Most of us get in the habit of cooking things the same way all of the time, especially when it comes to vegetables. And if you are like many of our new clients, you may think that if you don’t eat a veggie raw, you’ll lose most of the nutrients. Well great news, this is Poppycock! You may be surprised to learn that many phytonutrients, like lycopene which is found in tomatoes, bell peppers and other red-colored produce (and lowers risk of cancer and heart attacks) actually become more available to the body when the vegetable is heated. Other nutrients like Vitamin C are higher in raw veggies, so it’s great to eat veggies prepared in different ways to reap the range of benefits and enjoy the different flavors!
To help you to do this, we’ve got some delish recipes like Easy Crunchy Braised Cabbage, Colorful Detox Salad, Caramelized Cauliflower with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice, Easy Peasy Seasoned Brussel Sprouts, Roasted detoxifying Veggies. And now we’ve whipped up this yumster! It’s an easy, yet different way to cook broccoli. This spicy fried broccoli is easy to cook and can be done right on your stovetop.
Pssst…Need more convincing that raw isn’t the only way to reap nutritional benefits? Cooked carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage, peppers and many other vegetables also supply more antioxidants, such as carotenoids and ferulic acid, to the body than they do when raw. According to a study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, boiling and steaming better preserves antioxidants, especially carotenoids, in carrots, zucchini and broccoli, than frying, though boiling was shown to be the best. The researchers studied the impact of the various cooking techniques on compounds such as carotenoids, ascorbic acid and polyphenols.
And indole is formed when certain plants (particularly cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage) are cooked—and it helps kill precancerous cells before they turn malignant.
However, eating broccoli raw also has its advantages since heat damages the enzyme myrosinase, which plays a role in killing precancerous cells.
The bottom line? You’ll reap benefits from veggies no matter how they are cooked (and whether or not they are cooked at all!). So make sure you prepare them how you like them! Here’s one way to shake up your routine:
Spicy “Fried” Broccoli
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
16 oz of defrosted frozen broccoli, drain if necessary
3/4 tablespoon avocado oil
½ teaspoon crushed red chili peppers
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
Instructions:
- Dry broccoli as thoroughly as possible
- Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat
- Add the crushed pepper and garlic to the skillet. Stirring constantly, allow to cook for 1 minute
- Add broccoli. Stir occasionally until the broccoli begins to get crispy and a bit brown
- Season with salt if desired.
Nutrition facts per serving: 58 calories, 3 g fat, 29 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 3 g fiber
- 16 oz of defrosted frozen broccoli, drain if necessary
- ¾ tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red chili peppers
- ½ teaspoon crushed garlic
- Dry broccoli as thoroughly as possible
- Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat
- Add the crushed pepper and garlic to the skillet. Stirring constantly, allow to cook for 1 minute
- Add broccoli. Stir occasionally until the broccoli begins to get crispy and a bit brown
- Season with salt if desired.