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Tag: broccoli

  • Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    I don’t know why everyone throws all of their broccoli stems away and just keeps the flowrettes, honestly the stems are the most delicious sweet part of the broccoli in my opinion!  So, when I was making a big broccoli salad the other day at work and had a lot of stalks bound for the trash, I decided to save a few and make a broccoli slaw.  I mean, you could pay a lot more for a bag of broccoli slaw mix at the store (essentially just shredded stems with carrots), so why not make your own from stalks?!  I had made a broccoli apple almond slaw years ago on this blog and decided it was time for an update as well.  Not because it was bad as it was, but because I wanted to take new photos.

    This salad is sooo good, and so easy to make!  The most time consuming part is just cutting the broccoli julienne.  I sit and chop veggies all day though, so it isn’t a big deal to me.  But if you are not good with a knife and don’t feel like cutting the broccoli julienne, you are welcome to shred it instead, it will still be delicious in this salad. I combined it with a sweet honeycrisp apple, my go to apple for salads because it is so flavorful, as well as some sweet raisins and almonds.

    The dressing had to be delicious as well. Since the salad already had almonds in it, I figured I would make a creamy almond butter dressing for it. Honestly nut butter based dressings are my favorite and the ones I use most often. They are oil free, good for you and they only take a minute to whip up.  I keep some in the refrigerator at all times, usually it is a walnut pumpkin seed butter base, but almond butter is used often for dressing in my house too.  This one I wanted to be sweet and tangy.

    The salad turned out sooo good!  This would be the perfect thing to make for a side dish, or for lunches to bring to work (when everyone goes back to work, or maybe you are still working during this whole coronavirus thing like me).  It is crunchy, the broccoli and apples are sweet, the almonds add a nice crunch, and that silky tangy dressing is perfect on it!  Give this a try next time you have some leftover broccoli stalks on hand (or if you don’t just have stalks, chopped broccoli would work as well, just use about 4 cups).

    Broccoli Almond Apple Slaw

    Serves 6-8

    Ingredients:

    Salad:

    • 6 broccoli stalks, peeled and cut julienne (or shredded with a larger setting on a grater)
    • 1 large tart sweet apple, such as honeycrisp, cut julienne (or shredded with a larger setting on a grater)
    • 1/2 cup raisins
    • 1/2 cup chopped almonds

     

    Dressing:

    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1/4 cup filtered water
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt

     

    Instructions:

    1. In a bowl, combine the broccoli stalks, apple, raisins, and almonds.
    2. Whisk together the dressing in another bowl (if it seems too thick, since almond butter varies in thickness, add a little more water).
    3. Toss the dressing with the salad, and serve!
  • Tahini Lemon Broccoli Pasta

    Tahini Lemon Broccoli Pasta

    I know a lot of people are ordering takeout with the whole Coronavirus going on, but that hasn’t been the case with me.  We usually do takeout instead of delivery if we are going to do something like that, but only for a special occasion like my Mom’s birthday coming up, since we can’t go out for it.  Otherwise on weekdays, and most of the time, after work I just prefer quick recipes.  I had a lovely jar of Dastony tahini on hand that Raw Guru had recently sent me, and I thought it would be perfect in a pasta recipe as a creamy sauce.

    Most people think of using tahini in hummus, or maybe as a dressing, but it is good on pasta as well!  Kind of like the way thai peanut noodles are made with peanut butter (I love those too), but a nut free version with a different flavor.  I love tahini with a bit of lemon.  This local restaurant that my Mom and I used to go to when I was little had a tahini lemon salad dressing that we loved, so I use the combo often because I have not gotten sick of it in the last 20 years.  I had some whole wheat pasta on hand, as well as some broccoli, so I thought I would combine them with the tahini.

    This is really simple to make!  While the pasta is boiling, you make the sauce, and then add the broccoli at the end of cooking, then toss with the sauce and dinner is ready!  I like simple recipes when I get off work, and this is about as simple as they come. I combined the tahini with a bit of lemon like I mentioned earlier, some garlic, a little cumin and some red pepper flakes and it was perfect!

    I love tahini, and this dish lets it shine!  It is super satisfying with the creamy sauce, substantial pasta and lightly cooked broccoli!  If you don’t like broccoli, you could sub your favorite veggies. This would also be good with asparagus for spring!  I am going to try that when it comes into season!  I hope you are all staying well, and enjoying spring!

    Tahini Lemon Broccoli Pasta

    Serves 2-4

    Pasta and Broccoli:

    • 8 oz organic whole wheat fusilli pasta
    • 2 medium heads organic broccoli, cut into flowrettes

     

    Sauce:

    • 1 cup Dastony tahini
    • 1/3 cup lemon juice
    • 1/2 cup filtered water (or as needed)
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • pinch red pepper flakes

     

    Instructions:

    1. Cook pasta according to directions in a pot of salted water.
    2. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the sauce.
    3. When the pasta has about minute left to cook, add the broccoli, and cook until it is bright green and slightly tender, about a minute or two.
    4. Drain, then place back in the pot and mix with the sauce.
    5. Serve!

     

  • Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Growing up, I used to eat a lot of canned soup and I thought nothing of it. That is, until me and my Mom started to make our own soups at home when I was in high school from a soup cookbook we had bought and when I later started working in a deli that makes its own soup. I never went back to the canned. It just tasted tinny to me and just over all inferior to the home made stuff. I guess I am just sort of s soup snob, or have been for a while.

    I am even super picky if I order soup in a restaurant and it is sub par because I make so many soups at my work and they have to taste good. So, one time (before I was vegan) I decided to order a broccoli cheese soup at a restaurant that was supposed to be good and I was really disappointed. It was really bland, and too thin, and cooked to oblivion. There has to be a better way to make this at home I thought, and I ended up making a version that was really good that I later made at work and the customers loved it! I hadn’t really made a veganized version of it yet, that is until last weekend. I decided it was time I make some because it used to be so good and I was sure I could come up with an even better animal product free version.

    I wanted it to have plenty of veggies in it, not be just pureed broth with a cheesy flavor. So, I added in broccoli, carrots, onions, potatoes, and garlic. Really I guess it was more of a chowder, which is why I am calling it that. I made a silky creamy broth with coconut milk, cashew butter and nutritional yeast to give it a cheesy flavor and it was so good you would swear it has dairy in it.

    I think I like this version even better than the original, and it is much better for you instead of the loads of cheese in the other soup. Even my boyfriend Eric likes it and he is not vegan, so that counts for something! If you are looking for a soup that is pure comfort food but still filled with veggies, give this a try!

    Vegan Broccoli Cheese Chowder

    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    • 2 tsp avocado oil
    • 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
    • 2 cups yukon gold potatoes, cut into cubes
    • 1 large head broccoli, flowrettes removed and stem peeled and diced (cut off the tough end)
    • 2 medium carrots, cut in half and sliced
    • 1 15 oz can lite coconut milk
    • 1 1/2 cups veggie broth (or as needed)
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
    • 1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
    • 1/4 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    • 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbsp filtered water
    1. Heat the oil in a medium soup pot with a lid, and add the onions, celery and garlic.  Sautee for a few minutes until starting to turn translucent, and add the thyme, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper.
    2. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook about 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
    3. Add the cashew butter, nutritional yeast, and cornstarch mixture and cook until they are well blended into the soup and it has thickened slightly.
    4. Enjoy!
  • Air Fried Spicy Crispy Broccoli with Lemon Tahini Sauce

    Air Fried Spicy Crispy Broccoli with Lemon Tahini Sauce

    The first thing I made in my air fryer back when I got it for Christmas was crispy breaded cauliflower. I had been ordering cauliflower “wings” at a few vegan restaurants a lot before that and I wanted those amazing crispy wings at home but without the deep frying of course so the air fryer was perfect for that. They turned out amazing the first time and without any oil. They were super light and crispy with the perfect amount of breading on the outside. I was craving some last weekend but I didn’t have any cauliflower on hand and didn’t want to go to the store, so I made some fried broccoli instead and it was so good I decided that I needed to share it with you all!

    It was really easy to make, and I was able to enjoy it in less than 25 minutes thanks to the air fryer being so quick! I use that thing a lot just to roast veggies, it takes much less energy and time than the oven. For the coating I just use a simple batter made with gluten free flour and water plus some spices. I like to switch it up to change flavors but I wanted this one to be spicy so I added both chipotle powder and red pepper flakes. I actually sprinkled some of my ghost pepper flakes on these as well, which is an option if you like it even spicier but I know not everyone can get those so I didn’t include that in the recipe.

    Once these are coated in batter, they only take 15 minutes to “fry”. Which is more than enough time to make a dipping sauce for them. I like crispy things with something for dipping. You know like french fries and ketchup, or wings and ranch? Plus these had a little kick so a creamy dipping sauce was the perfect partner for it. This time I decided to make a lemon tahini dipping sauce with the Dastony tahini that Raw Guru recently sent me. It took about a minute to whip up and it was so good!

    The broccoli was so tasty! It reminded me of something I would get at a restaurant as an appetizer but it was so much healthier! These are crispy on the outside with tender broccoli in the center. A little spicy, and a hint of garlic and cumin and the creamy bright tasting lemon sauce is perfect with them! If you have an air fryer (or even if you don’t because I included instructions for baking them in a normal oven as well), give these a try the next time you are craving something fried but still want to eat somewhat healthy!

    Ingredients:

    Broccoli:

    • 1 cup filtered water
    • 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
    • 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
    • 1 large head of broccoli or two smaller hears, cut into larger florettes

     

    Dipping Sauce:

    • 1/2 cup Dastony tahini
    • 1/4 cup lemon juice
    • 1/2 tsp cumin
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1 clove garlic, minced

     

    Instructions:

    1. Whisk together the filtered water, flour, chipotle powder, cumin, garlic powder, sea salt and red pepper flakes in a large bowl until smooth.
    2. Add the broccoli florettes the bowl, and toss with the batter until coated.
    3. Spread out on an oiled air fryer tray so that they are not touching each other.
    4. Bake in the air fryer for 15 minutes at 375F until crispy. (or alternatively, you can spread it out on a sheet pan and roast in the oven at 375F for about 30 minutes until crispy.)
    5. Meanwhile, to make the tahini sauce, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
    6. Serve the broccoli with the dipping sauce!
  • Vegan Broccoli “Bacon” Salad

    Vegan Broccoli “Bacon” Salad

    There is a broccoli bacon salad that is very popular among Minnesotans at church potlucks or summer picnics.  It has a creamy dressing, raisins, sunflower seeds, onions and sometimes cheese depending on who makes it.  I used to like it when I was little because it was sweet and had bacon, but when I got older it was too sweet for me, as it is usually loaded up with sugar and mayonnaise two things I am not a fan of not to mention the bacon which I haven’t eaten since I went vegetarian in 2003 (I have been vegan 5 years).  One of my friends jokingly used to call it “broccoli barf”  because she was a vegetarian too and thought it was too sugary and mayo filled as well.  We actually make a version of this in the deli I work at and it is pretty popular.  Which got me to thinking, why couldn’t I make a vegan version of it that I could actually eat, and tailor it to my tastes so I would enjoy it as well?

    I admit I don’t usually reach for the broccoli first, but I really wanted to make a good vegan version of this!  I mean, yes, I could have made it really simple and bought vegan bacon and vegan mayonnaise, but were is the fun in that?  And, I don’t usually like store bought mayonnaise even if it is vegan.  So, I made my own creamy sweet dressing that ended up tasting even better than the mayo one.  It had a coconut milk cashew base made a little tangy with cider vinegar and sweet with maple syrup.  It was delicious once poured over the salad.

    For the bacon, I made coconut bacon.  It is now my favorite vegan bacon for when I want to sprinkle it on top of something or just snack on it.  It is honestly the closest thing texture and flavor wise I have found to real bacon.  It was super delicious in the salad and added a nice crunch.  I kept it classic with onions and sunflower seeds, but I swapped out the raisins for dried cherries because I am not a huge raisin fan and that was what I happened to have on hand.  I shared some of this salad with my Mom, who has tried the original version probably way more times than me and is usually not a fan, but she loved the vegan version I made.  If you are looking for a dish to bring to a Summer picnic or potluck, give this a try!

    Vegan Broccoli “Bacon” Salad
    Serves 2-4

    Ingredients:

    Coconut Bacon:

    • 1 1/2 cups large flake coconut
    • 2 Tbsp tamari
    • 2 Tbsp liquid smoke
    • 1 Tbsp maple syrup

     

    Dressing:

    • 1/3 cup raw cashew butter
    • 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk (mostly the thick part from the top of the can)
    • 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/3 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

     

    Salad:

    • 2 medium heads organic broccoli
    • 1/4 cup diced onion
    • 1/2 cup dried cherries
    • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the coconut bacon, preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
    2. Toss the large flake coconut with the tamari, liquid smoke and maple syrup and spread out on the pan.  Place in the oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes (depending on your oven), keeping a close eye at the end and checking it in the final minutes because it burns fast.  Remove from oven and let cool.
    3. To make the dressing, whisk all ingredients together until smooth.
    4. Combine broccoli, onions, cherries, sunflower seeds, and coconut bacon in a bowl, and toss together with the dressing.
    5. Enjoy!

     

    *Note: If you are not serving this right away, do not add the coconut bacon until you are just about to serve it so that it stays crisp.

     

  • Tahini Broccoli Salad

    Tahini Broccoli Salad

    My Mom brought me some broccoli, crasins and tahini, and asked me if I would make her a broccoli salad with it.  She was thinking, sort of like a twist on the classic broccoli salad that people make and take to picnics.  You know the one, with the bacon, mayo dressing, sunflower seeds, and raisins.  The one I jokingly call broccoli barf, because I am not a fan of  the animal products and loads of sugar used in it, I am a vegan after all.  We used to have it at our family get togethers when I was little and It was about on the level of jello salad with veggies in it for me (aka not a fan), I have always wondered where some of these combinations came from.  Or, what by definition is a salad?  It is not necessarily something healthy…as we all know.  I have never felt that meat belonged in a salad.  So, I was thrilled when my Mom asked me to make a healthy vegan version of this classic salad.  One that we would both enjoy and feel good about eating!

    Tahini Broccoli Salad 1

    I love tahini dressing, and so does my Mom.  We used to order a salad at a local restaurant that had it on there when I was little, and now as an adult, I have enjoyed making my own version at home.  It is a simple classic tahini dressing, laced with lemon, a touch of cumin and garlic and it is so good, and so versatile.  It was really delicious on this salad.  It tastes rich, but it is just the delicious tahini!  The crasins swapped in for raisins was a great idea, they added a nice contrasting color to the broccoli and of course sweetness.  I also added in some dried mango for another sweet flavor, since the dressing was completely savory (unlike the classic broccoli salad which is super sweet).  And lastly, of course I had to add some sunflower seeds for crunch.  I have nothing against those.

    Tahini Broccoli Salad 2

    The salad was delicious! It was savory, with just enough sweetness coming from the dried fruit.  I am not a person who likes super sweet salads, and a little sweetness can go a long way for me.   I of course shared it with my Mom, who loved it as well, which meant a lot since she is my biggest food critic.  If you are looking for an easy and delicious salad to make ahead for lunches, or to share at a picnic, this would be awesome.  It doesn’t spoil as fast as mayo salads would.  And of course, no need to tell your guests it is healthy and good for them.

    Tahini Broccoli Salad

    Tahini Broccoli Salad
    Serves 3-4

    4 medium sized heads broccoli, torn into bite sized pieces
    1/2 cup sunflower seeds
    1/2 cup unsweetened dried mango, sliced thinly
    1/2 cup dried cranberries
    1/2 cup tahini
    1/3 cup filtered water
    1/4 cup cider vinegar
    1/2 tsp cumin
    1 small garlic clove, minced
    1/3 tsp sea salt or to taste

    Place the broccoli flowrettes, sunflower seeds, mango, and cranberries in a bowl. Whisk together tahini, water, cider vinegar, cumin, garlic, and sea salt in a bowl (if it is too thick add a little more water, if too thin a little more tahini). Toss the dressing with the salad, and serve!



  • 2 Juice Recipes: Sunset Beet Juice and Broccoli Apple Green Juice

    2 Juice Recipes: Sunset Beet Juice and Broccoli Apple Green Juice

    beet-juice-1

    Sometimes, there is nothing better than freshly juiced veggies.  If you have never had them before, you might be wondering what the heck I am thinking, but if you have, I hope you have had the same experience.  When I first started enjoying fresh juices when I got a juicer about a year and a half ago, My favorite was a simple carrot juice with apple and celery.  Simple, and sweet.  When I started I thought juices had to all have fruit to be sweet and palatable but I quickly discovered otherwise when I started to experiment with all kinds of veggies.  Soon, my favorites included things I would have never thought to juice.

    beet-juice-2

    Things like beets, cabbage, broccoli and yams.  I recently made two juices that were really good, so I thought I would share them with you.  One was beets, cabbage, celery, and lemon juice.  Doesn’t sound sweet at all, right?  But it was really sweet and balanced.  Without any fruit, just full of alkalinizing veggies.  It was sooo good and refreshing, I could not think of anything I would rather be drinking after work to relax. No wine needed with this beautiful glass of red deliciousness.

    beet-juice

    The second juice is a broccoli apple green juice.  Broccoli stalks are often underappreciated, but I like to take them home from work and juice them sometimes.  They are sweet and I enjoy the flavor actually better than broccoli flowrettes.  Combine them with apple, celery, kale and lemon and you have a delicious balanced drink filled with nutrients.

    green-juice

    Sunset Beet Juice
    Serves 1

    1 really large beet, or 2 large beets, cut into pieces
    1/4 red cabbage
    2 celery stalks
    juice of one lemon

    Put all ingredients through a juicer, stir up and enjoy!

    Broccoli Apple Green Juice
    Serves 1

    4 organic broccoli stalks
    1 large sweet organic apple (such as pink lady or honeycrisp)
    2 stalks celery
    juice of one lemon
    4 large kale leaves

    Put all ingredients through a juicer, stir up and enjoy!