Mushrooms are known for their nutritional value and culinary versatility. Now, there’s a new reason to buy these fabulous fungi: They may help prevent breast cancer.

Shiuan Chen, PhD, a professor of tumor cell biology at the City of Hope in Duarte, Calif., was among the first scientists to study how white button mushrooms offer protective benefits.

“Diet is a key consideration for prevention because it is something that everyone can control,” he says. “Our research shows that women may benefit from a balanced diet that includes about 3.5 ounces of mushrooms per day.”

Some home cooks cringe at the thought of hosting a crowd because they don’t know how to plan the menu.

Entertaining needn’t be stressful. Focus on filling guests’ bellies, and remember that you can’t please everyone all the time. An organic vegetarian entree solves multiple problems.

If you don’t have a go-to dish, I’d recommend a classic eggplant rollatini. It’s a perfect entree, especially if time is of the essence. Pre-sliced raw or roasted organic eggplant slices are available in bulk from a well-stocked supermarket or natural/organic food store.

Cucumbers on the grill?

Absolutely! They’re even better when freshly picked from your organic garden.

Today’s recipe pairs English cucumbers with juicy tomatoes, and prep time is minimal. Use a grill basket to prevent veggies from slipping through the grate.

All of the ingredients should be available at a well-stocked natural and organic food store.

Warm Tomato and Cucumber Salad 

4 tomatoes
1 English cucumber
Olive-oil nonstick cooking spray
Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad greens
Your favorite Italian dressing

1. Cut tomatoes into wedges.
2. Slice cucumber into 1/2-inch slices.
3. Spray veggies generously with olive-oil nonstick cooking spray for extra flavor and browning. Spray grill basket, as well.
4. Place vegetables in basket. Grill until lightly browned, tossing occasionally, about 4 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Toss with salad greens and Italian dressing.  

Recipe courtesy of PAM Organic Cooking Spray. Photo: La Grande Farmers’ Market.

So how do you go organic on a budget, especially in this miserable United States economy? Easy, you kidnap a genie and make a wish!

No, it's easier than that. RedPlum, a promotional company that helps sell various food products, from health foods to not-so health foods, has 10 tips for going organic on the cheap.

Guess what number one is? Shopping at a farmers market. Ha! See, I told you. Then again, organic or not, shopping at a farmers market is the best idea. Its less expensive and the produce is a lot fresher and higher quality.

Another tip I really liked is going vegetarian for a couple days each week. I'm a vegetarian and not only is it healthier for you, but fruits and vegetables are a lot cheaper than filet mignon and pork tenderloin.

RedPlum also suggests clipping coupons. No, coupons aren't just for little old ladies anymore. In this tough economy, if a supermarket is willing to play let's make a deal, go for it! Then again, I'm a hypocrite; using coupons feels weird to me.

For the complete list of organic tips, head over to RedPlum - do it, do it now!

Here's some more posts on going organic on a budget:

• 17 Tips to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget

• Defining True Value. How to Make Buying Organic Affordable.

• Shopping on a Budget for Organic Food

Image credit: Boston.com

Vegetarians of the world need to stop accepting the GVP. It's an insult, both from the kitchen to the diner, and from the kitchen to itself. It's not that hard to cook without meat, and choosing to eat less meat shouldn't result in a form of culinary punishment for diners. We can do better. Change is possible. We are the ones we've been waiting for. So say it with me: "No. The grilled vegetable plate is not acceptable. Do you have pasta? Or pizza? Or salads? Or an employee trained in the art of putting different kinds of foods together on a plate in order to create a satisfying dining experience for customers? Because if not, my party and I will go elsewhere."

Organic Authority supports Klein's campaign for great-tasting vegetarian meals. In this spirit, we offer some of our favorite organic vegetarian recipes below. Enjoy, and fight on!

• Fresh Herb Organic Broccoli Tossed with Pasta, Toasted Pine Nuts & Parmesan Cheese
• Fondue Mac & Cheese Recipe
• Vegetarian Chili
• Fresh Pesto with Basil and Arugula Tossed over Pasta
• Wild Mushroom and Black Truffle Organic Risotto
• Grilled Shiitake Mushrooms
• Easy Garlicky Beet Greens

Blood oranges are my favorite citrus fruit, largely because they’re a seasonal treat. 

First grown in Italy and Spain, they’ve made their way to the United States and are now grown in California and Texas. Peak season is November to May (California) and December to March (Texas). 

Our weekend recipe combines blood oranges and red beets for a savory, yet sweet, salad. All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store. If you have trouble finding blood oranges, you may substitute navel oranges.

Red Beet and Blood Orange Salad

Serves 4 (about 1 cup salad per serving, plus 1/4 cup dressing for later use)

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup berry-infused red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Salad

2 medium fresh beets (about 10 ounces total), stemmed and scrubbed
4 large Romaine lettuce leaves or 4 cups loosely packed field greens (about 4 ounces total)
2 blood or navel oranges, peeled and cut into sections
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 ounce chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Peel beets under running water to prevent staining of fingertips. Drain on paper towels, and cut each beet into eight wedges.
3. Place beets on foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil (from the dressing ingredient list), and toss to coat well. Arrange in a single layer. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Stir beets and cook 10 minutes longer, or until just tender. Remove foil and beets from baking sheet, and place on wire rack to cool at least 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine salad dressing ingredients in a jar or container with lid.
6. Arrange lettuce on a large platter; top with remaining salad ingredients and beets.
7. Shake jar vigorously, and evenly drizzle one half of the dressing over salad. Refrigerate remaining dressing up to 3 days for later use.

Check out:

• Pepita-Crusted Halibut with Blood Orange Jicama Chutney
• Blood Orange Marga-Tea-Tas
• Rose Geranium Sangria
• Greek-Style Beet Salad
• Roasted Portobello Mushrooms with Beets and Goat Cheese
• Spinach and Baby Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinegar and Plum Vinaigrette, Hazelnuts and Goat Cheese

Recipe and photo courtesy of Pompeian

Cauliflower is usually served with butter or oil. Today’s recipe substitutes Dijon mustard, which lowers fat content and adds a nice flavor.

Be sure to use Dijon mustard, which is more refined than traditional yellow mustard. I recommend Annie’s Naturals’ Organic Dijon Mustard.

All of the ingredients in today’s recipe should be available at your local natural and organic food store. Tune in Sunday for another fab recipe: Curried Cauliflower.

Cauliflower with Mustard and Minced Dill

Makes 4 servings

1½ cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dill seeds
3 bay leaves
1 pound cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1–2 tablespoons minced fresh dill (or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried dill)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (optional)

1. Pour broth into 10-inch skillet. Add dill seeds and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a simmer.
2. Add cauliflower. Cover and continue to simmer for about 5–6 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
3. Uncover skillet and place in the refrigerator. Let cauliflower chill in its stock for about 30 minutes.
4. Drain cauliflower, reserving stock, and place in a serving dish.
5. Strain the stock, and combine 1/4 cup of it with mustard, lemon juice and dill.
6. Drizzle sauce over cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Per serving: 35 calories, 0 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 150 mg sodium

Recipe and photo courtesy of the American Institute for Cancer Research

Like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower is one of those misunderstood vegetables. It’s certainly not the prettiest veggie on campus, but it’s one of the healthiest.

When properly cooked and seasoned, cauliflower is delicious—one of my favorites. I buy it at least once a week, usually to steam or roast as a side dish.

These days, cauliflower is available year-round. A member of the Brassicaceae family (broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens), it delivers a cancer-fighting compound called sulforaphane. A half-cup of cooked cauliflower provides 45% of your daily vitamin C requirement, as well as 2 g fiber, while weighing in at only 15 calories.

When choosing an organic cauliflower, look for a head that’s white or creamy, firm, compact, and heavy for its size. Toss aside heads that have dark spots, brown patches or other discolorations.

When you arrive home, place your cauliflower (stem side up) in your refrigerator’s crisper, where it should last for up to five days. If you buy precut florets, eat them within a day of purchase, as they don’t store well.

The most exciting development on the cauliflower front is the range of colors available—from green (often called broccoflower) to orange and purple. If you’re a cauliflower neophyte, start with the green variety, which has a milder taste. Regardless of color, cauliflower may be eaten raw, so add some small florets to a salad for added crunch and nutrients.

When you’re ready to cook your cauliflower, peel off the stem leaves, turn the head upside down, and cut the stem at the point where the florets begin to meet. They will then start to separate on their own, and you can help them along with a few knife cuts.

Be prepared for a sulfurous smell when you cook cauliflower. Yes, it usually stinks when cooked, but that odor will not influence its taste. Be patient! After steaming florets for 3 to 5 minutes, you’ll be able to serve them.

Here are some final cooking tips:

• If water touches cauliflower during steaming (or boiling), the veggie may turn yellow. To preserve whiteness, add a tablespoon of milk or lemon juice to the water.
• Don’t cook cauliflower in an aluminum or iron pot. The veggie’s compounds will turn it yellow or greenish-brown when exposed to aluminum and iron, respectively.

Tune in Friday and Sunday for some weekend cauliflower recipes. In the meantime, try this Roasted Vegetable Medley.

As summer picnic and barbecue season winds down, make your next seasonal dish stress-free with a no-cook appetizer that’s perfect for potlucks or cookouts.

Our weekend recipe comes from Ingrid Hoffmann, host of Simply Delicioso on the Food Network and author of Simply Delicioso: A Collection of Everyday Recipes with a Latin Twist.

"Entertaining doesn't have to be a time-consuming and tiresome process," she says. “With a few ingredients, you can create simple and tasty recipes.”

Best of all, this healthful recipe will appeal to both children and adults. All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Black Bean and Corn Scoops

1. Combine all ingredients, except chips, in a glass bowl and toss well. Refrigerate 30 minutes to an hour to meld flavors.
2. Spoon mixture onto chips, and place on a serving dish.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Tostitos

Many people think of sweet potatoes as a winter vegetable reserved for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners.

In truth, these golden gems are available year-round, and they hit the nutritional jackpot: One half-cup of sweet potatoes contains 90 calories, no fat or cholesterol, 380% of your daily vitamin A requirement, 35% of your vitamin C requirement and 3 g fiber (about 11% of your daily requirement).

Our weekend “steak” recipe replaces meat with sweet potatoes. Prep time is only 10 minutes, and cook time is just shy of 90 minutes.

All of the ingredients should be available at your local natural and organic food store.

Grilled Sweet Potato Steaks with Maple Pecan Butter

Makes 6 to 8 servings

4 large sweet potatoes
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Maple Pecan Butter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt

Wash sweet potatoes, and wrap each one in a single sheet of aluminum foil.

Preheat your grill to approximately 400°F.

Place wrapped sweet potatoes on the grill. Close lid; cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes with indirect heat, or until sweet potatoes soften.

While potatoes cook, prepare Maple Pecan Butter. Melt butter in small saucepan. Add maple syrup, pecans, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and salt. Heat mixture on low for less than 1 minute or until a layer of bubbles forms over the surface. Remove from heat, and set aside until needed.

Remove sweet potatoes from grill. Unwrap and halt cooking process by dipping them into a bowl of cold water. Place sweet potatoes on a countertop and let them cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into 1/2-inch thick medallions.

Coat each sweet potato steak with olive oil, and lightly season with salt and pepper. Grill each steak for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove potato steaks from grill and serve drizzled with warm Maple Pecan Butter.

Recipe created by World Champion Pitmaster Chris Lilly. Photo courtesy of Kingsford.