A couple of months ago I went for my annual physical and my doctor told me that I need to start taking a vitamin D supplement, especially in the Winter. I don’t have a problem taking vitamins, I have a problem remembering to take the vitamins. Not only that but a lot of vitamin D supplements are derived from non vegan ingredients including wool grease and fish livers.
Every now and then companies send me vegan products to try, and last week I got a sample of DOLE’s portobello mushroom powder. What’s cool about this product is that just 1 teaspoon of it gives you 150% of your daily vitamin D needs. So now I don’t have to take a pill every day, I just sprinkle the mushroom powder in my food and I get all the vitamin D I need.
A lot of people suffer from vitamin D deficiency so I think this product is a great idea. Being able to just add it to whatever you’re cooking is so simple, and it’s 100% natural.
DOLE also sent me a couple of recipes that use the mushroom powder. I haven’t tried them yet, but they sound pretty tasty. They also have more recipes on their website.
Curried Sweet Potatoes and Pineapple
1-1/2 lb. DOLE® Yams or Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup vegan soy butter
1/2 cup chopped DOLE Red Onion
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons DOLE Portobello Mushroom Powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3 tablespoons DOLE Pineapple Juice
2 cups fresh DOLE Tropical Gold® Pineapple, cut into chunks
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Place yams in large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover 1-inch above yams. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 15 minutes or until just tender but firm. Drain; set aside.
Melt soy butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender-crisp. Stir together brown sugar, mushroom powder, cornstarch, cinnamon and curry, in small bowl. Stir into skillet cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring or until sugar dissolves.
Add pineapple and yams; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with pecans before serving.
Asian Wilted Kale
1 bunch (3/4 lb.) curly kale
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons DOLE® Portobello Mushroom Powder
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
2 teaspoons lite soy sauce or liquid aminos (soy substitute)
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Cut stems off kale leaves with knife. Cut leaves crosswise into thin threads. Rinse well. Blanch in large pot of boiling water 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well.
Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet. Add garlic, mushroom powder, ginger and pepper flakes; cook over low heat, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add blanched kale and soy sauce to pan. Cook, stirring 5 to 7 minutes, until heated through.
Just before serving, stir in sesame oil. Sprinkle with almonds.