Cooking this week: Cruciferous veggies
In a healthy diet, it’s obvious that veggies are a must. But cruciferous veggies – cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts – may provide you with even more of a nutritional boost.
For maintaining a healthy diet, it's obvious that veggies are a must. But cruciferous veggies – cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, kale, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts – may provide you with even more of a nutritional boost.
A recent study found that consuming these kinds of vegetables may curb inflammation. In addition to this new health benefit, this group of produce has also been associated with lowering the risk of heart disease and cancer due to the high amounts of phytochemicals, fiber, vitamins and minerals they contain.
So if these veggies aren't a staple in your diet enough, now may be the time to add more of them into your daily meals. To help you do this, we've planned out a week's worth of dinners which feature a different cruciferous veggie each day. From, pastas, to curries and tacos, these meals are tastier than salads and total up to less than 500 calories each.
Monday: Velvet chicken with baby bok choy
Bok choy, a common veggie used in Chinese cuisine, bulks up this chicken stir-fry. Egg whites, reduced-sodium soy sauce and scallions are some of the other healthy ingredients included in this simple, low-carb dish.
Per serving: 251 calories, 13g fat, 6g carbohydrates, 26g protein, 1g fiber
Tuesday: Delicata squash and tofu curry
This vegetarian curry dish includes many hearty ingredients such as squash, tofu, and of course, kale! This cruciferous veggie is one of the healthiest superfoods out there. It contains just 30 calories in one serving, a day's worth of Vitamin C and twice the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A.
Per serving: 316 calories, 18g fat, 29g carbohydrates, 16g protein, 8g fiber
Wednesday: Maple-glazed salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts
Get your dose of omega-3s from the salmon, and a ton of nutrients – including Vitamin C, folate and fiber – from the Brussels sprouts. This salmon is glazed with maple syrup and whole-grain mustard.
Per serving: 417 calories, 19g fat, 19g carbohydrates, 42g protein, 4g fiber
Thursday: Korean-style beef and cabbage tacos
The cruciferous veggie in this recipe – cabbage – is used in three ways: for the shell, as part of the filling, and also as a topping. This Korean-inspired recipe also includes brown basmati rice and either skirt or flank steak for the tacos.
Per serving: 450 calories, 19g fat, 40g carbohydrates, 30g protein, 6g fiber
Friday: Sicilian cauliflower pasta
Another vegetarian dish, this lightened up pasta meal calls for whole-wheat penne and a half-head of cauliflower for the main ingredients. Less than 300 calories, this simple dish only takes 15 minutes to prepare!
Per serving: 292 calories, 6.5g fat, 48g carbohydrates, 9g protein, 3g fiber