A tasty vegetable dish for everyone

4/25/18 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

In 1971, Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moor Lappe became a best seller. His book encouraged people to eat meatless meals and stop wasting the world’s resources. His personal research on world hunger issues had convinced him that because it took so much grain to feed cattle that eating meat was an enormous waste.

Vegetarians in other countries were common but Americans were slow to embrace this new concept. Some vegetarians are Lacto-ovo and eat no meat but will eat dairy products and eggs. Ovo-vegetarians eat eggs but no meat or dairy products. Vegans eat no meat or animal products. Most of us still only eat veggies as a side dish. And statistics vary on what percentage of us identify as non-meat eaters. Some sources say that as much as 6% of the population are vegetarian or vegan.

My son, Jeff, is a vegan. Let me tell you, that diet is not for the faint of heart (pun intended). It is a complete way of living. The vegan diet and lifestyle excludes all animal products in any form. That includes meat, eggs and dairy or any other products of animal origin such as cheese, sour cream, etc. Also, no animal clothing such as leather shoes, etc.   

Jeff became a vegan many years ago because of our family history of high cholesterol and heart disease. Evidence is overwhelming that a well-balanced vegetarian diet is better for you than a meat based diet. Countless studies have shown that a nutritious, plant-based diet will result in a lower risk of obesity, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.

Our family, however, is still a mixed group. We can’t give up our eggs and cheese! Most of us are meat eaters but Jeff and his wife Andrea are living proof that their vegan diet is doable and it dramatically lowered his cholesterol. However, it is a balancing act to get enough protein.

So, when they come to our house, in addition to vegetables, I stock up on soy products like tofu and tempeh, rice, beans, hummus and a multitude of other things from Trader Joes. Today, the purpose of my column was to research and find a veggie burger recipe to share with them and you. I regret to tell you that the one I found was too long to print! You can find it and other vegetarian recipes at: www.ohsheglows.com.

My next choice was to find a new way to serve two veggies that are in season right now—broccoli and Brussels sprouts. We seem to eat a lot of broccoli at our house and my husband loves sprouts. I ended up with a combination of the sprouts and broccolini (a hybrid of broccoli and kale).

This recipe is different and will really perk up your taste buds. It’s way more tasty than a run-of-the-mill steamed version of either vegetable. Try it. You’ll like it. Enjoy!

MAPLE and BALSAMIC BRUSSELS SPROUTS

1 1/2 cups Brussels sprouts

1 bunch broccolini or other seasonal veggie, such as cauliflower

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

a few handfuls of arugula

¼ cup dried cranberries

Sea salt and fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Remove the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Chop the broccolini into bite-sized pieces.

Spread the vegetables on one or two large baking sheets. Roast the broccolini on a separate sheet because it takes less time. Drizzle with the olive oil, maple syrup, and balsamic and season with pinches of salt and pepper. Toss until well-coated. Drizzle a little more on the Brussels sprouts and a little less on the broccolini since it takes more to get the Brussels sprouts to tenderize.

Roast the broccolini for 20 minutes, until browned but not burnt. Toss halfway through. Roast the Brussels sprouts for 45 minutes, until browned and caramelized. Toss halfway through. Watch and adjust the timing to whenever they look done, and don’t be afraid to deeply caramelize them.

Once roasted, set aside and let cool to about room temperature. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt, pepper, maple syrup, or vinegar as needed. You can roast the veggies a few hours in advance. They improve as they sit and the flavors meld together. Warm just before serving.

Toss the warm veggies with the arugula and cranberries. Taste again, adjusting seasoning to your taste. Serves 3-4.

Note: Recipe is from Jeanine Donofrio.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal with Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner

Contact her by email bchatty@bettykaiser.com