Champiñones and Healthy Eating

Features

31 January 2011

Courtesy of The Mushroom Council

Mushrooms are the hidden treasure of healthy Hispanic dishes.

Mushrooms are an authentic part of Mexican and other Hispanic cuisines. Meatless options are not just a niche target anymore. More and more diners, no matter what cuisine they are enjoying, are turning toward healthier options. Because of the meatiness and umami of mushrooms, they can help make a meatless dish more satisfying as well as combine with meat or seafood to reduce costs, calories and fat and increase craveability.

From Tex-Mex to Hot-Mex to Healthy Mex
So, how do you make Mexican food healthy? One of the best ways is to use a food that has been an important, integral, authentic part of Mexican heritage since the pre-Spanish days: mushrooms. According to Spanish chronicles, the Aztecs used mushrooms for their meaty texture and versatility and because they were ideal for stews, tamale and taco fillings, moles and other traditional foods. In Mexico, portobellos, cremini, oysters and white buttons are traditions in the states of Mexico, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Sierra de Oaxaca, Chiapas and Veracruz.

Champiñones al ajillo is one of the most popular Mexican mushroom dishes, but there are so many more. Others include quesadillas with mushrooms and epazote, sea bass stuffed with mushrooms and shrimp and mushroom tacos.

Mushrooms are a time-honored, classic food providing the meatiness of protein. And they are a perfect way to enhance guest satisfaction among today’s growing health-oriented consumer who demands the wonderful flavors of Latin cuisine.

The Nutritional Power of Mushrooms
Mushrooms are low in calories and low in fat. But just as important, mushrooms are a great source of umami. This means that mushrooms can be substituted for meat and still provide a satisfying meaty texture while lowering calories and sodium. Or mushrooms can be used to reduce portion size of steak, pork, chicken and seafood and still give guests the flavors they crave and enhanced nutritional profiles.

Very low in calories—20 calories per serving
Very low in sodium
No fat
Cholesterol free
Features umami for craveability
The only fruit or vegetable with naturally occurring vitamin D
Contains antioxidants and essential vitamins and minerals, including selenium, ergothioneine and potassium (as much as one small banana), and is a source of B vitamins such as riboflavin (B₂), niacin (B₃) and pantothenic acid (B₅).

Mushrooms on Menus
іCactus! Sonoran Spa Chicken—grilled natural chicken breast, grilled portobello mushrooms, sautéed spinach, vegetable escabeche, cotija cheese, pepitas, sunshine mojo and lime chimichurri. Chile Relleño—stuffed poblano pepper with roasted mushrooms, zucchini and red pepper with Oaxacan cheese, guajillo mole, and coconut-lime rice.

Acenar. Bistec Acenar—chile-rubbed rib eye with portobello mushrooms, tomato, roasted onion hash and fried chayote squash. Hongos y Clabacitas Fajitas—roasted mushrooms, squash and seasonal vegetables, arugula, queso fresco, guacamole and pico de gallo.

Casa Tina. Los Dos Moles—soft tacos filled with corn, mushrooms, spinach, zucchini and chayote and topped with mole poblano and mole verde.

Rubio’s. Grilled Portabella & Poblano Tacos—corn tortillas topped with toasted cheeses, habanero citrus salsa, grilled portabella mushrooms and poblano peppers, cilantro/onion, creamy chipotle picante sauce and sliced avocado. Grilled Mushroom Burrito: Grilled portobello mushrooms, poblano and red peppers, onions, black beans, rice, cheddar, jack and mozzarella cheeses, sour cream, cilantro/onion and chimichurri sauce wrapped in flour or sheet tortilla.

Wahoo’s. Taco, Burrito or Enchilada—with choice of fish, chicken, carne asada, mushrooms, banzai vegetables (including mushrooms) or vegetarian (including mushrooms)

For more information, visit www.mushroominfo.com.

Photo: Ciudad Fresh Mushrooms and Swiss Chard Empanadas, created by TV’s “Too Hot Tamales,” Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken of Ciudad, Los Angeles.