Yummy food therapy! The recipes on this blog will always be gluten-free and dairy-free. They will also be a bit vague as I don’t follow directions well and most of my recipes I’ve adapted from somewhere else, or flat-out made up. I like to play with my food. My kitchen is like a big chemistry set, so if I’m not too clear at times, send me a comment and I’ll try to explain. I’ll also include some nutritional and healing benefits of the food . . . because that’s my job.
I love shiitake mushrooms. Partly for their medicinal properties and partly for their rich, earthy flavor. They’re a symbol of longevity in Asia and have been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. They contain an active substance called lentinan, which helps rev up the immune system. Lentinan is also thought to lower cholesterol and fight cancer (especially stomach, intestinal, and colon cancers). Add these mushrooms to your arsenal of high-end, healing foods for boosting your immune system and protecting your digestive system, especially if you have celiac. Shiitakes also aid against environmental allergies, boost detoxing, and fight candida. And they’re high in vitamins D, B2, and B12 and depending on where they’re grown, can be rich in all kinds of minerals.
So that’s the short version of the legendary benefits of this funky looking little superstar.
shiitake mushrooms and wild rice
what you need
2 cups of wild rice
4 cups (or a little more) of “Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth” (or GF veggie broth)
chopped onions (maybe 1/3 cup or so)
chopped garlic (2 or 3 cloves)
5 to 7 shiitake mushrooms (washed and chopped)
2 - 4 tablespoons of grapeseed oil (enough to sauté with)
Celtic sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
handful of raisins
handful of walnuts
rice cooker
what you do
lightly sauté garlic and onions in grapeseed oil and place in rice cooker
lightly sauté mushrooms and add to rice cooker
rinse rice and add
salt and pepper to taste (or other seasonings)
pour 4 cups of chicken broth on top and stir
turn on rice cooker and wait until it’s finished
I always check when it’s finished and see if I need to add a little more chicken broth. I prefer it rich and creamy so I like it moist. Then I add some raisins and nuts and sometimes fresh spinach. Whatever strikes your fancy. Keep on warm until ready to serve.
Put the leftovers in the refrigerator and use cold, mixed in a fresh green salad with veggies the next day.
Enjoy!
Hi,
I saw your blog for recipes. We run a small soup business in central Minnesota. All of our soups feature Shiitake mushrooms and we just started selling Shiitakes in 4 and 8 oz. packages. Our dried ingredients are top quality and grown in the U.S. and our pricing is extremely competative.
It’s encouraging to know that there are consumers out there that recognize the health benefits of the Shiitake mushrooms.
Keep up the good work with your blog.
Hey Nick — I plan to do a soup stock post and dried Shiitake mushrooms make for a substantial addition to the stock. Give me some information and I’ll link to your mail order.