I love you mom/moms but damn you really didn’t know how to cook Brussel Sprouts. Seriously if you grew up and loved Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli or Asparagus your mom either deserves an award or you’re an alien. I think because so many of us grew up disliking our greens most of us would rather roast our gym socks for dinner rather than add Brussel Sprouts to our menu.

I only recently (the past couple of years) discovered my love for greens because I started learning more and more about how good they were for me, so I HAD TO learn how to cook, or in some places not cook them properly. I’ve put together a few tips on how to prepare the veggies I mentioned but first I want to have a quick chat about why they are soo good for you and why you need to include them into your diet.

is also sharing a whole lot on the importance of eating your greens this month, I made and it’s damn tasty! Check out their for easy recipes and cool tips.

So Why are Greens Good For You?

Chat to any nutritionist or read any wellness blog and you’ll find that they’re constantly preaching about how good greens are for you. They’re the most filling of vegetables…unless you’re eating five roast potatoes and they’re full of nutrients (it helps that they’re pretty damn affordable too!). Green foods are a great source of phytonutrients, low in sugar and packed with fiber and water. What are phytonutrients you ask? Basically they are like the perfect little black dress, not essential but damn it will make you feel good. They support your immune system, detoxify you and all in all make you feel damn good…so yes all those people chugging green juice like their life depends on it are doing it for a reason!

So How Do You Cook Brussel Sprouts?

I keep referring  to Brussel Sprouts because they must be the most hated vegetable of all time, no seriously,  Googled it ! The Sad thing is that they only taste bad because how they are cooked! Brussel Sprouts are good for you because they’re a good source of protein, really really high in Vitamin C and Vitamin K. If I’m still not making sense basically they’re going to make your body function better, help clear up your skin and you’ll be able to impress all your friends with your cooking skills.

The main thing when cooking Brussel Sprouts is not to over cook them or they’ll lose most of their nutrients. Method 2 is my favourite I have it at least once a week!

Method 1 

  • Place on a baking tray
  • Drizzle with olive oil
  • Cook at 180 Degrees until the leaves start to brown
  • Drizzle with Lemon Juice
  • Eat!  

Method 2

  • Make this Vegan Pad Thai Sauce
  • Cut the Brussle Sprouts in half
  • Place in a pan with a little olive oil on a high heat
  • Add some sauce and cook for 5 minutes
  • Eat!

So How Do You Cook Broccoli?

The easy answer? You don’t have to! Broccoli is really affordable and it’s probably one of the best things you could possible eat. Studies have shown it can help prevent Cancer, lower cholesterol, it’s packed with loads of vitamins but most importantly it’s got a whole lot of calcium, which is particularly important if you’re following a plant based diet.

Now like I said, Broccoli actually tastes better and is better for you when it’s raw (and not slathered in cheese sauce!). YOu may be used to cooking it but just give it a chance, a little salt and pepper with lemon juice over raw Broccoli will really add great flavour to your meal or you can eat it as a snack. Another really great option is to pop a few stalks into a blender and roughly blend it to mimic rice.

So How Do You Cook Asparagus?

…sorry Asparagus takes a little more effort than Broccoli but again it’s not exactly hard to make it taste good. They key with Asparagus is to step away from the microwave. Apart from making your pee smell, Asparagus is packed with vitamins and its got a whole lot of folate, iron, copper, calcium, protein, and fiber. If I’ve lost your attention it’s also an incredible cure for hangovers because it’s high in amino acids!

One of the methods below is chargrilling Asparagus, it’s just a fancy word for braai.

Method 1 

  • Chargrill the Asparagus until brown/crisped
  • Drizzle with lemon juice
  • Eat!

Method 2

  • Preheat your oven to 200 Degrees
  • Place the Asparagus on a baking tray with a little olive oil
  • Season with salt and pepper
  • Sprinkle crushed garlic on top
  • Bake for 8 Minutes
  • Eat!  

Thanks to for Supporting She Said.

by Anna-Belle