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Healthy Chicago Cooking Classes

broccoli

Irresistible Charred Broccoli {gf, v-optional}

I’ve long been a believer that broccoli is the OG superfood. It’s on the regular rotation over here.

But I’ll admit, I tend to get a bit lazy with it by tossing it on a sheet pan with a spritz of olive oil and a good sprinkling of pink salt and roasting in the oven till charred. Turns out great every time.

Being summer and all, I decided to move my broccoli roasting to the outdoor grill but I added a crucial step first- I blanched it.

Yes, it’s an extra step, hear me out. Blanching the broccoli ensures a more even cooking in the next step, it doesn’t take as long to char and it keeps the green color more vibrant.

Then finishing it on the grill in a cast iron skillet allows for the addition of the extra goodies – the nuts, seeds and fatty yogurt sauce. It’s pretty darn good and the only way I’m cooking my broccoli for the rest of this summer.
Happy Eating,
~Monique

Irresistible Charred Broccoli

1 head broccoli
2 tbls ghee (or olive oil)
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1/4 cup nuts or seeds (pumpkin seeds, pecans, macadamia nuts, etc)
1 cup plain Greek or df yogurt
1 lemon
Pink salt and pepper

Cut the broccoli into florets, keeping the stems intact. Ready a large bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli and let simmer in the water for 2 minutes. Scoop out the broccoli and place into the ice water. Strain and set aside on a kitchen towel to drain.

Set a cast iron skillet on the grill and preheat the grill to medium-high. When the skillet is hot, carefully add the ghee and let that melt for a minute. Add the broccoli to the skillet and ideally arrange in a single layer so all florets touch the skillet. Close the lid and let the broccoli sear for 5 minutes or until charred golden on one side.

Flip all the broccoli florets, add the garlic and nuts/seeds, shaking the pan well to ensure the seeds and garlic settle to the bottom. Let that sear another 3-5 minutes to brown the seeds/nuts.

Remove from heat and dollop the yogurt across the charred broccoli. The yogurt will melt and create a ‘sauce’ with the charred bits on the bottom of the cast iron skillet.

Zest a lemon over the top. Add a few pinches of flakey sea salt and a grind or two of black pepper. Enjoy with crusty bread to sop up the extra little flavor left in the skillet.


broccoli over tomato butter sauce {gf}

I found this recipe on Food and Wine and was intrigued. But I needed to modify a few things. Skip the bread, sub in ghee for butter, opt for olives over tapenade, add in pumpkin seeds and top with flaky salt and lemon zest.

The sauce proved addicting; I would totally make this again.

Happy eating,
~Monique

broccoli over tomato butter sauce {gf}

2 tbls olive oil + 1 tbls to drizzle
2 medium broccoli heads with stems intact
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
1/4-1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tbls ghee
1 tsp pink salt
fresh black pepper
toppings:
-lemon zest, toasted pumpkin seeds, microgreens and sliced olives.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Measure out the ghee and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Cut the broccoli head into ‘steaks’ as best you can. Place the steaks, tomatoes and onion on a sheet pan, drizzle with the olive oil followed by 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Toss well. Roast 20 -30 minutes until lightly charred in spots.

Scoop out all the tomatoes and onion into a blender. Add 1/4 cup broth and carefully blend until smooth. When blending hot ingredients be sure to allow a bit of steam to escape by removing the center piece of the blender lid and covering with a towel.

Add remaining broth if the sauce needs a little thinning. Add in the chilled ghee and process until the sauce is glossy. Taste, and adjust salt as desired.

Spoon the sauce onto plates. Place the roasted broccoli in the middle. Top with the lemon zest, pumpkin seed olives and microgreens.

Orange Broccoli Pepita Pesto {df, gf, v}

Change up your pesto by using one of the most powerful superfoods available broccoli. The Vitamin C and the sulforaphane in broccoli make it a great antihistamine vegetable to add to your diet.

Blanching the broccoli first helps to break down the enzymes, making it more digestible, and will help it keep a bright green color. I do recommend taking the extra few minutes to do this step.

This Orange Broccoli Pepita Pesto is dairy-free, gluten-free and is fun wherever you would use classic pesto including as a sandwich spread, over roasted veggies, or just as a dip.
Happy Eating,
~Monique

Orange Broccoli Pepita Pesto

1 heaping cup broccoli pieces
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
2-4 tbls extra-virgin olive oil
1 orange, zest and juice (at least 2 tbls juice)
1 large garlic clove, smashed & roughly chopped
1/2 tsp pink or salt

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and place a bowl of ice water nearby. Blanch the broccoli in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to scoop it into the ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain.

Place the broccoli into a food processor with the basil, pumpkin seeds, orange zest and juice, garlic, salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pulse until well combined adding additional olive oil as needed to get to desired consistency. Adust salt to taste.

Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Chowder

This Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Chowder is the the BOMB. First time I made it we were licking our bowls. Second time too, if I’m being honest.

This is one of those recipes that works great with leftovers. My kind of meal prepping mean tossing pans of veggies in the oven, just a little simple salt and pepper on them and roasting till just fork tender. I’ll also make a pot or two of grains. Having that done means you can make a weeknight soup, like this Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Chowder, in minutes.

Keys to this soup are:

  • 1) measurements are all just suggestions, a little more of this, a little of less of that. Taste and adjust to your palette.
  • 2) don’t be shy with the ginger and cayenne.
  • 3) don’t skimp on the toasted almonds or pepitas- the crunch and saltiness bring it home!

Happy eating,
~Monique

Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Chowder

2 cups broccoli roasted with onions & garlic
1 cup canned coconut milk
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 cups broth
1 tbls fresh ginger
pinch or two of cayenne pepper
Lime quarters & green onions
1/4 cup toasted pepitas or almond slivers (or nut/seeds of choice)

Chunky Non-Blender Version: Rough chop the broccoli, place in a soup pot with 1 cup broth and coconut milk. Finely mince the ginger, add the ginger, cayenne pepper and cooked quinoa to the pot.  

Simmer everything together until warm. Taste; adjust seasoning/liquid as desired.  Top with remaining sautéed almond slivers and green onions.

Creamy Blender Version: Place the broccoli, 1 cup broth, coconut milk, ginger and cayenne in a blender, process until smooth, adding additional broth as needed to reach desired texture. Stir in a squeeze or two of fresh lime. Taste, adjust seasoning.

Divide cooked quinoa into bowls or mugs, pour soup in. Top with remaining toasted almond slices and green onions.