Miso Mushroom & Rapini Crostini

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenMiso Mushroom & Rapini Crostini

Skill Level	Easy

Preparation Time	10 minutes	Total Time	40 minutes
Servings	6 (2 crostini per serving)	Cost Per Serving	$1.08

12	Thin Slices of Crusty Bread, 1/2-inch thick
6 cloves	Garlic, peeled and left whole
2 cups	Mixed Mushrooms (Cremini, Shiitake, Portobello, etc.), roughly chopped
2 cups	Rapini (Broccoli Rabe), 1/2 inch of ends removed, stems split, washed well and cut into 2-inch pieces
1	Lemon, 1/2 sliced thin, 1/2 juiced
1 tsp	White Miso Paste
1 tsp	Fresh Thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp	Chili Flakes (optional)
1/4 cup	Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese, thin shavings (tip: use a vegetable peeler to shave your hard cheeses)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon juice with the miso paste, thyme, chili flakes (optional) and 1 tbsp of olive oil.
Add the mushrooms to the lemon juice and miso mixture and combine well.
Cut 1 large piece of parchment paper, roughly the size of a large baking tray. Fold the parchment paper in half.
Place the slices of lemon in the centre of one of the parchment halves. Add the rapini and top with the mushrooms. Tuck the cloves of garlic just beside the rest of the vegetables.
Fold the top half of the parchment over and crimp and fold the edges, about 1 inch at a time, until you make your way around the entire parchment package. Place parchment package on a baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes.
Brush about 1 tsp of olive oil over your bread slices and toast over a grill or in the oven.
Carefully remove and open your parchment package. Spread some of the roasted garlic over the toast and serve some of the mushrooms and rapini on top with a shaving of pecorino cheese.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for miso mushroom and rapini crostini

Results from several population studies show that the more garlic people eat, the lower their risk of colorectal and stomach cancers. Cell and animal studies suggest that garlic may help fight cancer by repairing healthy cells and preventing cancer cells from growing and dividing. The World Health Organization recommends eating at least 1 clove of garlic each day for good health.
Mushrooms contain plant nutrients called beta glucans that may help fight colorectal and stomach cancers. In lab and animal studies, beta glucans from mushrooms have been shown to slow cancer growth by activating cancer-fighting cells and proteins such as T-cells, natural killer cells and macrophages. One study found that people with advanced and recurrent stomach and colorectal cancer on chemotherapy who took beta glucan extract lived longer, but this study was small. Until more research is done, enjoy mushrooms and a variety of other vegetables as part of a healthy diet.
Miso is made from fermented soybeans and may contain probiotics. Miso can be quite salty, so look for lower sodium miso. Probiotics can help with digestive problems like constipation, diarrhea, bloating and gas. There are studies looking at the effect of probiotics on weight loss, and the immune system and cancer risk, but more research is needed.