HOW GOOD ARE BRUSSELS SPROUTS?

Brussels sprouts are nutritious.  They are high in vitamin K which is a nutrient that helps with blood clotting. They are also high in vitamin A and vitamin C. Those vitamins provide anti-oxidant properties to keep cells healthy. The kaempferol content from Brussels sprouts makes them a great anti-inflammatory food.  Many studies suggested eating anti-inflammatory foods such as vegetables like Brussels sprouts, fruits, whole grains and nuts may reduce inflammation and improve medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis.

My family and I love eating Brussels sprouts, and we always try different ways to make them. So, I wanted to share few recipes I created with you this month: Brussels sprouts with couscous, Brussels sprouts tossed salad and Brussels sprouts chips. All these recipes are easy to make and easy to adapt to your own likings.

 My Brussels sprouts with turkey bacon and couscous is a heart healthy dish. I used turkey bacon to enhance the flavor without additional salt. Because of that, this recipe only has 344 mg of sodium per cup. This makes it a heart healthy low sodium entrée for people who want to limit their salt intake (Note: sodium intake recommendation is less than 2300 milligram per day). If you are sensitive to gluten, replace the couscous with quinoa. You can also add additional vegetables you have on hand, a good way to use up your leftover vegetables in your refrigerator!

This Brussels sprouts tossed salad recipe is an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant salad entrée! Blanching the Brussels sprouts quickly will soften the Brussels sprouts slightly. Rinsing them with cold water will stop further cooking so that they will not become mushy. I used carrots in this salad but you can use any vegetables you like. Depending on the availability, fresh cucumbers, bell peppers or tomatoes will be great in this salad too. The chopped apples provide the right amount of sweetness to balance off your own favorite vinaigrette dressing. Feel free to replace apples with your favorite fruits or omit them if you prefer. By the way, it is easy to make this into a plant-based salad, just replace eggs with beans or lentils to get your protein.

 My Brussels Sprouts Parmesan Chips only need three ingredients. These chips are crispy and tasty. The trick to make them crispy is to flip the chips mid-way during baking. Because they are homemade without additives, these chips will become soft after a couple of hours. When that happens, just put them in a toaster oven for a minute and they will become crispy again.

Let me know how you eat your Brussels sprouts.

Happy Eating