There was a time not too long ago that you couldn’t get me to touch Brussel sprouts with a 10-foot pole. Even though I love cabbage, which Brussel sprouts resemble (they are in the same family), I considered them to be the nastiest vegetable around.  Until my daughter Rashidah requested them for dinner one night and I nearly fainted from surprise.

Whenever any of my children ask for a specific vegetable, I comply immediately with their request. That’s because most children dislike anything that’s either green or good for them unless we train them early in their lives to do so. I think it must be a part of a child’s genetic coding to dislike vegetables and to love junk food instead. My children eat veggies now, but they didn’t just wake up that way -  it took some training. I started teaching them about the benefits of nutritional food when they were very young.

When it comes to good food, 15-year-old Rashidah is the exception of my five children. A real foodie who aspires to one day attend culinary school and become a chef, she’s the only one of my children who will automatically try any new food. So when she asked me to make Brussel sprouts for dinner, they were on the table that night. And making them taught me a valuable lesson as well. The truth is Brussel sprouts rock, but don’t overcook them or they’ll fill up your house with a funky smell.

Brussel sprouts actually taste very good if you cook them correctly and don’t boil them to death. They should be served when they are still bright green, and if they lose their brightness, then you’ve cooked them too long. I prefer them either steamed or stir-fried in a sauté pan with garlic and olive oil. They are also  very nutritional.

But the very best thing about Brussel sprouts is that they are one of the healthiest vegetables around, are simple to grow and can be found in stores in the winter. However, to get their full nutritional value you must compliment them with other sources of protein.

So the next time you want a healthy green veggie, consider making Brussel sprouts and combine them with brown rice, tofu, fish or chicken for a well-balanced dinner.

Fatimah’s Brussel sprouts stir fry

Ingredients

1/8 cup virgin olive oil

3 cloves of elephant garlic, crushed

One dozen Brussel sprouts, washed, with the base cut off and cut in half, then thinly sliced

One small red onion, quartered

1 cup of baby carrots, sliced in half length wise

½ yellow pepper, julienned

1 tsp onion powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan, careful not to burn.

Crush garlic and brown lightly.

Add carrots and stir for three minutes, but keep them firm.

Stir in the peppers and Brussel sprouts for 5-7 minutes.

Add spices and salt and pepper lightly according to taste.

Make sure not to overcook the Brussel sprouts. They are best when served bright green, directly from the pan.

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