Food Friday: Brussels Sprouts

Food Friday is my weekly homage to my favorite thing on Earth- FOOD!  I haven't always felt this way.  I used to view food as the enemy.  But no longer!  I love food- it helps me meet my performance goals, nourishes my body, and most importantly keeps me healthy so I can make a difference in this crazy world.  So every Friday I will be posting about one of my favorite foods.  It may be a plant or animal, single ingredient or recipe, or whatever I feel like (hey- it's my blog afterall).

If there is a particular food you would like me to talk about, recommend it in the comments! 

 Brussels Sprouts

Hold it.  How many of us rallied against our parents to keep Brussels Sprouts off our plate?  Because really, cabbage is suspect all by itself... but mini smelly cabbages are downright offensive.  In fact, a 2008 Heinz survey ranked Brussels Sprouts as the most hated vegetable in America.

I get it.  I hated Brussels Sprouts before I even tried them.  What kind of Regina George vegetable has a reputation like that?

Well, Brussels Sprouts are very, ah, fragrant when overcooked.  The traditional method of cooking was to boil them- assuring they were mushy and smelly.

But just like thick rimmed glasses and baggy sweaters, what's old is new again.  Brussels Sprouts are back in a big way.  Restaurants are making a name by making them tasty.  Hipster foodies buy them locally.  And of course, they're Paleo.

Brussels Sprouts pack a punch of nutrients and are super easy to make.  So if you haven't already, get daring and add some to your meal plan today!

P.S.  Does anyone else say Brussel Sprouts??  I did... until about two days ago.  It's really Brussels Sprouts.... because modern versions were cultivated in Belgium!

Benefits

• Super high levels of Vitamin C and K
• A good source of Folate, Manganese, Fiber, and Vitamin B6   
• Provides protection against cancer because of a compound called glucosinolate.  All cruciferous veggies contain this compound, but Brussels Sprouts have the most.  
• Low carbohydrate- one gram per serving

Shopping

Readily available in most grocery stores, Brussels Sprouts are usually located by the big cabbage.  Do you think that makes them feel inadequate?

But really, buy and cook them fresh.  Frozen Brussels Sprouts tend to be bitter and slimy.

Preparing

I typically cut the sprouts in half or even quarter them.  Be sure to chop off the hard white stem portion at the bottom.  If the outer leaves are looking a little yellow, you can peel them away.  And with all veggies, wash them well.

Cooking

Let me say this once...

Roasting Brussels Sprouts is the way to go.

Some people like them steamed, but I think that makes them taste like mini-cabbage mush balls.  So if that's your jam, go for it.  A good roast gives them crispy outer leaves and well cooked inside.  You can also peel the leaves and make chips.  

You could also skip the cooking and slice them to make a winter slaw!

Recipe

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ham

These sprouts have just the right about of crisp and are a great side dish for anything from ribs to chicken to hamburgers.  Or by themselves as a snack!

Ingredients:

1 lb Brussels Sprouts
1/2 Cup Chopped Ham (or sub 4 pieces of chopped bacon)
2 TBS Coconut Oil (melted)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 Degrees F.

2. Cut the white stalk off of the Brussels Sprouts and cut in half

3.  Mix Brussels Sprouts with chopped ham, coconut oil, sea salt, and pepper.

4. Spread evenly on a baking sheet.

5.  Bake for 35-40 minutes until crisp on the outside.

6.  Serve immediately and enjoy!


Cheers!

-Kelsey

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What do you think?  Do you like Brussesls Sprouts or would you rather put your head through a wall?  If you love them, share your favorite recipes in the comments below!

Food Friday: Bone Broth

Food Friday is my weekly homage to my favorite thing on Earth- FOOD!  I haven't always felt this way.  I used to view food as the enemy.  But no longer!  I love food- it helps me meet my performance goals, nourishes my body, and most importantly keeps me healthy so I can make a difference in this crazy world.  So every Friday I will be posting about one of my favorite foods.  It may be a plant or animal, single ingredient or recipe, or whatever I feel like (hey- it's my blog afterall).

If there is a particular food you would like me to talk about, recommend it in the comments! 

 Bone Broth

Have you heard of the book The 5 Love Languages?  If you haven't, it's about understanding how we receive love.  It may be touch, affirmation, etc.  But I'm here today to propose a 6th Love Language.  And that, my friends, is the language of Bone Broth.

Bone Broth is one of the most nutrient dense foods you can put in your body.  It will keep you nourished, strong, and healthy.  So if someone gave me a bouquet, basket, or little blue box full of Bone Broth, I would know that person loves me from the inside out.  And if I ever give you a Mason Jar full of this elixir...  Whoa.  You're in.

Seriously- these chickens are in Broth Love

Benefits

Bone Broth is considered a traditional super food.  When you slow simmer bones to make broth, you're releasing the nutrients stored deep in the bone and connective tissue of an animal.  Those nutrients include:

• Generous amounts of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and silica
• Chocked full of gelatin, which is a super supplement in and of itself:
• Helps make protein more available to be absorbed by your body
• Aids in digestion
• Increases stomach acid which helps your body break down food and therefore absorb nutrients
• Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine which are known to help with joint pain
• Plenty of collagen which helps keep your hair, skin, nails, and joints healthy (PS- it's also said to help reduce cellulite!)

And, there's a reason why Grandma fed you chicken soup when you were sick!  Because of Bone Broth's mineral density, it has an anti inflammatory effect on the body which boosts the immune system!

I really try to get at least a cup of homemade broth in a few days a week.  If I'm feeling run down or stressed, I try to add it in every day as a preventative measure.

Shopping

Ok, here is the catch.  When I'm talking about Bone Broth, I am NOT referring to the boxes of chicken stock at your local grocery store.  That stuff has a high probability of just being colored and flavored water.  So I encourage you to make your own!  It's cheaper, more nutrient dense, and tastes WAY better.  Plus- it's easy.


You can use leftover bones from a chicken or turkey carcass or go straight to your butcher and ask for soup bones.  
 

Preparing

The great thing about making Bone Broth is that you really can't mess it up.  Toss some bones, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and water in a crock pot and let it cook.  If you want to add some veggies for added flavor or nutrients, chopped carrots, celery, or onion usually work best.  But they are not necessary.

Cooking

Ok, I'm going to blow your mind.  A good Bone Broth should be left in the crock pot for no less than 12 hours, but can be left up to 24 hours.  This slow cooking will pull as many nutrients as possible from the bones.  If you have a good enough bones your broth will be gelatinous when it's cold (I've only been able to achieve this with grassfed beef bones).  This is the nutrient sweetspot.  

Seriously, how fun is that?  It's like a Jello Jiggler for nutrition geeks.

Recipe

Like I said above, you really cannot mess up broth.  However, if it's the first time you've made it, there are a lot of broth recipes out on the interwebs.  My favorite one is from Diane over at balancebites.com. 

Balanced Bites Bone Broth:

4 Quarts Filtered Water

1.5-2 lbs Beef Knuckle or Marrow Bones (or really, any bones/carcass will do)

The cloves from one whole head of fresh garlic, smashed

2 Tablespoons Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Place all the ingredients in a 6 Quart Crockpot and set to HIGH.  When the stock is boiling reduce the heat to low.  Cook anywhere from 12-24 hours.  The longer it cooks, the more gelatin rich it will become!  Turn off the crock pot and let it cool.  Strain the stock and discard what you skim off.  When the broth cools, you may have fat that separates at the top. You will want to skim and discard that fat.

You can store the Broth in the fridge or freeze it for later use (portion it out before you freeze it).  You can even freeze it in ice cube trays and thaw a little at a time (this is great to saute veggies in for added nutrients and flavor). 

You can drink it straight, but most people use it to replace store bought stock.  This will make a thicker and more flavorful broth than you would buy.  You can dilute your broth to your tastes- I like my soup a little stronger, so I usually do a 1:1 Borth/Water ratio, but many people perfer 1:2.


What do you think?  Do you make your own broth? What's your favorite recipe?

  

Food Friday: Kale

Food Friday is my weekly homage to my favorite thing on Earth- FOOD!  I haven't always felt this way.  I used to view food as the enemy.  But no longer!  I love food- it helps me meet my performance goals, nourishes my body, and most importantly keeps me healthy so I can make a difference in this crazy world.  So every Friday I will be posting about one of my favorite foods.  It may be a plant or animal, single ingredient or recipe, or whatever I feel like (hey- it's my blog afterall).

If there is a particular food you would like me to talk about, recommend it in the comments! 

 Kale

Oh Kale, glorious Kale.

First of all, I feel like Kale is VERY polarizing.  I've seen Facebook commentary that it tastes like dirt.  According to Mitchell on Modern Family, "Kale is not ready to Anchor a meal."  And really, WWRST (What Would Ron Swanson Think).

  

For anyone who knows me, it's probably borderline shocking that my first Food Friday is about a vegetable.  But Kale is probably the one green that I legitimately love.

It's so versatile: you can eat it raw in a salad, cooked in a soup, sauteed in some (sourced) bacon fat with garlic, mixed in a hash, stuffed in some Pumpkins, or baked as a chip.  

Benefits

And here is what Kale has to offer you:

• Mega Rich is Vitamins A,D,E,K and C 
• Chocked full of anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients  
• Great source of Calcium (Anyone going dairy free will inevitably hear the phrase "But where will you get your calcium?"  You can tell them "KALE YO!")
• Contains essential minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus  
• Great source of Fiber (Again, if you're giving up whole grains see the Calcium comment above.)

Shopping

Look for firm, deeply colored leaves.  I've only ever seen green Kale in my grocery store, but there are red and purple varieties as well.  And some more good news- Kale is cheap.  You can usually get one bunch of organic Kale for under $2.

Preparing

Make sure you pull the leaves off the stems.  The stems can be really chewy but they are great for compost!  And as with any other veggie, rinse well before eating!

Cooking

I think a lot of people in the health an wellness field would recommend eating Kale raw, but I have to disagree with that.  Cooking Kale will cause it to lose some of the nutrients, but if you do not have a full functioning digestive system (most people do not) digesting any raw plant can be difficult.  

I think you get the biggest bang for your buck using Kale in a soup.  Below is my very favorite Kale recipe where the Kale is cooked in the soup.  The soup will retain most of the good stuff lost in the heating process.  

Recipe

Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup with Kale

This is my FAVORITE recipe with Kale.  If you're a fan of the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden, this is pretty darn close!

*I saved the following as a picture.  You should be able to right click and "save as" to your personal recipe folder OR print directly from the picture.*

  

How do you feel about Kale?  Love it or hate it?  If you love it, what is your favorite way to eat it?