Veggies from the Underground - Short Stories
The Adventures of Captain Broc!
Fun Facts About Broccoli
Broccoli is a vegetable with a beautiful green color, a pleasant flavor, and can have a snappy crunch to them. Broccoli and other Veggies like Collard Greens and Brussel Sprouts easily made the list of “Superfoods” because of all its benefits to the body! Speaking of “Super Foods”, let us take a journey with a Veggie named Captain Broc. A Veggie looking to claim his place as a
“Superhero!”
“You guys are always picking on someone and I hate it!” Broc yells at the Bells.
“Listen man, that’s what we do. You get up, we beat you down. We are a lot like life. The question is, what are you going to do about it?” Says Tree Green.
“Yea Broc, sometimes in life there are obstacles you can’t overcome.” Says Mello # 2. “You may think it’s a good idea to keep walking down this hallway like we’re going to leave you alone. But the reality of it is, if you just accept defeat and go the other way. You can find yourself being a lot more successful at reaching your class safely. But I’m just a bully, who am I to give advice. Anyways, pick yourself up and run along dear Broc. Hope you make a better decision tomorrow. Byeee!”
That afternoon when Broc got home, he told his older Sister Lock about what happened.
“They pushed me down while walking in the hall, again!” Broc says with anger while throwing his book bag.
“Hey, watch where you’re throwing your stupid book bag, you almost knocked over all my make-up!” Lock says with frustration.
“Sorry Lock. But they just keep bullying me, and then Mello #2 has the nerve to give me advice about where I should walk! She can’t even get a 80% on our science test and they’re so easy! If only I had superpowers, I would zap them one by one! Take this Reddy Red, Zap! Hello Mello #2, Zap Zap! Hey Tree Green, its Three Green, Zap Zap Zap!”
“You, are, such, a nerd.” Lock says unentertained. “No wonder they bully you. Well, good luck with that shrimp! I’m going to the mall with my friends. Oh, and Dad made dinner, Chickpea Nuggets. They are so good! You’re lucky I left you some.”
Later that night as Broc was falling asleep, all he could think about was what superpowers he could use to beat the bullies.
“This is more like it!”, Broc says to himself as his dream began with him in a super-hero costume. “Costume, check! Cape, check! Super-hero stance, check! Wait, what’s that noise?” Broc says as he barely hears the alarm from the bank in the center of town. “Super-Veggie hearing, cool! Hmm, that bank is on the corner of Fruits and Vegetables!”
Suddenly, Broc disappears and reappears! To his surprise, he was right in front of the bank.
“I can teleport! I CAN TELEPORT!” Broc says with excitement as he jumps up and down.
“Wait! No time to waste, I must save the innocent people inside.” And after another teleport he yells, “freeze!”
On the other side of Captain Broc holding a Zap that could turn a Veggie to soil in seconds, was a very scared grocery store clerk. “No don’t do it Captain Broc!” Yells the clerk.
“Oh no! I’m so sorry! I’m still learning this whole teleporting thing.” Captain Broc says in fear while disappearing back to the bank. “Ok, how about I just run inside this time.”
“Freeze! You’re backed into a cold corner. Get it? Freeze, cold corner. Never mind, how dare you try and steal from “The Bank of Water and Nutrient’s” You Bell look a likes?”
“Who are the Bells? And get out of our way bush head.” The Red Robber yells.
“Yea!” Yells the yellow robber. “When the next drought comes, the water and nutrients we stole will be worth 100 times what it’s worth now. We’re going to be rich I tell you, RICH! And there is nothing you can do to stop us! One touch from these Rotten Ray Guns, you’ll turn to dark mush!”
“Is that so?” Broc says with confidence as he walks toward the robbers. “And you plan to stop me with Zap Zap Zap!” Before Captain Broc finished his sentence, he Zapped the three Rotten Ray Guns out of the robber’s hands.
“Looks like your guns can’t save you now.” And with lightning speed, Captain Broc tied up the three bad guys!
“This isn’t over Captain Broc!” The Green Robber yells as the now freed Veggies chanted Captain Broc’s name.
Broc! Broc! Broc! Broc! Yells Broc’s sister Lock. Stop dreaming nerd, it’s time for school!
The End!
Chickpea Nuggets
Ready in 1 hour – Recipe Makes 22 Nuggets
Ingredients
½ cup whole grain breadcrumbs 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (3 cups)
1½ cups cooked brown rice 1 small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces (1 cup)
3 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ cup nutritional yeast ¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ketchup, BBQ, or hot sauce for dipping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small, shallow bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the chickpeas, rice, onion, garlic, cumin, turmeric, nutritional yeast, lime juice, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste; pulse to a pliable mixture. (If you don’t have a food processor, use a potato masher.) Mold about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into an oblong nugget, then roll the nugget in seasoned breadcrumbs, and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat until all of the mixture is used. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip nuggets and bake for 20 more minutes.
Serve hot with ketchup, BBQ sauce, and/or hot sauce for dipping.
Recipe Source – Forks over Knives
https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-baked-stuffed/chickpea-nuggets/#gs.1xd9u7
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