For years, society has put mushrooms on the back burner. Their beauty is undeniable, and their benefits are even more surprising. 

We’re not just talking about taking “magic” psilocybin mushrooms but appreciating the world of fungi that sprawls the globe beneath our feet. 

That’s precisely what director Louie Schwartzberg brings to the table in his Netflix documentary, Fantastic Fungi. He breathtakingly captures the life cycle of fungus and its benefits on humans, animals, insects, and the planet. 

To capture the audience’s attention, the documentary begins with an in-depth look at the different fungi species in nature. 

It resembles your usual nature film with an emphasis on the life cycle and growth stages of fungi through sped-up, time-lapsed shots. 

We also get to know the main motives of Paul Stamets, an advocate for nature’s intelligence whose goal is to discover the “language of nature.” He believes that fungi act as the earth’s nervous system.

Each fungus will present itself differently on the earth’s surface. The film helps us understand what’s going on beneath the organism, which is a vast spread of small white threads called mycelium. 

Stamets later informs us that mycelium works in a similar “network design” as our internet.

Interestingly, most of Paul Stamets’ speech in the film was from his 2009 TED Talk; Six Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World. It’s clear that his information is still as relevant as ever, and he needed another medium to spread the word. 

Regardless of when he wrote these words, they’re compelling. Stamets has a very comforting, welcoming, and charismatic nature about him that left me thinking, why haven’t I explored the world of fungi before?

Even if you somehow don’t agree with the factual information he’s feeding us, treating the eyes to footage of the fungi life cycle is refreshing and, honestly, quite magical. 

Towards the film’s second half, we learn more about the benefits of fungi,

• How they help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy
• Clean up oil spills
• Remove the burden of mental illnesses like PTSD, depression, and anxiety. 

There’s a clear emphasis on mushrooms’ power in treating mental illness, which brings a sense of hope that this alternative medicine could soon become mainstream. 

All in all, it’s a stimulating visual experience and a compelling auditory one. There’s no denying that mushrooms are magical, from their unique life cycle to their positive effect on humans and the planet. Find the documentary, Fantastic Fungi, on Netflix. 

Before you sit down for an evening full of fascinating fungi, we want to help you prepare some delicious baked goods that keep the high rolling. 

Below, you’ll find our favorite cannabis-infused banana bread recipe. It’s the perfect way to make use of those ripe bananas that have been sitting in your freezer for who knows how long. 

All you need is to prepare some cannabutter beforehand, then follow the recipe as usual. Just be prepared; they’ll turn you into a pretty fun-guy. 

Ingredients

Cooking spray for greasing the pan 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda 

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar 

1⁄4 cup cannabutter, softened 

3 overripe bananas, mashed 

2 eggs 

3 cups chopped pecans or chocolate chips (optional)

1/3 cup vanilla yogurt (non-Greek) 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 340°F and spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with the cooking spray. Set it aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. 
3. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and cannabutter. Stir in the bananas, eggs (pecans or chocolate chips), yogurt, and vanilla.
4. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the bread is light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan set on a wire rack before turning out to cool completely on the rack.