Porcini Risotto

Dried Porcini Mushrooms

Porcini mushrooms have antimicrobial and anti-inflamatory properties that are needed to strengthen our immune system. They are also high in protein which is what helps make this dish so filling. Grown in summer and autumn they are perfect to try during the month of November. Besides the health benefits, this recipe is delicious and easy to make. Plus, you can sit back and relax while the rice is cooking!

Ingredients
1-2oz package of dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup long grain brown rice
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion chopped
1/8 cup finely chopped italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
A sprinkle of grated fresh parmesan (optional)
A sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Rinse the dried mushrooms and soak in vegetable broth for 15-20 minutes or until soft
2. Remove mushrooms from broth
3. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil
4. Add rice and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until rice has absorbed most of the broth
5. Over medium heat saute the onion with the olive oil until onion is translucent
6. Cut the mushrooms into bite size pieces and add to onion saute, reduce heat.
7. Once all of the broth has been absorbed in the rice, remove from heat, and fluff
8. Add onion saute to rice
8. Garnish with parsley
9. Sprinkle with parmesean and/or red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

For more recipes and healthy tips go to SageWellnessLA.com

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

We tested this Roasted Pumpkin Soup recipe from Martha Stewart Living and loved it! It is delicious, healthy and easy and makes great leftovers for work! You will start to find small, “sweet” pumpkins popping up all over the LA farmers markets. I got mine last week at the Santa Monica market on Saturday, from the guy with all the potatoes.

One of the best things about this soup is that it adds shiitake mushrooms, which are powerhouse nutrients for the immune system. It is so important to start incorporating shiitakes in to your diet as we move in to cold and flu season. And if you are serious about ramping up your immune system we recommend Avena Botanicals Immune Soup (it says “out of stock”, but I called and they have restocked).

Prep Time: 5 Min. Total Time: 40 Min. Serves 4

2 3/4 lbs sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, halved and seeded

1 onion, peeled and quartered

4-5 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps wiped clean

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup olive oil

Sea salt and pepper

5 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium vegetable stock

1. Preheat oven to 450. Cut pumpkin into 2-inch pieces. Combine pumpkin, onion, mushrooms, and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet. Add oil and 2 teaspoons salt; toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until pumpkin is tender when pierced wit the tip of a sharp kinfe, about 30 minutes, rotating pan and tossing vegetables halfway through. Let cool, then remove skins.

2. Transfer vegetables to a medium saucepan; heat over medium. Pour 2 cups stock; puree with an immersion blender* until smooth. With blender running, slowly add remaining 3 cups stock, and puree until smooth. Bring soup just to a simmer. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Bonus Snack: You can also carve out a little space on the pan to roast the pumpkin seeds (try to get the pumpkin off them first) for about 15 min – a great snack while you wait!

*If you do not have an immersion blender, just blend the roasted veggies with some stock to liquify in a blender. Then add to a pot with remaining broth, stir together and heat.

Franklin Canyon Park

Mulholland Drive may be a movie, but it is also a street that has some great hiking trails branching off the main road.

Franklin Canyon Park is the starting point for many of those trails which are suitable for all levels of hiker. If you are looking for more of a challenge you can park at top of the park by the upper reservoir and walk down to any of the trail heads. If you are looking for a more leisurely stroll, you can park closer to the lower reservoir. Either way, you will experience the sites and sounds that are not typically associated with LA.

Birds of many different species (even ducks!) can be seen and heard in the Park. And if you want to learn more about the flora and fauna you can schedule a naturalist tour with a park ranger. Looking for a little more of a challenging hike? Trek to the top of one of the trails that lead above the canyon floor for a view of the city.

Simply put, Franklin Canyon Park is a great place to awaken the senses, get out in nature and celebrate all of the fabulous places we Angelenos can escape to, even when we only have an hour or two.

Click here for more information on Franklin Canyon Park.