CRUCIFEROUS vegetables. Does this name ring a bell? It's a family of vegetables that can literally perform miracles if eaten consistently. They have more fat-fighting and health-boosting benefits than ANY other. And the wonderful thing about them is the wide variety to choose from. Look at all these options:

•   Kale
•   Broccoli
•   Cauliflower
•   Brussels sprouts
•   Rutabaga
•   Cabbage
•   Bok Choy
•   Swiss Chard
•   Turnips
•   Arugula
•   Collard Greens
•   Watercress
•   Radishes

Who knew this family offered so much choice. To me, "cruciferous" used to mean just broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. This expanded list is good news.

But beyond the wide selection are the amazing benefits these veggies offer. This is why they are called "Miracle Vegetables:"

• 1. Improved digestion, satiety, and weight loss! They're high in fiber, which promotes a healthy digestive tract while keeping you feeling fuller, longer. And studies show that increasing fiber intake leads to weight loss (and even maintaining that weight loss).


• 2. Lower levels of belly fat! Cruciferous vegetables fight off dietary and environmental estrogens that we are exposed to through soy, plastics, and pesticides. It's a special phytonutrient, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), that comes to our rescue. Environmental estrogens are a main cause for high levels of belly fat. I'll skip the science, but suffice it to say, consuming more cruciferous vegetables gives you a fighting chance to keep belly fat away!


• 3. Increased Gut & Immune Health! Specific proteins in cruciferous vegetables protect and strengthen gut health by boosting immune cell production and ultimately combating bacterial infections, chronic inflammation, and potentially even bowel cancer.


• 4. Anti-aging! Cruciferous vegetables are cram packed with antioxidant and anti-aging properties. Research shows that folks who consume 1 - 2 cups of cruciferous vegetables a day can reduce their oxidative stress by 22% in just 3 weeks! Oxidation is what ages us—the skin (think premature wrinkles), arthritis, internal inflammation, diminished eyesight, graying hair, loss of energy, belly fat, etc.—all these unwelcome ailments and more are results of oxidation.

The list actually goes on and on with regard to what cruciferous vegetables can do for your body, fat loss results, and your overall health. And speaking of lists, let's go back to the above roll call—so many great veggies with so many ways to use them:

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Kale, bok choy, Swiss chard, and collard greens

•   In green smoothies (include whole lemon and raw honey for a flavor punch)
•   As a side dish, lightly steamed and seasoned with dill
•   In tossed salads (finely chopped)
•   In soups and stews
•   In lasagna and spaghetti sauce
•   Dehydrated for veggie chips

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Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage

•   In casseroles
•   In soups, stews, and chowders
•   In slaws
•   In lasagna and spaghetti sauce
•   As cruditiés to accompany dips
•   In tossed salads (finely chopped)

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Rutabega and turnips

•   Roasted and grilled
•   Cooked and mashed
•   In soups and stews
•   Baked into gratins
•   Dehydrated for veggie chips
•   Julienned for dipping
•   Arugala, watercress, and radishes
•   In salads
•   On sandwiches

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Arugala, watercress, and radishes

•   In salads
•   On sandwiches

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I'm guessing there are even more uses for these outstanding vegetables—what do you do with them? I've started a chapter in my Cook'n 11 titled simply, "Cruciferous Veggies," where I'm storing our favorite recipes that feature them. This makes it so much easier for me to find these recipes and quickly build a weekly menu around them (another awesome feature of the Cook'n 11 recipe organizer—menu creating!).

So all this said, let's be sure to eat more of these "miracle" vegetables starting today. By hanging out more with the Cruciferous Family, we'll be so much healthier this time next year!