WH[TY FRUE PËESS, WEDNESDAY, OUFOBER 4,1989, PAGE 21 Ont aro broccoli and cauliflower "lighten U"fait As the summer temperatures slowly simmer downi into fall, freshly harvested blue-grçen broccoli and creamy-white cauliflower are at their moest glorlous. From September until Halloween, these.crisp, crunchy brassicas (cabbage faniily) are at their peak. During this flavorful fali harvest, broccoli and cauliflower are best eaten raw, one floret at a time. At a mere 42 calories and 25 calories respectively for a cup of raw broccoli and cauliflower, this nutrition-packed duo ,can be enjoyed guilt-free.' When the chilly weather of late autumn sets in, these mild-flowered rnembers of the cabbage famnily can satisfY our need for hearty, comforting dishes without too many extra calories. "The delicate flavorsof broccoli and cauliflower make them a sure winner for breakfast -- the most important meal of the day,' explairis Laurie Curry, a nutritionist and food and public relations specialist with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Foodland plays up the vivid green of Ontario broccoli with the pale gold of farmn fresh eggs in its Cheesy -Broccoli Frittata. "Beet of aIl this breakfast-time fittata is a low caloriecousinof the quiche. There's no crust, and the recipe calis for low-fat cheese and milk and uses lots of fresh, crunchy broccoli ."' Looking for ways to 'lighten" up tbe calories in faîl entertaining? Our wonderfully fragrant cauliflower and lamb chop curry is easily prepared and elegantly served as an unforgettable meal for guests. To minimize the fuss and savor ail of the valuable nutrients, the whole meal is cooked in one skillet. If you ever enjoyed spoon bread as a id, noW's the time to revisit it with Foodland's Broccoli Spoon Bread. Make sure everyone is seated before serving this nutritinus souffle-like bread piping bot out of the oven. Just as its naine implies, use a large spoon to cut into the bread, giving everyone soine of the cheese-coated crust and creamy broccoli interior. No matter which way they are prepared, one thing is for sure -- Ontario broccoli and cauliflower lend theniselves perfectly to healthy eating in the eighties. C ote crop advice Chooeing *Broccol - The freshest broccoli bas a compact green head with tight clusters. The buds are tiny and roll off into your hands like coarse grains of sand. Steer clear of broccoli'whose buds bave turned yellow and bloomned -- they are past tbeir prime. The most tender stalks are tbe thin ones. * Wondering how much to buy? Remember, one pound (500 g) of fresh broccoli yields 4 servings. *Cauliflower - The, bigger, the botter? t doesn't matter with Ontario cauliflower. Taste, texture and quality are always tops no matter what the size of the head. Look for a compact, creamy white bead with tight clusters. Brown spots on a yellow head mean the cauliflower is not as fresh as it could be. But brown spots on a creamy white head are probably water stains and can be scraped off witb a knife. The leaves should be green and the base sbould look freshly eut. * A medium-size head weigbs about 1-1/2 lbs (750 g) and yields 4 ta 6 servings. Storing e Brocoil - If broccoli isn't used right' away, just place it in a perforated bag and store in the refigerator crisper. t will keep for about five days. e Caùlifower - Cauliflower is a no fuss vegetable that is best stored unwrapped in the refrigerator' cisper. For top results use witbin five days. Preparing ]Broccli - When prepaing for cooking, remove leaves and wash broccoli under cold running water. If leaving the stemis attached ta the florets, split or peel any thick stenms ta ensure even cooking. The stalk cen bo peeled, sliced and cooked along with the florets. 0 CauIiflo"vr - Prepare cauliflower for cooking by removing the leaves and cutting out the core froni the bottoni. Whether cooking whole or splitting into florets, thoroughly wash under cold runming water ta reme.ve any lingering sand. r ,u., Cooking Steaming Steaming in a perforated container over boiling water is a very popular method of cooking broccoli and cauliflower. The colors remain bright, the f avor stays mild and delicate and more nutrients are retained when the vegetables are cooked to the tender-crisp stage. *Stir-frying - A stir-fry of broccoli and cauliflower makes for healthy eating because most of the nutrients stay locked inside. Slice vegetables into small pieces and stir-fry in oil over high heat until tender-crisp. * Boiing - For tbe best results, try boiling broccoli and cauliflower in a small amount of water for a sbort time - under tender-crisp. Eatingr *Brocoli - How can a vegetable that tastes so good, be se good for you? Enjoyed raw or cooked, broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitanxin A and dietary fiber. Even botter, one cup of cooked broccoli has only 48 calories! *Caullflower - A weight watcber's dream, cooked cauliflower boasts a mere 31 calories per cup. Cauliflower is deliclous eaten raw or fresb and provides an -excellent source of vitamin Cte the diet. 1 tbsp 2 tbsp 4 tsp 1 tbsp 2 1 3 cups 1 Cauliflower and Iamb chop curlry Cauliflower, lamb chops and a hint of curry unusual but wonderfully fragrant and, colorful course for entçrtaining. Be sure to purchase lean chops and trim any visible fat. lean l oin lamb chops8 (about 1 3/4 lbs/875 g) al purpose flour15m vegetable oil25m curry powder20L minced gingerroot (or 1 tsp/5 mL lm dried ginger) cloves garlic, minced2 can (28 ozJ796 mL) tomatoes,i undrained, cbopped Ontario cauliflower florets75 L each sweet green and red pepper,1 cubed Chopped parsley Trim chops and pat dry. Toss with flour. In large skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 niL) oil over medium-heat. Cook one haif of chops for 2 minutes per side or until brown. Transfer chops to plate. Repeat with remaining chops. Discard excess fat from skillet. Wipe out skillet with paper towel. In skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat; cook curry powder, ginger and garlic, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and return chops to skillet; simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 45 minutes. Add cauliflower and sweet pepper; cook, covered for 10 to, 15 minutes or until lanib is tender and vegetables -tender-crisp. Season with sait and pepper to taste. Sprinkle parsley on top. Serve over egg noodles. Makes 4 to, 6 servings, about 310 calories and 14.4 granis of fat per serving. Excellent source of iron and vitamin C; good source of dietary fiber. -- an main lamb TIhis golden curry is a fragrant.marriage of Ontario cauliflower, lamb chops and pasta that will delight family and friends. 8 15 mL 25 mL 20 mL 15 ML 2 1 750 mL 1