I have a confession: I'm addicted to Brussels sprouts. I never had Brussels sprouts as a kid, as the veggie's reputation as being "yucky" made me believe the experience of eating one would be truly horrific. Fast-forward 20 years and I'm hooked on these bite-sized cabbages. I usually stick to a pretty simple preparation for Brussels sprouts -- roasted with a splash of balsamic vinegar -- but over the weekend I stumbled upon
this recipe that couldn't be more perfect for the fall running season. While the results were a bit mixed (the sauce was a bit too cheesy for my liking), I think with a few tweaks this dish will be on heavy rotation.
Brussels sprouts belong to the cruciferous vegetable family, and like its relatives cabbage, kale and broccoli, Brussels sprouts pack a whole lot of goodness in its tiny package.
Studies have shown Brussels sprouts have cancer-fighting properties and help lower cholesterol and aid digestion thanks to its high fiber content. Brussels sprouts also are high in vitamins A, C, E, K and B-1 and have the most healthy plant omega-3s of all the cruciferous cousins.
Mushrooms are another small vegetable that weighs in with a
heavy nutritional count. They are high in potassium, a mineral that helps lower blood pressure, and are rich in riboflavin, niacin and selenium, an antioxidant that works with vitamin E (like that found in Brussels sprouts!) to protect cells against free radicals.
Garlic breath is far from sexy, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices for health. Garlic has been used as a "cure-all" for centuries,
and for good reason -- the plant contains the chemical compound allicin, which helps fight everything from acne to asthma, the common cold and even hypertension, as well as minerals like phosphorus, calcium and iron. And, let's be honest, garlic also tastes good, meaning you can use this healthy herb, along with some
antioxidant-rich, low-cal balsamic vinegar, to flavor food instead of salt and fat.
Moderation is key when it comes to high-fat, high-sodium foods like cheese. Luckily, Asiago cheese is quite flavorful, so it doesn't take much to get that cheesy taste most people crave. (I used 1/3 cup of cheese even though the recipe called for a full cup, and that was still too strong for me.) It also has a very salty taste, so there really is no need to add more salt when seasoning the sauce.
Health-wise, Asiago cheese is a rich source of calcium, providing 20 percent of your daily recommended intake, and also provides a surprising 5 percent RDA of vitamin C, which, like calcium, helps strengthen bones.
This is where the "faux" in the recipe title comes in. I'm not a big fan of noodles; even whole wheat noodles I avoid. I've seen many, many variations for zucchini noodles (see my favorite take on it
here), so thought I would substitute these ribbons for 2/3 of the pasta called for in the original recipe. Not only does this lower the calorie content quite a bit,
it also adds plant-based fiber, vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, magnesium and manganese, an essential trace mineral that helps the body metabolize protein and carbohydrates and is essential for the production of proline, an amino acid that is leads to proper wound healing and healthy skin.
While I could eat just the zucchini "noodles" and be happy, long runs require energy in the form of carbs. Instead of loading up on pasta made from white flour, I used a very scant amount of a quinoa-corn-flour-blend spaghetti.
Quinoa is a superfood in every way: It is a complete protein in that it contains all nine essential amino acids the body needs for muscle development; it acts as a prebiotic that feeds the microflora (good bacteria) in your intestines; it has the highest amount of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc of all the grains. It also is easily digestible and gluten-free, so no stomach trouble come race morning.
As mentioned previously, the next time I attempt this recipe I may reduce the amount of cheese used (or I may swap it out completely and create sauce made from Greek yogurt) and up the zucchini fettuccine. But for a first-time effort, I was pleased with the overall outcome and am happy to have found a new way to appease my Brussels sprouts addiction.
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