A Tale Of Two Dinners

There’s only one restaurant within dining distance of me that sports two Michelin stars (and none with three).

Frugal, simple lad that I am, I had never heard of it.

Until last week when a super generous Democratic donor and his wife invited me as their guest.

What to wear?

And what to eat!

I looked up the menu to see what was in store and saw the Dover sole in brown butter and lemon sauce, first entree listed, $129 plus tax and tip (so $165).  Not stated: whether it came with fries.

Clearly not a place I would go on my own — but hey!

An hour before I was going to call an Uber, my host called.  He’d been felled by the flu, or whatever this thing is that’s going around.

I felt bad for him — there’s nothing worse than being sick — but immediately saw the bright side and reached into the freezer for the plant-based fake chicken I had recently bought.

I knew roughly where I had placed it, and the shape of the box . . . yet somehow found myself holding a similarly shaped box of Green Giant sugar snap peas.

I didn’t remember ever having tried to cook snap peas, let alone buying this particular box; and was not entirely sure what snap peas were . . . but life is an adventure.

Three servings to the box, 40 calories to the serving, five minutes from freezer to palate.

I noted, as the microwave was whirring, that my peas promised to be “better if used by 25Feb2017” but as long-time readers know, I scoff at such promises.

And I’m here to tell you that, while not an entire dinner in themselves, my snap peas were sweet and delicious.

The sole, I’m sure, would have been at least as good, and I was really sorry to miss seeing my truly wonderful friends, but I had a fine night.

Ad it’s not just snap peas.

I’m going more and more vegetarian.

Which got me into an argument with two friends at a sensibly priced vegan restaurant last night over whether vegetables could possibly be more nutritious if you cooked them.  I mean (I argued) how could that be?

So I just now asked ChatGPT and it turns out we were basically both right.  Or half right, depending on the vegetable:

Raw vegetables are rich in enzymes that aid digestion and provide essential nutrients such as potassium, fiber, and folate 1.

However, cooking vegetables can break down their cell walls to release more of their nutrients. When cooked, some vegetables can provide more antioxidants like lutein, beta-carotene, and lycopene than when you eat them raw 2.

That being said, the best way to consume vegetables depends on the type of vegetable. Some are better eaten raw; others, cooked.

Here are some examples of vegetables that are more nutritious when cooked:

  1. Tomatoes: Cooking tomatoes increases the bioavailability of lycopene, an antioxidant that is beneficial for heart health 1.
  2. Spinach: Cooking spinach increases the bioavailability of vitamins A and E, calcium, iron, and protein 1.
  3. Carrots: Cooking carrots increases the bioavailability of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that is beneficial for eye health 1.
  4. Asparagus: Cooking asparagus increases the bioavailability of vitamins A, C, E, and K, as well as folate 1.
  5. Mushrooms: Cooking mushrooms increases the bioavailability of ergothioneine, an antioxidant that is beneficial for brain health 1.

Here are some examples of vegetables that are better eaten raw:

  1. Kale: Eating kale raw preserves its vitamin C content, which is beneficial for immune health 1.
  2. Broccoli: Eating broccoli raw preserves its sulforaphane content, which is beneficial for cancer prevention 1.
  3. Bell peppers: Eating bell peppers raw preserves their vitamin C content, which is beneficial for immune health 1.
  4. Onions: Eating onions raw preserves their quercetin content, which is beneficial for heart health 1.

It’s important to incorporate a variety of both raw and cooked vegetables into your diet to reap the benefits of each.

On a roll, I figured I’d drill down on a couple of others (because the “buffalo cauliflower wings” were what had touched off our debate in the first place; and because . . . what about red cabbage?)

Cauliflower can be consumed both raw and cooked, and both have their own benefits. Raw cauliflower is rich in enzymes that aid digestion and provide essential nutrients such as potassium, fiber, and folate 1. However, cooking cauliflower can break down its cell walls to release more of its nutrients. When cooked, cauliflower can provide more antioxidants like lutein, beta-carotene, and lycopene than when you eat it raw 234.

According to a registered dietitian nutritionist, Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, there’s no denying that cauliflower is packed with health perks. “Cauliflower contains about two grams of fiber and two of protein, and it’s high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties,” Ehsani says 2.

That being said, the impact heat can have on the nutritional value of cauliflower can vary depending on two main factors: how hot and for how long you cook it. One study found that steaming and boiling cauliflower resulted in a loss of antioxidant activity 3. Another study found that cooking cauliflower increases indole levels 4.

In conclusion, both raw and cooked cauliflower are healthy and provide essential nutrients. It’s important to incorporate a variety of both raw and cooked vegetables into your diet to reap the benefits of each.

Raw red cabbage is rich in enzymes that aid digestion and provide essential nutrients such as potassium, fiber, and folate 1. However, cooking red cabbage can break down its cell walls to release more of its nutrients. When cooked, red cabbage can provide more antioxidants like anthocyanins than when you eat it raw 23.

According to eMediHealth, a health and wellness website, steaming or microwaving red cabbage increases its antioxidant availability. Steaming also makes red cabbage easier to digest. It reduces the amount of nitrites that bind to nutrients and prevents their absorption 2.

In other words: eat vegetables any way you like.  They’re good for you.  And they don’t have to be flown in from Dover and deboned.

You’re welcome.

[NOTE: I’m traveling.  If some huge news just broke and you wondered why I posted about vegetables, it’s because I wrote this Monday.]