Broccoli:
You always find things in the last place you look for them, and sometimes we forget to look under our own noses. You may be familiar with broccoli’s rockstar status in the vegetable world for its folate B9 (cell differentiation), Vitamin K (blood clotting) and Vitamin C (improved iron absorption, collagen formation) content, but broccoli provides many other compounds necessary for human life. Broccoli’s stems are a treasure trove of nutrient density, containing more fiber than the florets while maintaining a similar nutrient density. find a way to use them whenever you have broccoli on hand. If you’re looking for a way to boost your fiber, vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, B vitamins (except B12), look no further than broccoli; the vegetable that punches well above its weight.
Here’s one idea for how to use broccoli stems
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016579-pan-fried-broccoli-stems
Turnips:
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. You can eat the root, you can eat the greens, or you can eat them BOTH! To up your calcium intake make sure you’re eating the greens on top of your turnips. Though we tend to think of orange fruits and vegetables as the primary source for carotenoids, turnip greens are densely packed with beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A as necessary in the human body. While the greens pack a serious nutrition punch the bulb of the turnip is a great way to boost the levels of many nutrients at once (Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium, etc. although not providing a standout amount of any of those nutrients.
Recipes
CSA box meal: Turnip salad with lemon dill dressing
1. Slice turnip bulbs to desired thickness and place in bowl.
Cut turnip leaves to desired shape and size and place in bowl.
Dice red onion and place in bowl.
Add mixed nuts to bowl.
2. Finely chop dill and place in lemon juice and olive oil.
Mix.
3. Pour over bowl and toss to coat salad.
Tempeh (or protein of choice) with sauteed broccoli stems, kohlrabi and greens with sunchoke puree.
In a saucepan boil enough water to cover sunchokes
1. Place chunked sunchokes in boiling water (5-10 minutes or until tender)
2. While sunchokes are boiling:
Peel and slice broccoli stems diagonally
Peel and dice kohlrabi bulb
Cut Kohlrabi greens to desired size
Dice onions and garlic and mushrooms if desired
Heat oil in a saucepan on medium high heat
Cook protein according to personal taste
3. Drain water from tender sunchokes and place them in a food processor (S-blade) or blender (alternately you can mash them with a potato masher or a fork)
4. Add cream of choice (I used coconut milk) until desired consistency is reached and reserve.
5. Sautee onions and kohlrabi until fragrant, then add broccoli stems and mushrooms.
When broccoli stems are starting to brown add garlic and kohlrabi greens.
Cook until greens are wilted.
6. Serve however you please