FALL NUTRITION - Fennel!

Published By Nutrition with Kimberly & Newport Boxfit

Health Benefits of Fennel:

Adding Fennel to your diet may improve heart health, reduce inflammation, suppress appetite, and even provide anticancer effects.

1. Fennel and fennel seeds provide vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.

2. All parts of the fennel plant are rich in powerful antioxidants.

3. Fennel seeds may reduce appetite

4. Helpful for your heart-fennel and its seeds contain fiber, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.

5. Fennel has antibacterial properties and may improve mental health, relieve menopausal symptoms, and reduce inflammation.

FENNEL RECIPES

Citrus Salad with Fennel & Avocado

Use roasted beets in salads, on sandwiches or wraps, frittatas, served warm or cold, or even enjoy by themselves

Ingredients:

• 1 fennel bulb, sliced into wedges and roasted

• 1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced

• 5 radicchio leaves, torn

• 1 small orange, segmented

• 1 small pink grapefruit, segmented

• 1 avocado, sliced

• 2 tablespoons pine nuts

• ¼ cup shaved pecorino

• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon Dressing:

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:

1. Prepare the roasted fennel.

2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and Dijon mustard.

3. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced fennel with a few drizzles of the dressing. Set aside for 15 minutes so the fennel softens a bit.

4. Top your salad with the avocado, pine nuts, pecorino, mint, dressing and, sprinkle with salt and pepper

FENNEL, MUSHROOM AND SPINACH PIZZA

Use roasted beets in salads, on sandwiches or wraps, frittatas, served warm or cold, or even enjoy by themselves

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza dough, homemade or store bought at room temp preferably wheat

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, (sliced)

• salt

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tablespoon chicken stock or white wine

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• red pepper flakes

• large handful chopped fresh spinach

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat a large pan over medium/high heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil, shallot and fennel. Add a pinch of salt and cook for 7-10 minutes until fennel is soft.

2. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds. Add the stock and scrape up any bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for another minute or two until liquid is gone. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Grease a baking sheet and flatten out pizza dough. Brush with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle evenly with oregano.

4. Sprinkle cheese over dough and add the fennel mushroom mixture. Sprinkle on the spinach. Bake in the oven for 12-13 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

5. Remove and sprinkle red pepper flakes and a pinch of sea salt. Slice and serve!