Vegetarian Healthy Saute - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
This tasty addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating is a great way to use whatever vegetables you want to use up in your refrigerator. The wider the variety of vegetables you include in this dish, the wider variety of nutrients you will have available to work together synergistically to optimize your health.

Vegetarian Healthy Sauté
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced medium thick
• 1 TBS vegetable broth
• 4 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 TBS minced fresh ginger
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms (remove stems)
• 2 cups sliced green cabbage
• 5 oz extra firm tofu cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 1 TBS rice vinegar
• 2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 TBS sesame seeds
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice onions and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting properties.
2. Prepare rest of vegetables.
3. Heat 1 TBS broth in a stainless steel wok or 12 inch skillet. Healthy Sauté onion for about 2 minutes in broth over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
4. Add red pepper, mushrooms, and cabbage. Continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and continue to cook stirring for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Add rest of ingredients and cook for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestion: Serve with Seaweed Rice
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In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Vegetarian Healthy Sauté
Healthy Food Tip

Which has more nutrients - the stems or florets of broccoli?

The florets and stems of broccoli are very similar in their nutrient content, and both are excellent parts of broccoli to include as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating. The amount of most B vitamins, minerals, and fiber are very similar in the two parts of the plant (on an ounce-for-ounce basis). The largest difference I've seen documented in the research literature involves beta-carotene, which is about seven times more plentiful in the florets than in the stems. On an ounce-for-ounce basis, the darker green florets also contain more chlorophyll than the lighter green stalks. Since the stalks take a little longer to steam than the florets, it is best to begin cooking them first and after about two minutes add the florets to the steamer.
You didn't mention broccoli leaves in your question, but the leaves of the broccoli plant are also excellent sources of nutrients. They are actually higher in beta-carotene than the florets and can contain phytonutrients that aren't found in the stems and florets.
For more information on this topic, please see:

• Broccoli

References:
Shelp, B. J. 1987. Plant characteristics and nutrient composition and mobility of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) supplied with NH+4, NO3 or NH4NO3. Journal of Experimental Botany 38: 1603-1618.
Food Processor Version 7.71, Database Version December 2001. ESHA Research, Salem, Oregon.