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Roasted Brussel Sprouts – Not Deep Fried Like Many Restaurants!

Health

My favorite restaurant has a very popular veggie dish, brussel sprouts. Many great restaurants have these fried little gems :). Brussels on the menu have become very popular.

Many people think they are healthy because they are veggies. The problem is they are deep fried. Not roasted like many think!

I have had clients argue with me that they are not deep fried. You can always ask the restaurant! If you cook a lot you probably know if they are fried or roasted. You can tell!

Don’t fret though my brussel loving friends! If you roast them the right way they are amazing! Don’t steam them like our Moms and Grandmas did, roast them with lots of good celtic sea salt and a good oil and you can enjoy them, without the dangers of frying.

Restaurants typically use unhealthy vegetable or canola oil for frying. Not healthy!

I like to use avocado or grapeseed oil, but a good olive oil is ok too. Using olive oil at high temps is controversial because of the smoke point.

For crispier Brussel Sprouts you need to roast them at a high temp like 425 degrees. You also need a good amount of oil and salt.

Here is my quick technique:

* Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
* Wash, trim ends and cut brussel sprouts in half.
* Coat in a good amount of coconut, avocado, grapeseed or olive oil.
* Toss with Celtic Sea Salt and good cracked pepper. Don’t skimp on the salt :).
* Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes depending on the crispness you want.

I like to keep the little pieces that fall off because they become really crispy like brussel chips! I also check them and gently shake them half way through. You can add them to a salad or just eat them as is. This is a much healthier way and much less greasy than the deep fried method!

Bring in the Greens! It’s time to sprout!

Health Coach
Healthy Microgreens!

Bring in your green thumb for the winter!  Let’s sprout!

Well friends’ winter is here, and I know some us are missing our gardening.  Have you ever thought about trying sprouting?  It really can be easy and incredibly nutritious.  Add them to your salad, sandwiches, stir-frys or smoothies for an incredibly nutritious meal!

Sprouting is essentially germinating seeds.  Grains, nuts, legumes or seeds can be sprouted right at home!  Sprouting makes them easier to digest and also increases vitamins C, B and fiber!  Studies have also shown it increases the availability of nutrients including calcium, zinc, iron and protein.

Sprouting is powerful! One of the biggest benefits is it decreases the presence of antinutrients. These antinutrients are found in plant seeds and they interfere with the ability to digest the nutrients when we eat them. This can affect our gut.  Phytic acid is one of these known antinutrients.

In a Nutshell, sprouting makes foods easier to digest, increases nutrient absorption, increases fiber content and protein availability.  

It is important to sprout your own and not buy sprouts from somewhere else.  There is potential for Salmonella and E.Coli.  I have bought sprouts from a farmer at the Oakland County Market here in Pontiac and never had a problem but sprouting at home is safest!

I use a sprouting jar and make sure I get my seeds from a reputable source. Burpee and Sprout People are certified “pathogenic-free”.  I love Sprout People 🙂 I get all my seeds from them.  Beans legumes, nuts and grains can all be sprouted but to simplify this post let’s talk about the seeds.

What seeds to sprout:
Here are a few: mung beans, radish, peas, alfalfa and sunflower.

What you will need:
The seeds and a sprouting jar.  Basically mine is a 1/2 gallon wide mouth mason jar with a mesh lid for air flow. You can get one at Whole Foods or Amazon. Mine is the Now brand.  I also ordered a new one at Sprout People.  That is an awesome site with all you need and cool videos 🙂

How To Sprout:
It is so easy! You basically put the seeds in a clean mason jar, cover with cool water and stir.  You set it to soak (different times depending on the seed).  Once soaking is over you drain all the water out and then rinse seeds with clean water. Swirl it around and drain again. Set in on the kitchen counter tipped over sideways so any water will drain.  Rinse and repeat two times a day.  They begin to germinate pretty quickly. You can wait until the sprouts are 1/2 inch to 2 inches or eat them at any time along the sprouting way!  Air drying before storage is important as you do not want them to be moist in the fridge!

There is a list of times and a ton of information online.  If you go to Sprout People they have it all there!  I will be finishing a Blog Post on my website later this month with photos on sprouting.

Note On Fur Babies:  Yes they love sprouts!  My dog loves these live plants!

As I always tell my clients, Eat Real Food!  You can’t get more live and real that Sprouting!  I hope you try it!

Cacao Vs. Cocoa

Love chocolate?  Do you know the raw form is a superfood?  It is called Cacao, not Cocoa, but Cacao.  So confusing, I know, they look similar in spelling. Aren’t they both chocolate?  Yes and no.  Cacao is the purest form of chocolate. It’s one of the highest sources of antioxidants in foods and has a high amount of flavonoids. Cacao is also higher in protein, fiber, magnesium and iron than cocoa powder. It is made by cold pressing un-roasted cocoa beans, so nutrients are not lost during processing.

Cocoa, on the other hand, is highly processed.  The high temperatures from processing destroys many of those superfood nutrient that Cacao has.  Cocoa is cheaper and many times contains sugar and dairy.  

The nutrient profile of raw cacao is SUPERFOOD worthy!  Check this out:

Raw cacao powder has more than 300 phytochemicals and four times the antioxidant power of regular dark chocolate.

Worth noting also, raw cacao is one of the richest food sources of magnesium!

In a 2.5 Tablespoon (15 gm) serving you get:

60 calories

8 grams carbs

1.5 grams total fat

5 grams fiber

4 grams protein

Iron, potassium ( 300 mg) and Magnesium (106 mg), calcium, zinc and manganese to name a few.

Cacao can improve heart health, cholesterol, stress levels, and inflammation, to list just a few physical benefits.

Another powerful benefit we all know of, especially us women:)  is the endorphins.  Cacao releases into the brain, anandamide, endorphins, phenylethylamine, and serotonin, all sparking descriptives like “blissful” and “euphoric.”