Fennel *Bri's Keys*

 Fennel your way to a flatter stomach???

A crunchy, hearty, unique vegetable with a refreshing taste that I love to use in soups, salads or just eat roasted! If you have never tasted fennel before, you may be in for a treat! Many desserts use fennel seeds for flavor & even some natural toothpastes! Fennel, along with Anise which it is commonly mistaken for has a flavor unlike any vegetable I've ever tried. Fennel is often used to season Italian sausage & the taste is something you will be familiar with if you enjoy Sambuca or black jelly beans. If you do not typically enjoy these delicious treats do not assume you will not enjoy the much more subtle & cooling flavor of this healthy plant.

The fennel plant & its seeds are commonly used to treat heart burn, indigestion, gas, and bloat. When consumed, fennel acts as a natural diuretic helping eliminate water weight & eliminate toxins through urination. Fennel is another great source of fiber! Fiber helps keep you full longer & promotes a healthy colon along with waste removal. To me along with reducing bloat this translates to a flatter stomach! To read more on the benefits of fennel visit Livestrong.com

The Dr. Oz Show includes fennel seeds in their 5 Ways to Fight Fat with Ayurveda. The suggested detox tea "includes a combination of ingredients that help to improve digestion, break down fat, and “unclog” the channels in our body by removing ama."  I have personally tried this tea & would absolutely recommend it to anyone who feels the need to get their digestive system in gear!

I boiled a pot of water in the morning, added my fennel, coriander & cumin seeds to steep & then put the hot tea in my thermos mug to keep warm & drink throughout the day. You can also visit Joyfulbelly.com for information about this helpful tea!

Would you like to try some fennel with tonight's dinner?...
My most favorite way to prepare Fennel is the simplest!
Simply take 2 fennel bulbs & cut off the stalks. Slice each bulb lengthwise several times to create inch thick pieces. Coat a baking dish with a little olive oil, lay fennel pieces flat and lightly spray each piece with balsamic vinegar. Roast fennel in the oven at 375 for 30-40 minutes until you see a little browning or caramelizing taking place.





This post is a part of Bri's Keys: Daily Improvements with Ease
look for other posts like it!

Brussels Sprout Hash for all Ocassions!

 A healthy dinner side, an easy way to add veggies to any meal, a hearty meal in itself with potatoes & a side of meatballs or sausage or even dare I say, a new twist on breakfast with a runny egg! Brussels Sprout Hash is YUMMMMO no matter what your purpose!

I always make a very large batch of this since it is a big hit in my household but feel free to divide this recipe in half for your first batch & see what you think!

TIP: For those who may be skittish about Brussels sprouts, or onions for the first time (much like my husband who insisted he would not like Brussels sprouts & was WRONG!!!) try quartering all of your vegetables so the smaller pieces will not dominate the yummy potatoes & bacon in this dish! If you already know you love sprouts, feel free to just cut some in half and leave others whole!

Ingredients:
8 Cups Brussels Sprouts, stems removed, some split, some quartered
10 slices of bacon
3 Cups of fingerling potatoes some split, some quartered (Optional- Omit for low carb)
2 Cups pearl onions, peeled split &/or quarted
2 Garlic cloves chopped
A hand-full of fresh thyme or about 4 tbsp of dried thyme
1 Cup fresh chopped parsley
1 Cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 Cup balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 pkg of sugar substitute such as Stevia

BS hash with Sausage over Sauerkraut

 Instructions:
Cook all of your bacon along with the thyme in a large nonstick frying pan. If using fresh thyme, remove all of the stems from the pan & discard. Remove bacon from pan, chop & set aside. Add olive oil, chopped garlic, salt & pepper to the seasoned bacon grease & then add all of your Brussels sprouts, onions & potatoes. Let cook on medium heat, undisturbed until brown, toss & repeat until at least 2/3's  of your vegetables are brown. Turn heat up to medium-high, add chicken broth, cover & let vegetables simmer & steam for a few minutes until tender. Remove lid, allowing half of the liquid to evaporate, then add balsamic vinegar, chopped bacon, parsley & sugar substitute.  Remove from heat, toss & sprinkle with a little salt & pepper to your preferred taste.

BS hash served with egg & bacon

Besides being rich in taste Brussels Sprouts are known to be a great source of fiber, nutrient rich, a source of Vitamin C, they have been said to ward off cancer & also help lower cholesterol! www.livestrong.com states that "Brussels sprouts fall into the cruciferous category of vegetables, which also includes broccoli and cabbage. This group of vegetables offers a unique composition of antioxidants that promotes good health"

If you would like to lower your cholesterol or try this dish with an even healthier approach, why not skip the bacon & instead try it with turkey bacon, veggie bacon, or even a nice chopped & browned chicken or turkey cutlet!? Sounds delicious to me!!!