Sautéed Asparagus and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 bunch organic asparagus: Break off and toss the top chewing part. Cut the rest to 2 to 3-inch long
1/3 organic yellow onions: ½-inch, diced
1 cup organic shiitake mushrooms: cut into ½ inch stripes
½ organic red bell pepper: cut into long stripes (May choose other types of peppers as alternatives.)
2 large cloves of organic fresh garlic: minced
2 tsp grated organic fresh ginger
½ tbsp organic red soy miso (Garbanzo bean miso can be an alternative.)
½ to 1 tbsp avocado oil
1 tsp coconut aminos
Seasonings: white pepper, black pepper, coconut aminos (2 tsp)
Cooking Directions:
In a pan or wok, heat avocado oil at low to medium briefly. Add in onions, shitake mushroom, and red bell peppers. Mix evenly and cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes until onion is translucent, mushrooms are wilted, and red bell pepper is softened. Stir once in a while.
Add in asparagus, ginger, garlic, miso, and other seasonings. Mix evenly, stirring occasionally, and cook for about another 2 to 4 minutes.
Culinary Medicine Benefits:
This is a very healthy recipe containing various nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and phytonutrients. Here are the main characteristics of the recipe:
Rich in folate.
All ingredients are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian.
The recipe includes multiple nutrient-dense plant-based foods.
Most ingredients in this recipe are organic.
Several ingredients, such as miso, garlic, and shiitake mushrooms, have immune-boosting properties.
The dish is particularly rich in folate and beneficial for those who are folate deficient. Folate functions as a coenzyme in synthesizing nucleic acids and amino acid metabolism. One of the most critical folate-dependent reactions is the homocysteine to methionine conversion. Moreover, folate is also required for proper cell division [1]. For these reasons, folate deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia and elevated serum homocysteine level, which are associated with cardiovascular risk [2].
How Herbs and Spices Added Flavor and Health Benefits to the Recipe:
Miso and coconut aminos are used as umami to add rich flavors. Miso is also commonly used to strengthen the immune system. Both shitake mushrooms and garlic are antibacterial and antifungal agents and also immune-boosting powerhouses.
Shiitake mushroom, especially, has been long studied and considered a medicinal food to prevent oral diseases. Studies also show that it has tremendous potential to be used as an antioxidant and anti-cancer agent [3].
Jenny Noland, MS, CNS, CNGS, CKNS, LDN, MBA
Functional Nutritionist in Eugene, Oregon
Board-Certified Nutrition Specialist
Board-Certified Nutritional Genomics Specialist
Board-Certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist
Certified Oncology Nutrition Specialist
Personalized Nutrition Therapy for Metabolic Dysfunction and Cancer Care
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Reference:
Folate - Health Professional Fact Sheet. Accessed February 28, 2021. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/
Martí-Carvajal AJ, Solà I, Lathyris D, Dayer M. Homocysteine-lowering interventions for preventing cardiovascular events. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;2017(8). doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006612.pub5
Avinash J, Vinay S, Jha K, Das D, Goutham BS, Kumar G. The unexplored anticaries potential of shiitake mushroom. Pharmacogn Rev. 2016;10(20):100-104. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.194039