1/2 Vegetable Breakfast: Brussels Sprouts

Vegetables with breakfast seems to be really challenging for a lot of people. I think that has more to do with our own mindsets about what foods belong in what meals. Don't let yourself be limited - a little side salad with frittata or some shredded veggies in your omelet or tofu scramble can increase the flavor, fiber and nutrition of the most important meal of the day. This morning I added a side of Brussels sprouts to my usual egg on toast and they were delicious!

Here's another way you can try these much-maligned, but extremely nutritious greens. I've always liked Brussels sprouts, but I'll probably always make them this way from now on, because they are so much better and even some die-hard haters have been converted. The main change: shred the sprouts.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts

• 2 cups of Brussels Sprouts - trimmed and sliced or shredded using the slicing blade of food processor
• 1 leek or large shallot - cleaned and sliced
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

After prepping the vegetables, heat the oil in a wok or saute pan, add leek or shallot and saute, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Add Brussels sprouts and continue stirring for about a minute. Reduce heat and cover - continue cooking over low-medium heat for another 5-10 minutes until sprouts are softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. So simple, so delicious. I've seen several recipes for Brussels sprouts prepared this way - some included other add-ins like crumbled bacon or poppy seeds - feel free to play with the flavors. My rule for vegetables: keep trying them - you may not like them today or prepared one way, but you don't want to miss out on them prepared a different way!

Another Great Garlic Recipe

My partner has a collection, a rather large collection, of shot glasses. He's not really that big on drinking shots, but just picks them up when he travels. We also have a refrigerator covered in magnets from places near and far. Now he's moving on to masks and objects d'art for our house. With all that going on, I have to be careful what I bring home from my travels. One of my favorite things to collect while traveling are recipes. The following recipe is adapted from the Parsley Garlic Relish from the Stinking Rose Restaurant in San Francisco. I've made it for years and enjoy it on crusty bread, with any meat dish, with pasta or even by the spoonful. Bon appetite!

Parsley-Garlic Dip

Parsley 2 Bunches - for variety, try 1 bunch flat and 1 bunch curled
Cilantro 1 Bunch
Garlic 4-10 cloves to taste - start on the low end and work your way up
Olive oil - 2 Tbsp-1/2 cup - start with less, taste and adjust upwards - the amount of oil will also vary based on how you want to use the dip.
White vinegar - about 2 Tbsp
Rice vinegar - about 1 Tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp+ to taste
Pepper - 1 tsp+ to taste
Brown sugar (optional) - 2 tsp

Finely chop or food process greens and garlic. Mix all ingredients well. Serve at room temperature with meat, on crackers, mixed with beans dishes or pasta.

Superfoods

Every week there seems to be some article online discussing superfoods, like this slide show or this one. It seems the answers that people are seeking from these articles are: is it good (or, is it as good as the claims) and should I use it? As with most nutritional questions, I don't think the answer is a simple one, but I would offer a quick rule of thumb:

If you can buy it in your produce department, eat it.

So many of the foods we call superfoods are produce, but we are suggested to buy them in pills, juices and powders. In some cases, I think this can be useful - I have a bottle of Veggie pills that I take with me when I'm traveling and won't be preparing my own food and I use a green powder from time to time. These products can also be useful for people suffering from extreme nutritional deficiencies or people who won't eat vegetables.

For most people, though, I think that increasing both the intake of fruits and vegetables and the diversity of fruits and vegetables will serve them well. Blueberries and spinach are amazing foods and I know a lot of people have started incorporating them into their diets and in fact, may eat these foods every day. I would encourage people to keep eating these great foods, but to also try raspberries, marionberries, blackberries, cherries and strawberries* as well as kale, chard, mustard greens, beet greens, dandelion greens and even different varieties of salad greens**.

Not only will your body have access to a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals from these plants, but your palate will thank you for it!


*Remember that berries and other soft skinned fruits are often grown using large amounts of chemical pesticides and consider buying organic to reduce your exposure.
**Please note that if you are taking blood thinning medications, you should speak to your doctor about increasing your intake of dark leafy greens as they are rich in Vitamin K and your medication may need to be adjusted.