It’s mushroom season! All over the place, delicious & healing mushrooms are popping up. I was delighted to stumble upon this beautiful mushroom that is not only visually striking, but also delicious and nutritious!

Commonly known as Chicken of the Woods, or Sulphur Shelf, Laetiporus sulphureus is a mushroom that is known to grow on hardwood stumps. It’s named for its chicken-like texture, but also happens to be pack with protein (21g in 2 cups, or 14g in 100g). It’s also a good source of potassium, vitamin C and other antioxidants like quercetin.

Compounds in this mushroom have been found to have antimicrobial properties, specifically against Aspergillus flavus and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and anti-diabetic actions.

This is a great mushroom for beginner-level foragers such as myself, as it is easy to spot and doesn’t have any toxic look-alikes. Always be sure you know exactly what you’ve found before harvesting and eating!