Mushrooms, Three Ways (and none of them are boring!)

Stems and Secret Powders

Your mid-week inspiration for eating well. This is exclusive content for paid subscribers (but it’s free to everyone this week). This column is an occasional follow-up to Monday’s article with fresh tips and simple ideas to bring healthy, vibrant eating into your kitchen. Enjoy!

Get playful with mushrooms

If Monday’s post inspired you to pick up a few extra mushrooms, now is your moment to get playful with them. Mushrooms are the ultimate kitchen chameleons — meaty, savoury, earthy — and with a few fresh ideas, they can show up on your plate in the most unexpected ways.

Three fresh takes to zip up your meals

🌱 Make a quick mushroom broth: Save your stems! Even the woody ones have deep flavour. Pop them in a pot with a garlic clove, a slice of onion, and a splash of tamari. Cover with water, simmer for 20–30 minutes, and you’ve got a rich broth perfect for sipping, soups, or risottos. For a quick broth recipe, see the end of this post.

Mushroom broth, mushroom risotto, Asian noodle soup with mushroom broth

🌱 Dehydrate and grind: Don’t toss those odd bits. Dry them out in a low oven or dehydrator, then blitz to a powder. Mushroom ‘dust’ is pure umami magic — stir into gravies, risottos, and soups. Mix with salt for a finishing blend, or add some dried herbs and spices to create your own ‘Magic’ blend.

Mushroom dust made with dried portobello mushrooms with dehydrated vegetables, dried herbs, salt and chili flakes

🌱 Skewer them: Big caps like portobello or king oyster can be sliced thick and seared hard in a cast iron pan. Add a splash of balsamic and tamari at the end for a satisfying, meaty bite. Or for fun, slice them thickly and thread onto a soaked wooden skewer. Place on a hot BBQ grill; brush with a bit of spicy chili oil and sprinkle with salt. Turn often until they are cooked and slightly charred. Just before serving, sprinkle with some fresh chopped herbs like thyme, parsley or cilantro.

BBQ mushroom skewers

Have fun bringing these amazingly healthy fungi onto your plate! I’d love to hear if you try the recipes—or if you have a favourite way of making mushrooms the star. Let’s keep the inspiration growing!

CJ
xo

P.S. Share this post with a friend and help spread the word about ‘CJ’s Fresh Approach to Eating Well.’

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Quick Mushroom Broth Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1–2 cups mushroom stems (any kind)

• 1 garlic clove, smashed

• 1 small slice onion

• 1 tsp tamari (or soy sauce) - or to taste

• 3 cups water

Instructions:

1. Add everything to a small pot and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce to a simmer and cook 25–30 minutes.

3. Strain and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for later use.