So why are these kugelettes good for you? Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable — one of the big reasons to eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables is that they may help to lower your risk of getting cancer. Cruciferous vegetables have compounds called glucosinolates. Non-cruciferous vegetables do not not have glucosinolates. These compounds KILL carcinogens before they can damage our DNA and prevent healthy cells from turning into cancerous cells. They provide vitamin A, B6, C, K, folic acid, potassium, maganese and iron. Some other cruciferous vegetables are kale, bok choy, cauliflower and brussels sprouts. This dish also contains onions, which help to regulate blood sugar levels. This, in turn, reduces insulin secretion and IGF (insulin-like growth factors), and thus the growth of cancer cells.

I made one pan of regular sized muffins and one pan of mini-muffins for the kids. If you do not want to make a pan of mini-muffins, you can fit all of the batter into one 12 serving muffin pan. These muffins would be great for breakfast, lunch, snack or a side-dish. They are really full of flavor!

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Broccoli Kugelettes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 lb package chopped broccoli or spinach, thawed
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Chop broccoli. (If using spinach, squeeze out excess liquid)
3. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes.
4. Add carrots and zucchini to skillet. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add broccoli and mix well. Set aside to cool.
6. In a large bowl, beat eggs together with almond flour until smooth. Add cooled vegetable mixture, salt and pepper; mix well.
7. Spoon mixture into paper-lined muffin pans.
8. Bake until firm and golden, about 35 minutes.
9. Refrigerate any leftovers. Would be a great addition to a school lunch!
10. Enjoy!

Notes:

Purchase organic ingredients if possible.

Broccoli Kugelettes

• 1 lb package chopped broccoli or spinach, thawed
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 1 medium zucchini, shredded
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Chop broccoli. (If using spinach, squeeze out excess liquid)
3. Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, 5-7 minutes.
4. Add carrots and zucchini to skillet. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add broccoli and mix well. Set aside to cool.
6. In a large bowl, beat eggs together with almond flour until smooth. Add cooled vegetable mixture, salt and pepper; mix well.
7. Spoon mixture into a paper-lined muffin pan.
8. Bake until firm and golden, about 35 minutes.
9. Refrigerate any leftovers. Would be a great addition to a school lunch!
10. Enjoy!

To receive daily health tips and gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and sugar-free meal/snack ideas, like us at www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood.

“When you know better, you do better.”

We used frozen broccoli with this dish. Frozen vegetables are great to keep on hand for nights you need to put together something quick. While canned vegetables tend to lose a lot of nutrients during the preservation process (notable exceptions include tomatoes and pumpkin), frozen vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets, says Gene Lester, Ph.D., a plant physiologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Weslaco, Texas. Why? Fruits and vegetables chosen for freezing tend to be processed at their peak ripeness, a time when—as a general rule—they are most nutrient-packed.

While the first step of freezing vegetables—blanching them in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes—causes some water-soluble nutrients like vitamin C and the B vitamins to break down or leach out, the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables in a relatively nutrient-rich state.

On the other hand, fruits and vegetables destined to be shipped to the fresh-produce aisles around the country typically are picked before they are ripe, which gives them less time to develop a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. Outward signs of ripening may still occur, but these vegetables will never have the same nutritive value as if they had been allowed to fully ripen on the vine. In addition, during the long haul from farm to fork, fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to lots of heat and light, which degrade some nutrients, especially delicate vitamins like C and the B vitamin thiamin. (Source)

This meal is a great alternative to Hamburger Helper and can be prepared in almost the same amount of time. If you are curious, here are the ingredients in the Hamburger Helper Beef Pasta box. Items highlighted in red are likely GMO.

Enriched pasta (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
Corn Starch
Maltodextrin
Salt
Enriched Flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
Dried Onion
Monosodium Glutamate
Color (caramel color, yellow 5 lake, yellow 5)
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (corn, wheat, soy)
Potassium Chloride
Yeast Extract
Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
Natural Flavor
Spice
Monoglycerides
Sugar
Beef Stock
Corn Syrup
Disodium Inosinate
Disodium Guanylate
Beef Fat
Sulfiting Agents
Garlic
Soy Sauce (soybeans, wheat, salt)
Silicon Dioxide

If you have used Hamburger Helper in the past, I hope this recipe is helpful to you!

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Ground Beef and Broccoli

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Whole Food. Real Food. Good Food.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 pounds organic grass-fed ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 12 oz frozen organic broccoli (cooked)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Melt ghee in pan over medium heat.
2. Cook onions for about 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Crumble beef in pan, add garlic powder, salt & pepper, cook until brown.
4. Add cooked broccoli.
5. Enjoy!

Ground Beef and Broccoli

2 tbsp ghee
2 pounds organic grass-fed ground beef
1 onion, chopped
12 oz frozen organic broccoli (cooked)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Melt ghee in pan over medium heat.
2. Cook onions for about 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Crumble beef in pan, add garlic powder, salt & pepper, cook until brown.
4. Add cooked broccoli.
5. Enjoy!

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Eat Better. Feel Better.

This is what I like to call an “eyeball” recipe. You can use as much broccoli, cauliflower, garlic and bacon to accommodate as many people as you need to. If you really like bacon, add more bacon! If you prefer broccoli over cauliflower, just use broccoli or vice versa. When coating with olive oil, pour enough so everything is very lightly coated. There was very little to clean up from making this dish. I had a cutting board and knife to clean. I lined the baking sheet with foil, thus did not have to wash it.

So why is this dish good for you? Broccoli and cauliflower are cruciferous vegetables — one of the big reasons to eat plenty of cruciferous vegetables is that they may help to lower your risk of getting cancer. Cruciferous vegetables have compounds called glucosinolates. Non-cruciferous vegetables do not not have glucosinolates. These compounds KILL carcinogens before they can damage our DNA and prevent healthy cells from turning into cancerous cells. They provide vitamin A, B6, C, K, folic acid, potassium, maganese and iron. Some other cruciferous vegetables are kale, bok choy and brussel sprouts.

Garlic is one of the oldest medicinal herbs (prescriptions for garlic are found on Sumerian tablets from 3000 B.C.). When Russian soldiers in World War II suffered a shortage of antibiotics, they used garlic to such an extent it was called “the Russian penicillin.” The sulfur compounds in garlic and onions promote apoptosis (cell death) in colon, breast, lung, and prostate cancer, as well as in leukemia. Epidemiological studies suggest a reduction in kidney and prostate cancer in people who consume the most garlic. Moreover, garlic and onions help to regulate blood sugar levels. This, in turn, reduces insulin secretion and IGF (insulin-like growth factors), and thus the growth of cancer cells.

I love adding bacon to recipes, but one thing to steer clear of is sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate, which is found in a lot of lunch meats, bacon, sausage, and hot dogs. It is a salt that helps to prevent bacterial cultivation of foods and makes them appear fresh.  It can lead to formation of cancer-causing molecules that can result in tumor formation. Both sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate have been linked to significantly increasing the risk of colon and other forms of cancer, so be sure to choose only uncured meat products made without nitrates, and preferably from grass-fed sources (Source).

We ate this dish for lunch and paired it with watermelon, which is an excellent source of vitamin A (eye health), C (immune system support), B6 (helps brian function) and potassium (helps lower risk of high blood pressure). Watermelon also has more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable which can help protect your skin from sun damage. Other good sources of lycopene include tomatoes, red and pink grapefruit, and guava.

Lycopene acts as a powerful antioxidant by scavenging reactive oxygen species, which are aggressive chemicals always ready to react with cell components, causing oxidative damage and loss of proper cell function. Scientists have found that lycopene in the diet correlates with reduced incidence of certain types of cancer. And lycopene levels in fat tissue—an indicator of lycopene consumption—have been linked with reduced risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack). (Source)

Lastly, watermelon is an excellent source of the amino acid citrulline; not only are watermelon’s citrulline stores abundant–they’re also readily usable. The human body uses citrulline to make another important amino acid—arginine—which plays a key role in cell division, wound healing and the removal of ammonia from the body. (Source)

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Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower & Garlic with Bacon

See Detailed Nutrition Info on

Whole Food. Real Food. Good Food. www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 8 cloves garlic, halved
• 8 strips bacon, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. On a baking sheet, toss together the broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, bacon and olive oil.
4. Roast for 25 minutes until bacon is crisp.
5. Enjoy!

Notes:

Purchase organic broccoli and cauliflower if possible.

Roasted Broccoli, Cauliflower & Garlic with Bacon

1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
8 cloves garlic, halved
8 strips bacon, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil.
3. On a baking sheet, toss together the broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, bacon and olive oil.
4. Roast for 25 minutes until bacon is crisp.
5. Enjoy!

To receive daily health tips and gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free and sugar-free meal/snack ideas, like us at www.facebook.com/wholefoodrealfood.

Eat Better. Feel Better.