Mushrooms with low fat dressing

Mushrooms A mushroom is not a plant, it’s a fungus! The word "mushroom" is most often applied to the fungi that have a stem, a cap, and gills or pores on the underside of the cap.

Mushrooms Mushrooms do not undergo photosynthesis, but instead go through three steps of growth in soil Cultivated mushrooms and common field mushrooms initially form a minute fruiting body, referred to as the pin stage Then, they slightly expand to the button stage Once such stages are formed, the mushroom can rapidly pull in water from the soil and grow to its mature size.

Mushrooms There are many varieties of edible mushrooms grown commercially, including whites, crimini, and portabella. Other cultivated species are now available at many grocers including shiitake, maitake or hen-of-the-woods, oyster, and enoki

Mushrooms Crimini White mushroom Portabella Shiitake Oyster mushroom

Mushrooms Mushrooms can be disguised to look like meat! Mushrooms are known as the meat of the vegetable world because they are fairly dense and some, like the portobello, can have a meaty flavor They have a fleshy texture and can usually take on other flavors of the dish very well Portabella mushroom!

Mushrooms They are frequently used in Chinese, Korean, European, and Japanese cuisines Mushrooms are very versatile. They can be steamed, sautéed, grilled, stuffed, baked, and even eaten raw They are often added to salads and pasta dishes for extra nutrition and flavor

Mushrooms Raw mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid, and the essential minerals, selenium, copper and potassium. They are very low in calories, but very nutrient dense, so they are excellent to consume if dieting

Mushrooms Be careful! There are many varieties of mushrooms that are poisonous Eating mushrooms gathered in the wild is risky and should not be undertaken by individuals not knowledgeable in mushroom identification

References http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/fungi/label/mushroom/labelanswers.GIF http://www.google.com/search?q=crimini+mushroom&hl=en&safe=active&um=1&tbm=isch&tab=wi http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/images/20090730-dt-portobello-mushroom-burger.jpg http://www.vitaminsforlife.co.uk/userfiles/image/shiitake-mushrooms1.jpg http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/JPEG%27S/Mushroom%20Images/OysterGills.jpg http://thecookmobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/spinachstirfry500.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom