Healthy Broccoli Recipes

There can be little doubt that the most common way in which we cook broccoli is to simply boil it in water. This is where the problem of particularly children coming to dislike the vegetable generally arises.

The most common error when boiling broccoli is to overcook it. The florets should be boiled only for about seven or eight minutes, until softened but still relatively firm. This not only makes them a lot more palatable, it retains far more of the goodness in the vegetable itself, as opposed to it being lost to the boiling water.

Just in case you are wondering what "Swineherd's Pie" is, the recipe can be found by clicking on the link below:

Swineherd's Pie Recipe

Picture the scene: your broccoli has been boiling (for about seven or eight minutes only!) and you are just about to drain it and serve it. What do you do with the water in which it has boiled...? Pour it down the sink? Probably!

Why not reserve it, allow it to cool and then refrigerate it. This allows it to be drunk perhaps the following morning for breakfast instead of orange juice, or indeed at any time of the day.

If we are intending preparing broccoli juice in this fashion, however, we shouldn't be salting the water prior to cooking. If necessary, add a little salt to the broccolli afterwards and keep your deliciously refreshing drink 100% pure goodness.

How often do you read somewhere that the recipe which follows is as simple as simple can be, only to discover a list of ingredients as long as your arm and a combined preparation and cooking time of about three hours? Believe me, this is not one such occasion. Look below to find a recipe for a delicious soup which truly could not be any more simple.

Ingredients

3 heads of broccoli (split in to florets)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cold water
Tsp of double cream for garnish (optional)

Method

Wash the broccoli florets and place them in a large soup pot. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for seven or eight minutes then remove from the heat and, in stages as necessary, transfer some of the broccoli florets to a food processor with a little of the cooking liquor. Blend until smooth and transfer to a different pot. Put the soup back on to the heat and bring up to a simmer before seasoning to taste and this delicious and healthy soup is now ready to serve.

NB: If required, swirl a little double cream over the plated soup as a professional looking garnish.

It is not always necessary to over-complicate a food recipe in order to make it more tasty. Sometimes, the subtle addition of one or two simple extra ingredients can improve a dish dramatically.

In this instance, all I have done is place some freshly cooked broccoli in an oven-proof dish, sprinkle it with some cheddar cheese and dried sage and place it under a hot grill until the cheese starts to bubble.

It's delicious, I promise you.