The early Greeks and Romans were among the first mushroom growers. Mushrooms were initially avoided out of a fear of poisoning. The Italians cultivated it and it became popular all over Europe. There are thousands of varieties today, and they are grown all over the world. Unlike other vegetables, mushrooms contain two important B vitamins – niacin and riboflavin. The shiitake is an extremely healthy mushroom, as it contains lentinan which may help fight cancer and bolster the immune system.

The following recipe will give you an idea of a nutritious way of enjoying mushrooms. Fresh mushrooms can be stored unwashed in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

A simple Mushroom Salad can be prepared with shiitake mushrooms. You will need:

¼ cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons light teriyaki sauce

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons minced ginger

1 clove garlic minced

2 cups orange sections

1 ½ cups thinly sliced cucumber

1 ½ cups shiitake mushroom caps

½ cup thinly sliced radishes

4 cups sliced romaine lettuce

1 (3 oz.) package enoki mushrooms

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl – stir well. Stir in oranges, cucumbers, shiitake mushrooms and radishes – let stand for 5 minutes. Arrange 1 cup lettuce on each of 4 salad plates – spoon 1 cup orange mixture over each serving. Divide mushrooms evenly among salads.

Nutrition information:

Calories: 115

Fat: 4 gm

Iron: 1.6 mg

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Calcium: 73 mg

Carbohydrate: 19.1 gm

Sodium: 141 mg

Protein: 3.6 gm

Fiber: 5.9 gm

Check out a delicious recipe made of coconut.

Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup

Serves: 4

Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

• Unsweetened coconut milk One can (13.5-ounce)
• Green curry paste 2 tsp
• Lime zest Four (2-inch strips )
• Ginger( lightly crushed) 2 quarter-size
• Sugar 1/2 tsp
• Chicken stock 3 cups
• Boneless chicken 2 cut into 3/4 -inch pieces
• Asian fish sauce 3 tsp
• Cilantro leaves (chopped) 1/4 cup
• Basil leaves, chopped 6
• Fresh lime juice 1 tsp

Directions:

Mix the coconut milk, curry paste, lime zest, ginger and sugar in a big pan, and cook on moderate heat. Add the chicken stock, cover and cook on low heat for 8 minutes. Raise the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Add the chicken, fish sauce, three tablespoons of the cilantro leaves and the basil leaves. Mix and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Now add ginger and lime zest. Add the remaining one tablespoon of cilantro and stir in the lime juice. The soup is ready now serve hot and enjoy it.

This soup is very good source of beta carotene and vitamin c. this also provides protein and calcium. Heart and diabetic patients should avoid the cream in it.

Ingredients:

30 gm butter

1 large onion chopped

2 tbsp ground coriander

1 large potato, peeled and chopped

500 gm pumpkin, peeled and chopped

750 ml vegetable stock

1.4 tbsp grated nutmeg

125 ml double cream

Chili powder

Fresh herb for garnish

Procedure:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Add onion, stir in coriander and cook for 3 min. Add potato, pumpkin, vegetable stock and nutmeg. Cook until tender. Transfer the vegetables and 375 milliliters of the stock to a blender of food processor and puree until smooth. Add cream and blend for a further 30 seconds. Stir puree in to remaining stock in the pan. Reheat soup and garnish with ground chili and chopped herbs.

Amongst all nuts, almonds are one of the most nutritious, healthy and beneficial for our body. Not only they are good for our heart, they are also excellent snacks.

Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E; they are responsible for lowering cholesterol. Almond oil traditionally used by massage therapists to lubricate the skin during a massage session, is being considered by many to be an effective emollient. Health benefits include improved complexion, improved movement of food through the colon and the prevention of cancer.

• Almonds give a healthy and nutritive snacks option and it should be encouraged as one of the best substitutes for junk food.

• Almonds can be enjoyed safely throughout the year.

• Almonds are known to enhance mental faculties as depicted by research and may help a kid to perform better.

• Eating a handful of almonds a day has been claimed as heart healthy by the USFDA.

• Make almonds an important part of your daily diet to keep kids alert and healthy.

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Delicious mouth watering carbohydrate rich meal with B complex, vitamins and minerals such as carotene. Diabetic patients should avoid this dish.

Ingredients:

500gm – mixed colored spiral pasta

Fresh herbs for garnish

For herb sauce:

15 gm polyunsaturated margarine

1 small chopped onion

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsp plain flour

½ cup or 125 ml vegetable stock

1 cup or 120 ml low- fat unflavored yoghurt

Procedure:

Cook pasta according to packer directions. Drain and keep warm. To make sauce, melt margarine in a saucepan and cook onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Stir in flour and stock. Continue to cook until sauce thickens. Stir in yoghurt and heat gently. Mix through parsley, basil and chives. Season it with pepper. Spoon sauce over pasta and serve garnished with additional fresh herbs.

A very tasteful and low calorie vitamin C – rich salad. This is a good filling salad for weight watchers.

Ingredients:

1 vegetable stock cube;
3 nos. of small turnips, peeled and properly sliced;
4 nos. of kiwi, peeled and sliced
4 tbsp salad oil;
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice,
Salt to taste
¼ tbsp crushed black peppercorns

Procedure:

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Crumble in stock cube and add turnips. Cook for 3 minutes and then drain. Arrange kiwi fruit and turnip slices in concentric circles on a serving plate. Whisk salad oil and lime juice together in a small bowl. Add salt to taste. Pour dressing over salad and sprinkle crushed peppercorns and serve

•    Garlic is one of the best – known and widely used herbal medicines. Garlic is a strong weapon against infection and a natural antibiotic. It has been found to reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure and is sometimes used to treat yeast infection.

•    Ginger has many medicinal uses. It is very effective treatment for motion sickness and general nausea. It is also used to treat menstrual cramps and the nausea associated with chemotherapy.

•    Fenugreek is used by many women who suffer from the symptoms of menopause- hot flashes, night swears etc. it is also used to reduce cholesterol and relieve constipation.

•    Cloves act as a wound antiseptic by killing harmful bacteria and are also used to treat indigestion and diarrhea. They also act as a deterrent to free-radical damage to the body.

•    Turmeric has been used to treat arthritis, dysentery and heart diseases. It is also believed to lower the risk for certain cancers by attacking free radicals.

•    Another digestive calmant, coriander is used to teal colic and general nausea.

•    Cinnamon is used to control the level of blood sugar for diabetics. It is also used to relieve the symptoms of urinary tract infections and yeast infections.

•    Used to relieve various respiratory problems, oregano may also relieve digestive upsets and yeast infections.

•    Studies have shown that saffron could be instrumental in destroying the cancers cell that causes leukaemia.