and palate.

Mushroom Saute with Toasted Walnuts

2 Tbsp. walnuts
1 tsp. olive oil
2 cups thinly-sliced Portobello mushrooms, stems removed (about 1-2)
2 cups thinly-sliced shiitake mushrooms, stems removed (about 6)
2 cups thinly-sliced white mushrooms, stems removed (about 6)
2 Tbsp. minced parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

In small skillet, toast walnuts over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, without stirring, about 2 minutes. Begin stirring. Add parsley and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until mushrooms release their liquid and begin to darken.

In small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, sugar and soy sauce. Add to mushrooms and cook 1 minute.  Top mushrooms with walnuts and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional information
Per serving: calories, 66;  total fat, 4g; saturated fat, less than 1g;carbohydrates, 7 g; protein, 2 g; dietary fiber, 1 g;  sodium, 53 mg.

Check this out . . .

Find nearly 50 healthy mushroom dishes in Nubella's Recipe Database, including low-cholesterol and low-sodium Balsamic Eggplant with Mushrooms and Thai-Style Mushrooms and Zucchini.


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Source: American Institute for Cancer Research
Reference: Good Food/Good Health

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.