Cruciferous Veggies: What they are, why they are good for us, & some of my favorite recipes
Kale, Arugula, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Watercress, Bok Choy, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, Turnip, Kohlrabi, Rutabaga, Radish, Rapini, Gai Lan, Daikon, Horseradish, Wasabi.
These, mostly ‘winter’ vegetables are all part of the cruciferous family. All are fibre-rich, low-calorie, and packed with vitamins and minerals, but it’s particularly the dark green ones that are full of vitamins A, C, & K, as well as phytonutrients that have been called ‘anti-inflammatory’ and ‘cancer-fighting’. All this has made cruciferous veggies more popular these days, which is great, because it is recommended that adults eat 2 1/2 - 3 cups of vegetables per day!
I love to eat healthy, so I usually eat some kind of cruciferous vegetable every day. This means that I am always looking for more recipe ideas. Here, I am sharing some of my recent favorites. *Hint: I think these recipes taste even better when they are prepared with mindfulness. When you enjoy the process of cutting the veggies, and slowly simmering the onions, for example. It shows in the taste of the final product, trust me!
In my movement teaching practice, I focus on building strength and connection from the inside out, and when this philosophy filters into every aspect of life, we are truly healthy. Eating good food, nourishing the heart with good relationships, filling the mind with wise information, exercising with a balance of challenge & care - all of this creates a foundation of health and well-being that is profound. I wish this for everyone who reads this. When we take good care of ourselves and we feel good, we can share this positive feeling with everyone we encounter, and we are better able to respond to what life brings us. Be well.
Balsamic Dijon Veggies
The sauce is very yummy, and the onions, mushrooms, and kale suck it up really well. Although it may be tempting to throw everything in a slow cooker or roasting pan and let it all cook together, I don’t recommend this. Roasting the baby potatoes and Brussels sprouts separately makes them the perfect amount crispy. Putting it all together makes everything soggy in a bad way. Combine everything only when plating, for a good mix of textures, colors, and rich flavours.
This takes approx 1.5 - 2 hours from start to finish, and makes approx 6 servings, 8 if a protein source is added.
Sauce:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup veggie stock
3 tbsp dijon with seeds
2 tbsp honey
dried herbs: thyme & oregano 1tsp ea
2 garlic garlic cloves, minced
a good dose each of salt & pepper
Veggies:
3 medium sized onions, coarsely chopped into big pieces
3 handfuls mushrooms cremini or your favorite, sliced thick
10-ish large kale leaves, cutting the leaves off the stem (the stem is too thick to enjoy)
20-ish Brussels sprouts: with outer leaves taken off and quartered
10-ish baby potatoes quartered
1 head of garlic – smash all the cloves and remove the skins
Dried rosemary
olive oil
*You can add a protein source to this. (tofu, beans, poultry, etc)
The Process
Preheat oven to 375 f
Combine all sauce ingredients together. If you are using a protein, you can marinade it in the sauce for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, slowly carmelize the onions in a large pan on the stove top in a bit of olive oil at low heat – 30-ish minutes is great. Keep an eye on them and stir often, so they don’t stick or burn.
While the onions are slowly cooking, roast the Brussels sprouts & garlic together, and the potatoes with dried rosemary together spreading them out on a baking sheet (or 2) so they are not touching. Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper and stir so everything is coated. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes – or until slightly browned and soft enough to enjoy eating.
Back to the pot on the stove: when the onions are soft & slightly browned, add the mushrooms and saute until soft – 5-10 minutes. Then, add the sauce (& protein if you are using that) and bring to a simmer. If you do have protein, cook it at a low simmer until it is done to your liking.
Finally, add the kale to the onions, mushrooms, sauce, etc and simmer until it is wilted, about 10 minutes more.
Serve everything together: drizzle the potatoes & Brussels sprouts in the extra sauce.
Cauliflower Bean Salad - good hot or cold
This takes just over an hour from start to finish, and makes approx 6 servings as a main course, or 8 servings as a side.
Sauce:
3 tbsp each of:
lemon juice,
dijon mustard (with seeds),
olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
a good dose of salt & pepper
Veggies
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup fresh Peas
1 red pepper, cut into small squares
small bag of arugula, washed
1/3 cup parsley, chopped coarsely
2 cups White beans (canellini or navy), rinsed
Olive oil
extra lemon juice for cooking
The Process:
Saute cauliflower in a large pan on low-medium heat in a small amount of olive oil, ocassionally adding a tiny bit of lemon juice, just so they don’t stick to the bottom. It’s great if they can be cooked through - a bit soft on the inside, but slightly browned on the outside. This means not so much liquid that they can’t brown (roasting them in the oven would also work for this).
After about 5 minutes, add the peas (roasting peas in the oven does not work well - stovetop is preferable with a bit of liquid to create a perfect ‘soft on the inside, a bit brown on the outside’ mix )
Once the cauliflower and peas seem almost done , at approx 15 minutes, add the red pepper and white beans, and cook for 5 minutes more.
Meanwhile, stir all the sauce ingredients together in a big bowl.
Put the veggies in the big bowl with the sauce, while still warm, and stir in the arugula and parsley, so the heat of the veggies wilts them, and the sauce is thoroughly mixed in.
Can be eaten hot or cold.
Baked, Breaded Cauliflower & Broccoli, with Cucumber –Yogurt Dip, and Tabouleh
To make everything, it takes approx 2 hours (an hour each), and this will give you a lot of food, enough for 6 as a main course, but each can be used separately as a side.
I like serving the cauliflower & broccoli warm, and the dip and tabouleh cold.
Baked, Breaded Cauliflower & Broccoli
Breading:
1/2 cup flour (I used almond flour, but I think most flours will work)
1/3 cup rice flour
1tsp tumeric
1 tsp garam masala – if you dont’ have this, tandoori spice would work, or a mixture of any of the following: cumin, coriander, allspice, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg
a dose each of salt & pepper
1 small head each of cauilfower & broccoli cut into small florets
Olive or coconut oil
Sesame seeds – White, black or both
The Process:
Preheat oven to 400 f
Blanche the cauli & broc for 5 minutes in a steamer or in a small amount of boiling water. Once they are a bit soft, rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process.
Mix the breading ingredients together and add water until it’s a thick batter, like pancake batter (Approx 3/4 cup water).
Dip the veggies in the batter and put on a lightly oiled baking sheet. They can be close together.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and cook for about 20 minutes, until slightly browned. Use a spatula to remove.
Cucumber – yogurt sauce:
Mix 10 oz of plain yogurt (greek or otherwise) with 1/3 cup grated or finely chopped cucumber – peeled and seeds removed. Add 3 tbsp lemon juice.
Tabouleh
2 large tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped into little squares
1 large cucumber, peeled and seeds removed, finely chopped into little squares
1 cup parsely leaves, finely chopped
Couscous: boil 1 ½ cups water or broth, then add 1 cup dried couscous, cover the pot with a lid and remove from heat. Let it sit for 5 minutes – then fluff couscous with a fork.
Almonds: ½ cup, coarsely chopped
Combine veggies, couscous & almonds and 1/4 cup lemon juice , and salt & pepper to taste. Let it sit for an hour before eating to let the flavours combine.
