Can you believe I am the only mushroom-lover in my house? I’m not sure where I went wrong but none of my offspring will go near them… if they know they’re there. So of course I hide them in meals as often as I can and keep my fingers crossed that they don’t bust me.

If I’m only going to get away with it once or twice a week, I make sure to get bang for my buck and feed them up on shiitake mushrooms. These little gems contain many beneficial compounds, which have been shown to have wide-ranging effects such as improving the response of the immune system, managing cholesterol levels, and reducing populations of caries-causing bacteria in the mouth.

Shiitake mushrooms can be purchased fresh or dried, and you can even have a go at growing your own! To hide them, chop them up small and add to casseroles, stews or blended soups and sauces. But to celebrate them in all their delicious glory, try one of these recipes.

1. Shiitake spread – tasty on fresh bread or crackers, or with crunchy veggie sticks.
2. Mushroom risotto – you can’t go wrong with a risotto and this one uses dried shiitake mushrooms.
3. Veggie stirfry – delicious, fresh, and bursting with flavour.
4. On their own – for mushroom lovers, cook shiitake simply with a bit of onion and/or garlic and some salt and pepper for a nutritious side dish. This is also great with some eggs added in to make a shiitake scramble.
5. Crispy chewy sesame shiitake – this recipe uses dried mushrooms to replicate the crispy/chewy texture of sesame beef.
6. Bonus! Flu-fighting soup – make a batch of this and pop it in the freezer in single portions for times when you are unwell and need some nurturing.