Chanterelles

If I had to choose one thing that motivated me to learn how to forage, I would have to say it was mushrooms, but more specifically, chanterelles.

I’d order them at restaurants. Buy them at the farmers markets. Hear stories about going out for a hike and coming home with a basket full of golden tasty goodness, and I wanted that to be me too.

Golden chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius) are rich in vitamin D, B vitamins including bioavailable B12, copper, and zinc. They havepowerful antioxidant properties and are antimicrobial. Rescent research has found that these mushrooms have excellent wound healing properties, including increased collagen production, anti-inflammatory, and promotion of neurovascularization.

This first haul of the season I indulged. Caramelized onions and chanterelles in the cast iron pan. Then made a grilled cheese with aged nettle Gouda cheese brought back from Holland, on a croissant. Mmmm.

PS if you’re looking for some extra iron in your diet, cooking in a cast iron pan helps to infuse your food with elemental iron. Foods like chanterelles that are rich in copper and b vitamins will work synergistically to help your body absorb more of that iron.

Dr. Cristina Allen ND