Why you should love broccoli.

Okay, so sometimes it smells like an egg leftover from Easter and the whole "looks like a tree" bit rarely works with children, but broccoli is a great vegetable. It has good texture - crisp when raw, a bit crunchy after steaming - and the flavour is fresh and sometimes has a bit of sweetness to it. It is extremely versatile and can be used in sauces, stir fries, pizzas, dips, quiches, breads and as part of a stuffing - just to name a few.

Another of broccoli's positive qualities is its nutritional value. It can kick other vegetable's butts on its fibre and Vitamin A content alone! Not to mention the fact that it has hardly any calories. These little florets are also known for their ability to protect against rheumatoid arthritis, boost your immune system, fight birth defects, protect against ulcers, build stronger bones, prevent cataracts, prevent stomach cancer, fix sun damaged skin and reducing risk of heart disease.

If you still aren't convinced and are one of those people that will ONLY eat it doused in cheese sauce then I have a suggestion. The following is a recipe for a "Cheddar Vinaigrette" that my husband uses when we have steamed broccoli. It has much less fat and calories than the usual creamy sauce and much more flavour in my opinion.


Source: Gourmet Magazine

Cheddar Vinaigrette

Mix the following in a blender until smooth.

1T olive oil
1 1/2t white wine vinegar
1T water
1/2t Tabasco
1/2c grated old Cheddar cheese

Pour over steamed broccoli.

Makes 2 servings.