Broccoli you’ll want to make again and again

Raise your hand if you tend to overcook (and under-season) cruciferous vegetables like broccoli.

Guilty? Here are three tempting sides of broccoli—and one of broccolini—from The Healthy Cook, Kate Sherwood. They’ll remind you why you fell in love with the powerhouse veggie.

Broccolini with Lemon Parmesan Sauce

Don’t confuse broccolini, which is slightly sweeter and milder than broccoli, with broccoli rabe (or rapini), which can be bitter. You only need to trim the tender broccolini stems by 1/8 inch. The Lemon Parmesan Sauce also makes a great topping for steamed or roasted asparagus or cauliflower.

Total Time: 15 minutes

2 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbs. mayonnaise
3 Tbs. grated parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 lb. broccolini, trimmed

1. Make the sauce by whisking together the lemon juice, mayonnaise, grated parmesan, and black pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat until shimmering hot. Sauté the garlic until golden, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
3. Add the broccolini to the pan with ¼ cup of water. Turn the heat to high and allow the water to steam the broccolini until tender and all the water has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add more water if the pan is dry before the broccolini is tender. Transfer to a serving plate.
4. Drizzle the sauce over the broccolini.

Serves 4.

Per serving (1 cup broccoli with 1 Tbs. sauce):

• Calories: 100
• Total Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Sodium: 120 mg
• Carbs: 7 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 5 g

Tahini Roasted Broccoli

2 Tbs. tahini
1 Tbs. olive oil
1½ Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
5 cups broccoli spears

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic.
2. Toss with the broccoli.
3. Roast on a lined baking sheet at 450º F for 10 minutes.

Serves 4.

Per serving:

• Calories: 100
• Total Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Sodium: 170 mg
• Carbs: 7 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 4 g

Raw Broccoli with Smoked Almonds & Parmesan

Raw broccoli? You bet. (It’s also delish lightly steamed.)

Total Time: 15 minutes

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
4 cups finely chopped broccoli crowns
¼ cup smoked, salted almonds, chopped
¼ cup freshly shredded parmesan

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and salt.
2. Toss in the broccoli. Sprinkle with the almonds and cheese.

Serves 6.

Per serving (3/4 cup):

• Calories: 120
• Total Fat: 9 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Sodium: 150 mg
• Carbs: 8 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 5 g

Broccoli with Balsamic Dressing

You want to cook the dressing until it’s thick and sticky, close to the consistency of honey.

Total Time: 15 minutes

1 Tbs. canola oil
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 lb. broccoli florets, about 4 cups

1. In a small sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the garlic until light golden, 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, whisking often, until thickened into a syrup, 2-3 minutes.
3. Steam the broccoli until it’s tender but still bright green, 2-3 minutes.
4. Drizzle the dressing over the broccoli.

Serves 4.

Per serving (1 cup):

• Calories: 80
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Sodium: 130 mg
• Carbs: 9 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 4 g

Enjoy these broccoli recipes? Nutrition Action’s Veggie Nice gives you more than a month’s worth of meatless main dishes. Try the Yellow Split Pea & Spinach Stew. Or the Pepper, Onion, & Sweet Potato Frittata. All are from the kitchen of Kate Sherwood, our Healthy Cook. That means they’re good for you… and their flavor will knock your socks off.

The post Broccoli you’ll want to make again and again appeared first on Nutrition Action.

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