Brussels sprouts top the charts

This vegetable bursts with nutrition; I don’t even know where to start with my praise. This mini cabbages top the nutrition charts in many regards. They deliver more glucosinulates than any other cruciferous vegetable. Glucosinolates are phytonutrients that our bodies use to produce a variety of cancer-protective substances.
They also deliver a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. One cup of Brussels sprouts has more than double the amount of vitamin K you need daily and more than your daily need of vitamin C. Vitamin K is important for healthy bones and proper blood clotting.  It also has serious amounts of folate, manganese, vitamin B6 and other minerals and vitamins.
The origins of Brussels can be traced back to the 16^th century to a region near Brussels, hence the name. During World War I this vegetable spread throughout Europe. Nowadays, they are cultivated everywhere.

Steamed Brussels Sprouts In Garlic Butter

In India, it is quite rare to find Brussels sprouts. For several months now, a farm in the South of Goa offers Brussels sprouts regularly in my favourite supermarket so I wanted to find a way to make them edible for my men and me. When I was a kid, honestly, I hated Brussels sprouts. I remember them as extremely bitter.

But this vegetable is so healthy, that I don’t want to ignore it. Brussels sprouts belong to the cruciferous vegetables that work better when they are steamed. Cooked in a steamer, they bind better with bile acids, lowering cholesterol levels.

However, the flavour of these sprouts needs a strong counterpoint. Crispy fried garlic in butter delivers this. You can prepare this dish in ten minutes what is a big plus for me. I love vegetables, but cleaning and chopping them tends to be a chore. I always get angry when I watch the chefs on TV just chopping vegetables without cleaning and washing them. A big part of cooking goes into this work and I feel slighted when the TV cooks just ignore this part of the job.

Wishing you happy cooking, always!

Ingredients:

(for 4 servings)

• 30 Brussels sprouts (4 cups or so)
• 10 garlic cloves
• 5 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp sesame
• salt
• pepper

Method:

Clean the Brussels sprouts. Remove the outer leaves, cut away the dry end of the stalks and halve them. Check that there are no insects hiding in the tiny heads.

Wash them and let them sit for about 10 minutes. This helps to develop their health benefits.

Clean and mince the garlic cloves. I love garlic so I use it generously. If you are not so keen on garlic, reduce the amount. Let it oxidise also.

 I use a foldable stainless steel inset that fits into any pot. Place water under the steamer, add the Brussels sprouts, close the lid and let it bubble. Be careful when you open the lid. Escaping steam can cause terrible burns.

While the Brussels sprouts are steaming for five to 10 minutes, melt the butter in a small pan. Add the garlic and fry it over medium heat until it turns golden yellow and crispy. Be careful not to brown it too much.  

 Toss the Brussels sprouts in the garlic butter, season with salt and pepper according to your taste and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.

Broccoli, a super food!

Broccoli, the big cleaner

Experts consider broccoli one of the most beneficial vegetables. It contains generous amounts of vitamins and minerals. Its outstanding quality is its combination of vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and carotenoids that helps to eradicate toxins. Our body gets rid of toxins during a two-step process. Broccoli supports both of these steps through three different glucosinolates. It is the only vegetable, which offers these im­portant phytonutrients in this combination and concentration.

The support of broccoli’s nutrients for oxygen metabolism makes this vegetable equally helpful in lowering the risk of chronic inflammation and cancer. Broccoli also has an unusually strong combination of both vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and vitamin K. For people with a lack of vitamin D broccoli is a food they should eat as often as possible. It is also a particularly rich source of a flavonoid called kaempferol that fights cancer cells.

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