It is said that broccoli is one of the world’s healthiest food. If cooked by steaming, broccoli can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits. The fiber-related components in broccoli do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract when they’ve been steamed. When this binding process takes place, it’s easier for bile acids to be excreted, and the result is a lowering of your cholesterol levels. Raw broccoli still has cholesterol-lowering ability, according to a recent study.
Unfortunately, many do not like the taste of raw or steamed broccoli. So www.taste.com came up with some great recipes that will help you benefit from broccoli as well as enjoy a tasty meal.
Apple broccoli salad
Recipe:
• 2 medium heads of broccoli
• 1 large pink lady apple, thinly sliced
• 4 radish, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 80g baby spinach
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
Method:
• Remove florets from broccoli stalks. Cut one stalk into matchsticks. Discard remaining stalk. Place broccoli florets and stalk, apple, radish and baby spinach in a bowl. Toss to combine.
• Place vinegar, oil, mustard and chives in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
• Arrange broccoli mixture on a platter. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with pecans. Serve.
Note:
If packing lunch for two people the next day, reserve 1/3 of the salad mixture. For lunch: Divide salad mixture between two Lebanese bread rounds. Sprinkle each with 25g feta. Combine 1 tablespoon tahini, 1/4 cup plain Greek-style yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves. Drizzle dressing over salad. Roll up bread to enclose filling. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Tuna and broccoli bread bake
Recipe:
• 250g broccoli, trimmed, cut into florets
• 10 slices thick white bread, crusts removed, halved
• 425g can tuna in oil, drained, flaked
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 8 eggs
• 2 teaspoons mild English mustard
• 1 cup reduced-fat milk
• 2/3 cup reduced-fat grated tasty cheese
• Baby corn, lettuce leaves, halved cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumber, to serve
Method:
• Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C. Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons cold water. Microwave, covered, on high (100%) for 2 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Refresh under cold water.
• Lightly grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm (base) square ovenproof dish. Place 10 bread pieces at the base of dish. Top with broccoli, tuna and onions. Top with remaining bread.
• Whisk eggs, mustard and milk together in a jug. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until just set (cover with foil if over-browning). Stand for 5 minutes. Serve with lettuce, tomato and cucumber.
Note:
To reheat: Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C. Cover bake with foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through.
Broccoli and cheese soup
Recipe:
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 700g broccoli, cut into small florets
• 500g cream delight potatoes, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 liter salt-reduced chicken stock
• 8 slices lamb prosciutto
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup vintage cheddar, coarsely grated
• 4 slices crusty bread, to serve
Method:
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add broccoli, potato and stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Remove from heat. Stand for 5 minutes. Using a stick blender, blend soup until smooth (see note). Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add prosciutto. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
• Return soup to medium heat. Stir in milk. Add cheese. Gently stir until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.
• Top with lamb prosciutto and serve with crusty bread.
Broccoli pesto pasta
Recipe:
• 400g dried spaghetti pasta
• 1kg broccoli, cut into florets, stems thinly sliced
• 55g (1/3 cup) pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 185ml (3/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 60g (2/3 cup) shredded vegetarian hard cheese (or parmesan)
• Finely grated vegetarian hard cheese, to serve
Method:
• Cook pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and return to pan.
• Meanwhile, cook broccoli in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Process the broccoli, pine nuts, garlic and half the oil in a food processor until a coarse puree forms. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the shredded parmesan and remaining oil.
• Stir pesto into pasta and season with salt and pepper. Divide among serving dishes and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
Note:
Broccoli, sharp parmesan and a hint of garlic make the ideal sauce for pasta.
More ideas: For a speedy weeknight dinner, stir-fry broccoli florets, sliced beef, garlic and oyster sauce. Serve with steamed rice.
To make a tasty side, roast broccoli until tender. Toss with olive oil, anchovies, thinly sliced fresh red chili and fresh lemon juice.
Unfortunately, many do not like the taste of raw or steamed broccoli. So www.taste.com came up with some great recipes that will help you benefit from broccoli as well as enjoy a tasty meal.
Apple broccoli salad
Recipe:
• 2 medium heads of broccoli
• 1 large pink lady apple, thinly sliced
• 4 radish, trimmed, thinly sliced
• 80g baby spinach
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
Method:
• Remove florets from broccoli stalks. Cut one stalk into matchsticks. Discard remaining stalk. Place broccoli florets and stalk, apple, radish and baby spinach in a bowl. Toss to combine.
• Place vinegar, oil, mustard and chives in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
• Arrange broccoli mixture on a platter. Drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with pecans. Serve.
Note:
If packing lunch for two people the next day, reserve 1/3 of the salad mixture. For lunch: Divide salad mixture between two Lebanese bread rounds. Sprinkle each with 25g feta. Combine 1 tablespoon tahini, 1/4 cup plain Greek-style yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint leaves. Drizzle dressing over salad. Roll up bread to enclose filling. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat.
Tuna and broccoli bread bake
Recipe:
• 250g broccoli, trimmed, cut into florets
• 10 slices thick white bread, crusts removed, halved
• 425g can tuna in oil, drained, flaked
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 8 eggs
• 2 teaspoons mild English mustard
• 1 cup reduced-fat milk
• 2/3 cup reduced-fat grated tasty cheese
• Baby corn, lettuce leaves, halved cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumber, to serve
Method:
• Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C. Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons cold water. Microwave, covered, on high (100%) for 2 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Refresh under cold water.
• Lightly grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm (base) square ovenproof dish. Place 10 bread pieces at the base of dish. Top with broccoli, tuna and onions. Top with remaining bread.
• Whisk eggs, mustard and milk together in a jug. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over bread. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until just set (cover with foil if over-browning). Stand for 5 minutes. Serve with lettuce, tomato and cucumber.
Note:
To reheat: Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C. Cover bake with foil. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through.
Broccoli and cheese soup
Recipe:
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 700g broccoli, cut into small florets
• 500g cream delight potatoes, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 liter salt-reduced chicken stock
• 8 slices lamb prosciutto
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup vintage cheddar, coarsely grated
• 4 slices crusty bread, to serve
Method:
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add broccoli, potato and stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Remove from heat. Stand for 5 minutes. Using a stick blender, blend soup until smooth (see note). Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add prosciutto. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
• Return soup to medium heat. Stir in milk. Add cheese. Gently stir until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.
• Top with lamb prosciutto and serve with crusty bread.
Broccoli pesto pasta
Recipe:
• 400g dried spaghetti pasta
• 1kg broccoli, cut into florets, stems thinly sliced
• 55g (1/3 cup) pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 185ml (3/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 60g (2/3 cup) shredded vegetarian hard cheese (or parmesan)
• Finely grated vegetarian hard cheese, to serve
Method:
• Cook pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and return to pan.
• Meanwhile, cook broccoli in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Process the broccoli, pine nuts, garlic and half the oil in a food processor until a coarse puree forms. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the shredded parmesan and remaining oil.
• Stir pesto into pasta and season with salt and pepper. Divide among serving dishes and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
Note:
Broccoli, sharp parmesan and a hint of garlic make the ideal sauce for pasta.
More ideas: For a speedy weeknight dinner, stir-fry broccoli florets, sliced beef, garlic and oyster sauce. Serve with steamed rice.
To make a tasty side, roast broccoli until tender. Toss with olive oil, anchovies, thinly sliced fresh red chili and fresh lemon juice.
