I'm super excited that it's finally fresh vegetable season in Colorado! After getting 30" of snow on May 18th, it seemed like summer may never come!
My new love in the greens category are BROCCOLI SPROUTS. Turns out, I didn't even have to wait for warm weather to start growing this little powerhouse of a vegetable, because you can grow them right there in your kitchen cabinet! In this post I will discuss what's so great about BROCCOLI SPROUTS, how you can incorporate them into your diet, where to get them and how to grow them yourself.
So why BROCCOLI SPROUTS over any other vegetable? Like so many greens, BROCCOLI SPROUTS provide phytonutrients and antioxidant effects to keep you from rusting (oxidizing) from the inside out, especially after intense or prolonged exercise. They also reduce systemic inflammation, promote detoxification, and prevent DNA damage . But the most notable benefits of BROCCOLI SPROUTS is caused by this molecule called SULFORAPHANE. Sulforaphane has been shown to combat cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. For 30+ other reasons to eat your BROCCOLI SPROUTS, check out this article: 39 Proven Health Benefits of Broccoli Sprouts and Sulforaphane.
To incorporate them into your diet, you can pull a handful and drop them into a smoothie, toss them onto a sandwich, top off a salad (points for beautiful presentation) or eat them by themselves with a few drops of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Eating any vegetable with a fat such as olive oil will help your body make use of the micronutrients, so no fat-free dressings on them, got it?
I've found little clamshell cartons of them at most of my local grocers, including Vitamin Cottage/Natural Grocers, Whole Foods, Lucky's Market, and King Soopers/City Market/Kroger. Some come with a foam floor which you need to cut off before eating, so look for those without any weird white stuff on the bottom of the carton. Generally you can get a package for about $3-4.00. If you plan on eating them on a daily basis, you can grow your own very easily!
You can buy organic broccoli seeds and a SPROUTING JAR for about $5 each and start your own garden right in your kitchen cupboard. Or you can get a fancy layered system for about $16 (Amazon has them). You can have the equivalent of three or four packages in 4-8 days for much less money, and you know who has been touching your food. As I looked through Youtube for the best instructional video, I decided on this one--love this guy!