Broccoli is a powerhouse of nutrition. The word broccoli is derived from the Latin word brachium. Broccolo is its Italian name and means - cabbage sprout. It is a member of the cauliflower family and resembles a cauliflower - a cauliflower is creamy white in color and broccoli is a bright green or a purple-green.
Broccoli was grown in Italy and France since the 16th century. It was commonly grown in United States in the 1920s.
Care should be taken while buying the vegetable to see that it is a fresh green color and the leaves are fresh. Yellowish heads are the over mature broccoli and not good. The stalks should be firm and fresh.
Broccoli is one vegetable along with onions, which reduces the risk of heart disease, as it is a rich source of Flavonoids.
It has been proved that in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, indole 3 carbinol I3C, are a naturally occurring component, which helps to fight the cancer cells. We know that the phytonutrients act as antioxidants to disarm the free radicals of cancer. They actually send messages to the genes to increase production of the enzymes involved in detoxifying and cleansing - through which harmful chemicals are eliminated.
Broccoli is a rich source of calcium and Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps in the absorption of calcium, which improves bone density. Thus it is good to eat broccoli to prevent the onset of osteoporosis.
Broccoli is beneficial for pregnant women. This vegetable has a rich source of Folic acid - which helps the cells in the foetus to divide properly. Deficiency in Folic acid also results in birth defects. Not only at birth, even when the child grows he is able to ward off lung cancer and prostrate cancer if the mother had eaten a good amount of broccoli during pregnancy.
Eating Broccoli with Tomato is good to ward off prostrate cancer. A combination of ¾ cup of tomatoes with 1/3-cup broccoli is very good.
Eating 3-5 serving of broccoli a week is good enough. 1 serving is 1 cup of the steamed vegetable.
Long exposure to ultra violet rays is one cause of skin cancer. An extract of broccoli applied to the skin will prevent skin cancer. Though this will have to be applied for at least 8 - 10 weeks.
Broccoli Soup
Ingredients
Recipe
Broccoli 1head
Onions1chopped
Milk 2 cups
Cabbage1 cup chopped
Butter1 tbspn
Salt To taste
Pepper To taste
Cut the broccoli into florets. Steam them for 4 mins. Keep a cup of florets aside.
Heat the butter in a pan and sauté the onion till it is transparent.
Add the cabbage and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a boil.
Blend the broth and pass through a sieve. Heat again.
Add the salt and pepper and florets and serve.
Serves: 5-6
Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
Recipe
Broccoli Florets 2 cups
Carrot 1 cup grated
Tomato 1 cup sliced
Pasta Penne 1 cup boiled
Oil 1 tspn
Cheese 1 tbspn grated
Salt to taste
Paprika or Chilli flakes 2 pinches
SBoil the broccoli in an open pan for two minutes and cool.
Boil the penne in water, to which a tspn of oil and ½ tspn of salt is added. Cool.
Mix with all other ingredients, toss and serve.
Serves: 5-6
Grilled Broccoli
Ingredients
Recipe
Broccoli 2 cups florets
Cauliflower 2 cups florets
Red pepper 1 (Capsicum can also be used)
Curd 1 cup
Gram flour 1 tbspn
Ginger/garlic paste 1 tspn
Chaat Masala ½ tspn
Red chilli powder ½ tspn
Salt to taste
Steam the broccoli and cauliflower for 4 minutes. The vegetable should not turn soggy.
Mix all the other ingredients together to form a paste
To this Add the red pepper cubed, Add brocolli and cauliflower.
Mix and marinate for at least two hours.
Skewer on a sheek and grill.
Alternately after marinating, grease an oven plate and place in the oven till done.
Sweet Thrills
Broccoli is a powerhouse of nutrition. The word broccoli is derived from the Latin word brachium. Broccolo is its Italian name and means - cabbage sprout. It is a member of the cauliflower family and resembles a cauliflower - a cauliflower is creamy white in color and broccoli is a bright green or a purple-green.
