- Medium
- 30 min
- 4 serv.
- 9 synergies
- Now at its best: Broccoli
Oven dish with eggs, roasted brussels sprouts, broccoli, onion, garlic and turmeric. Finished with pumpkin seeds. Rich in protein, low in carbs. Ready in 30 minutes.
It's autumn. Outside it's raining, inside the oven is warm. Brussels sprouts and broccoli lie in an oven-safe pan — small, green, compact. Olive oil over them, into the pan. It sizzles. Five minutes on the heat, the vegetables start to char at the edges, that slightly bitter, roasted aroma rises. Onion and garlic added — sweet and sharp. Two more minutes. Then the eggs: beaten with turmeric until golden yellow, salt and pepper through. Pour over the vegetables in the pan — the egg fills the spaces between the sprouts, pulls into every gap. Pumpkin seeds over — green-white, flat, crunchy. The pan goes into the oven. Fifteen minutes. Waiting. The kitchen smells of roasted vegetables and egg. The oven opens: the frittata is set, top golden brown, pumpkin seeds toasted. Cut into wedges. This tastes like a cold day inside — the sprouts are soft but still firm, the eggs creamy around, the pumpkin seeds crunchy on top. The turmeric gives a warm, earthy undertone. This is a dish for long mornings, for when you have time to bake and wait.
- 10
- min prep
- 20
- min cook
- 30
- min total
Nutritional Synergies
This recipe combines ingredients that enhance each other:
Broccoli 
Garlic Double sulfur compounds for Nrf2 activation and phase-II enzymes
Technical: Broccoli contains sulforaphane (isothiocyanate) activating the Nrf2 pathway and inducing phase-II enzymes (glutathione S-transferase, quinone reductase). Garlic contains allicin and diallyl sulfide — also sulfur compounds activating the same Nrf2 pathway via thiol reaction. Both are sulfur-containing compounds working synergistically.
What does this mean for you? Briefly sauté garlic and add broccoli — a classic stir-fry base. Two sulfur-rich ingredients each activating the same Nrf2 pathway through their own route. Cut garlic 10 minutes before heating for maximum allicin.
AntioxidantsImmune SystemAnti-inflammatory
Broccoli 
Olive Oil Improves absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
Technical: Broccoli contains 102μg vitamin K per 100g (85% RDI) and 623 IU vitamin A (provitamin A as beta-carotene). Both are fat-soluble — without fat only 5-10% is absorbed. Olive oil's unsaturated fats stimulate micelle formation in the small intestine, increasing absorption up to 5x.
What does this mean for you? A drizzle of olive oil on broccoli isn't luxury but necessity. Without fat you barely absorb vitamin K — essential for blood clotting. Good to know: vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting (EFSA-approved).
Joints
Eggs Broccoli Complete meal with all nutrients
Technical: Eggs provide fat, protein and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). Broccoli contains vitamin K1, folate, vitamin C and sulforaphane. Egg fat increases absorption of broccoli's fat-soluble vitamin K1 by 3-5x. Meanwhile broccoli's vitamin C protects iron from the egg against oxidation. A complete nutrient exchange.
What does this mean for you? Scrambled eggs with broccoli is an ideal meal — the egg fat helps absorb vitamins from broccoli, the broccoli adds fiber and vitamin C that the egg lacks.
General WellnessAntioxidants
Turmeric 
Black Pepper Increases curcumin absorption by 2000%
Technical: Curcumin from turmeric has bioavailability below 1% due to rapid glucuronidation in the liver. Piperine from black pepper inhibits UGT (UDP-glucuronosyltransferase) and CYP3A4, preventing curcumin breakdown. This increases bioavailability by 2000% (20x). Use ratio ¼ teaspoon pepper to 1 teaspoon turmeric.
What does this mean for you? ALWAYS add black pepper when using turmeric. Without pepper your body absorbs virtually nothing — with pepper 20x more. This is the most important food synergy there is.
Anti-inflammatoryJointsFocus
Olive Oil Garlic Aglio e olio: allicin + oleocanthal via complementary biochemical pathways
Technical: Garlic contains allicin (formed when cutting/crushing) that influences HMG-CoA reductase (involved in lipid metabolism). Olive oil contains oleocanthal that modulates COX-1/2 enzymes. Together they influence lipid metabolism and prostaglandin cascade via complementary biochemical pathways. The fat also helps absorb fat-soluble garlic compounds.
What does this mean for you? Gently warm garlic in olive oil (don't burn!) as the base for many dishes. This is why 'aglio e olio' pasta is so beloved — two bioactive compounds that reinforce each other.
HeartImmune System
Brussels Sprouts Olive Oil Fat increases absorption of Brussels sprouts' vitamin K and carotenoids
Technical: Brussels sprouts contain 177μg vitamin K per 100g (148% RDI), 450μg beta-carotene and 1590μg lutein+zeaxanthin — all fat-soluble. Roasted in olive oil, bioavailability increases 3-5x through micelle formation. Roasting also caramelizes natural sugars reducing bitter taste.
What does this mean for you? Roast Brussels sprouts in olive oil — not only the tastiest preparation but also the most nutritious. Without fat your body barely absorbs the vitamin K, beta-carotene and lutein.
JointsSkin & Hair
Onion Garlic More than 20 organosulfur compounds in one soffritto
Technical: Onion contains diallyl disulfide and quercetin (20-40mg/100g). Garlic contains allicin, ajoene and S-allylcysteine. Together they provide more than 20 different organosulfur compounds that modulate NF-κB. Allium crops are intensively studied in nutrition science for their unique sulfur chemistry.
What does this mean for you? Start every dish with sautéed onion and garlic — not just for flavor, but for the unique concentration of organosulfur compounds. Cut garlic 10 minutes before heating to allow allicin formation.
DigestionImmune System
Sea Salt Olive Oil Minerals + polyphenols for cellular balance
Technical: Sea salt's sodium is essential for the sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+-ATPase) that regulates every body cell. Olive oil's oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol provide antioxidant protection for cell membranes. The combination supports cell integrity: sea salt regulates ion balance, olive oil protects the membrane. In Mediterranean cuisine, coarse sea salt + olive oil is the most basic flavor profile.
What does this mean for you? Freshly ground sea salt with extra virgin olive oil is the simplest and most nutritious finishing of any dish. The combination provides the basic needs of your cells: minerals for function, polyphenols for protection.
HeartGeneral Wellness
Black Pepper Olive Oil Fat increases piperine absorption and enhances polyphenols
Technical: Piperine is fat-soluble and absorbed 2-3x better with dietary fat. Olive oil's oleocanthal and piperine both modulate COX signal transduction through different mechanisms, providing additive bioactive effect.
What does this mean for you? Grind fresh pepper over salads with olive oil dressing. The combination enhances both pepper absorption and bioactive action.
Anti-inflammatoryHeartDigestion
Instructions
- 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Halve the brussels sprouts. Cut the broccoli into small florets. Slice the onion into half rings and press or finely chop the garlic.
Nutrition per serving
Indicative values per serving.
Tags & Diet
Allergens: Eggs