Splendiferous Cruciferous!

Cruciferous vegetables, also known as brassicas, are splendid indeed. Brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, kale, and kohlrabi may look unassuming, but they are powerhouses of phytonutrients that can protect against cancer.
Cruciferous veggies contain the sulphur compound glucosolinate. When glucosolinate is broken down, isothiocyanates and indol-3-carbinol are formed. Indole-3-carbinol helps break down and eliminate excess estrogens, preventing the development or growth of estrogen sensitive cancers. In addition, cruciferous vegetables contain folate, vitamin C, carotenoids, chlorophyll, fiber, flavinoids, lignans, and phytosterols—all of which have been shown to have cancer preventative effects.
In addition, brassicas contain selenium, a nutrient needed for producing thyroid hormone. This is a good thing because if you eat too many raw brassicas, it can negatively affect thyroid activity. But no fear, all you have to do is cook the vegetables to break down the goitrogens (compounds that can cause a goiter). Even lightly steaming will suffice.
Brassicas are eaten around the world. Cabbage is a key ingredient in Russian borscht, stuffed with meat in German cabbage rouladen, and shredded and tossed with ginger and seasoned vinegar to accompany Vietnamese dishes. Broccoli can be easily tossed in to stir frys, steamed and served with beurre blanc or creamed into a soup. Never tried kohlrabi? Think of it as a crunchy vegetable snack, mildly cabbage flavored, that can be eaten raw simply sliced or julienned into salads. Kohlrabi used to be one of my favorite things to give out as samples at the farmer’s market because most people had never tried it and were surprised at how much they liked it.
Cruciferous vegetables keep well in the refrigerator, so stock up this week and challenge yourself to prepare each brassica three different ways. Here is my favorite sauce to use with brassicas—toss it with shredded cabbage for a salad, use as a dipping sauce for kohlrabi slices, or add to stir frys:
2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon crushed ginger (I use the kind in jars)
chopped cilantro to taste, if desired