Cruciferous Creations

Crucifer-wha?
Kru-siff-err-us… I trust that you know how to say “creations”. Cruciferous vegetables are a group of veggies that come from the Brassica (brass-ick-ah) family–cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, Bok choy. This entire group of vegetables have health benefits beyond just the work out your mouth gets by saying the name. They’ve been linked to helping fight cancer and heart disease, and have a plethora of nutrients that simply help you exist (one example: folate- your body needs it to make red blood cells..i.e. blood!). They even held a weekly spot on the “Sheldonian Calendar” of The Big Bang Theory (Google it).

Sniff, sniff… What’s that SMELL?!
Sulfur. I know this… not just because I’ve got a good sniffer, but because I’ve spent hours in sulfur-scented chemistry & food labs. And also, more importantly, that’s what the cancer experts say- sulfur is the reason for the smell, taste AND essentially, the health benefits. These veggies have natural compounds called glucosinolates (glue-koh-sin-oh-lates), which contain sulfur as part of their chemical structure. When cruciferous vegetables are chopped, chewed, or cooked the sulfur smell (and health benefit) is released as a result. So the secret is out… you can’t blame it on the dog anymore.

While I don’t expect that you’ll be making Thursday night “cruciferous vegetable night” like Sheldon did, I DO hope that you will consider reinventing the way you’ve prepared cruciferous veggies.

When in doubt…roast it out!
Boil those Brussels sprouts no more! Not only are you probably over-boiling and reducing some of the flavor and nutrition, you’re smelling up the house and ruining any chance of wanting to try them again in the future. Here’s a great tip that can pretty much be applied to any vegetable…when in doubt, (pan)roast it out! I have adapted a couple of recipes from two of my favorite go-to spots for recipes: cookinglight.com and America’s Test Kitchen (looooooooove ATK… if there was a shirt that said “I ♥ ATK” I would wear it with pride). Here are the recipes, adapted and compiled into a few simple steps:

1. Wash the vegetable well.  Typically, these types of recipes recommend starting with about 1 pound of vegetable.
2. Chop/dice/lightly food process

 3. Toss with canola or olive oil & an acid of some sort (lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar…).  A good ratio to go by is 1 Tbsp. oil to 1 Tbsp. acid or 2:1.
4. Spread evenly in a large pre-heated skillet ( medium heat). Allow some browning to occur, then stir. You can add a couple tablespoons of water and cover if you prefer a more tender than crisp result.

 5. Add your “extras”. Continue to cook until desired doneness.  Excellent add-ins include: toasted nuts, a pinch of brown sugar, roasted red peppers, prosciutto (thinly sliced baconish ham).

Roasted red peppers in a can are a delicous & convenient way to add flavor and color to any dish!

Check out all that color! Nom nom nom…..

               Prosciutto! All the way from Norwalk, Iowa. Get it at a Hy-Vee near you!

6. Enjoy the heck out of it.  Chris says, in shock….”for some weird reason… I really like this!”.  As if… gasp! He could actually LIKE vegetables!  The proof was in the pudding… he continued to eat half the pan after these photos were taken.  He’s enjoying a Brussels sprouts, canola oil, balsamic vinegar, prosciutto and brown sugar combination below.

He’s also giving you his best impression of The Most Interesting Man in the World (look it up). 

Annnnndddd… because I can’t pass up an opportunity to share a crazy food find: purple cauliflower.

Yes, it’s a real thing and no, it’s not dyed…it really does grow that way. Find it right now in your Chariton Hy-Vee. Here’s an excellent way to use it:

Tie-Dyed Salad

Servings: makes a little over 5 servings. Each serving = 1 cup
Source: Inspired by a recipe from allrecipes.com

ALL YOU NEED

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh purple, orange, green and/or white cauliflower*
1/2 cup shredded carrot (RD rec: shred your own carrots for a sweeter, more intense flavor)
1 ½ cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
½ cup raspberry-walnut vinaigrette (RD rec: Bolthouse Farms Raspberry Merlot Vinaigrette)
Optional: a sprinkle with feta or Parmesan cheese

All YOU DO

Combine broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, strawberries, nuts and vinaigrette in a large bowl; toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
*If using two different colors of cauliflower, use ¾ cup of each color.

Now, it’s up to you! I leave you with two simple tasks:
1. Watch the Cruciferous Amplification episode of the Big Bang Theory…or any episode you can find.  Laughter really is the best medicine.
2. Try a new cruciferous creation!