According to a research study conducted by the Alliance of Science at Cornell University, 1 in 10 Americans above the age of 18 considers themselves vegan or vegetarian. While this number may not appear significant, things change quickly when you look at the entire population in the United States. 10% of the US population gives you 33.2 million people who do not eat meat.
While vegan and vegetarian people stay away from meat, they often eat foods that taste and look like meat. In most cases, however, these products are produced in a lab and do not carry many health benefits.
What if we told you that you can enjoy something that tastes like crab, is 100% natural, and carries many health benefits? This may sound unrealistic—however, the amazing fungal world makes it possible.
Lion’s mane is an amazing fungus that carries a whole bucket of health benefits. If you use the right Lion’s mane mushroom recipes, you can turn the mushroom into a tasty crab cake.
The process of turning Lion’s mane mushroom into a crab cake is quite simple. What’s even better, you won’t need complicated equipment or spend too much time in the kitchen—the crab cake takes a maximum of 45 minutes to prepare and cook.
To cook the crab cake, you will need two large and fresh lion’s mane mushrooms, two tablespoons of water, and a quarter tablespoon of salt. For making the cake, you will need a quarter cup of chopped red bell peppers, a quarter cup of chopped green onions, a quarter cup of high-fat vegan mayo, half a cup of breadcrumbs, a tablespoon of soy sauce, two tablespoons of chopped cilantro, a tablespoon of seasoning (salt, cayenne pepper, and paprika), one flax egg, and kosher salt to taste.
Have some almond flour for dredging and some flavorless oil for cooking. For serving, you will need fresh green salad, lemon wedges, and freshly chopped chives. You won’t have to worry about going shopping for cooking equipment—all you will need is a non-stick skillet and an oven.
Start the cooking process by dicing your two lion’s mane mushrooms into small pieces. To make the mushrooms resemble crab meat in terms of texture, pull them by hand.
Place the diced mushrooms in a non-stick skillet, cover, and wait for the mushrooms to start simmering. Next, cook the mushrooms until they are tender, look wilted, and their juice has evaporated. Remove Lion’s mane mushrooms from the skillet, put them in a bowl, and give them about 10 to 15 minutes to cool down. Using your hand, squeeze extra water out of the mushrooms—this step is vital as it will ensure the crab cake patties hold together.
Mix Lion’s mane mushroom with your cake mix. Give the mix about 15 minutes to rest—this will let your breadcrumbs hydrate, making the cake preparation, and cooking easier.
Once your vegan crab cake mix is ready, the next step is cooking. Form your patties using your hands—keep them at approximately 3 inches in diameter. Medium heat the non-stick skillet and drizzle your flavorless cooking oil on it. Next, heat the skillet to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dredge both sides of your formed patties using the flour. Put the patties on the skillet and let them brown gently.
Flip the vegan crab cake once a side turns golden brown. Transfer your skillet to your oven and cook for approximately 10 minutes. At the end of ten minutes in your oven, the vegan crab cakes should be ready for serving. The cooked crab cakes will resemble and taste like seafood.
Garnish the crab cakes with a dollop of your vegan mayo and sprinkle your finely chopped chives. Add the lemon wedges on the side and then serve.
The serving of Lion’s mane mushroom crab cake will give you 2 grams of protein, more than 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of vitamin B, 1 gram of sodium, and more than 1 gram of iron.
The good news about using Lion’s mane to enjoy the taste of crab meat is that the mushroom gives you access to a wide range of benefits. If you take the crab cake just before bed, Lion’s mane mushroom will guarantee you a good night’s sleep. For men, the mushroom will boost your testosterone while for women, the mushroom will help with hormonal balance.
The Lion’s mane mushroom will help you get rid of depression, eliminate anxiety, and eliminate brain fog. If you take Lion’s mane crab cake in the morning before heading to work or before heading to the gym, the mushroom will give you a burst of energy that will allow you to perform optimally throughout the day.
