Broccoli is one of our more important vegetables and really when ex US President George Bush Snr. told the world he didn’t like broccoli he didn’t realise just what potential benefits he is missing out on.  There are many claims made about so called superfoods, where particular food stuff is believed to have outstanding health and nutritional benefits, but study after study confirms that broccoli helps prevent and treat cancer.

 Broccoli has an abundance of nutritional values which make it an excellent choice as part of a healthy diet. The potassium found in broccoli helps maintain a healthy nervous system and promotes muscle growth. Broccoli also contains calcium and magnesium which help regulate blood pressure. There is enough vitamin C in a cup of broccoli to fulfill your recommended daily amount, giving you a good dose of an anti-oxidant that is necessary for fighting free radicals. It is also very effective at easing the common cold due to its antihistamine properties. The vitamin C and Vitamin K in broccoli are important for bone health. Broccoli is also a good choice of a diet vegetable as the fibre gives the feeling of being full as well as promoting good digestion.

 Cooking with broccoli is easy and there’s a great variety of broccoli salads that are either terrific for vegetarians or as accompaniments to main meals.

Broccoli salad with sesame seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 ½ pounds fresh broccoli

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons white sugar

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Toast the sesame seeds for 3 to 5 minutes in a dry frying pan
• Cut the broccoli into bit size pieces
• Cook broccoli in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes
• Strain and transfer to a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and sesame seeds.
• Pour the mix over broccoli
• Gently toss to coat.

A broccoli salad can be made into a main meal by the simple addition of bacon.

Broccoli salad with bacon

 

Ingredients:

2 bunches broccoli stalks removed

1 chopped medium red onion

½ cup raisins

10 to 12 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation:

• Separate the florets cutting larger ones if required
• Make the dressing by combining the mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar and sugar.
• Put the broccoli, onion, raisins and bacon in a bowl
• Add the dressing and mix
• Cover and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours

 

Lastly in this small collection of broccoli salad recipes here’s a classic broccoli salad made as a stir-fry

Stir-fried broccoli salad

500g broccoli, cut into florets

1 carrot, sliced thinly

1 red onion, sliced

1 teaspoon cornflour

salt to taste

chicken or vegetable stock powder to taste

2 tablespoons peanut oil

• Mix the cornflour with 2 teaspoons water. Blanch the broccoli for 2 minutes in boiling water then remove the broccoli and drain.
• Bring the water in the pot back to the boil and add the carrot. Cook for 1 minute then drain.
• Mix the cornflour with water, salt and stock powder in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Stir fry the carrot and broccoli over high heat for 2 minutes then add the cornflour mixture and stir until vegetables are coated. 

 

Add a broccoli salad to your diet and start enjoying the benefits straight away..