This week I focus on two well-known vegetables that. These two green machines are two of the reasons that green vegetables have such a good reputation for being healthy for us.
Brussel Sprouts
Brussel sprouts are a bit like marmite, people either love them or hate them. Whatever your preference may be, Brussel Sprouts provide us with a wealth of nutrients such as Vitamin B2, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese.
They also provide us with potent phytochemicals called glucosinolates which have been the subject of numerous studies on their positive effects on the body.
Brussel Sprouts aren’t just for Christmas and as they are available year round in the freezer section, try the following tips to include them into your daily eating habits:
Serving ideas:
Drizzle sesame, avocado or hazelnut oil over steamed Brussel sprouts to make a tasty side dish
Combine steamed spouts which have been quartered with some sliced red onion, walnuts and some goats cheese.
Blitz up with some cooked chickpeas, herbs or spices to make tasty burgers
Kale
Kale, one of the much hyped superfoods that made frequent appearance on foodies social media posts does pack a punch in terms of delivering nutrition.
It is a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.
It is also high in carotenes such as beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin.
Kale can be steamed lightly or added raw to salads or juices or smoothies and can be added to everything from your breakfast omelet to your kale chip snacks – see below for recipe.
Other serving ideas for kale
Puree cooked kale and potatoes with spices for a tasty soup
Squeeze fresh lemon over steamed kale and serve with some oily fish such as trout for a simple but healthy meal
Recipe for Kale Crisps
1 large bunch of kale
1 tbsp coconut oil
Onion powder (optional)
Chili powder (optional)
Nutritional yeast
Recommended toppings
Onion powder and nutritional yeast – find it in your local health store
Sea salt and apple cider vinegar
Chili, garlic powder and nutritional yeast
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 220
Destem the kale and chop the leaves into smaller pieces and put into a bowl
Melt the coconut oil between your hands and cover the kale with it
Add your desired spices now (leave nutritional yeast until the crisps are done)
Place into the oven and bake for 15- 20 minutes checking often to make sure they do not burn
Once they have begun to crisp, turn off oven and allow the crisps to cool off
Enjoy