Growing up, I used to HATE mushrooms. I could never come to terms with eating a piece of fungus, and the texture was just so mushy. For years, I picked them off my food and avoided them like the plague.

Fast forward to a few years ago. I tried a grilled portobello mushroom dressed as a burger, and I fell in love with mushrooms for the first time in my life!

It was a whole new world for me, and I don’t know why I had ever hated them…

It might come as a surprise, but mushrooms are actually a great source of vitamin D, B vitamins, selenium, and antioxidants. They can also help boost your immune system by promoting the growth of immune cells and proteins.

So if you’ve been avoiding mushrooms like I did for two solid decades, go out on a limb and give them a try!

Savory Mushroom Saute

Recipe by Aicacia Young, RDN

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon, chopped (optional)
• 1 package of mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cups of kale or spinach
• 6-7 cloves of garlic, minced (OR 1 tsp garlic powder)
• 3-4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp of butter or avocado oil
• Parsley to garnish (optional)
• Baguette, sliced (optional)

Directions

1. Cook bacon over medium heat in a large pan until slightly crispy.
2. If not using bacon, start by heating pan with a heat-stable oil like avocado oil or extra light olive oil.
3. Add chopped vegetables and stir.
4. Cook until onions are translucent and add a few splashes of balsamic vinegar.
5. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and remove pan from heat.
6. Stir thoroughly to coat the vegetables and spoon vegetable mixture onto toasted bread or serve without bread.
7. Garnish with parsley, if using, and enjoy!