In the spotlight - Mushrooms

If you thought mushrooms were just something you had as part of a cooked breakfast or added to a casserole once they were past their best, think again! Mushrooms can be added to so many meals and are very good at absorbing flavours, they're perfect for bulking out spiced dishes such as curries and chilli, but really can be used in anything that is served in a sauce.

Some mushroom trivia for you to chew over:

•  Unlike other veg, mushrooms have no leaves, roots or seeds and don't need light to grow. When it comes to their classification, they aren't a plant, but a fungus.
• France was the first country to cultivate mushrooms in the 17th century.
• Although we may only be used to seeing a handful of varieties in the supermarket, there are actually over 38, 000 varieties, though only 300 are edible and less than a dozen are cultivated.
• A useful source of protein - think of Quorn - fibre, B vitamins and potassium, mushrooms are rich in nutrients whilst being a very low calorie choice due to their high water content.
• Interestingly they are the only natural plant source of Vitamin D, though you'd still struggle to meet your daily requirements, as 100g serving of button mushrooms will only provide 4% of this.

Mushrooms make a nice addition to salads, stir-fries and pizzas, or why not thread them with other veg on skewers or serve a portobello mushroom as the filling for a veggie burger?

If that's not enough, why not try the following recipes:

Cajun mushrooms

• Make a marinade from 50ml Balsamic vinegar, the juice of half a lime, 1tsp Cajun seasoning, 0.5tsp ground black pepper and 1tsp oil.
• Toss 400g (16oz) mushrooms into the marinade and cook on a non-stick baking sheet under a medium grill for 3-4 minutes, turning half way through cooking.
• Serve as a starter or side dish.

Quick mushroom risotto

• Chop 200g (7oz) mushrooms and 1 small onion and add to a bowl with 2tbsp oil, stirring to coat and then microwave for 5 mins on full power.
• Add 200g (7oz) risotto rice to the bowl and cook for a further 2.5mins.
• Add 600ml veg stock and mix well before cooking for another 15mins, stirring 3 or 4 times during cooking.
• Season with black pepper and serve with a green salad.