6 Friday,September 28, 2018brooklintowncrier.com Magic Mushrooms Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson I've written a lot about vegan "superfoods," so named because they're packed with micronutrients. Many contain high amounts of protein, a macronutrient our bodies need for muscle development and repair. It's generally associated with meat and/ or dairy. Protein is a major topic these days with numerous diets based on high protein eating. The easiest way to increase your protein intake is to eat more meat, which is what most people turn to. But there are health risks associated with high meat intake and it's not the only way to increase your protein. So, if you are still eating meat and want to increase your protein, you can turn to foods such as hemp and chia seeds, nutritional yeast, and high protein vegan smoothies to support your protein increase. The superfood Mushrooms could be considered superfood as they're low in carbohydrates, calories, and sodium and are cholesterol and fat-free. Mushrooms are also rich in B vitamins to help maintain a healthy metabolism. They're an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. Mushrooms are also a source of ribofla- vin, niacin, and selenium, an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. All this, plus they're high in fibre and have plenty of protein. A cup of mushrooms has nearly four grams of protein. That may not seem like much. However, if you consider your daily protein intake as cumulative, eating vegetables like mushrooms, broccoli, spinach and peas (all high in protein), you're getting twice the impact as well as lots of micronutrients the body needs. This recipe is one of my favourites. I often pop into Farm Boy after a fall or winter trail run and treat myself to a hot cup of this nutrient-dense food. Farm Boy's Mushroom Kale Soup 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 3/4 cup finely chopped Spanish or sweet onion 3/4 cup finely chopped, peeled carrots 3/4 cup finely chopped celery 1 lb button mushrooms, sliced 1 large Yukon Gold or other yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled, diced 1 tbsp minced garlic 3 cups water + more if needed for thinning 14-oz can unsweetened coconut milk 4 cups packed, chopped kale (stems and large veins removed) 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, potato and garlic. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Raise heat to high. Add 3 cups (750 mL) water and coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in kale. Cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. In three batches in a blender, purée soup on high until smooth. If needed, thin with additional water. Makes about 8 cups. Sheree's Hack: Buy pre-chopped kale when you're in a hurry, then freeze what you don't use for later use in smoothies.