The Magic in Mushrooms

If you are looking for a natural and easy plant-based substitute for meat, then I have just the thing for you. Mushrooms! 

Happy February! What an exciting year this has been! If you have been following my Social Media accounts (which if you don't yet, please do!), you've seen the excitement that 2020 has brought to my friends and family already, and I am so excited to see this journey continue through the rest of this year. One of my most recent posts was dedicated to removing meat out of your diet, and one of the more easy and natural ways to replace it. That is by using one of my favorite types of fungus, mushrooms! 

Mushrooms have a great meaty texture, and their flavor, known as "umami" is very satisfying in your traditional meat-heavy dishes. It's easy to add mushrooms into your stews, pasta sauces, casseroles, chili, and other dishes that combine meats with other bases. If you are wanting to cut out large amounts of meat or cut meat out of your diet totally, mushrooms are a wonderful option as I have mentioned above! For dishes that contain a lot of meat, simply replace a quarter or half of the called for amount of meat with mushrooms to start the transition for your family. Or, if you want to be brave, replace the meat in any recipe completely with mushrooms! Mushrooms help keep your dishes healthy, rich and give them a wonderful texture. There are so many different types of mushrooms out there, that you can experiment and pick what kind of mushroom you enjoy the most! Mushrooms are very easy to mix in with a huge list of other ingredients. They can be utilized in so many dishes, it's simply amazing! 

A very delicious option for the whole family is using a giant portabello cap and cook it like a classic hamburger or steak! They are so delicious on the grill with your classic burger toppings, or you can even stuff them with some of your favorite veggies and mix in your favorite dairy-free cheese. Pop the stuffed portabello caps into the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes, and you will have a delicious dinner ready to go in no time! 

Next to being an incredible meat substitute and delicious addition to every diet, they are also so rich in nutrients and so good for you! Mushrooms are incredibly rich in vitamins and minerals, and you will find some pretty incredible things inside of them including: 

• Selenium
• Zinc 
• Vitamine B1, B2, B5, B6, and B12
• Fiber
• Protein 
• Copper 
• Potassium 
• Much MORE! 

Outside of their nutritional benefits and the incredible things they can give back to your body, they can do so much more for your body than you might think! 

• The nutrients found inside of a mushroom help support your immune system to help fight colds, shorten them, and prevent them.
• They are full of antioxidants.  
• They can help prevent damage to cells and tissues. 
• Some mushrooms have shown potential in preventing cancer. 
• Mushrooms have shown evidence in helping with the treatment and management of Alzheimer's. 
• They can help lower cholesterol. 
• They help prevent plaque build-up in your arteries. 
• Mushrooms help protect your heart and help to maintain blood pressure and circulation. 
• They add delicious flavor and texture to your dishes without adding fat or sodium. 
• Mushrooms can help regulate blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes. 
• Mushrooms help with the nervous system and help with the production of important hormones. 
• They help maintain healthy bones and nerves. 

Who knew fungus could be such an incredible thing to add to your diet? Not only can you take meat out of your diet and replace it with something so delicious, but you can also help reach your optimum health goals by eating more of them! Try adding them into some of your favorite recipes, and let me know what you think! I can't wait to hear about them all, and how your family enjoyed them!

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