Brussels Sprouts, Artichoke & Persimmon

Brussels Sprouts are a vegetable I distinctly remember trying as a child. My mother made the frozen brussels sprouts--they came in a box with a butter sauce. Those little green alien balls were my least favorite vegetable, being that they always induced my gag reflex. I will sheepishly admit that I had not given them a second chance since my childhood experience.

I have vowed to make this year one that is full of second chances and reevaluations of my former beliefs. Challenge #1: change my belief about brussels sprouts! The brussels sprouts I bought were grown here in the Texas hill country, in Johnson City, home of our 36th Prez, LBJ. After doing an impromptu survey at work, (I asked every person coming through my lane with the brussels sprouts how they planned on cooking them) I decided to roast mine.

I tossed the brussels sprouts in olive oil, sprinkled them with salt and pepper, threw them on a cooking sheet and in the oven at 400 degrees F. I forgot to set the timer but they were probably in there for about 30 minutes. The outer leaves were browned when I pulled them out. I didn't hold back on the salt. They were tasty right out of the oven. They were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The flavor was mild, slightly sweet and very salty. I thought to myself, "I could eat these things for breakfast!" But to be honest, at the end of my meal by the time I got down to my last fork-full of B.S. the gag reflex came back. They had cooled off too much and the texture and temperature combo was no longer appealing.

Tortilla encrusted tilapia and roasted brussels sprouts

I made an artichoke as my other veggie. I have had artichoke before but never solo, it has always been a topping on a pizza, or part of a dip. I've cooked with artichoke before, but not fresh artichoke, my experiences have been with the canned or jarred variety.

I found a website with step-by-step directions (and photos) showing me how to go about it. There were even pictures showing you how to insert the leave into your mouth and use your teeth to pull out the soft pulpy (edible) portion. After all of the leaves were pulled off I was full of wonder when I saw the furry center (called the choke) that covers the heart of the artichoke. I had no idea that was what was waiting for me! The choke resembled an eyeball. It was creepy and wonderful.

It's the eye of the CHOKE!

On to dessert. I bought a persimmon to try (first time!) It's a fruit that looks similar to a tomato, but it's firmer and orange in color. I did some reading and found that there are astringent and nonastringent varieties of persimmons. Both contain tannins, but the astringent varieties have very high levels of tannins so if you eat one before its ripe, it will be bitter and sour. My persimmon was an Israeli Sharon which is one of the nonastringent varieties. I cut it into pieces I would with an apple and ate it. The skin is thick and crunchy, the inside is soft almost like a peach. The flavor is mild. All I can describe it as is sweet. It's sugary and juicy.


Nutritional Details-

Brussels Sprouts: Brussels is the capital of Belgium, and it was in Belgium that these little mini cabbages were first widely cultivated. They are a member of the cruciferous vegetable family. They contain a chemical called sinigrin which suppresses the development of precancerous cells by promoting apoptosis (programmed cell-death) of these precancerous cells. Additionally they are high in two other compounds (isothiocyanates and sulforaphane) that help fight cancer and detoxify environmental toxins.

Artichokes: They are a liver-cleansing food thanks to a compound called silymarin which is the active ingredient in milk thistle and helps protect and nourish the liver. The plant is also a bile-stimulant, so can be helpful with indigestion. One artichoke has about 60 calories, 72 mg of magnesium, 425 mg of potassium, 6.5 g of fiber (for a medium sized artichoke), a little folate, lutein and zeaxanthin (eye-friendly carotenoids).

Persimmon: both the pulp and peel are good sources of fiber. It also contains potassium, magnesium, manganese, and iron.


Nutritional Information from:
Bowden, Jonny, and Jonny Bowden. The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: the Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What You Should Eat and Why. Gloucester, MA: Fair Winds, 2007. Print.