Biologists estimate that the first mushrooms appeared on planet Earth over 800 million years ago. During this period, there was hardly any life (as we know it) on earth, and asteroids were raining down on earth nearly every day.
That makes mushrooms one of the hardiest, longest-enduring living things on this planet. As such, they were also one of the first foods consumed by early humans due to their widespread availability.
Today, mushrooms are still eaten around the world and are widely revered for their health benefits and are a primary staple of many plant-based diets. Below, I’ll show you some of the key health benefits of culinary mushrooms, delve into adaptogenic mushrooms, and answer some of the top questions about these awesome fungi.

Are Mushrooms Vegan?
Above, you may have noticed that I mentioned how mushrooms are living things. They’re not plants. Instead, they’re classified as fungi - a group consisting of living organisms, such as yeast, mold, and others. This has, understandably, led some to believe that mushrooms aren’t a vegan-friendly food.
Although mushrooms are organisms, they aren’t sentient. They don’t have a central nervous system, can’t perceive feelings, and therefore are perfectly suited to a plant-based diet. Take nutritional yeast, for example. Consuming mushrooms is no different than consuming nutritional yeast, which is another common fungus used as a seasoning in vegan diets.

Are Mushrooms Filling?
One of the best reasons to eat more mushrooms as part of your plant-based diet is that they’re incredibly filling. Don’t believe me? Try to sit down and eat a whole bowl of mushrooms, and then tell me how you feel afterwards.
In fact, a recent study showed that mushrooms are just as filling as meat! This is due to the unique nutritional makeup of mushrooms, which makes them a truly amazing food source.

Fun With Fungi: Key Health Benefits of Mushrooms
In addition to how filling they are, mushrooms are also incredibly healthy. Each unique species of mushroom is associated with slightly different health benefits than others, but they all share similar benefits. Here are some more great reasons to eat mushrooms!

1. High Antioxidant Levels Fight Cancer
Most species of mushrooms are naturally high in antioxidants, including ergothioneine and glutathione. Antioxidants fight free radicals in your body, thereby protecting it diseases, such as:

• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Cataracts
• … and other inflammatory diseases

2. They’re a Low-Fat & Low-Carb Food
Mushrooms are naturally low in fat and low in carbs. A one-cup serving of white mushrooms only contains:

• 3 grams of carbohydrates
• 3 grams of protein
• 0 grams of fat

This, combined with the fact that they’re an incredibly filling food makes them a great choice for a hearty plant-based lunch or dinner. If you’re a pizza-lover, Mellow Mushroom has an incredible plant-based pizza options that you can top of with mushrooms

3. Mushrooms Promote A Healthy Gut Biome
Mushrooms are natural prebiotics. Prebiotics contain compounds that encourage the growth of natural probiotics. These are “good” bacteria that help your body digest food, fight stomach inflammation, and create an overall healthy gut biome.
Combining mushrooms with a natural plant-based probiotic supplement is a great way to boost your probiotic levels to a sustained, healthy level.

4. Mushrooms Are High In Vitamin D
Mushrooms are very high in vitamin D. In fact, they’re one of the only plant-based foods that contain a comparable amount of vitamin D to animal-based foods. This makes mushrooms an important dietary staple for plant-based eaters, many of whom struggle with vitamin D deficiency.



Adaptogenic Mushrooms: Fuel Your Brain & Body

Culinary mushrooms are filling, healthy, and are naturally high in essential and trace minerals. However, adaptogenic mushrooms are another classification of fungi that can increase your overall well-being.
Adaptogens are plants and fungi that improve your body’s stress response, reduce fatigue, help with anxiety, and can increase focus. In short, they improve our body’s ability to regulate stress and help to rebalance our nervous system after we’ve experienced stress (both physical and mental).
Some of the most popular adaptogenic mushroom varieties are:

• Lion’s Mane
• Reishi
• Cordyceps
• Chaga

While some people consume raw adaptogenic mushrooms, it’s more popular to find them in powdered form, added to supplements, capsules, and smoothie mixes. Conclusion

Mushrooms are a great addition to any diet. However, they’re an especially great food for plant-based diets. Culinary mushrooms are filling, packed full of antioxidants, and high in vitamin D, while adaptogenic mushrooms can improve your overall well-being, reduce stress, and reduce the effects of free radicals in the body.  

1. ​​Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on high heat.
2. Add the mushrooms into the pan, making sure they are not overcrowding. Leave them untouched in the pan as is while you cook the spaghetti.
3. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Reserve ½ a cup of the cooking water.
4. Stir the mushrooms in the pan. You’ll see them start to release their liquids.
5. Once the liquid has started to evaporate and the mushrooms are starting to crisp, reduce the heat to medium.
6. Add the minced garlic to the pan and stir to make sure it doesn’t burn.
7. Once the garlic looks slightly golden and all the water from the mushrooms have evaporated, turn the heat off. 
8. Add the butter, parmesan and lemon juice and stir to incorporate. The sauce should have a creamy consistency.
9. Transfer the cooked spaghetti into the pan with the mushrooms and stir to incorporate evenly.
10. If the spaghetti looks a bit dry, add a bit of the cooking water a little at a time until you are happy with the consistency.
11. Sprinkle the chopped parsley, parmesan cheese and/or chili flakes to serve, if using. 

Note
It’s important that the pan is very hot before you add the mushrooms, so that they fry and don’t steam.

Recipe and Photo Credit- Alexis Ko  Instagram- @casadeolaf Website- www.alexisko.com

Three Mushroom Tagliatelle with Garlic Sauce

Spring is the season of asparagus, spinach, snap peas … and mushrooms. And what better way to serve mushrooms than smothered in a creamy, buttery garlic sauce and tossed with pasta? If you love mushrooms and are cooking for one, this recipe is for you. (Have a family? Never fear! The ingredients can easily be multiplied according to the number of servings you need.)


In addition to delicious flavor, this savory pasta dish also packs in some important nutrients. The humble mushroom is a good source of antioxidants, fiber, protein, zinc, and copper. Mushrooms also contain a range of B vitamins: B1 supports your nerves and heart, B6 boosts your immune system and helps regulate blood sugar, B9 is important for liver function, and B12 plays a role in multiple areas from nerve function to DNA synthesis. Who knew these little fungi could be so tasty and healthy?


To clean your mushrooms, wipe them off with a damp tea towel or paper towel. Don’t soak them, as they will absorb the water like a sponge and fail to brown when cooked. Make sure to use a large enough pan when cooking to spread the mushrooms in a single layer. Contact with the hot pan will let any moisture evaporate quickly and brown the mushrooms nicely. If you can’t find one or two of the mushroom varieties listed here, feel free to experiment with other types. Similarly, fettuccini or another long, flat pasta can be substituted for the tagliatelle.


Three Mushroom Tagliatelle with Garlic Sauce
Serves: 1–2


Ingredients
PASTA AND MUSHROOMS

• 2–3 oz tagliatelle (dry)
• 1/3 cup shiitake mushrooms
• 1/3 cup baby button mushrooms
• 1/3 cup chestnut mushrooms
• 1 tsp. butter

SAUCE

• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
PASTA AND MUSHROOMS

1. Cook the tagliatelle according to package directions. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.
2. While the pasta cooks, chop and slice the mushrooms.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are browned on all sides and slightly shrunken. Set aside.

SAUCE

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together, then add the garlic.
2. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking vigorously. Continue to stir until the sauce comes to a boil, then lower the heat and stir until the sauce starts to thicken. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to obtain the desired consistency, if necessary. Take off the heat.
3. Toss the pasta, mushrooms, and sauce to combine. Serve immediately.

Author’s Bio: https://www.recipe-barn.com/
Recipe Contributed by: Melissa Gallo. A freelance writer and food blogger at recipe-barn.com

Melissa is a freelance writer and food blogger at recipe-barn.com. She is very passionate about cooking, creating and sharing unique recipes or just simply cooking good food. Melissa has also developed an interest in a variety of other things including healthy diet and traveling in new places around the globe to experience different cuisines and learning different cultures.

Method

1.Cook pasta as per instructions

2. Prepare the vegetables: grate onion, chop garlic, wash and cut green beans in half, wash or brush off mushrooms, remove tough stalk
 
3.Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium-high heat, saute onion for 2 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
4.De glaze the pan with 1/4 cup white wine, scraping up all the bits at the bottom. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.

5.Reduce heat to medium and add in the mushrooms, green beans and 1 tbsp of butter . Cook stirring a few times for 5 minutes. Add in 1/4 cup of water and cook for another 4 minutes. Adding the thyme partway through.
6. Turn the heat off and add in the remaining tbsp of butter and the Parmesan cheese
7.Serve over cooked pasta