Suki's SuperRecipe - Fettucine in Creamy Mushroom and Sage Sauce

By this point, I am sure most of you have heard of Superfoods. After a class yesterday, someone suggested that I share some of the recipes I cook that are both nutritious and delicious. I have decided to coin these recipes Suki's SuperRecipe and this is the first one. I made this for dinner last night and there were no left overs. The sauce in this recipe can also be used as a nice compliment to a baked salmon. Try it and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)


* 8 ounces spinach fettuccine pasta
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1 shallot, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, chopped
* 4 ounces chopped fresh oyster mushrooms
* 1/2 cup heavy cream (I substituted fresh Coconut Milk here)
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
* salt and pepper to taste


The Coconut Milk is sold at Whole Foods next to the Soymilk section. The Oyster Mushrooms can also be found at Whole Foods.

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat olive oil a medium saucepan over medium heat, and cook shallots and garlic until transparent. Stir in mushrooms, and cook until tender. Mix in heavy cream and sage. Cook and stir until thickened.
3. Toss sauce with cooked fettucine, and season with salt and pepper to serve.


Please note that my substitutions will modify the nutritional information somewhat. The cholesterol will be lower and the coconut milk has 0 cholesterol and heavy cream has 20mg of cholesterol. Coconut milk has 5 grams of fat vs. heavy cream which has 3.5 grams of fat. Coconut milk provides 10% of your Vitamin A needs vs. heavy cream 4%. Coconut milk provides 10% calcium vs. 2% calcium. Coconut milk also adds 30% Vitamin D, 50% Vitamin B12, 4% Iron, 6% Folate, 4% Zinc, 10% Magnesium and 8% Selenium.


DETAILED NUTRITION
Serving Size 1/2 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe 2
Amount Per Serving
Calories 608
Calories from Fat 283
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 31.5g 48 %
** Saturated Fat 14.7g 73 %
Cholesterol 82mg 27 %
Sodium 296mg 12 %
** Potassium 775mg 22 %
Total Carbohydrates 70g 23 %
Dietary Fiber 4.7g 19 %
Protein 16.9g 34 %
** Sugars 4.1g
** Vitamin A 31 %
** Vitamin C 5 %
** Calcium 15 %
** Iron 42 %
** Thiamin 6 %
** Niacin 66 %
** Vitamin B6 12 %
** Magnesium 31 %
** Folate 73 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.


Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus Ostreatus) is a fleshy, gilled mushroom growing in shelf-like fashion on wood that is a good food and promising medicinal. Protein quality is nearly equal to animal derived protein. Low fat content is mostly of the good unsaturated kind. Also contained are carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins B1, B2, plus minerals, especially iron and an antioxident. This mushroom shows activity against cancer and high cholesterol. It has shown activity in the following areas: antitumor, immune response, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibiotic.

Shallots are especially good at helping the liver to eliminate toxins from the body, which is essential in the chemically processed foods that the masses enjoy, as well as helping to process alcohol. Shallots also contain saponins which have been shown to inhibit and kill cancerous cells in the body. There are many more health benefits to shallots, such as the ability to thin the bloods and the production of prostaglandins.


Like two other culinary herbs, rosemary and thyme, Sage helps guard against depletion of the brain's concentration of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is crucial to proper brain function. A combination of ginkgo biloba, sage, and rosemary may help prevent or slow the development of Alzheimer's.