Mushroom Foraging, and the Color Yellow!

Hello and thank you for visiting.

I have been recently inspired by two of my daughters that have been keeping busy in the woods foraging for mushrooms.

On the very first day of their walks in the woods, they nailed some Morels! Morels grow under or near Ash Trees, Slippery Elm Trees, and Oak Trees. They grow in the ground on the Southern facing slopes in the woods in the spring. You can find them in open areas.

There are different varieties of these mushrooms.

There are different color types of the Morel mushroom. Black, yellow and grey. My daughters found the yellow ones, that actually grow to be the biggest of all varieties. They are much sought after, and pricy to buy them in the grocery stores.

After soaking them in some salt water for about 20 minutes, they are dried, and then sliced and put into a pan of butter and seasoning. Now I didn’t taste this batch, but heard that they were delicious. You can eat them sautéed, fried, or add them to a black bean burger as a filler.

They are full of Iron, Copper, Manganese, Phosphorus, Zinc, Vitamin D, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin E, and B6. They contain antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Last week I was privy to taste some of the other mushrooms that they had found. These were called Pheasant Back mushrooms.

They have a very different texture, and look just like a pheasants back. The texture is tougher and they are very hard to get off of the tree. So make sure that you bring a knife with you when looking for these guys!

The smaller and darker versions of the Pheasant Black mushrooms are more tender. You can cook these the same way as the Morels.

Other edible mushrooms are called Turkey Tail mushrooms. These are edible, but tough and rubbery in texture. They are commonly found in Tennessee, but many other places. They actually look like a turkeys tail on the side of a tree. Because of its texture, it is mostly used for making tea. The tea helps to boost your immune system as it contains a variety of powerful antioxidants and other compounds. It contains anti-cancer benefits because of these reasons.

So during these times of isolation, get out and into the woods, forage for some mushrooms. Its good to be out in the fresh air. Your entire family can take part in the search for these delicious little fungi.

The Color Yellow

As spring is trying, yes, trying to get here, I see more signs of the color Yellow. It is a beautiful bright color that just makes us feel good. We see it in the sun, plants, and flowers…it always makes me happy and energetic.

This color stands for honor, loyalty, joy, energy, optimism and remembrance.

During these tough times, the color yellow is a color that we all need in our lives right now to help us cope! By some daffodils, and look for the sun in all that you do!

…..Remember to make a memory each day, and don’t apologize for who you are…..Rebecca