Bountiful Broccoli Dish by Sharon, R.D.

 

    “Broccoli tends to be one of those mysterious veggies you don’t always know what to do with – do you eat it raw, boil it, steam it?  Does it really matter as long as you get some in your diet? The truth is broccoli has health benefits no matter how you prepare it!

    Eat it raw, and you get a good amount of vitamin C and folate; steam it lightly and you unlock some powerful compounds such as sulforaphane. The question is though, do you lose the health benefits of broccoli with longer cooking like roasting?  In answer, whatever cooking method you use it’s a trade off. Once you start cooking broccoli in any manner you lose some of the vitamin C, folate, and other B vitamins, but in contrast the cooking process makes vitamin A compounds more bioavailable, meaning easier for your body to obtain.  Additionally the fat that you add when you roast or stir fry a veggie (i.e olive oil) helps with the absorption of these vitamin A compounds, so it’s an added win.

    Some nutrients in broccoli are preserved no matter what cooking process you use – these are minerals and fiber.  Broccoli contains calcium, iron, potassium, and manganese, as well as 4 g of fiber per cup, making it a high-fiber food!  Each of these nutrients have multiple health benefits, but especially towards bone and heart health.  

    Which is the BEST way to eat broccoli? – the way you like to eat it most! A lot of times when people say they don’t like veggies, it’s because they’ve only had it one or 2 ways, and these ways were bland.  Seasoning up your vegetables can be life changing!  If you love steamed broccoli, great! But if you’ve found yourself avoiding broccoli because “it just didn’t taste good,” give this recipe a try!  The seasonings used in this recipe not only provide flavor, they are also good sources of antioxidants and possess anti-inflammatory properties.”

SHARON, R.D.

Make an appointment or ask questions HERE.

Sharon will work with you one on one or collaboratively with EQ’s personal trainers and/or behavior modification and health coach, Tamara!

Ingredients:

  • 1 12-oz package frozen organic broccoli florets

  • ¼ c olive oil

  • ¾ tsp garlic powder

  • 1 ¼ tsp chili powder

  • A heaping ¼ tsp turmeric

  • ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Line a 9 x 13 baking sheet w/ parchment paper.

  3. Empty package of frozen broccoli onto baking sheet (do not thaw).

  4. Drizzle the ¼ c olive oil over the broccoli.

  5. Sprinkle all of the spices over the broccoli.

  6. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 30 min.

  7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, toss the broccoli to pick up any remaining spices and oil, and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes.

  8. Remove the broccoli from the oven, season w/ a touch more salt, and enjoy!