MUSHROOM MAGIC ROCKS! Ok all you recycled dyslexic hippies and love children of the 60’s and 70’s I’m not talking about ‘those’ mushrooms!  We’ve all seen the ads that tell us how good mushrooms are for us – low fat, high in protein etc. Researching further, I discovered what wonderful health benefits mushrooms have. The main component in mushrooms is selenium, an essential mineral which works closely with Vitamin E to produce antioxidants that neutralize the cell-damaging “free radicals” that can increase the risk of cancer and other diseases of aging. It plays an important role in the immune system, the thyroid system and the male reproductive system. Potassium is a mineral your body just can’t do without. It helps maintain normal heart rhythm, fluid balance, muscle and nerve function. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently gave a nod to its disease-fighting capability by stating: “Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.”

 “ All mushrooms are created equal, just some are more equal than others “(with apologies to George  Orwell and Animal Farm)  Reishi mushrooms are particularly useful for treating arthritis through anti inflammatory agents called triturpinoids, which are similar to steroids. Shiitakes have four to ten times the flavour of common white button mushrooms. In addition to their robust/pungent, woody flavour and meaty texture, shiitakes provide high levels of protein (18%), potassium, niacin and B vitamins, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. They have natural antiviral and immunity-boosting properties and are used nutritionally to fight viruses, lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure. Lentinan, an immunostimulant derived from shiitakes, has been used to treat cancer, AIDS, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibrocystic breast disease, and other conditions with impressive results. Researchers S. Suzuki and Oshima found that a raw shiitake eaten daily for one week lowered serum cholesterol by 12%. If you can’t get your hands on ganodermataceae, Reishi or Shiitake mushrooms, white or the brown Swiss mushrooms make a very good alternative. Our TGC friend this month sells a product called Ganoderma which is made from the ganodermataceae mushrooms genus – King of mushrooms, which have been used extensively in Chinese medicine for thousands of years due to their being many more times potent than the normal mushroom. Before I look like I’m promoting Snake Oil, I always do some research first so I can give an objective view and highlight any negatives which may surround a product so readers can make informed decisions. I was pleasantly surprised to find  negatives were very minimal. The only side effects I’ve been able to track down is that it has been shown in some studies, when taken in its natural form over a prolonged time  (usually four months or so) it can result in some mild side effects such as dryness of the nasal passages, mouth and throat, as well as stomach upset and nosebleed^s.   However, these effects were avoided by discontinuing use of the mushroom for one month after taking it for four months, and taking it again for four months and so on. The benefits seem to far out-way any negatives. Elana’s product has managed to harness the potent benefits of this mushroom into a capsule, removing the side effects. 
 Kitchen Tip: There is a myth that if you wash mushrooms in water rather than ‘wipe’ them with a damp cloth, they will become water logged and soggy. Tests done have demonstrated there is no truth to this and mushrooms weighed before and after washing showed little or no increase in weight (water retention). The exception to this being dried mushrooms which, of course, need to be soaked before use anyway so go ahead, give ‘em a good dunking!

This month’s recipe

Mushroom & Rice Salad

Ingredients (serves 10)
·        400g (2 cups) long-grain brown rice

·        2 tbs olive oil

·        250g button mushrooms, sliced

·        250g Swiss brown mushrooms, sliced

·        150g oyster mushrooms, sliced

·        1 tbs balsamic vinegar

·        Salt & freshly ground black pepper

·        200g stuffed green olives, halved lengthways

·        6 green shallots, trimmed, thinly sliced

·        ¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon

·        80g (1/2 cup) salad sprinkles

Method

1. Cook the rice following the absorption method on the packet. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large strainer and refresh under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add all the mushrooms and cook, tossing often, for 6 minutes or until tender. Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. Set aside for 15 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.
   
3. Place the rice, mushrooms and any pan juices, olives, green shallots and tarragon in a large serving bowl and stir gently to combine.
   
4. To serve, stir salad sprinkles into salad. Season with salt and pepper.
   

Note: Salad sprinkles is a combination of toasted seeds available in the fruit and vegetable section of most supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute with 40g (1/4 cup) toasted sesame seeds and 40g (1/4 cup) toasted sunflower seed kernels. You can cook the rice (step 1) up to 1 day ahead - keep in an airtight container in the fridge. The mushrooms can be cooked and the salad assembled (steps 2-3) up to 4 hours ahead. Cover and place in the fridge. Follow step 4 just before serving. Great healthy alternative to the normal rice salad at BBQ’s.

From the ‘doh’ file.    Signs that don’t necessarily mean what they say!

v      Dinner Special — Turkey $2.35; Chicken or Beef $2.25; Children $2.00.
v      For sale: an antique desk suitable for lady with thick legs and large drawers.
v      Now is your chance to have your ears pierced and get an extra pair to take home, too. * And now, the Superstore–unequalled in size, unmatched in variety, unrivalled inconvenience  Featured TGC friend this month is Elana, who helps people who think there is no hope  or help out there for their illness. GANODERMA has at last been accepted in Australia.  The Far East refer to it as the ‘Miracle Herb” an ‘Elixir of Immortality’.  It is the rare mushroom (capsules) known as Ganoderma.  Effective in helping the body to recover from a broad range of maladies.  In Asia, these mushrooms are considered among the most powerful in the assistance of natural healing.  It is a traditional tonic used to nourish tone and supplement the whole body, removing and dispersing toxin accumulation.
Elana is also Service Manager. for Power Loans  “We are all about ETHICS & SERVICE which makes it such a wonderful company to work for.  We happily educate our clients on debt reductionPower Loan has been in operation now going on to 10 years.  It is the largest Non-Bank Community Lender in Australia.  There are loans for First Home Buyers, Refinancing, Commercial, Construction, Personal, Consolidation etc.  plus we now have the best and cheapest EFTPOS machines available for businesses For more information regarding Finance or your Health, please contact me on 0424 471 811 (7 days).