"m" is for mangos, mushrooms, and mustard (not mayonaisse)

Mangos

Mangos were not a part of my dietary habits until I started eating cleaner, looking for whole produce especially. I actually don't like eating mangos just by themselves; there's something about the texture of a mango that doesn't sit well with me. However, putting a mango into a smoothie does all kinds of good things. It makes it sweeter, thicker, juicier, and yummier all around. They also seem to be cheaper throughout the winter; I'm guessing because they come from tropical places, our winter time is their harvest season. Anyway, mangos are now regular staples in my fruit bowl!

Mushrooms

I have always loved mushrooms, and I always considered them a treat. For instance, when Daddy would grill out steaks or even hamburgers on a Saturday night, Momma would make them "special" by sautéing some mushrooms to go alongside.

I always thought of mushrooms, onions, and garlic as just nice additions to a meal, when I thought of it. However, I've discovered that these items are powerhouses of nutrition, especially for some minerals that we don't often get enough. There is a diet called G-BOMBS, which stands for: Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, and Seeds (and nuts). These are the primary foods that you eat for this diet, and it shows the power of the humble mushroom! So now I regularly stock up on mushrooms: little white buttons, portabellas, baby bellas. I haven't really experimented with the more expensive varieties, but I will add that to my repertoire!

I love mushrooms in omelets, on pizza, in sandwiches (especially hamburgers). For many suppers, I'll just have a separate sauce pan with a little water, soy sauce, garlic, and add a whole chopped onion and an entire package of mushrooms. Let it simmer, and 20 minutes later we have a yummy side dish that also is good for us!

Mustard (not mayonnaise)

First, I want to say that I love mayonnaise. Really, I do! And, some dishes just require mayonnaise - like a tomato sandwich or a BLT. Neither would be the same without mayo. However, I learned (to my dismay) that mayo is not a healthy fat. Even if it's labeled "healthy," it generally isn't. Mayo is actually just eggs and oil, and I could make it myself and eat to my heart's content (within calorie reasonableness, of course). But, manufactured mayo has so many more ingredients, and tends to use the cheapest (and worst for us) oils to produce their ingredient. So, instead of turning to mayo for all my sandwiches, I've been experimenting with other condiments.

I like hummus and/or avocados (smushed) as sandwich condiments very much. But, mustard has renewed itself in my regular eating habits. I like the tanginess and the difference of mustards. The graphic above shows yellow, brown, Dijon, and whole-grain varieties. I am especially fond of the "sweet-hot" mustards, like the Hickory Farms variety.

Mustard.... not just for hot dogs any more!