Brussels sprouts never appealed to me until I came across a Brussels sprouts dish on the menu at one of the restaurants I frequent in Santa Fe. The Brussels sprouts tasted so delicious, I asked the young waiter, probably in his early thirties, if he could give me the recipe.

“No, I’m sorry. It’s the policy of the establishment not to give out proprietary recipes,” he said politely.

“No problem. I’ll figure out what’s in here and then try to reproduce it when I’m home,” I replied.

When the waiter returned to bring some condiments to our table, I looked up from my meal and blurted out, “Are you from Bozeman, Montana?” My dinner companions looked up in surprise. I immediately regretted asking such a silly question that seemed to come out of nowhere, bypassing my filters.

The waiter looked startled. “How did you know? Did someone tell you? Do we have friends in common?”

“No. I have no idea how I knew that.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“No. I’m not kidding. That kind of thing happens to me now and then, ever since I got 51 platinum coils put in my head during brain surgery related to an accident. It’s as though I’m an antenna. Except that I can’t control the information I get. Most of it is not very useful.”

“Wait a second. I’ll be right back.” The waiter disappeared and within a few minutes returned with the recipe for the roasted Brussels sprouts, written in neat handwriting on a slip of yellow paper.

The following Thanksgiving, I prepared the roasted Brussels sprouts dish for my family and friends. The response was enthusiastic. Several people asked me for the recipe. The best part of all, it only took about 10 minutes of prep time, and about 40 minutes of cooking time. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Cut the Brussels sprouts lengthwise into halves or quarters, depending on the size of each sprout, enough to fill two packed quarts.
• Two cups of lightly roasted pecans or raw pistachios
• Two large avocados, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• Apple cider vinegar
• Extra Virgin olive oil
• The cloves from one bulb of garlic with the papery skin removed
• One half stick of butter

Preparation:

Pre-heat the oven to 365 degrees (higher heat will damage the olive oil)

• Roast the Brussels sprouts in a baking dish with plenty of olive oil. Sprinkle on top 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Place the cloves of garlic and the slices of butter throughout the dish.

• After about 40 minutes, when thoroughly roasted and tender, remove the Brussels sprouts from the oven and toss into the baking dish the lightly roasted pecans (or raw pistachios) and the chopped avocados.

• Squeeze a lime and pour the juice on top for an added zing.

And that’s it!!! Very simple.

Not only is it delicious, it’s nutritious. Brussels sprouts come from the cruciferous family which includes cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, bok choy, mustard greens, collard greens, and kale—to name just a few foods from this family.

Cruciferous vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They have various components that have been shown to lower the risk of cancer. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, studies show that cruciferous vegetables have the ability to arrest the growth of tumors in the breast, lung, colon, liver, cervix and prostate.

One of the elements found in cruciferous vegetables is sulfur in the form of sulforaphane, a phytochemical that can stimulate enzymes in the body that detoxify carcinogens before they can cause damage to the DNA in the cells. Two other compounds found in cruciferous vegetables, crambene and indole 3-carbinol, are also known to activate detoxification enzymes in the liver.

Because we all have toxins stored in our bodies during these times we live in, and because we all face some level of risk for getting cancer, it makes sense for us to include cruciferous vegetables in our diets on a regular basis. Of course, if you’re sensitive or allergic to this family of foods, this recommendation would not apply to you.

This Brussels sprouts recipe includes fat, protein, and vegetables. The protein comes from the pecans and the fat comes from both the pecans and avocados. I encourage my patients to include some form of protein and beneficial fats with every meal to stabilize the blood sugar and maintain consistent energy levels, reduce food cravings, and for an overall sense of well-being.

Here’s to your good health!