Win-It-Wednesday: “Brassicas” Cookbook by Laura B. Russell

Everywhere I look restaurants are featuring items made with powerhouse vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and arugula. And with good reason.

These vegetables, called brassicas, also include broccoli, mustard greens, cabbage, collard greens, radish, Bok choy and many others. They are  packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals, so it is no wonder that folks everywhere are enjoying them in salads, side dishes, starters and smoothies.

I personally love many brassicas. Some of my favorites include arugula, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. But lately I have been using the same ho-hum method of preparation which usually consists of boringly steaming, boiling or broiling.

That is why I was so thrilled to receive a copy of Laura B. Russell’s new cookbook, “Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables”. (Laura is one of my favorite cookbook authors who also has published another one of my all-time favorite go-to cookbooks,  “The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen: Recipes for Noodles, Dumplings, Sauces, and More” ).

The Brassicas cookbook is cleverly arranged by devoting a single vegetable or class of brassica – such as leafy greens, Asian brassicas (like bok choy or napa cabbage) or root brassicas (radish, turnip, rutabaga) to each chapter. Laura then touches upon key information on preparation and nutrition of each vegetable followed with tantalizing recipes (80 total) and beautiful photographs for many of the dishes. All the recipes are either gluten free or easily adapted to be gluten-free (ie substitute a gluten-free pizza crust, or gluten-free soy sauce, etc.)

Some of the single vegetables that take center stage and have a whole chapter all to themselves thankfully include some of my favorites … and the recipes are to die for.  I now have a whole new reason to love and rekindle my stand-by recipe repertoire with the addition of the gems in this cookbook. My classic favorites like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts will never, ever become boring again. Thank you, Laura!

Some of my favorite recipes include Charred Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Fig Glaze; Roasted Radish Salad with Blue Cheese; Romanesco Summer Salad and Mizuna Salad with Cumin-Roasted Cauliflower.

All these healthy and tasty reasons are why I am so happy that Laura B. Russell has offered her new cookbook “Brassica: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables” as the prizes for this Win-It-Wednesday on BeFreeForMe.com.

A total of two BeFreeForMe members will be selected to win a copy of “Brassica: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables” Cookbook. One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the entries received before Tuesday, April 29, 2014 at 11:59 PM EST, and one (1) more winner will be randomly selected to win from the entries received between Wednesday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 6, 2012 at 11:59PM. SO – make sure you enter two times to win!

How can you win?
Easy!

Reply to this blog and tell us what your favorite brassica vegetable is! (Is it broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, arugula, radish, turnip, wasabi, collard greens, mustard greens, broccoli rabe, cress, Chinese broccoli, or another???)

Good luck, remember to eat your (brassicas!) vegetables… and as always,

Be Free!

Order your copy of “Brassicas: Cooking the World’s Healthiest Vegetables” on Amazon.com and take advantage of FREE Shipping on orders over $35.

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47 Responses to “Win-It-Wednesday: “Brassicas” Cookbook by Laura B. Russell”

  1. Francine Says:

    I love most vegetables! My most recent favorite is swiss chard.

  2. elaine Says:

    I am vegan so this would be awesome for me!!!!! I get soooo tired of the same medleys, this would be great since summer is coming!I am currently in love with argula and enoki mushrooms! I can not stop eating them!!!!!

  3. Joy Says:

    My favorite brassica vegetable is cauliflower followed closely by brussel sprouts.

  4. Connie Says:

    I love all greens but spinach is my favorite. I like it cooked in many dishes or baby spinach raw in salads.

  5. Laura Says:

    Definitely broccoli!

  6. theresa gates Says:

    well my fav veggies were Brussels sprouts and turnips but I ate them so often I developed a sensitivity so now I am just thankful to have any veggie. I am kind of a veggieholic

  7. Katheryn Says:

    do I have to choose? Ok , well , broccoli, baby spinach and arugula! Love ’em!

  8. Kaley Says:

    I like radishes but really need to learn new ways to prepare vegetables.

  9. Eileen Says:

    Cauliflower is the one for me.

  10. Lyne Lacroix Says:

    I love vegetables and can’t live without my veggies

  11. cindy w. Says:

    Spinach is my favorite but I just tried brussel sprouts for the first time and liked them. I would love to win the cookbook to get new ideas on how to cook these vegetables.

  12. Sharon Says:

    My favorite is probably broccoli, but baby spinach runs a close second. The book sounds awesome!

  13. Genie Robbins Says:

    I love them all, but right now I think me favorite is kale. We enjoy it raw in a salad, sautéed with a little olive oil, garlic and balsamic vinegar, or in soup. Kale stands up really well in soup.

  14. Lyne Lacroix Says:

    The sun is out, warm weather is here and the fresh smell of vegetables is in the air.

  15. Forress Says:

    I am a lover of so many different vegetables. But I really love raw Cauliflower. But I also love Brussels sprouts in my soups and stews. I love doing stir fry with all those different vegetables.

  16. Lisa Says:

    My favorite has to be a tie between cabbage and Broccoli but I do like them all. I would love to have a cookbook that focuses on these veggies!

  17. Jennifer Carner Says:

    My favorite vegetable is broccoli

  18. Jennifer Carner Says:

    Where do you locate the winners for each product weekly?

  19. Kathleen Reale Says:

    Jennifer-
    The winners names can be found in the comment section of each contest blog. We post the names of the winners and the state where they live once all the winners have been contacted and they reply back with their addresses.
    Remember… We contact the winners via their email address… so make sure you keep checking your inbox!

    Be Free!
    Kathleen

  20. melissa meredith Says:

    I love broccoli and brussel sprouts

  21. Julie Says:

    Brussel sprouts! Brussel sprouts! Brussel sprouts!

  22. Lyne Lacroix Says:

    If we became what we ate, I would become a vegetable.

  23. Mollie Says:

    Cauliflower – so versatile! Rice, soup, mash, pizza crust… even cajun tots! Brussels sprouts is a close second. 🙂

  24. Jan Fredericks Says:

    My favorite is definitely cauliflower(raw) but I also like broccoli and cabbage(both raw and cooked). I really need to find ways to cook these veggies so my hubby will also eat them.

  25. Lyne Lacroix Says:

    Green is the way to go.

  26. Cassie Says:

    My favorite since I have to choose a favorite would be spinach. vegetables are amazing with nutrients and how little they affect blood sugars. I have to do so little insulin for vegetables compared to all other types of foods and love the tastes of them.

  27. Chris Says:

    I love them all but cauliflower and broccoli are my favorites.

  28. candy Says:

    I love kale in my “smoothies” with plain Greek yogurt and fresh strawberries!

  29. Lyne Lacroix Says:

    What would we do without our vegetables.

  30. Denise C Says:

    My top three favorites include broccoli, cauliflower, and arugula. Just discovered making pesto with arugula. Delicious & different! Even if I don’t win, I have to get this cookbook. Thanks for the opportunity!

  31. cindy w. Says:

    I enjoy making kale chips.

  32. Lyne Lacroix Says:

    I could eat vegetables every meal. I love vegetables that much.

  33. Lyne Lacroix Says:

    veggies veggies I love veggies

  34. Jan Fredericks Says:

    Raw cauliflower is my favorite but I also like turnip,broccoli and cabbage. I need to find ways to prepare them so hubby will also eat them.

  35. Sharon Says:

    I have been making sauerkraut regularly, so perhaps cabbage is my favorite at the moment.

  36. Christina Says:

    I love broccoli but also really like kale in my blueberry breakfast smoothie. Thanks for a chance to win this great cookbook.

  37. Tawny Says:

    I love kale chips, raw and cooked cauliflower, raw cabbage, raw and cooked broccoli, cooked brussels sprouts,raw horseradish and wasabi, and I love arugula, which I use instead of lettuce daily.  I didn’t realize I loved so much of the brassica family.  Cucumber will always be my favorite food, but I eat at least two of these cruciferous vegetables every day because I love the way they taste.  Their being healthy is an added plus.

  38. Lyne Lacroix Says:

    What to do when you love veggies but your other half could do without?

  39. Carla Says:

    I saw her advertising her book on garden times this morning. This would be awesome to own 🙂

  40. Carla Says:

    My favorite is broccoli and kale

  41. Belle Gayer Says:

    I love BRUSSEL SPROUTS but I am the only one in the house who likes them. I also love broccoli, parsnips and cauliflower. I really love vegetables in general but tend to just either roast or steam them. Could use some advice!

  42. Fran Says:

    I love most all veggies but my favorite is “Asparagus”. Thanks so much for the chance!

  43. Eileen Says:

    I like most vegetables, but kale is very good.

  44. lydia vanderstelt Says:

    My favorite is cauliflower…i love to grate it and microwave it to replace rice in dishes 😀 yummy

  45. Shirley Says:

    I I like all vegies but as was mentioned,
    I need a new way to serve them. Just
    wish I could entice others in my
    home to try more vegies.

  46. Venessa F. Says:

    My favorite brassica vegetable is arugula. I love making pesto, salads, and green smoothies with it. This book sounds awesome! Thanks for this giveaway. 🙂

  47. Diane Decker Says:

    My favorite is Brussels Sprouts. And I love Laura Russell’s cookbooks.

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