The sunshine vitamin

Vitamin D is essential for overall health and strong and healthy bones. Low vitamin D can cause many health issues including lack of energy, low mood, mood swings, low immunity, sleep problems, as well as bone weakness and muscle pain. The best way to get Vitamin D is to expose your bare skin to sunlight.

But when it comes to eating, mushrooms are rich in vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin. There are many delicious recipes that use mushrooms in a big way. Here’s one from the Italian kitchen.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Brown rice 2 cups
Button mushrooms sliced 1½ cups
Oyster mushrooms – either use fresh or dried, soaked mushrooms 1½ cups
Large or medium onions sliced 1 or 2
Salt ½ tsp
Vegetable broth 1 cup
Olive oil or other cooking oil ½ tsp
Gomasio

Method
Wash and soak the brown rice in 3 cups water for 1 – 2 hours.
If you don’t have time, you can cook immediately but then it takes much longer to cook.
Put the rice and water on the fire on a low flame in covered pot that is larger than what the rice would require.
Take off the lid temporarily if the water tends to boil over, and lower the flame.
When the water is almost boiled away, lightly sautee the onions separately and add these, the mushrooms and a cup of vegetable broth and the salt to the rice.
When the water reduces, stir and keep adding water till the rice is completely cooked.
Add more salt if needed.
The salt needs to be a little less to compensate for the saltiness of the gomasio and soy sauce.
Serve with gomasio (and soya sauce if desired).