Eat Your Bs
These bone-friendly recipes are high in vitamin B and turn overlooked vegetables into plant-based dinner stars—from baked broccoli tempura with maple-mustard dipping sauce to Sicilian-style beet greens with raisins, capers, and pine nuts.
We all know that bone health is important throughout our lives. And that osteoporosis is increasingly a concern as we age. While bones need vitamins and minerals to form, including calcium, vitamin D, protein, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and fluoride, they also need a range of other vitamins to function correctly, including vitamin B.
But that doesn’t mean you have to increase your fondue intake or start searing beef liver to stay in tip-top shape (if those aren’t already part of your diet, of course).
Instead, you can find the vitamins your bones need by upping your plant intake with leafy vegetables including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and beets. These vegetables––and their greens––are heavy-hitters when it comes to bone health (along with joint health and less inflammation, too).
Unfortunately, these top-notch veggies also have a bad reputation as disappointing side dishes. How many times have you turned broccoli into overcooked mush? (If you’re like us, too many!) But some simple techniques can make all the difference.
Roasting helps the vegetables retain their snap, and blanching helps them retain their colour and nutrition. With brightly flavoured sauces, crunchy toasted seeds, and just a touch of natural sweetness, these five alive-worthy, plant-based dishes will turn B vegetables into A-level dinner stars.
Smoky Brussels sprouts and a crunchy topping are the trick to this comforting buckwheat noodle dish. If you don’t have a grill, you can stir-fry the sprouts in a high-heat skillet for 2 minutes to char them, then roast them in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, turning them halfway through. Heat lovers should make a double batch of the chili oil, since it’ll keep for a few months in the fridge—and you’ll likely want to put it on everything.
If you’ve ever wondered about the best way to get a heap more greens into yourself (or a hesitant friend, partner, or child, for that matter), consider this: stuffing them into patties reminiscent of savoury pancakes. The sweet-and-sour apple cider vinegar complements the warm, nutty softness of the patties. You’ll be amazed at how fast a bunch of beet greens will disappear.
