Broccoli! Some days I love that word, dare I even say, crave it; other days, I absolutely despise it. I almost NEVER pass up the opportunity to eat it, though.
Broccoli is actually packed with every bit as much (and probably more) nutrition than most people realize. This little tree-like veggie contains loads of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, a number of B vitamins, as well as minerals, but that’s not even the best part. Broccoli is part of a sulfur-containing family called cruciferous or brassica vegetables (kale, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collards, turnips).
Yes, that’s right – sulfur, the same compound that feeds embarrassing, gas-producing colonic bacteria. So why would anyone ever want to eat something that can cause flatulence?! Simple, sulfur is detoxifying. No, not because you release toxic gas, but because the sulfur compound is necessary to generate the body’s most powerful antioxidant, glutathione. It is extremely hard to supplement glutathione so it must be generated inside the body and boosted with the food we eat; broccoli is one powerful booster! In addition, broccoli also contains indole-3-carbinol, or I3C.
For everyone, but especially you ladies out there, I3C is helpful in breaking down estrogens, pushing the good metabolites down the correct pathway, and helping push the cancer-causing metabolites out. Broccoli is a sulfur-containing estrogen buster that packs the body with nutrients so it’s important to find different ways to enjoy it! The following recipe is one of my favorite ways to eat a TON of this super veggie:
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs coconut oil or lard
- 1 lb grass-fed flank steak (cut into 1 inch strips or pre-cut stir-fry meat)
- 4 cups broccoli florets (preferably organic)
- 1/2 large yellow onion (cut into strips)
Beef Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 -2 cups beef stock (grass-fed, organic)
- 1 thumb ginger, freshly grated
- 1/4 cup kuzu –or- 2 Tbs arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried Thai chilies (optional, can use any pepper for heat)
- 1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos (add to taste)
Instructions
- Melt 1 Tbs oil in large skillet or wok, add broccoli and cook until bright green (al dente)
- Add the onions and cook until soft
- While cooking the veggies: in a bowl, combine the beef sauce ingredients, cold
- Add meat to skillet/wok and cook
- Add beef sauce to skillet/wok and let cook for 5 minutes. Kuzu/arrowroot will thicken.
- Serve and enjoy!!!