Your Mother was Right!

by | Feb 7, 2017 | Uncategorized

Why You Should Eat Your Broccoli, Plus a Delicious Recipe To Get You Started

President George H.W. Bush was famous for exclaiming in 1990: 

“I do not like broccoli, and I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid, and my mother made me eat it, and I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli.”

This bold statement enraged U.S. broccoli farmers in California who, within a week, had shipped 10 tons of broccoli to Washington, D.C. in protest. It fortunately was then donated to local homeless shelters.

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Denise’s
2 Cents:

Your mother was right—eat your veggies!

Lots of people want to know “What should I eat?” In my practice I encourage someone trying to change challenging eating habits to start small. That is, add onething to your daily eating routine. And Instead of trying to eliminate something from your eating habits, consider adding one thing. Broccoli can be a great choice!

And, yes, smothering broccoli in butter or cheese is still better than not eating it at all!  But try this stir fry recipe from Dr. Andrew Weil, which should encourage you to add this versatile and nutritious veggie to your diet:

Spicy Garlic Broccoli with Pine Nuts

Description

Garlic and broccoli seem to go hand in hand, one flavor beautifully complimenting the other. A light soy dressing and toasted pine nuts round out this savory dish. Opinions vary as to whether broccoli is neutral or cooling. It is often prescribed by Chinese doctors for eye inflammations and nearsightedness.

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds of broccoli or broccoli rabe

¼ cup pine nuts

1 ½ teaspoons (expeller-pressed) canola oil

1 ½ teaspoons roasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon hot chili paste or ¾ teaspoon crushed dried chiles

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 ½ tablespoons rice wine or sake, mixed with 2 tablespoons water.
Sauce (mixed together in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved):

1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  1. Trim the ends of the broccoli, separate the florets, peel the outer skin of the stem and cut it on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths.
  2. Toast the pine nuts until golden in a 300°oven, turning them occasionally so that they cook evenly for about 20 minutes.
  3. Heat a wok or large skillet, add the oils, and heat until hot, about 20 seconds. Add the chili paste or crushed chilis and garlic, and stir-fry, tossing with a slotted spoon over medium heat until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Turn the heat to high.
  4. Add the stem sections of the broccoli and stir-fry. Pour in the rice wine and water and cook, tossing, about 30 seconds, then cover and cook about 1½ to 2 minutes, until the stems are just tender. Add the florets or leafy sections and toss over high heat, cooking for about 1½ minutes, or until just tender.
  5. Add the premixed sauce and toss lightly for 15 seconds. Add the toasted pine nuts and stir-fry a few seconds to combine the ingredients. Scoop the ingredients into a serving bowl and serve immediately.