5 ways to add mushrooms & herbs to every meal

As you know, mushrooms and herbs are a firm favourite here at Link Nutrition. Along with our Food Based nutrients, they sit at the heart of our unique formulations! We love them for their vast array of health benefits and they are always at the top of our list when it comes to supporting immunity! We also love getting creative in the kitchen, so we want to share with you 5 ways you can be sure to include mushrooms and herbs in every meal! 

Not only are mushrooms and herbs delicious, but they also pack a nutritional punch - adding chopped fresh herbs to your meals is a great way to add in extra nutrients, colour and additional flavour. They’re both packed with immune-boosting nutrients and most herbs can easily be grown at home which we find pretty exciting!

It’s likely that many of you have dried herbs in the back of your kitchen cupboard, and often wonder what to do with them! Well whether you’re using dried or fresh herbs there is always plenty to do with them! The same goes for mushrooms, there are endless possibilities with mushrooms and we can’t wait to give you some inspo! 

Make a herb oil

This may sound fancy, but trust us it’s a cheat’s way to add in tonnes more flavour to your food (and it’s great for you too!). All you need to do is finely chop your favourite fresh (or dried) herbs and add them to extra virgin olive oil. Ideally, the herbs and oil need to infuse for 2-3 weeks for maximum flavour, but it’s good to go after a couple of days! This works particularly well with hardy herbs like thyme and rosemary, but soft herbs including basil and tarragon work equally well. Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties which can help to regulate the immune response, so it’s a win-win! Drizzle over soups, salads and stews for a flavour punch!

Go a little veggie

Going veggie for a few meals each week is a great way to include more mushrooms and herbs into your diet! Mushrooms boast a meaty flavour and are super nutritious and versatile. As we head into the colder seasons a warming mushroom soup (drizzled with your homemade herb oil of course!) is a great way to celebrate mushrooms! Fancy giving it a go for yourself? Check out our creamy mushroom soup recipe here. 

Make a herb crumb

Embellishing your meals is another great way to enjoy the flavours and versatility of herbs. Why not try making a herby crumb for your meat or fish for a more sophisticated supper that takes seconds to whip up?! All you need to do is blend your favourite herbs (we love parsley and basil), with some breadcrumbs, parmesan, a little garlic and some olive oil to bind. Add this crumb to a piece of fish (we love salmon) and bake in the oven until the meat/fish is cooked through and the crumb is crispy! Trust us - it’s delicious!

Have a savoury breakfast 

Switching to a savoury breakfast is a yummy way to start the day! It also gives you the option to add in mushrooms and herbs first thing in the morning. Why not try whipping up a mushroom omelette or perhaps you’d prefer to try some herby mushrooms on toast?! Not only is this a great way to add an extra helping of veggies to your breakfast, which is great news for your immune system, it’ll also help you stay full until lunch! 

Add herbs into your morning smoothie

Adding fresh herbs into your juice or smoothie in the morning is another easy way to consume them every day! Herbs are very flavourful so will pack a punch when added to your smoothie or juice but are great for counteracting sweeter smoothies that include fruit. The combinations are endless, and it’s a great way to be inventive in the kitchen - one of our personal favourites is a strawberry smoothie with added basil - YUM! 

Want to learn about more ways that mushrooms and herbs can help to boost your immune system? Check out last week’s blog where we delve into the top 10 ways mushrooms and herbs help to protect long-term immune health and help us feel our best! Head to the article here.