Canadian Adults should consume 1,500mg of sodium per day. According to the latest statistics available from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), the average sodium intake is above the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of 2,400mg. So, on average Canadians are eating 3,092mg of sodium daily, that is double the amount that should be consumed!
What’s the big deal you ask? Excess sodium in our daily diets causes several major health problems. One of the main consequences is increased blood pressure, which is a major factor for cardiovascular disease (which is the #1 cause of death in Canadians).
According to the CCHS data pizza, sandwiches, subs, and hot dogs are the biggest offenders, followed by soup and pasta.
Fresh mushrooms can help slash the sodium!
Fresh mushrooms are naturally very low in sodium, with only 4mg per 4 medium sized mushrooms.
Mushrooms contain Umami, which helps to boost the flavours of your food, meaning you need less salt to flavour.
A 100 g serving of fresh white button mushrooms contain 9% of your Daily Value of potassium. Getting a little more potassium will help counteract the effects of too much sodium on blood pressure.
Adding mushrooms makes a difference:
Add ½ cup white button mushrooms to your omelet or scrambled eggs instead of ½ cup cheddar cheese. Benefit: save 349 mg sodium.
Mix 1 cup of diced grilled portabella mushrooms into pasta or pasta sauce instead of sausage. Benefit: save 632 mg sodium.
Use ½ cup white button mushrooms with dips instead of corn chips. Benefit: save 552 mg sodium.
For more facts on sodium, check out what the Canadian Stroke Network has to say on the Sodium 101 website.
P.B.L.T Salad The favorite combination of bacon, lettuce and tomato tops baked portabella mushrooms instead of bread for a light lunch.
Almond and Herb Mushroom Caps If you picked up the summer issue of the LCBO Food & Drink Magazine, you were in for a treat. These easy to make stuffed mushrooms are perfect for entertaining with a glass of Savory & James Amontillado Dlux.
King Oyster Mushroom Satay This interesting recipe is part of the 5 No-Cook Dishes Raw Food at Home Menu over at Sweethome.ca.
Unearth the flavor of the humble mushroom "Few foods are as versatile or span cuisines like mushrooms," writes Johnathan L. Wright as he shares his insights into the humble mushroom, and a recipe or two.
Please note that links provided will redirect to another website. Mushrooms Canada does not endorse or take any responsibility for content provided on such websites.
Fire up the grill for some fresh Canadian Portabellas this summer With barbecue season in full swing, why not fire up the grill for some fresh Canadian Portabella Mushrooms? Portabellas are the ultimate heroes of the grill, offering a great meat alternative and endless versatility.
Try ’em as a meat alternative Portabellas have a natural meaty flavour and texture, which is why they are often eaten as a meat alternative. They can absorb marinades just like meat, as well as offer their own natural Umami flavour. Take a look at the benefits of substituting a grilled portabella for a beef patty:
• Substitute a 4-ounce grilled portabella mushroom for a 4-ounce grilled beef patty (70% lean) and save 270 calories, 20 g fat, 8 g saturated fat and 93 mg cholesterol. WOW!
How versatile are they? There are many ways that you can prepare the very versatile Portabella mushroom on the grill, here are just a few quick recipe ideas.
• Burgers Grill up a portabella basted with a smoky barbecue sauce. Top with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Serve hot on a big toasted Kaiser bun.
• Toppers Lightly brush portabella with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Grill whole along with a thick slice of red or white onion. Serve both mushroom and onion, sliced on top of a sizzlin’ hot steak.
• Side Dishes Marinate whole portabella mushroom in balsamic or Italian vinaigrette for 1 hour. Grill over medium-high heat for 6-7 minutes. Remove from grill, slice and serve on top of a side salad.
Last Monday I was pretty successful with this challenge. I had a quick mushroom breakfast which consisted of Mushrooms & Scrambled Eggs on Toast, I threw a couple of sliced mushrooms into my salad at lunch, and had tasty Stir-Fried Beef with Mushrooms and Asparagus for dinner. I didn't include mushrooms as a snack (or a dessert... which I am still not sure about), but other than that, I did great!
For more Mushroom Monday inspiration, I have decided that I will share my recipes that I make at home. Most of the time I try to make the delicious mushroom recipes that are in our library, but sometimes I just throw whatever I have on hand into a pan. You will be able to find these recipes on my Recipezaar Page, and I will also share some here on the blog.
Stir-Fried Beef With Mushrooms and Asparagus Prep Time: 6 min. Cooking Time: 25 min.
This was my first "Mushroom Monday Challenge" dinner. I love stir-fries, and this one comes together in a snap. You can always use any vegetables that you may have on hand if you are short what's listed in the ingredients. Red or green peppers could be used if you don't have asparagus, even a little sliced carrot would be delicious.
Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 beef steak, any kind, cut into 1 inch chunks (16-24 oz) 1 small onion, sliced 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (optional) 1/2 lb asparagus, sliced into 1-inch pieces 8 ounces sliced mushrooms 2 heads baby bok choy 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon sugar (optional) fresh ground black pepper 1/4 cup water 2 cups cooked white rice
Method 1. Cook the rice, as per package directions, while you prepare the stir-fry. 2. Add 1 tbsp to a large deep frying pan. Heat oil over high heat, about 30 seconds. Add beef to pan and cook until medium, or 3-5 minutes. Remove beef from pan, and set it aside. 3. Lower the heat to medium, and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add onions, garlic, and ginger (if using). Stir and cook for 30 seconds, then add asparagus, mushrooms and bok choy, cook 3-4 minutes or until vegetables have softened. 4. Return beef to pan. Add soy sauce, sugar (if using), and pepper, toss to coat everything in sauce. Add 1/4 water, and raise heat to high, cook until water has slightly reduced and sauce starts to thicken. 5. Serve stir-fry over hot white rice.
Remember you can leave your experiences in the comments section of this post, email me, or blog about the Mushroom Monday Challenge on your own blog.
In this Summer edition you will find: • The "Secret" to Perfect Sautéed Mushrooms • Feature Video: Simple Sautéed Mushrooms • Mushrooms and Your Health: Arthritis • "Watch for Us" telling you exactly where Mushrooms Canada will be in the coming months, including the National Women's Show, Toronto • Need a fast side to your barbecued steak, chicken or pork? Simple Sautéed Mushrooms are what you need!
Pssst! You can also check out past issues of our Award Winning Newsletter by visiting the "Newsletter" page on the Mushrooms Canada website.
While checking out all the great mushroom cooking videos on YouTube, I came across Winegar's "Grill it Gourmet" Series, and since grilling season is in full swing, I thought that I would share their video on grilling yummy Mushroom Kabobs.
How goes the Mushroom Monday Challenge? My week flew by with minimal success on my past Mushroom Monday. I managed to eat mushrooms in both my lunch and dinner, so I am halfway there. Today looks more promising!
I received an email from Shannon saying although she loved the idea of Mushroom Monday, wasn't sure where to find recipes.
There are many great mushroom recipes out there, you just have to do a little searching. The first place I would suggest would be on the Mushrooms Canada website (of course), but you can also find delicious recipes on food blogs.
Here's are some great recipe ideas for today's Mushroom Monday Challenge:
Breakfast We offer up our favourite breakfast recipe, Baked Eggs with Mushrooms. It's simple, and is something that you can easily customize to individual family tastes. Watch the cooking video here.
Recognize this recipe? I gave you a little "behind the scenes" peek of it all the way back in January while we were on set filming. Finally I get to share the finished video with you today as our Feature Friday!
Panini literally means little breads, but in Italy it often refers to a sandwich. This delicious and nutritious panini is easy to prepare using several ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. Fresh mushrooms add a thick meaty texture to this vegetarian meal. You can use goat cheese and arugula for a different flavour profile. This recipe makes the perfect lunch or light dinner, it can be served with a side salad or soup for a complete meal.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil 15 mL 8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms 250 g 1 large clove garlic, crushed 1 1 tsp dried basil leaves 5 mL 1/2 cup chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained 125 mL 2 cups grated old Cheddar cheese 500 mL 4 oval panini rolls (about 4"/10 cm), halved 4 1 cup baby spinach leaves 250 mL
Method In a medium frying pan heat oil over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until just until starting to brown. Stir in garlic and basil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside. In a small bowl mix cheese and tomatoes; spread evenly on bottom half of each roll. Arrange the mushrooms, and spinach leaves, evenly on top of cheese. Top with the other half of each roll and press firmly.Place in preheated sandwich grill* (according to manufacturers directions) cook about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and cheese has melted. Cut sandwiches in half to serve. Makes 4 servings.
*If sandwich grill is not available heat a well seasoned ridged grill pan OR a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in pan and place another heat-proof pan or skillet on top of sandwiches; weight down with canned goods and cook 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn panini over and repeat for other side. Lower heat after sandwich is browned to melt cheese.
Tip: Substitute other crusty rolls or Kaiser buns for panini rolls OR substitute 8 slices (½”/1 cm thick) French, Italian or Sour dough bread.
Variation: Substitute ½ cup (125 mL) softened goat cheese (about 4 oz /120 g) for Cheddar and baby arugula leaves for spinach.
Could you imagine enjoying mushroom with every meal? I always try to include them in whatever I am cooking. Since they are so versatile, you can add them to anything throughout the day; breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks!
So how about a challenge? Try including fresh mushrooms in every meal for one day. We'll call it the "Mushroom Monday Challenge."
This fun challenge will help you open up to the different varieties of mushrooms, and encourage you to get creative with mushroom preparation.
So, are you up for the challenge? Simply post your experiences in the comments section of this post, email me, or you can even write about it on your own blog! I will be checking in every few Mondays to see how everyone is doing, to highlight experiences, and to share pictures.
Here are a few ideas to get your started on the "Mushroom Monday Challenge."
Mushrooms add plenty of pizzazz and make just about any food more flavourful.
Whole wheat pasta. What could be easier than cooking up a bowl of hearty whole wheat pasta? Tossing some cooked, sliced mushrooms into the pasta or even the tomato sauce adds a satisfying meaty texture and appealing taste.
Lean white fish. Mushrooms and fish may not be the first thing you think of but once you taste this fabulous flavour pairing you’ll be happy you discovered it. Poached in a little white wine or fish stock, lemon juice and herbs, sliced mushrooms add oomph to nutritious lean white fish such as sole, haddock and tilapia.
Rice. There is nothing so elegant yet so comforting than a steaming hot bowl of creamy fresh mushroom risotto.
Polenta. Top grilled polenta with a generous spoonful of fresh sliced or chopped mushrooms, sautéed in some olive oil or butter and tossed with fresh herbs such as thyme, salt, pepper and a smidgen of sherry or balsamic vinegar. Divine.
Sandwiches and Wraps. Sliced fresh mushrooms give lovely crunch and a flavour boost to sandwiches and wraps. In fact, a grilled Portabella mushroom makes a great sandwich “filler” itself! Just layer the mushroom between two slices of whole grain bread and top with some cheese, herbed mayonnaise or some more fresh vegetables.
Soup. Make canned soups more interesting and more nutritious by adding sliced fresh mushrooms. Simmer for a few minutes to soften the mushrooms if you wish.
Today Canadians everywhere are celebrating the 142nd Birthday of our country!
Although this year Canada Day falls smack-dab in the middle of the week, local festivities and gatherings of family and friends will help us celebrate this momentous occasion and make us forget that we all have to go back to work tomorrow!
So, if you are looking for some great Canada Day recipes, Mushrooms Canada has just what you need.
Marinated Portabella Burgers A delicious vegetarian option to regular burgers since grilled portabellas have a meat–like texture and flavour.
Grilled Chicken and Portabella Mushrooms with Peppercorn Sauce The flavourful sauce is mildly spiced since green peppercorns are the under-ripe berry from the pepper plant and therefore not as hot as black peppercorns. This dish is utterly simple to prepare but special enough for entertaining.
I hope you all have a wonderful Canada Day and celebrate safely!
Funding for this project has been granted through the Canada-Ontario Research and Development Program,
as funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Canadian Adults should consume 1,500mg of sodium per day. According to the latest statistics available from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), the average sodium intake is above the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of 2,400mg. So, on average Canadians are eating 3,092mg of sodium daily, that is double the amount that should be consumed!
Last Monday I was pretty successful with this challenge. I had a quick mushroom breakfast which consisted of 
This was my first "Mushroom Monday Challenge" dinner. I love stir-fries, and this one comes together in a snap. You can always use any vegetables that you may have on hand if you are short what's listed in the ingredients. Red or green peppers could be used if you don't have asparagus, even a little sliced carrot would be delicious.
