Why you should eat broccoli and a recipe that'll please the kids!

June 27, 7:24 PMOrganic Food ExaminerNatalie Rotunda

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If smelling your food is the decision-maker for whether or not you’ll eat it, skip the whiff test for fresh, raw broccoli. Why? You won’t want to miss out on this healthy powerhouse! Here's how to work the dark cruciferous veggie into your and your kids’ eating plan:

• Add raw florets to salads
• Stir-fry florets with other fave veggies, like green or red pepper, snow peas, carrots
• Steam the florets till they're a bright green; add a pinch of salt
• Sprout broccoli seeds. Add them to salads or sandwiches
• Make broccoli soup

One of broccoli’s ‘gifts’ to our health is a compound called sulforaphane, a phytochemical that kicks good enzymes (these protect against inflammation and free radicals) into production in your stomach. Spend a little time growing a batch of broccoli sprouts, and get this for a reward---50 times more sulforaphane than in mature broccoli.

When they were little, my kids detested the steamed broccoli I served a couple times a week. To put smiles on their faces, sometimes, I’d top the green monster off with a cheese sauce. Their taste buds did a happy dance! National Cheese Examiner P.A. Flaherty has another kid-friendly recipe, broccoli au gratin, and it’s simply de-lish, not just for kids…but for the kid in all of us. Enjoy!