Best and Worst Foods Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN tells “Early Show” viewers to always “Go for those ’shrooms!” She makes note of the fact that it’s not always those bright colored veggies that pack a nutritious punch – those that are light in color do too, like mushrooms! Light-colored mushrooms are the leading source of the antioxidant selenium in the produce aisle.

Trend Alert: The ‘Fifth Taste’ Is Coming On Strong, As More People Say I Want My Umami We’ve heard that this is the year for umami and don’t you bet that WE of all people are excited! If you haven’t heard, umami is the savory fifth taste found naturally in mushrooms. Delish.  

How to Order a Healthier Pizza The Baltimore Sun helps readers make healthier pizza choices by advising to load up on the veggies – in particular mushrooms because they are nutrient-packed, high in fiber and low in calories.

Keri Glassman and The O2 Diet Glassman touts her love for mushrooms again in this segment featured on “700 Club.” She highlights mushrooms as the only fruit or veggie with vitamin D, which is very important for immunity. Also discussed are the benefits of swapping meat for mushrooms – if you take away about four ounces of meat a weak and substitute it with mushrooms, you can lose about five pounds over one year!

It must be March because the Mushroom Council’s annual partnership with Taste of Home is “Springing” into high gear! Your recipes are fantastic (see past Mushroom Recipes of the Week if you need additional proof) and we’re so excited to see you rewarded for your creative and delicious endeavors.

The categories are below and all entries must be received by Taste of Home by August 1, 2010.  It will be here sooner than you know so do not wait!

Breakfast: From quiche to breakfast casseroles to everything in between, send us your mushroom recipes suitable for morning fare

Appetizers & Sides: Submit your great-tasting mushroom recipe for the perfect party appetizer or side dish (including soup and salad)

Main Dish: Whether mushrooms are used as a substitute for meat or to enhance the overall flavor of the meal, we’re looking for your favorite main dish recipes

One winner will be chosen for each category and will win $1,000. A Grand Prize winner will be chosen from the three and will win an additional $1,000!  For complete details and contest rules, click here.

First of all thank you to everyone who entered and voted in our first Grocery Store Challenge.  Your enthusiasm truly made this a great couple weeks and we hope you’ve been able to pick up some D-icious mealtime inspiration along the way.
And, of course, congratulations are in order for to the following entrants:

First Place: Photo G from Nicole P. of Greenville, SC at Fresh Market

Second Place: Photo A submitted by Adam K. of Chicago, IL at Ogilvie’s French Market

Third Place: Photo H submitted by Rachel M. of Corpus Christi, TX at H.E.B.

The Mushroom Channel editorial staff will be emailing the winner on March 1st to coordinate fulfillment of prizes.

Here are the final mushroom display photos from your very own retailers across the U.S.

A) Photo submitted by Adam K. of Chicago, IL at Ogilvie’s French Market:

B) Photo submitted by Damon K. of Chicago, IL at Jewel:

C) Photo submitted by Danielle S. of Chicago, IL at Whole Foods:

D) Photo submitted by David B. of Woodbridge, VA at Wegmans:

E) Photo submitted by Drew K. of San Francisco, CA at Safeway:

F) Photo submitted by Joe O. of Arcata, CA at North Coast Co-Op:

G) Photo submitted by Nicole P. of Greenville, SC at Fresh Market:

H) Photo submitted by Rachel M. of Corpus Christi, TX at H.E.B.:

I) Photo submitted by Steve C. of San Francisco, CA at Far West Fungi:

J) Photo submitted by Tricia C. of Kettering, OH at Kroger:

K) Photo submitted by Trudy F. of Rochester, NY at Wegmans:

UPDATE 2/27: Voting closed and winners were captured at 11:59pm on February 26. Thank you for your participation!

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Reduce fat with super swaps Wendy Bazilian, PhD, RD recommends ways to switch out foods that lend less nutritional value for those high in antioxidants and flavor in order to reduce our calorie, fat, sugar and sodium intake. Instead of a regular burger, throw a portabella cap on the grill! Studies have shown substituting four ounces of mushrooms for four ounces of meat once a week for one year could save more than 18,000 calories and nearly 3,000 grams of fat – that adds up to more than five pounds. Another benefit of shrooms is their antioxidant power: mushrooms are the leading source of selenium in the produce aisle, and they contain ergothioneine, two potent antioxidants that have immunity benefits.

Recipes that Fight Belly Fat More magazine highlights our recipe for Portabella Omelet Topped with Portabella Bacon as one that fights belly fat. Why? Vitamin D. Deficiencies of vitamin D have been linked to both obesity and abdominal fat, so eat your shrooms to help shape up for bikini season (which scarily isn’t too far away).

Diet Detective: Hearty and Healthy Calorie Bargain Recipes In the healthy spaghetti and meatballs recipe, mushrooms and other veggies are incorporated into the meatball mixture for a nutrient boost, and to save calories. KPIC-TV touts mushrooms as a good source of crucial B vitamins that help convert food into energy. They also note mushrooms’ selenium content, an important antioxidant to help maintain the immune system.

Less meat, more taste Portabella burgers are common in restaurants, but don’t be afraid to make one at home – they’re super easy to make! Check out this recipe from the News-Leader, which also notes mushrooms as a great source of selenium, potassium, and B vitamins riboflavin and niacin.

With one simple click you can be $100 closer to making your gourmet mushroom dish, and the ingredients are on us! We’re extending our grocery gifting contest through Monday, February 22 at 12:00 p.m. CST. A quick click of your camera the next time you’re at your grocery store will bring you one step closer to winning $50-$100 dollars to your favorite grocery store.

Here are the new key dates and a reminder of how to enter:

• Send a picture of the fresh mushrooms at your grocery store to info@mushroominfo.com or tweet your entry to @mushroomchannel with the name of your store, and your town or city
• Submit photos now through Monday, 2/22 at 12:00 p.m.
• Look for your photo online and vote at www.mushroomchannel.com from Tuesday, 2/23 – Friday, 2/26
• First, Second and Third place winners will be announced the week of 2/28

One last editor’s note and I’m going to level with you mushroom lovers.

There’s $225 up for grabs and please trust me that you don’t need to be Annie Leibovitz- the odds right now are insanely good (example above). Three people are going to win for a very quick peak into their local produce sections. If you’re already headed to the store, it’s “Why not?” kind of situation.

I could even be (easily) persuaded to feature your photo on this very website. You’ll practically be a celebrity.  A celebrity with $50-$100 to spend on good olive oil, garlic, dark chocolate, the fancy ice cream…and may be even some mushrooms.

Words cannot properly relay the excitement I felt when I first read about Battle Mushroom, the 4th installment of She Simmers and Gourmet Fury’s monthly “Beet n Squash You” Food Fight.  Some of the most creative writers, photographers and recipe developers in the food blogosphere competing with mushrooms as their shared ingredient…can’t ask for much more than that.

Take the image above for example- Mushroom Cardamom Rice Pudding with Dulce de Leche.  I’ve been looking for mushroom desserts for awhile now and it’s become a bit of a personal quest.  This looks absolutely glorious so it comes as no surprise that it hails from Gourmet Fury, one of the competition’s founders.

Alas, another photo that took my breath away. Tortelloni made to look like little sunsets in a bowl contrasted with a rich medley of mushrooms. The Sugar Bar entered Beetroot Tortelloni with Wild Mushroom Medley into the competition. These are just entries…they aren’t even the winners.

This is why I’m sending you to two other sites today. Yes, I’m sending you away from the Mushroom Channel this one time because these entries are worth your time.  Your eyes will thank you for the inspiration, your appetite may drag you to the grocery store.

The Entries

The Winners

Immune-boosting foods you’ll love Mushrooms are great for maintaining a healthy immune system. They are rich in beta-glucans, selenium, ergothioneine and vitamin D – a winning combination of nutrients to ward off cold and flu season! WFMJ-TV recommends eating about one cup of mushrooms every day – we agree!

The 02 Diet: Superfoods Rule Keri Glassman, MS, RD, author of the hot new book, The O2 Diet, talks with LX New York about ways to improve your diet, to make you feel energetic, thin and beautiful. Glassman recommends improving diet through inclusion rather than exclusion. Pack your meals full of foods rich in antioxidants, like mushrooms – the leading source of selenium in the produce aisle!

Appetite for Health Julie Upton, MS, RD, CSSD discusses ways to get more vitamin D through diet. Mushrooms are one of the only natural sources of vitamin D (the only fruit or veggie with it!) and like our skin, they can produce vitamin D when they’re exposed to light. The most popular types of mushrooms – buttons, criminis and portabellas – have 1-97% of the vitamin D you need. Put them atop pizzas, in sauces, sautéed as a side dish – mushrooms are so versatile they compliment almost any everyday favorite meal.

Belly-Flattening Foods Mushrooms are the only natural source of vitamin D in the produce aisle. Studies show that vitamin D deficiency actually could hinder weight loss, and provoke obesity and abdominal fat. Swap mushrooms for meat to get your vitamin D, and to cut calories! Also, mushrooms have ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant with anti-tumor growth properties.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup Self magazine recommends this recipe for cold winter days to help boost your energy. Mushrooms are chocked full of B vitamins, which your body uses to convert food into energy.

Foods That Make You Feel Good Eat nutrient-rich, D-filled mushrooms to boost your mood this winter!  Vitamin D actually improves your cell membranes’ receptiveness to serotonin, a neurotransmitter essential for mood, appetite and other important regulatory functions.

Tasty Fungi: Creamy Mushroom Bisque Recipe Mushrooms are meaty and rich in flavor, and can be deliciously dynamic when different varieties are combined, as they are in this wonderful bisque. Mushrooms are low in calories yet still dense in nutrients, adding protein and fiber to every serving.

Mushrooms provide vitamin D during winter Nutrition expert and author, Keri Glassman, thrives on finding superfoods like mushrooms that carry extended benefits for health and happiness. “Eating the right foods does more than just make you healthier – they can help you feel better and look great too,” says Glassman. “Overcome sunless winter days by incorporating foods with natural vitamin D and high antioxidants into your diet – mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable with vitamin D.”

Winter vegetarian bean stew Savor the rich meaty texture of Portabellas in this awesome vegetarian stew – a hearty soup perfect for cold wintry days. Don’t let your soup get too soupy, though; be sure to remove the inner gills of your ports before they’re cooked!

Cremini Mushrooms Stuffed With A Caper And Crab Salad Savory.tv shares many of the health benefits of mushrooms alongside a delightful recipe for stuffed caps. Mushrooms’ copper and potassium content is noted, as is their energy-boosting B vitamins and immunity-strengthening antioxidants!

100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories To stop weight gain, most Americans only need to remember one thing: energy in must equal energy out. In other words, the calories you consume must be equivalent to those you burn and if you want to lose weight, the scale must be tipped toward energy out. These tips for cutting calories from Prevention can help you do just that! They’ve provided great suggestions for all food situations: breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snacks, beverages and even dining out. Check out the lunch/dinner tab for a great mushroom tip: slash calories by adding veggies, like mushrooms, to pasta sauces instead of meat!

Cutting Salt Intake Would Boost Nation’s Health Like the taste of salt? If Americans cut their salt intake by a mere half teaspoon per day, it would result in public health benefits on par with reducing high cholesterol, smoking and obesity. It could even reduce the number of heart attacks in the U.S. by up to 13 percent. All mushrooms are very low in sodium, so add them to your meals to get that great umami flavor to replace the desire for a salty taste!

Portobello Mushroom Marinara Sauce Get rid of meat in your pasta sauce and add the wonderful texture and flavor of Portabella mushrooms instead – cutting some calories, fat and sodium out of your meal. This sauce can be ready to serve in just 30 minutes or less, great for those late work nights.