Faithful readers will know that I’m a great fan of cruciferous veggies – the ones other folks don’t par-ticularly like, as a matter of principle. I’ve always thought it was a crying shame more folks don’t champion these healthy gems!
French Onion Cabbage Gratin: Just one delicious, savoury way
to enjoy the most common cruciferous veggie: Green Cabbage!
FFB fans will also know, I’ve started a series glorifying Cabbage in particular, by way of a crusade in support of cruciferous veggies…
Definitely underrated
Cruciferous veggies include some of the most common denizens of the supermarket produce section: Cabbages, Broccolis and Cauliflower. But the family also includes Brussel’s Sprouts, Turnips, Radishes, Bok Choi, Kale, Arugula and Cresses.
According to the Healthy Eating Hub (HEH), cruciferous veggies are one of the original ‘superfoods’. They’re packed with essential nutrients including: “a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, such as […] vitamins A, C, E and K, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and potassium. They also contain essential trace minerals, such as iron, selenium, copper, manganese and zinc”
“Unfortunately…” the HEH continues: “They also have a reputation of being the stuff of children’s nightmares (and adults too!) due to their complex flavours, which often require a degree of effort and skill to make taste good.” They are, in fact, the original reason some folks have always needed special encouragement to ‘eat their greens’.
This is my quest
Thus, my quest to popularize cruciferous veggies of all kinds and cultural origins… To quote Don Quixote (from the musical, not the book):
My questions for you:
DO you feel, as I do, that cruciferous veggies are vastly underrated, and deserve greater consider-ation in our daily diets?
DO you agree that they are, indeed, superfoods?
DO you shy away from serving cruciferous veggies because you’re afraid folks won’t embrace them?
If you had a source of recipes and techniques designed to help you make cruciferous veggies tastier and more acceptable to picky diners and skeptics, would you serve them more often?
If I started the club, would you wear the hat?
Muse on that…
~ Maggie J.