Woodsy, meaty, delicious little bites of heaven. Soaking in a dash of sweet, tangy balsamic vinegar. You might hear angels sing when you bite into Roasted Balsamic Mushrooms and Tomatoes.
Hen of the woods, bears head tooth, giant puffballs, and the shaggy mane.
They aren’t names of characters in a children’s book – they’re names of edible mushrooms!
What are mushrooms
Mushrooms aren't plants or animals, they're fungi! Mushrooms, unlike plants, don't need sunlight to thrive. They get their nutrients by breaking down organic matter in the soil.
Mushroom Farms
Most of the store-bought mushrooms we eat today are grown on farms in sterilized environments – definitely my suggestion when choosing to nosh on these fanciful little fungi.
Vitamin D
Mushrooms are the only food-source of vitamin D - as long as they're grown outside in the sun. They actually absorb the sun's rays and can transfer the vitamin D to you when you eat them! If you're purchasing store-bought mushrooms, the fresh 'shrooms can be sun-dried to absorb the vitamin D. Here's how!
Mushrooms have gills and spores which can help identify the mushrooms.
Most mushrooms have small gills under the cap where spores are produced. These spores are released into the air beneath the mushroom and are also one of the ways edibles can be identified. The cap is placed on a white sheet of paper and the color of the spores examined – this is called a spore print. Some other methods that are used include color, odor, habitat and season, and in modern times, microscopically.
My suggestion, should you choose to try your hand at ingesting wild mushrooms, is to take a class on edibles, get a field guide to mushrooms in your area, and learn as much as possible before venturing out because eating the wrong type of mushroom can be deadly.
I once took a mushroom hunting class from Swampy Appleseed in Savannah, Georgia. My main take-away was that I wouldn't be eating any wild mushrooms!
The most important type of mushroom to purchase
The organic mushroom.
Mushrooms are so porous that they readily absorb pesticides, fungicides, and any metals or toxins in their environment. If you are concerned about the pricing of organic mushrooms – try your hand at growing them at home with a fun little box farm!
Be sure to store your mushrooms in the fridge when you get them home because higher temperatures will result in the loss of nutritional value. Many mushrooms have immune system boosting and anti-inflammatory properties, high amounts of b-12, and crimini (button) mushrooms, in particular, are a significant source of CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid, a type of fatty acid that can lessen the production of estrogen that some breast cancer tumors rely on for growth.
As for the taste? Earthy, meaty, and a touch sweet with the balsamic vinegar and tomatoes with just the right amount of acidity.
Roasted Balsamic Mushrooms and Tomatoes
Serves: 3
Ingredients:
1 10 oz package of button mushrooms
2 vine ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp oil (I used avocado oil because it's heat stable)
1/8 Tsp coarse sea salt
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Wipe mushrooms clean of dirt and slice. Then slice the tomatoes
Toss mushrooms and tomatoes in balsamic vinegar, oil, and salt & pepper.
Cook for 25-30 minutes or until mushrooms and tomatoes are cooked through and caramelized.
By: Dawn Hutchins
Roasted Balsamic Mushrooms and Tomatoes
Nutrition Facts
3 Servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 79.9
Total Fat 5.0 g
Saturated Fat 0.7 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.3 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Sodium 111.1 mg
Potassium 388.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 7.6 g
Dietary Fiber 1.6 g
Sugars 1.8 g
Protein 3.3 g
Vitamin A 5.2 %
Vitamin B-12 0.6 %
Vitamin B-6 7.1 %
Vitamin C 10.7 %
Vitamin D 17.9 %
Vitamin E 4.1 %
Calcium 0.5 %
Copper 16.6 %
Folate 5.3 %
Iron 3.9 %
Magnesium 3.3 %
Manganese 4.4 %
Niacin 19.5 %
Pantothenic Acid 15.2 %
Phosphorus 9.0 %
Riboflavin 24.3 %
Selenium 12.2 %
Thiamin 7.3 %
Zinc 3.5 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
You’re eyeing the phone for takeout after work because you’re too tired to think of what to make for dinner.
Put the phone down and pick up my 6 Ingredient or Less Cookbook.
Home-cooked. Simple. Fast.
Dawn Hutchins is a plant-based lifestyle educator, author, and self-taught chef. She holds a certificate in plant-based nutrition through Cornell University and the T. Colin Campbell Foundation and is a certified Nutritional Therapist with a focus on epigenetics. Discover the benefits that over 35,000 people have experienced through her recipes, cookbooks, and revolutionary programs, learning how to eat more whole, plant foods – and loving it!