MUSHROOMS!! at 6:38 PM

I've been trying to eat better lately and while walking down the aisles at the grocery I've been noticing things like: calories, cholesterol, fat, carbs, etc...

I've always liked eating mushrooms (cooked of course with seasoning). So I looked at a can of mushrooms. To my surprise, mushrooms only have about 60 calories in an entire can (20 calories/serving; 3 servings/can). It has 0 cholesterol, 0 fat, and 0 carbs. They are great for replacing meats if you're a meat lover like I am.

Not only are mushrooms "not" bad for you but they are "good" for you but they are also an excellent source of B vitamins and selenium and contain a powerful antioxidant.

Vitamins
Long known for being low in fat and high in fibre, mushrooms are also a good dietary source of B vitamins, especially niacin, vitamin B6 and riboflavin (vitamin B2). The B vitamins perform a wide variety of functions in your body and are essential for good health. For example, vitamin B6 is needed for more than 100 enzymes involved in protein metabolism and is essential for the proper functioning of your red blood cells.

Mineral content
Cultivated mushrooms (as distinct from edible field mushrooms, which vary in their content according to where they grow) are an excellent source of copper and selenium. Copper, along with iron, is needed for your body to make red blood cells. It also helps in keeping the nerves, blood vessels, bones and immune system in good condition. Selenium is an important trace element that may help to prevent certain cancers and is needed as part of certain antioxidant enzymes, which play a role in preventing cell damage.

Here's a great recipe for you.

• Get yourself a can of mushrooms (about 70cents a can).




• Open the can of mushrooms and notice how much juice is in the can.




• Drain the juice (to remove preservatives) and refill with water in its place.




• With a small frying pan on high heat, poor the mushrooms in the pan.




• Simply cook the mushrooms until most of the water is cooked out of it. Stirring occasionally. Once bubbling hot, turn heat down to medium.




• When the water level is low, add seasonings (I use garlice powder which is a MUST for me and Montreal Steak Seasoning... but not much steak seasoning as it will make it very salty... so use lightly).




• Now stir and cook a little longer till water is very low to gone.




• Put on plate and ENJOY!!!

(another tip... dip in some ketchup to make it even better and more like meat)

Another Good Idea:

You can buy different size mushrooms. Some mushrooms are large enough to be used as a patty (like burger meat). Regardless of the size of your mushroom(s), you can always pile it up on a bun with some ketchup (maybe mustard), and cheese and have a mushroom burger. Much healthier and full of flavor! Just a thought.