Recipe

So What's Up With Those Little Green Trees?

By Lily Rose Longton at University of St. Andrews

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

Ingredients

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

Lily Rose Longton

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

Kristine Mahan

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)

Lily Rose Longton

Step 4

Drain water, and cool for 2-5 minutes

Emily Hu

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

Becky Hughes

Step 6

Add salt and pepper to taste

Step 7

Serve with chips (my favorite is with veggie chips)

Lily Rose Longton

Broccoli Steak

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

Ingredients

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

Lily Rose Longton

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)

Kristine Mahan

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’

Lily Rose Longton

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

Victoria Hoang

Step 6

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

Step 7

Serve on its own

Lily Rose Longton

Super Sesame Broccoli

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

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

Lily Rose Longton

Step 1

Cut broccoli into florets

Kristine Mahan

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

Jocelyn Hsu

Step 4

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

Emily Hu

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

Jocelyn Hsu

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

Lily Rose Longton

Step 8

Serve and garnish with more sesame seeds

Lily Rose Longton

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.