Philly Steak Pizza

Ingredients 

-slices of steak

-Provolone cheese

-onions

-green peppers

-mushrooms

-American cheese

ONIONS

What are Onions?

The onion(Allium cepa L., from Latin cepa “onion”), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus allium. The leaves are yellowish- to bluish green and grow alternately in a flattened, fan-shaped swathe. They are fleshy, hollow, and cylindrical, with one flattened side. They are at their broadest about a quarter of the way up, beyond which they taper towards a blunt tip. The base of each leaf is a flattened, usually white sheath that grows out of a bascal disc.

History of Onions

Onions are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables in our history, originating in central Asia from where it spread across entire world. Modern archaeologist, botanist and historians are unable to determine exact time and place of their first cultivation (because this vegetable is perishable and its cultivation leaves little to no trace), however some written records enables us to paint a very interesting picture about its origins.With organized onion cultivation starting around 3,500 BC, ancient civilizations that used them soon became really dependent on this great vegetable. Onions were easy to grow on any kind of soil, any type of weather ecosystem, and were easy to store, dry, and preserve during winters. The basic abilities of onion also proved to be very useful to Egyptians, Babylonians, Hindu and ancient Chinese civilizations who had problems to create large sources of food – onions prevented thirst, were great source of energy, had very useful medicinal properties, and could be easily dried and preserved for times when other perishable sources of food were scarce.

TYPES OF ONIONS

Yellow onions: The most commonly used onion.  They’re great grilled or simmered in soups and stews.

White onions: Have a slightly more sharp flavor than the yellow version. They are more tender and thinner skin. They are great simmered in soups and stews.

Sweet onions: These onions have less sharp and bite compared to the yellow and white. They have a little taste more taste on the sweet side.

Red onions: They are similar to the yellow onions. These are known as the superiors for their great benefits of antioxidants.

Green onions: These onions have a milder taste compared to the rest.

MUSHROOMS

What are mushrooms?

Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible bodies of several species of macrofungi (fungi which bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye). They can appear either below ground or above ground  where they may be picked by hand. Edibility may be defined by criteria that include absence of poisonous effects on humans and desirable taste and aroma.

History of mushrooms? 

The word mushroom is derived from the French word for fungi and moulds. One day, around 1650, a melon grower near Paris discovered mushrooms growing on his growth fertilizer. He decided to cultivate this new exotic delicacy commercially and to introduce it in exclusive Parisian restaurants. It was at that time that the mushroom was given the nickname ‘Parisian mushroom’. Later on, the French gardener, Chambry, discovered that the caves had just the right cool and moist environment for cultivating mushrooms, afterward a large-scale mushroom cultivation developed in the caves around Paris.

Fungi were most likely cultivated for the first time around the year 600 in Asia. In Europe, the first cultivated fungi, the mushroom, was introduced in the 17th century. Mushrooms were introduced into the Netherlands for the first time at the beginning of the 19th century, but it was not be until after the 1900s that they were cultivated on a large-scale in the marl mines in Limburg. In the early years, the mushroom was still very exclusive and only available to the elite. However, since then, better and more effective methods have been developed and there has been a huge increase in mushroom cultivation. It was only after 1950 that the Dutch consumer became familiar with the mushroom, and in the meantime, there are various areas in the Netherlands that specialize in the cultivation of mushrooms, mainly south of the great rivers. The Dutch mushroom cultivation is especially known for the strict control it keeps on the cultivation.In the last 50 years, the Netherlands has grown into the largest mushroom production country within the European Union, with an annual production of 270 million kilograms and more than 10,000 jobs. Next to China and the United States, the Netherlands holds 3rd place in the market. China is in first place with 70% of the world’s production.

Benefit of Mushrooms

Nutritional Value. Mushrooms are packed with nutritional value. They’re low in calories, are great sources of fibre and protein(good for plant-based diets).They also provide many important nutrients, including B vitamins, selenium, potassium, copper, and (particularly when exposed to the sun) vitamin D.

Mushrooms are immunity-boosters. We now know that lentinan can boost your immune system, but it has a helper, too. Beta-glucan is a sugar found in the cells walls of fungi (among other plants) that also helps boost your immune system. Lentinan comes from shiitake mushrooms, but beta-glucan is found in many varieties, namely the common button mushrooms.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion http://www.vegetablefacts.net/vegetable-history/history-of-onions/ http://www.mychampi.com/en/mushrooms/history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_mushroom#History_of_mushroom_use https://foodrevolution.org/blog/health-benefits-of-mushrooms/ https://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/surprising-health-benefits-mushrooms https://www.theharvestkitchen.com/health-benefits-of-eating-onions/