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My Go-to Side Dish or “Starter”

I’ve mentioned my adoration of organic broccoli with olive oil, salt and pepper several times before. However, I thought that seeing as I eat this dish pretty much every day, either as a light lunch, side dish with fish at night or a “starter” before a dessert of a few organic bananas with inca inchi butter, I’d better give my beloved greens their own recipe post.

Just for the record, when I served this on dad’s birthday a few years ago his exact comment was; I didn’t know greens could taste this good. I couldn’t agree more. It’s incredible what a little seasoning and olive oil can do. Of course it helps that we’re using organic broccoli here – it does taste superior to the conventional kind. And yes, I AM a broco snob!

Simple Dressed Broccoli

  • 1 small head of organic broccoli, florets chopped small and stalks diced into teeny, tiny pieces so that they cook through until soft
  • 1 level Tablespoon cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
  • A generous pinch of seaweed salt (or 1/4 teaspoon himalayan or fine sea salt plus a pinch of dulse flakes) I love buying the pre-prepared Changing Habits Seaweed Salt
  • 40 grinds of black pepper (less if you’re not a spice nut like yours truly)
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon organic ground turmeric (I use Changing Habits)
  • Filtered rain water for cooking (or spring water or plain filtered water from the filtered tap)

Method

Chop up the broccoli as advised and place (diced stalks at bottom, florets on top) in a small saucepan and add 1/3 cup or so of your water.

Bring to the boil and then turn down to a low heat – simmer for 15 minutes or until broccoli (both stalks and florets) are fork tender (but not mush).

Drain cooking water into a glass, allow to cool and drink (some of the broccoli goodness will have leached into the water and you want to get all the benefits … plus warm water aids in digestion and the hint of broccoli flavour is a bit like soup – yum!)

In a large serving bowl, add your seasonings. Dump steamed broccoli on top of seasonings and measure out your olive oil, drizzling on top. Use a fork to stir the oil and seasonings through the greens so that everything is coated with an even amount of flavour. I like to mash it up a bit too so that the broccoli absorbs even more flavour.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy on it’s own as a light meal (to be followed by a nutrient-dense second course) or as a side dish for something fabulous such as crispy salmon or slow cooked oxtail (or roast vegetable cubes; pumpkin, eggplant, zucchini, sweet spud, regular spud, carrot, onion etc. plus a combo of toasted cashews and macadamia nuts for a vegetarian/vegan option – yummo!)