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