Mushroom lovers know that Bella and White mushrooms are normally the go-to, but have you had Lion's Mane Mushrooms before? Like it's name suggests, this form of mushroom looks thick and has hair like spines coming from it to make it look like the mane of a lion. Lion's mane mushrooms are also great for vegetarians and vegans because they are a meaty vegetable. Lion's mane can be enjoyed raw, cooked, dried, or in tea and has a dense crab or lobster -like taste making it a filling and hearty part of your meal.
- This form of mushroom helps relieve mild symptoms of depression and anxiety. Lion's Mane extract can help regenerate brain cells and improve their functioning towards processing memories and emotional responses.
- Lion's Mane Extract can also help speed up recovery from nervous system injuries, like injuries to the brain and spinal cord.
- Having lion's mane mushrooms in your diet can protect you from ulcers in the digestive tract, stomach, small and large intestine.
Fun Fact: They're found in late summer to fall on dead or dying hardwood trees, especially oak and beech. They grow in North America, China, Japan, and Europe.
Recipes:
Lion's Mane Mushroom Crab Cakes (Aubreyskitchen.com)
- 8 ounces Lion's Mane Mushrooms
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup Onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Parsley
- Salt and Pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons oil
- Hand shred Lion's Mane Mushroom into small pieces resembling texture of flakey crab
- In a large bowl, combine egg, mayo, onion, Worcestershire Sauce, Old Bay, Dijon, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix until fully incorporated
- Mix in Lion's Mane Mushroom until fully incorporated
- Mix in Panko breadcrumbs until fully incorporated
- Form mixture into 3-4 equal size round, flat patties
- Heat oil in saute pan on medium/high heat
- Cook patties for approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Should be golden brown and cooked throughout.
Sauteed Lion's Mane Mushrooms (Acouplecooks.com)
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 8 ounces Lion's Mane Mushrooms, sliced 1/2-inch thick
- Cut off the bottoms of the mushrooms, then slice them
- In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the mushrooms and cook on medium high heat until browned, about 2 minutes.
- Flip and allow the mushrooms to brown another 1 to 2 minutes, Stir in garlic powder, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt. Taste and add more salt as needed. Serve as a side dish or, even better, on toasted bread with spicy mayo.
