Today I want to focus on a rather special vegetable — broccoli. This simple vegetable is used extensively in Asian cooking and also Mediterranean cooking. It’s a vegetable that used to make me gag when I ate it as a kid, but now I thoroughly enjoy eating (simply because I’ve learned how to cook it properly — more on that in a minute).
But what makes broccoli such a special food is that it’s a real nutrition powerhouse. It’s rich in vitamins and minerals, including potassium, folate, calcium and vitamin C (which also acts as a powerful cell-protecting antioxidant).
Broccoli also contains plenty of dietary fiber as well as two particularly health-giving phytochemicals — sulforaphane and indol-3-carbinol. Scientific research has found that sulforaphane guards against cancer by stimulating the production of protective enzymes that detoxify carcinogens (cancer causing compounds). Indol-3-carbinol has been found to reduce breast cancer risk by preventing estrogen overproduction. A Harvard study even found that a high intake of broccoli reduced bladder cancer risk in men. And broccoli is quite a good source of protein (one medium stalk contains around 5 grams) and it’s low in calories while being nice and filling, so it’s an ideal food to help you stay in shape.
Apart from its health-giving qualities, broccoli is a fantastic food because it’s so delicious and versatile. Trudy and I love adding broccoli florets to stir-fries and noodle dishes (such as Tofu and cashew chow mein), but broccoli is equally at home in a pasta dish or a Thai curry. Steamed broccoli drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil also makes a great accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken. Raw or lightly blanched broccoli can even be added to salads or served as part of a plate of vegetable crudités. Another tasty way to enjoy broccoli is blended into warming soups such as Spanish broccoli and almond soup.
Here are some more delicious recipes that include broccoli:
Tuna & broccoli pasta with tomato red pepper sauce
Honey-lemon chicken with almonds
Lemony tuna, olive & vegetable pasta
Braised Sesame Chicken Noodles
And if you need a primer on how to cut broccoli into florets, here’s a step-by-step guide.
3 Comments
Great post, really informative and links to some tasty looking meals. I have always loved broccoli, even as a child (”I’m eating trees!”) and I really should eat it more often.
Mike, you’re lucky that you’ve always enjoyed broccoli (that tree trick is a great idea!). I certainly did once I started adding it to pasta dishes, stir-fries and curries. But I still can’t eat broccoli the typical Western way — boiled and served in a pile by itself on the side of the plate.
Yum yum vegetables! So delicious and healthy and beneficial!! I came across this site which has an article on how broccoli can decrease the risk of bladder cancer! Worth the read. Thanks for the great post!