If you are looking for Lion’s mane mushroom recipes, this post is for you.
I made a super simple Lion’s mane mushroom smoothie recipe for you in this post using dried Lion’s mane mushroom powder. Find lots of other Lion’s mane recipe ideas for fresh Lion’s mane here too.
A little background about me: I’ve fallen in love with mushrooms for their health benefits and taste. Perhaps the tastiest of all, Lion’s mane mushrooms, are gaining a lot of popularity for their health benefits.
Yet this fascinating mushroom can still be a little challenging to find.
Luckily, you can find Lion’s mane powder online or in health food stores, which makes it easier to fit into your daily routine than fresh Lion’s mane mushrooms too.
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Fresh Lion’s Mane Recipes: Ideas for Use in Cooking
If you can get your hands on some fresh lion’s mane mushrooms, I highly encourage you to do so.
Not only are they medicinal mushrooms, but Lion’s mane mushrooms are also seriously tasty. These healthy mushrooms taste a lot like crab meat or seafood and can be used in any recipe that calls for mushrooms.
Cooking with Lion’s mane is so easy.
Simply slice up some fresh lion’s mane, saute on medium heat in a skillet with some garlic, butter, and top with some fresh lemon juice. Brown on each side for a few minutes, then you are done. Simple and tasty! Alternatively, you can use extra virgin olive oil if you have it.
Other people make “crab” cakes using a Lion’s mane mushroom recipe like this.
Why not add them to your stew or a mushroom sauce? I add them to braised chicken dishes or to stir-fry dishes too. No recipe is needed. Go ahead and add it to your next curry recipe or stir fry recipe too.
You really can’t go wrong using these fabulous mushrooms in just about any savory dish. They remind people of oyster mushrooms in terms of flavor.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Coffee
Some days, ok, most days, I’m really lazy and just mix some Lion’s mane powder into my coffee.
It’s so mellow-tasting, that you will never know it’s there. Just keep in mind, that the mushroom powder settles down to the bottom, so you will need to either stir or shake your coffee go cup a few times to distribute the mushrooms.
The solution to keeping Lion’s mane powder in solution? A smoothie. If you add some frozen fruit into the mixture, it will keep your mushrooms from settling down to the bottom.
Add Lion’s Mane to Any Recipe
A nice thing about Lion’s mane mushroom powder is that you can add it to any soup, sauces, dressing, stew, meat, fish, chicken, or just about anything you can think of. If you have a jar of the powder on hand, no prep work is needed and you don’t have to worry about the mushrooms spoiling.
My kids don’t even suspect they have mushrooms in their recipes, which is also great. So, basically, any recipe can be a Lion’s mane mushroom recipe!
If you are serious about using Lion’s mane mushrooms for their health benefits, getting some organic mushroom powder or organic mushroom extract is the way to go.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Recipes: Smoothies
Mild in flavor, you really can mix Lion’s mane mushroom powder or Lion’s mane mushroom extract into any smoothie.
I made a simple one today, with organic tropical fruit, coconut milk, Host Defense Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder, and some Cacao Elixir from Medicinal foods. You easily could use any cacao powder you might have at home too.
The end result is nothing short of energizing, refreshing, and tasty. Simply grab a blender like this one, add in the four ingredients, and in less than a minute, you have a healthy, happy smoothie.
Bonus: no bread crumbs or cooking required!
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 cup mango or tropical fruit frozen mix
- 1/2 tsp Lion's mane mushroom powder
- 1 Tbsp cacao elixir powder
- 1 tsp maple syrup optional
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
What do Lion’s mane mushrooms taste like?
Many people describe the taste of these mushrooms to be seafood-like. I agree with this, as they remind me a bit of both the taste and texture of crab meat when cooked.
By the way, you want to cook these or eat them in a powdered supplement form. Do not eat them raw.
The Healthy RD
To me, they taste great, as do all mushrooms. Lion’s mane mushroom recipe ideas are endless because they can sub in for any mushroom in your recipes. I haven’t yet met a ‘shroom I haven’t enjoyed for the taste!
Are Lion’s mane mushrooms healthy?
First, a little bit about Lion’s mane and why you want to use these fantastic mushrooms. Hericium Erinaceus, aka Lion’s mane, is a mushroom-like no other.
Keep in mind, that more studies are always needed with just about every medicinal food ever mentioned. This shouldn’t deter you from getting the benefits of these foods. Try them and make the call for yourself because they are safe and eaten over thousands of years for their taste and benefits.
Lion’s mane benefits include reducing inflammation because of their high antioxidant content [R].
All mushrooms truly have medicinal value in cooking. Medicinal mushrooms are all edible mushrooms and a variety of mushrooms are best because they all have their own unique attributes.
Immune support
Lion’s mane supports the immune system too by helping to improve your microbiome, according to research in the International Journal of Molecular Science [R].
By boosting immune function and nerve growth factors too, Lion’s mane may also help people with immune-related brain disorders like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and more.
Brain benefits
Lion’s mane supports brain health because nerve growth factors may help with nerve regeneration. With this boost, it makes sense that Lion’s mane may also improve your memory and reduce mild cognitive impairment too.
A recent clinical study found that Lion’s mane supplementation of 1200 mg per day improved both moods and sleep quality in overweight adults over an 8-week period compared to placebo too [R].
These tasty little mushrooms may also help heal nerves in the peripheral nervous system too, according to early studies in animal models [R].
Digestion benefits
People who have digestive issues may also reap the benefits of Lion’s mane, as research shows that this kind of mushroom helps support a healthy microbiome.
Rich in vitamins and minerals, Lion’s mane is healthy too for bathing our intestinal cells in healing nutrients.
By helping the mood, gut health, and inflammation, research shows this little mushroom may also help with weight loss too.
Diabetes benefits
Lion’s mane may help with diabetes numbers by reducing fasting glucose, although clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings [R]. Lion’s mane may help with diabetes by supporting a healthy microbiome and by reducing inflammation too.
Mushrooms, in general, are great for diabetes because they are high in fiber, low in carbohydrates, and rich in vitamins and minerals.
Where to find Lion’s mane mushrooms
Mushroom powders
Lion’s mane mushroom powder is the easiest way to get the health benefits of this great mushroom into your diet every day. The brand I love and that is highly rated is called Host Defense Lion’s mane mushroom powder.
This is an organic Lion’s mane mushroom powder with the mycelium part of the mushroom. I add a 1/2 tsp daily to my coffee and it’s great because it has no taste that alters your enjoyment of your coffee.
If you want a naturally sweetened Lion’s mane mushroom powder, Medicinal Foods Sweet Cream is a great option.
Lion’s mane extract
Some people prefer an extract because there is no mixing required. Wild harvested Lion’s mane extract from Lyfe Cykel is a highly rated extract with both the fruiting bodies and the mycelium. Also contains Kakadu Plum extract, which is a very nutritious fruit.
A lot of people choose Lion’s mane extract for the positive effects on sleep, including improved REM sleep.
Farmer’s markets
Many local farmer’s markets will carry fresh Lion’s mane mushrooms, so make a point to visit one soon. Make sure to use them up within a couple of days of purchasing.
You won’t be disappointed in the taste!
Foraging
If you decide to forage for these delicacies, the nice thing is that there are no look-alike mushrooms, taking the risk of mushroom picking away with this particular variety.
Still, I advise you to leave the foraging to mushroom experts called mycologists. You can enjoy them from the safety of grow kits or farmer’s markets!
Lion’s mane grow kit
If you want to have an abundance of fresh Lion’s mane, a really good option is a grow kit. With these, you will get about 4-5 pounds of mushrooms, which translates to less than half the price you will get them at your local market or farmer’s market.
Growing them is super easy too. All you need is a little bit of water spritzed over the grow kit each day. Just make sure to follow the instructions for the best results.
They can be grown in any home with moderate room temperature.
Find Grow Your Own Mushrooms Kit here.
Summary
You can make any recipe Lion’s mane mushroom recipe.
The bonus of using Lion’s mane daily may be that you gain energy, mood, improved sleep quality, gut health, brain and nerve health, and more.
I hope you enjoy this super simple Lion’s mane mushroom smoothie recipe and enjoy adding it into your daily life like so many people do.
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