How do you conceptualize your Thanksgiving practice? Do you loll in the warm gravy-filled bathtub of tradition, splashing between the green bean casserole and the marshmallow-topped yams? Do you light out for the territories with Thai-spiced vegan pumpkin soup? Do you skip the whole thing, go out for dim sum, then roast a turkey on Friday just for the joy of standing in front of the fridge, making sandwiches, picking at leftovers or frying up hash? Why Brussels sprouts? And how?

At times like these, a cookbook, an app, the Food Network, even Mark Bittman is not enough. For inspiration, for solace, for getting you through your kitchen's long dark night of the soul, only poetry will do. (Philosophy, the big gun typically aimed at life's meatier questions, is distressingly silent on crucial issues like do I brine or do I fry?) For all the koan-like beauty of his work, poet Wallace Stevens never made the most obvious suggestion to readers of Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, one known to every kid since their days of playground double-Dutch: get yourself eleven more birds, mister, and you got yourself a pie.

Not that all poets should bake pies, but, as Grace Paley has pointed out, it's a valid occasional alternative, even for a poet. As Paley writes,

I was going to write a poem
I made a pie instead
...
everybody will like this pie
it will have apples and cranberries
dried apricots in it many friends
will say why in the world did you
make only one

this doesn't happen with poems

So, pace Mr. Stevens, we offer 13 Ways of Looking at a Brussels Sprout, our poem of recipes for you and your pre-holiday kitchen.

I
Among twenty winter squashes
The only moving thing
Was the cleaver heading towards your fingers.

Aida Mollencamp, CHOW, How to Cut Hard Squash

II
I was of three minds
Like a refrigerator
In which there are three slaws.

Mark Bittman, New York Times, Slaws Eight Ways

III
The pureed pumpkin whirled in the coconut milk.
It was a small part of the dairy-free, gluten-free pantomime.

Pim Techamuanvivit, Chez Pim, Pumpkin Panna Cotta

IV
A man and a woman
Are hungry.
A man and a woman and a Brussels sprout salad
Are happy.

Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks, Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Apples

V
I do not know which to prefer,
The beauty of chestnuts
Or the beauty of butter.
The pie coming out of the oven,
Or pie the morning after.

Bay Area Bites, KQED, Chestnut Soup for the Holidays
Bay Area Bites, KQED, Sweet Potato Pie

VI
Pies filled the long window
With buttery shards.
The shadow of you on your bicycle
Crossed it, to and fro, wishing you had pre-ordered your Thanksgiving dessert.
The mood
Traced on the glass
Sugared with longing.

Bay Area Bites, KQED, Food Secrets of Mission Pie’s Karen Heisler and Krystin Rubin
Bay Area Bites, KQED, A Day with 3 Babes’ Bakeshop

VII
O vegan teens of Haight Street,
Why do you imagine golden tofurkys?
Do you not see how the bacon
Whispers to the Brussels sprouts
Of the Whole Foods around you?

Chef Zac Palaccio, New York Times, Fatty ‘Cue Brussels Sprouts
Chef Erik Cosselmon, 7x7, Kokkari's Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Lemon

VIII
I know Burning Man
And its lurid, inescapable rhythms;
But I know, too,
That fried onions in a can are involved
In what I know.

Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Post Punk Kitchen, Vegan Green Bean-Mushroom Casserole
Tori Richie, Tuesday Recipe, Green Beans with Brown Butter and Lemon

IX
When the Brussels sprout rolled under the table,
It came out fuzzied in cat hair
The five-second rule, debatable.

Bay Area Bites, KQED, Food Safety on Thanksgiving

X
At the sight of Brussels sprout leaves
Wilting in a skillet with red grapes and bacon
Even the ennui’d of brassicas
Would cry out sharply.

Chef Rene Ortiz, SF Chronicle, La Condesa's Coles de Brussels

XI
He rode over to the coast
In a Zipcar Mini.
Once, a fear pierced him,
In that he mistook
The false chanterelles
For chanterelles.

Iso Rabins, Forage SF, Wild Mushroom Box

XII
The lard is melting
the pigs must be flying.

Jessica Prentice, Edible East Bay, Cream of Celery Root Soup with Leeks and Lard
Sara Seinberg, Seinberg Holistic Health Coaching, Spicy Cauliflower and Japanese Sweet Potato Soup

XIII
It was dinnertime all afternoon.
The dishwasher was running.
And it was going to run.

(with thanks to Amy Rosenbaum Clark)

Lafitte's Russell Jackson inhales the scent of Niitaka pears

Credit for all photos: Tamara Palmer

As important as growing and selecting produce is to a healthy diet and life, it's pretty stunning how few of us really know how to pick the best fruits and vegetables when shopping. Sure, we might have heard about certain items we're supposed to thump or squeeze, and we know to look out for obvious cosmetic flaws, but too much more beyond that is a big mystery for many.

We got up too early on a recent Saturday morning to find a number of San Francisco's notable chefs shopping for winter produce at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. It was fascinating not only to see what everyone was buying and placing on their big-wheeled carts, but to watch their gears turning while dreaming up new ways to use these high quality ingredients. After several conversations, we came away confident that our local farmers do a lot to pre-select the best produce before they bring it to a market, which is why so many of the chefs are confident to purchase large boxes of ingredients on the spot. But we also got some good tips on how to select for maximum flavor and longevity.

Kristie Knoll of Knoll Farms and Annie Somerville of Greens

We think of Annie Somerville, proprietor of the legendary vegetarian restaurant Greens, as a true goddess of produce here in the Bay Area, so we met her first. She suggested we convene at the Knoll Farms stand, a biodynamic farm from Brentwood where we'd see all kinds of chefs lurking throughout the morning.

Somerville was thrilled to see the beginnings of green garlic there ("I am so happy!" she exclaimed), something she says proprietor Rick Knoll actually pioneered and is typically found after the winter. When asked what to look for, she said,

"Look for it to look just like that! Just really fresh and nice, the point is that it is the young stalks, the shoots. As they get more mature, they get longer and at the end there they start to bulb up and [wilt] and at some point you probably want to let it go. We use the shoots for sautéing. All the applications of fresh garlic, use your green garlic instead. Put it in any dish. All the tops can go into soup stock."

Green garlic

She finds it a wonderfully versatile ingredient, but seemed most excited about her plans to add it to mashed potatoes. One of Kristie Knoll's favorite preparations, meanwhile, is to cut the stalks into "knuckles" and brown them.

Horseradish root

While at the Knoll stand, we stumbled into Michael Tusk, chef/owner of Quince and Cotogna restaurants, selecting some horseradish. He says to look for pieces that aren't dried out. And, in this case of this root, size matters.

"I personally like the bigger pieces; they're easier to grate," he said. "We use it in a salad with smoked eel and with beef, but I usually I just find stuff and then I decide what to do. It's good to have inspiration around, especially at this time of year, so I try to find as many fun things as possible."

When we caught up with David Bazirgan, the new executive chef of Fifth Floor, he was hoisting up a giant bag of stinging nettles from Marin Roots Farm and explaining that he ingeniously uses them in place of spinach for a side dish of creamed nettles to accompany his new menu item, a dry aged New York steak also served with salt baked potatoes, roasted mushrooms, and red wine sauce. (He Thermo-mixes them so they don't sting.) Since this isn't an item eaten raw, picking them is a lot easier than other ingredients, but Bazirgan still suggests carefully looking through them for a vibrant, consistent color and no holes.

David Bazirgan of Fifth Floor selects chicories.

Bazirgan also uses color cues when picking various chicories at Marin Roots, selecting the most vibrant leaves; look for the whites as well as the colors to be bright. He is currently using various heirloom varieties of chicories in a salad, dressed raw with compressed persimmon, Pt. Reyes blue cheese, hazelnuts, pomegranate, vadouvan, and Chardonnay vinaigrette.

For Mark Richardson, the executive chef of Seasons Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, Brussels sprouts are a winter produce staple.

"Look for the sprouts with tight-fitting leaves, with no browning or yellowing," he advised. "If you can find the sprouts still on the stalk, they will be the freshest."

His preparation for them is minimal: After blanching, he caramelizes the sprouts in a pan with some olive oil and then seasons with salt, fresh cracked pepper, and chili flakes. If you can't make it to Ferry Plaza, Richardson also suggests buying them at Mollie Stone's or Whole Foods locations.

Hoss Zaré of Zaré at Fly Trap examines white carrots.

Hoss Zaré of Zaré at Fly Trap truly shocked us when we met him to scout out white carrots. We gravitated towards the biggest ones, but Zaré said that was actually not the best strategy.

"The bigger ones are woodier and less juicy," he cautions. "Too small, and they're not going to have much flavor. You have to get the medium-sized ones so you get a lot of juice and flavor. Big ones are good for braising -- chop them up and caramelize them, but the smaller ones are juicier."

His favorite current use for white carrots is to lightly peel, blanch, pan roast until lightly caramelized, and then stack with slices of braised lamb tongue.

As we were about to leave Ferry Plaza full of new ideas and new produce specimens to experiment on, we grabbed Russell Jackson, chef/owner of Lafitte, just steps up the Embarcadero from Ferry Plaza. He was checking out the produce at Hamada Farms, the Kingburg grower whose citrus and pears seem to be the secret weapon of the chefs who shop at Ferry Plaza.

"Which kind of pear do I want today?" he asked.

"Niitaka!" came the answer from two people behind the counter, in unison. Jackson leapt over to the box and started smelling.

"Surface indication really isn't anything," he said, pointing out some visible flaws on a Niitaka. "It's really about the texture, firmness, and I'm really looking for that aromatic quality to it. You don't want something heavily bruised, but [some flaws] are just from tree hang, or where it faces the sun, or whether it's been scratched by a branch."

Right now, he's roasting pears to make a demi-glace for roasted sweetbreads and also using them raw in a salad with persimmons, chicories or radicchio, walnuts and Banyuls vinaigrette.

Where many households across the nation turn to canned goods in the winter, we have these staples and so much more ripe for the picking.

Roasted Brussels Sprout Chips with Lemon and Parmigiano

Are all the Christmas cookies and sweets making you crave a little ruffage? All the rich holiday dinners and party food causing your body to beg for some wholesome veggies? Brussels sprouts to the rescue.

Marlowe, SF

The inspiration for this recipe comes from Marlowe. Chef Jennifer Puccio's Crispy Brussels Sprout Chips with Meyer Lemon and Sea Salt were love at first sight. She separates the individual leaves of the Brussels sprouts, then flash-fries them to a delicate, light crisp. A spray of lemon juice, fragrant Meyer lemon zest, and sprinkle of sea salt are all that's needed to brighten up these "chips."

For my at-home remake version, I opted to roast the Brussels sprouts rather than fry them. A tip on separating the leaves -- I found that the easiest way to do so was to keep trimming the bottom stem as I peeled away the layers. This was the most time consuming part, but once it is done, the rest is a breeze.

Top the roasted Brussels sprout chips with some lemon zest and parmigiano, and this is one addictive snack! Salty, crispy, flavorful, and best of all, a healthy dose of vegetables.

Brussels Sprout leaves tossed in olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper

Roasted Brussels Sprout Chips with Lemon and Parmigiano

Serves: 2 as an appetizer

Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels Sprouts
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Juice of half a lemon
Zest of one lemon
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven 350 F
2. Wash Brussels sprouts. Trim the bottom stems and discard. Remove any wilted outer leaves and discard.
3. Cut each sprout in half. Remove loose leaves. Combine halves and leaves in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet with the halved sides facing down.
4. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until outside of the Brussels sprouts are golden and crisp.
5. Top with lemon zest and grated cheese. Serve immediately.

Brussels Sprouts have a bad rap. This verdant and sweet vegetable is known far and wide as being smelly, mushy, and slimy, when really the only thing wrong with it is that some people just don’t know how to cook it correctly. Children seem naturally disinclined to like this unpopular vegetable; but then again, so do adults. Once, when visiting Scotland, an innkeeper jokingly told me he liked to start boiling his Brussels sprouts three days before Christmas so they would be ready for the Yuletide feast. He then twisted up his face in a mock illustration of disgust for the poor unloved sprout. Now I realize he was kidding, but obviously this lovely man who made a wonderful breakfast at his inn in Oban had bought into some universal idea that the only way to cook sprouts was to boil the life out of them, and that they were therefore ghastly. Well this horrible rumor needs to end now.

Contrary to popular belief, Brussels sprouts are best when cooked al dente. Sautéed until slightly crisp, they have a lush taste that is both sweet and savory on the plate. If you sat in a hot bath you'd get all pruney, right? Well overcooking Brussels sprouts does the same thing, while also bringing out a sulfuric smell. But all this can be easily avoided if you keep your eye on them and DON'T OVERCOOK.

Brussels sprouts belong to the cruciferous family, which includes cabbage, kale, broccoli, and cauliflower. As I mentioned last year in my Scary Vegetables post, these foods are super vegetables. Full of antioxidants and vitamins, and thought to have cancer-preventing and fighting agents, Brussels sprouts and its cousins are ridiculously healthy for you.

But if you haven't cooked this unloved veggie before (of if you overcooked it) here are a few tips for the novice cook:

• Don't boil them! Experts in sprout cooking can feel free to cook them however they'd like, but newbies should stick to sautéing or broiling as it's just too easy to overcook your sprouts in a pot of hot water.

• Try cutting your sprouts into quarters before cooking. Brussels sprouts are naturally bulbous and therefore difficult to evenly cook when whole.

• Start cooking your sprouts on a high flame to sear and then lower the flame and cover to cook through. This really brings out the sweetness in the leaves.

• Consider slicing the sprouts thinly so the leaves are slivered.

• Try roasting them in a hot oven (halved with olive oil, sea salt and pancetta).

• If you eat meat, try adding in some pancetta or bacon, which pairs beautifully with sprouts.

Following is my recipe for Pasta with Slivered Brussels Sprouts, Pancetta, Walnuts and Mascarpone Cheese. As I mentioned last week, my daughters powered through this dish, eating each bite without complaint. For two girls who claimed they detested Brussels sprouts, this was a little win for Mom.

Pasta with Slivered Brussels Sprouts, Pancetta, Walnuts and Mascarpone Cheese

Makes: Enough for 6 people

Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts cleaned with the outer leaves removed and slivered* (see note)
1/2 cup cubed pancetta
2 large shallots minced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 heaping tablespoons mascarpone cheese (can substitute cream cheese if needed)
Parmesan cheese (enough to sprinkle on each dish before serving)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 of a pound of dried pasta cooked al dente

*Note: you can either sliver your Brussels sprouts with a sharp knife or using a food processor. To sliver, clean sprouts, remove outer leaves and then cut each in half. Thinly slice each sprout. To use a food processor, use your mandolin attachment and then feed halved sprouts into the machine.

Preparation:
1. Heat a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and the pancetta. Cook for 2 minutes. Add in the shallots and sauté another 2-3 minutes or until everything is golden brown. Remove pancetta and shallots from the pan.

2. Heat pan on high and add another 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan and let sit for about 1 minute, letting the sprouts sear. If the pan starts smoking, then lower the heat a bit.

3. Reduce the heat to medium again and then add the pancetta and shallots back in, mixing all the ingredients together and then moving to the far side of the pan in a bunch.

4. Add the walnuts to the pan, browning in the area that is now free for about 1 minute and then incorporate everything together. Add in the remainder of the olive oil at this time as well as a small ladle of pasta water. Salt and pepper to taste.

5. Cook for another minute or two and then turn the heat off. Mix in the mascarpone cheese until everything is covered in its creaminess and then mix in the pasta.

6. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top.

Did you know Brussels sprouts grew on long stalks?

I'm a late bloomer when it comes to Brussels sprouts love. It's not that I hated the stuff (as I was always told I should), I just never had it before. Then I moved to SF two years ago and with the coming of my first Thanksgiving here, was flooded with recipes by adoring fooderati who worshipped the sprout with the bad rap.

I don't really get why Brussels sprouts got such a reputation to begin with. They seem harmless enough. Cute in fact. And if you happen to see them on the stalk still, those bright green clusters are downright gorgeous. Looks aside, they are tasty!

My intro to Brussels sprouts adoration started off nice and easy, with generous bits of bacon or pancetta added to grease the wheel. More recently however, I have witnessed two distinctive preparations of this fascinatingly polarizing vegetable.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ponzu Fried Garlic, Guanciale, and Bonito Flakes

The first was a dish that Chef Dennis Lee of Namu made at the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival community dinner in early November.

His Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ponzu Fried Garlic, Guanciale, and Bonito Flakes were a work of art. Creative, complex, and soul-satisfying, in classic Namu-form. The Brussels sprouts were roasted to golden sweetness, the guanciale was appropriately full of crispy, fatty, pork goodness, and the bonito flakes added an element of surprise. The savory, smoky fish flavor blended well with the other ingredients at work, and the sight of them undulating like a creepy science project was just awesome.

Brussels Sprouts with Red Onions in a Mustard Vinaigrette

The second take on Brussels sprouts that solidified my allegiance to the fan camp was one of the dishes that made my Thanksgiving potluck table this year: Brussels Sprouts with Red Onions in a Mustard Vinaigrette. Potlucks can be a hit or miss, depending on the participants. We lucked out this year, as our hostess' roommate turned out to be a chef at E&O Trading Co in Larkspur.

Rene unveils the Thanksgiving bird

To Chef Rene Caceres we owe not only one of the most succulent turkeys I've ever tasted (3 days of brining will do that), but a phenomenal Brussels sprouts recipe that doesn't even lean on a bacon crutch!

The freshness of the sprouts shines in this dish. And the balance of the caramelized sweet onion and acidity of the mustard vinaigrette are the perfect complement.

Naysayers, this may be your turning point. Just give it a try, and let me know if you don't find yourself popping these into your mouth like truffles.

Brussels Sprouts with Red Onions in a Mustard Vinaigrette
Recipe adapted from Rene Caceres

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 small red onion
2 oz. whole grain mustard vinaigrette
½ oz. olive oil

For the vinaigrette:
1 cup whole grain mustard
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
1. Cook the Brussels sprouts in boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes. Let them cool and cut them in half.
2. Thinly slice the red onion and reserve.
3. Make the vinaigrette by combining the mustard with the vinegar. Whisk the oil slowly into the mixture and add the salt and sugar.
4. Sauté the red onion first for about one minute. Then add the Brussels sprouts face down. Cook until they get nice and caramelized. Turn them and add the vinaigrette. Toss them together and let them cook for about 1 minute.

******************

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Ponzu Fried Garlic, Guanciale, and Bonito Flakes
Recipe adapted from Dennis Lee, Namu

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:
1 lb. Brussels sprouts
¼ lb. guanciale
1 tablespoon fried garlic
Note: You can mince and fry this yourself on the stove in a pan with enough oil (neutral oil, i.e. rice, canola, grapeseed) to coat the garlic. Fry over low heat until the garlic starts to brown, remove with metal screen strainer (it will continue to brown) and place on paper towel and spread to cool with a spoon or chopsticks. Otherwise they sell wonderful fried garlic in Asian markets in a jar.
4 oz. ponzu
Note: This can also be bought in an Asian grocer. If you want to make your own, its 2 parts dashi stock, 1 part soy, 1 part rice vinegar and citrus juice to taste (Meyer Lemon juice or Yuzu juice works great).
4 oz. soy dashi
Note: Comprised of bonito, konbu, and soy water; or instant dashi or tsuyu (liquid dashi concentrate) are sold in Asian grocers.
1 tablespoon butter
Extra virgin olive oil
Shichimi or Togarashi spice
Bonito flakes

Preparation:

For the Brussels Sprouts:
1. Quarter the heads or globes so the roots stay intact, keeping the leaves together.
2. Blanch the Brussels sprouts. Always blanch in a large pot (large enough that it won't stop boiling when you drop the sprouts into it) of water with a healthy dose of salt (2-3 tablespoons). While waiting for the water to boil, prepare an ice bath. Boil the sprouts until they turn bright green, then immediately shock them in the ice bath. This can be done up to a day in advance and the sprouts can be stored, in the refrigerator covered.

For the Guanciale:
1. Cut the guanciale into about ½ inch cubes (remember it will slightly shrink when it cooks).
2. Boil the guanciale in a pot with the water at about 1 ½ inches above the meat. Bring it to a boil and simmer until soft. Much of the fat will render, but the flavor will remain rich. Drain and discard the liquid. This can also be done in advance and stored in a refrigerator.

The Brussels sprouts can either be roasted or pan fried.

Method 1: Roasting
Roast the sprouts and guanciale in the oven at 375 degrees F until golden brown with enough olive oil to coat, making sure to stir it every 5 minutes or so to get an even color.

Method 2: Pan Frying (Recommended)
1. Put 1 tablespoon of butter in a pan coated with extra virgin olive oil. When the butter melts, add the guanciale and Brussels sprouts. Put the pan on high and stir fry the ingredients. You want to get a nice brown color on the leaves of the sprouts, with some crispiness. The guanciale will also crisp up a little on the surface like bacon.
2. Once everything is nicely browned, add ponzu and soy dashi. Be careful as the pan will be very hot and will sizzle when you add the wet ingredients.
3. Let this reduce to the desired flavor, making sure to regularly toss the sprouts.
4. Top with shichimi, fried garlic and bonito flakes. The flakes will dance with joy.

With Halloween around the corner, it’s time to talk about something that really gives kids the creeps. Forget about vampires (those hunky blood suckers) or zombies (they have feelings too). What terrifies many children are cruciferous vegetables. Even the name sounds scary -- sort of like crucify or crucio (for all you Harry Potter fans).

Cruciferous vegetables, also known as brassicaceae, are the ones that hit the market in fall, just in time for Halloween. Cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are just a few of the commonly unloved veggies that make up this plant variety. Yet although the cruciferae are often sneered at, and even loathed by some, they are hardly villains. Dubbed super vegetables, they are full of antioxidants and vitamins, are thought to have cancer-preventing and fighting agents, and also protect against cardiovascular disease. So, contrary to popular belief, these under appreciated vegetables are actually the heroes of the food world.

Yet as much as I put myself in the role of PR rep for these amazing plants, multitudes of kids (and even some adults) meet a plateful of cauliflower, kale or Brussels sprouts with scrunched up faces and pursed lips. Of course there are many people (adults and children alike) who love all things cruciferous, but I don't think it's farfetched to say these vegetables have a bad rap.

But don't lose heart. If your child has decided she hates all things cruciferous, you can trick her into getting excited about eating them. Don't worry. I'm not suggesting you hide the vegetables (as I am strongly against deceiving kids about food -- Santa Claus, however, is a different matter). Rather, I support getting your children interested in eating these amazing vegetables with their eyes wide open, and some of the little darlings will even come to love them. The younger your kids are, the easier your job. So if your kids are a little older, your task will be more difficult, but with a little effort -- along with a fair amount of Parmesan cheese and bacon -- it's possible to convince your kids that cruciferous vegetables are not only edible, but quite tasty.

Here are a few ways to get your kids to eat all things cruciferous. A few of the items on this list repeat some tips I provided last year, but as they really do work, it's worth mentioning them here again.

• Try roasting your vegetables instead of steaming or boiling them. Roasting allows the natural sugars in the vegetables to caramelize, which makes them more flavorful. It is also a great way to make sure the veggies turn out al dente instead of mushy. And, if you need another incentive, boiling and steaming emit the vegetables natural gassy odors while roasting helps contain the smells.

• Try fun colored vegetables. Right now you can find purple or yellow cauliflower, or those lovely Tuscan ones with spiky cones all over them. Even the most cauliflower-hating kid will be interested in nibbling something purple.

• Buy an entire stalk of Brussels sprouts. It's fun to take the sprouts off the stalk, and you are then left with a long green baton your kids can play with.

• Don't overcook your cruciferous veggies as they are high in gas and cooking them for too long makes them stinky. See if you can get your kids to eat the broccoli or cauliflower raw (with salad dressing or melted cheese if necessary) and then cook the rest al dente.

• Make a creamy soup. When blended with milk or cream and butter, vegetables become much more manageable for kids who reject foods out of hand because of weird textures. So if your child thinks Brussels sprout leaves are slimy, puree them.

• Add bacon and cheese (if you eat these things). Let's face it, everything really does taste better with bacon and cheese. Kale sautéed with bacon or pancetta is truly amazing. And cauliflower baked au gratin with cheese and butter is beyond decadent. Toss in your children's favorite pasta to make the dish even more appealing.

• Take your kids to a garden or farm at picking time. Picking vegetables is fun and kids are far more likely to eat something they got to commune with in the garden. Many local farms have family days where you and your brood can pick to your hearts' content.

• Let your kids pick out your weekly vegetables in the market. Go to a farmer's market if you can as they offer inviting opportunities for your little ones to touch, smell, and even talk with a farmer.

And now for that irresistible purple soup.

Roasted Purple Cauliflower Soup

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:
1 medium head of purple cauliflower chopped into small florets
1 medium potato chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion chopped
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup milk (preferably whole milk)
4 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
1. Lay the cut up cauliflower and potato in a pan. Drizzle on some olive oil, black pepper, and salt (kosher or sea salt preferably). Roast in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until you can easily pierce the cauliflower and potato pieces with a fork.
2. In a medium pot, sauté the onion in 2 Tbsp butter until soft. Add in the roasted cauliflower and potato along with the chicken or vegetable stock. Cook until the broth is heated through.
3. Using a hand or stand blender, blend the cauliflower mixture until all chunks are gone and the soup is smooth.
4. Add the mixture back to the pot and mix in the milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a low simmer.
5. Mix in the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 2 Tbsp butter. Serve.