By Elizabeth Whalley, RHN
Enough can never really be said about the vegetables in the Brassicaceae or Cruciferae family. They are often touted as being nutrition powerhouses that work to fight cancer. The phytonutrient responsible for this nutritional clout is called indol-3 carbinol – a special chemical found in cruciferous vegetables that help the liver in detoxifying carcinogens (cancer causing compounds) found in our diets and environment. They have also been established to reduce the growth of breast cancer cells and to prevent the spread of various types of cancers . Eating a serving of these magnificent vegetables has been proven to not only reduce your risk of cancer but their high vitamin and mineral content, like vitamin K and C as well as folate has been associated with a reduction in macular degeneration.- making them quite capable at keeping your eyes healthy and keeping you looking young and radiant!
This recipe is my take on a traditional Irish side dish, calcannon, that is sure to satisfy your cruciferous cravings! Try it hot, cold, as a main or as a side dish. The featured flavours are so versatile they will perfectly compliment any protein.
Cruciferous Calcannon
Ingredients:
- 6 yellow fleshed potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into small pieces
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 green cabbage, chopped
- 3 leaves kale, minced
- 3 Tbsp butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Boil the chopped potatoes in salted water until fork tender, strain and set aside.
In the same pot, melt 1 Tbsp butter over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion and cabbage and saute until translucent.
Remove from heat and add reaming butter, kale and cooked potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mash until potatoes are smooth.
Serve.
Reference whfoods.com
