A Cruciferous Salad

To be honest, I've always seen and been curious about this salad at the Whole Foods Deli, but I have never actually tried it.   When I saw that there were a plethora of homemade versions out there on the interweb (the one that particularly inspired me was this one), I figured it would be a good opportunity to try making it for myself.  This is a great salad for those days you feel like "detoxing" after not eating so great ( Like me, at work...) or just a great side dish to have on hand.

I've talked about the benefits of eating raw cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc. with all of their vitamins, fiber, and disease fighting phytochemicals before on a post.  In fact, Cy's Broccoli Salad is still one of my favorite salads, but this one is a good one to have in the arsenal.

If you notice, this recipe uses Kelp granules - a new ingredient for me.  I've always known that sea vegetables have amazing nutritional value, and they are a major part of Japanese cooking, but I didn't realize that they offer kelp in granule form - kind of like a healthier version of salt I guess, almost like furikake. You can find them in most grocery stores and read more about them here.  I think it's great that they make this so that benefits of sea veggies can be incorporated into western dishes. I will definitely be doing more posts on Japanese dishes that feature sea vegetables in the future :)

In the meantime, eat more cruciferous veggies!

{Caramelized!} Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken & Caramelized Broccoli

These two dishes are from Food & Wine's Best Fast Recipes list.  A very helpful list on those days you want to whip up something delicious without slaving away in the kitchen.  Both use the process of caramelization to bring out the flavor of the ingredients...so there's no way it could taste bad! {unless you burn it of course ;) }

Both recipes are simple, but extremely flavorful, and has gotten the thumbs up sign from Cy.  Our good friend M proclaimed that he could get hooked on this dish.  So I hope you guys get a chance to try making the dish!

Creamy Broccoli Soup

This one's a staple in my cooking repertoire because it's quick and easy to make, healthy and delicious to eat.  It's a creamy broccoli soup that uses no cream, and instead is thickened with oats, adding to its nutritional factor. 

I usually make this when it's already too late to try to cook anything too creative for dinner...or when I'm feeling lazy, hehe. I always make a big batch so that I can have it for lunch the next day.   In fact the base of this soup recipe is so simple and foolproof that you can easily swap out the broccoli and turn it into another soup...kale? Carrots? The possibilities are endless.

For now, I stick with Broccoli, because I ♥ broccoli.  I've already talked about why here

Cy's Broccoli Salad

We often make a big batch of Cy's favorite Broccoli Salad to have during the week.  I think this has pretty much become his trademark salad and he often makes it for potlucks and dinners.  It's simple, healthy, and makes a great lunch during the week...another one of those versatile recipes that can be altered with what you have on hand.

I've always liked broccoli, but I've tended to dismiss it as an "ordinary" vegetable.  Nothing as exciting as say an artichoke?   But did you know that Broccoli has amazing beneficial qualities for your health?  

Like other cruciferous veggies, when you chew broccoli, isothiocyanates are produced.  This byproduct can help eliminate carcinogens in your body before they can cause genetic damage.  Not only this, Broccoli also produces sulforaphane, which has been shown to help repair damage to your blood vessels caused by hypoglycemia...so important for diabetics!  I'm sorry the nerdy science major in me tends to get very excited over information like this...if you want to read more, check out this article.

It's best not to overcook broccoli and lose it's amazing nutritional value, so this salad is the perfect way to get your dose of broccoli. 

Cy's Broccoli Salad

Ingredients (Serves 4):

Broccoli...2-3 small bunches

Grape Tomatoes....1 cup

Basil...a handful

Chopped Nuts...1/2 cup  **I used pecans, but you can use almonds, walnuts, whatever floats your boat!

Dijon Mustard...1 tsp

Honey...1 tbsp

Olive Oil...1/4 cup

White Wine Vinegar...4 tbsp

Lemon Juice...4 tbsp

Salt & Pepper...to taste

Directions:

1.   Toast Nuts.

2.   Mix Mustard, Honey, Vinegar, and Lemon Juice.  Stream in Oil, whisking constantly. 

3.   Add Salt & Pepper to taste.  Set dressing aside.

4.   Wash and chop Broccoli (including stems) into small bite size pieces.

5.  Halve grape or cherry tomatoes.

6.  Chiffonade (fancy way of saying chop) the basil. 

7.  Toss broccoli, basil, nuts, and tomato mix into the bowl with the dressing.  Toss and let sit in the fridge for at least   30min.

Made some Pork Katsu Curry with shredded lettuce - less carbs than rice;)