So What's Up With Those Little Green Trees?

Have you ever walked down the produce aisle in the grocery store, gazed at those little green trees that we call broccoli, and thought to yourself ‘What's up with these?'.

Well, pushing broccoli’s stinky reputation aside, this bullied veggie has so many hidden talents (and flavors) trapped in its tiny Q-tipesk buds. Grouped in the cruciferous vegetable family—along with cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, etc—the little green tree is high in sulfur-containing compounds, giving it a notably spicy or bitter taste that can be used to its advantage by pairing it with nutty or citrusy flavors. And if that fact hasn’t roped you in to the wonderful world of green, then maybe broccoli’s life-saving powers will.

This little green tree machine has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, improve eye and gut health, boost immune function, as well as our detox enzymes. Not to mention, a recent study shows that eating broccoli could reduce damages to our health by air pollution. But you can find all of this information about how broccoli is “rich in a compound called sulforaphane/ Good for your body, heart good for your brain” in a quick run-down by reggae singer Macka B.

So what should you do with the funky green stem-plant with tiny granules on top? Put it in your smoothies, juices, salads, pastas, and Buddha bowls. Put it on your pizza or flatbread, in your sushi rolls or pita wraps. You can steam it, sauté it, roast it, or grill it.

One of my favorite ways to incorporate this green into my life is by throwing it into a dip to bring for a dinner party or potluck.

Broccoli Dip

• Prep Time:5 mins
• Cook Time:10 mins
• Total Time:15 mins
• Servings:5
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• Pinch salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 1 lemon juiced
• Dipping chip choice

• Step 1

  Place a pot with an inch of water on the stove over medium heat and bring it to a boil

• Step 2

  Cut the broccoli head into florets, and put them in the pot of boiling water

  

• Step 3

  Boil/steam the broccoli florets for 3-5 minutes (or until bright green and you can easily poke through the florets with a fork)

  

• Step 4

  Drain water, and cool for 2-5 minutes

  

• Step 5

  Add broccoli, lemon juice, and yogurt to a blender and whizz together to combine. Add additional scoops of yogurt for a creamier consistency

  

• Step 6

  Add salt and pepper to taste

• Step 7

  Serve with chips (my favorite is with veggie chips)

  

Broccoli Steak

• Prep Time:15 mins
• Cook Time:15 mins
• Total Time:30 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch salt
• Pinch black pepper
• Pinch garlic salt/powder optional

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 200 °C on grill mode

• Step 2

  Cut the broccoli stem so that it is flat across (has a stand)

  

• Step 3

  Stand the broccoli upright, and cut 1-2 thick slices from the top of the head through to the bottom of the stem, creating large, thick ‘steaks’

  

• Step 4

  Place the steaks on a baking tray

• Step 5

  Coat the broccoli in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic salt/powder if using

  

• Step 6

  Place the tray in the oven for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through

• Step 7

  Serve on its own

  

Super Sesame Broccoli

• Prep Time:2 mins
• Cook Time:10 mins
• Total Time:12 mins
• Servings:1
• Easy

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• Pinch salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Pinch dried chili flakes
• Hand-full sesame seeds

• Step 1

  Cut broccoli into florets

  

• Step 2

  Heat medium-large frying pan on stove over medium-low heat

• Step 3

  Add 1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil and wait for pan to heat up. This should take approximately one minute

  

• Step 4

  Add florets to the pan, and cook uncovered for three minutes, stirring occasionally

  

• Step 5

  Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and stir broccoli, and cook for an additional two minutes

• Step 6

  Add 3 tablespoons of water, and cook for three minutes, or until evaporated

  

• Step 7

  Add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and sesame seeds, and stir all together. The broccoli should be slightly crunchy on the ends, and have a brown coating from sesame oil

  

• Step 8

  Serve and garnish with more sesame seeds

  

These salty, nutty, and bitter flavors perfectly complement your broccoli. If you're looking to make your body and your tastebuds happy, don't just walk past the little green trees in the supermarket: pick some up and try them.