Of Steaming Broccoli...

 "I wouldn't think there's a secret to steaming broccoli" was a comment posted on my Facebook post the other day when I said that I learned how to steam broccoli and someone asked if I'm going to share the secret. Melanie, maybe Italians just automatically steam perfect broccoli, but for this German Mennonite girl, I sure have struggled with steaming broccoli over the years!

I have often wondered why steakhouses seem to get their broccoli steamed to perfection. Not too crunchy, and definitely not mushy. Still bright green, not greenish yellow. But I didn't know how to steam it. Mine was anything but like the ones I was accustomed to ordering at steakhouses.

My sister taught me to order a sweet potato, steamed broccoli and grilled mushrooms and onions at a steakhouse restaurant when a restaurant was needed. Wise words from her. She has taught me alot in life and I am so glad she taught me this. So whenever I'm out and about and in need of a restaurant, I walk into places like Longhorn Steakhouse, Applebee's, or Chili's and know that I have something healthy to order.

SO...on to steaming broccoli like steakhouses do...The other day I was out on the road and I stopped at an Applebee's for lunch. I ordered my 'usual' and after it came out, I asked the clerk HOW they cook the broccoli so perfectly. She seemed amazed that I do not know how to cook broccoli properly but she graciously told me how.

First off, the broccoli at Applebee's is steamed in a bag with butter in a microwave. You can do that at your house if you would like, but I typically don't want the butter on it (at least not the amount they put on) and so I do my broccoli another way that the waitress told me how.

1. Start with RAW and not frozen broccoli. Wash it, cut it into the size pieces you want it and set it inside a metal colander or a steamer basket.

2. In a pot that fits your colander or steamer basket, place a small amount of water. Place the lid on the pot, and bring the water to a boil.

3. Place the colander or steamer basket into the kettle. Your broccoli should not be in water at all. Place the lid over the pot and steam for 5-7 minutes. Remove from  heat IMMEDIATELY and sprinkle with salt to serve.

4. I typically serve mine with 'grilled' mushrooms and onions. And a sweet potato on many occasions, too.

5. Enjoy!

The Adventure...Week 2

It's been a great week. Full of hills and valleys for this lady who cares deeply about the brokenness in this old, sinful world, but God is faithful. I enjoyed a few days in PA with my sister, niece and daughter. And yet still I managed to enjoy my birthday present to myself: plant foods all the way.

Sunday:

Raspberry Chia Pudding with Tru-whip

Vegan Chili, Salad with Italian dressing

We had a fellowship lunch.

I took chili flavored with beef for my main dish,

then had a vegan version for myself. The dessert I took was compliant with my bd gift to myself.

At a bd party for my mother in the PM, I asked my sister-in-law to leave a
pretzel for me not dipped in butter, which she graciously did. I also enjoyed veggies
(there were more on the plate before I remembered to shoot a photo for the blog)
and a little fresh fruit.

Monday:

Grapefruit/spinach salad. YUM!

Corn and Limas 

I have tried, over the past few years, to eat only when hungry. So far, that means for me that I do not eat in the AM til about 11:00. It seems to work for me. It doesn't work this way for every one and I am not in any way saying it should. I just try to follow Dr. Fuhrman's recommendation to eat only when hungry. So that means I eat about 2 meals a day, with maybe a smallish snack/meal. Just thought I'd add that in case you wonder where my 'breakfast' is. And to me, anymore, all plant food is food for any meal. I am not a 'must have eggs/pancakes/granola for breakfast' gal, especially since I went plant-based.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

 are not as documented because I 

was out of town with my sister.

Spinach and grapefruit salad made a yummy addition to
toasted 'sprouted wheat' bagels with almond cheese
for breakfast in the hotel.

 I tried to take some pictures, but well, 

I didn't succeed

 in it all the way. 

I was wowed to come  home and see I had lost a pound,

 even tho I ate bagels, a bread bowl with chili and a veggie sub from Subway. 

My super awesome big sis
made me some super awesome
whole grain bread bowls to go
with the vegan chili I brought.

Not a food related picture, I know, but I couldn't resist adding it
because this is what I saw much of Tues, Wed and Thurs. 

Friday:

I enjoyed a green smoothie with
ginger kombucha for breakfast

Here's a current favorite green smoothie recipe:

(makes 2 quarts, plenty to share!)

1 can Thai kitchen coconut milk 

2 T orange juice concentrate

3/4 avocado 

(I freeze them in fourths)

Fill the 8 cup blender jar with greens

(not packed tho)

add a cup or two of water

Blend smooth.

Add 2 cup frozen mango

2 c frozen pineapple

(I would also add some blueberries

if I have them)

Blend smooth.

Refrigerate for up to three days.

One of my favorite meals 

is mashed potatoes 

a few oven fries. Yesterday I was not very hungry.

topped with 

cucumber/tomato salad. 

It made a fabulous lunch 

this day after cleaning 

the house, thanks to 

leftover mashed potatoes

already in the fridge.

Saturday:

Well, today was a day to be sickish. I guess I need a day of rest. Here's what I had today, kind of leftover from yesterday. I will crawl into bed for a nap and enjoy quiet.

mashed potatoes and tomato/cuke salad

green smoothie with
ginger kombucha

I am enjoying eating this way.

I find I have great energy,

don't struggle with any

of that phlegm that

is soon present if I eat 

dairy,

and certainly do 

not lack for 

interesting and wonderful foods to eat!

I close with a quote:

As I enjoy my birthday gift to myself

(eating plants for one full year),

I find it an amazing journey, even tho

I'm just one week into it.

I do this to cross it off my 'bucket list'

but also to honor my dad who is

doing a doctor-prescribed plant-based diet

for his cancer,

and to show others how fun it can be

to eat food from the Garden.

Love and blessings to all,

Marcia

The Adventure: Week One

If you recall, I shared in this post my birthday present to my self: eating only plants from my 40th birthday til my 41st birthday. As I passed the Great Divide between the thirties and the forties this week, I have begun my adventure as well. So far, it's working great. As I promised to document my journey with photos, I've been trying to remember to take pictures of what I've been eating.

I kicked off the adventure with a breakfast green juice
mixed with ginger kombucha, thanks to my dear friend,
Marie who juiced it for me.

a beautiful edible arrangement,
thanks to my sisters!

On my birthday, I was surprised by two of my sisters-in-law who chose to make the day about me! They took me out to P. F. Chang's for lunch and I enjoyed having great options on the menu for my adventure.

sharing 'good girl moonshine' to celebrate 40 yrs for me

Coconut stir-fried veggies with a bit of fried rice,
courtesy of P.F. Chang's and my sisters 

Green bean crispers,  not a treat to eat every day
because of the oil, but enjoyed on my birthday
from P.F. Chang's

My sweet daughter, Brenna made me
a Starbucks copycat lemon cake for my birthday cake
I enjoyed it with coconut vanilla chia pudding

Vanilla Chia Pudding

1 can Thai Kitchen unsweetened coconut milk

1 can soy milk or milk of choice

Aunt Cia's green smoothies were
ordered for breakfast before they
started their trek home to PA

then there was the 2 slices of whole wheat bread
that I ate with some Earth Balance on the morning after
my bd. I mean, who can pass that up if someone bakes
it specially for you?!

2 T maple syrup or sweetener of choice

1 T vanilla extract 

pinch salt

scant 1/2 c white chia seeds

Mix all together except seeds. Sprinkle seeds as  you 

slowly whisk them in. Cover and refrigerate four hours 

or overnite.

then there was a bd party to go to 1 1/2 hr away
I made it work by packing some soup for on the way home.

I finished up the week by eating 'lightly fried'
 potatoes with guacamole for Saturday brunch.

and later in the day, some more birthday cake.

I know that I will add

more greens to my

diet as the normal

in the weeks to come.

This week was not quite 

normal, with birthday 

celebrations, etc

but I made it work

and I do not plan

to stress out about

raw versus cooked

veggies,

starch versus non starch,

etc.

I plan to on a normal basis

set up my plate so that

there is a good mix of

raw veggies,

steamed veggies,

healthy starches

(we're not talking donuts here!)

nuts, seeds, etc.

So far, I'm having a grand time.

Of course, it would be tempting

to dive into the beef flavored chili

the family will be having tomorrow at fellowship lunch, but

I made my own version for me with crumbled tofu in it. 

Stay tuned for pics next week.

PS
This was a three day post.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

PSS
This adventure has also received a new reason to do it:
in honor of my dad who has cancer and is doing a
doctor-prescribed plant-based diet as part of the
healing process for that.

Of Autumn and Caramel Pudding...

Since my plant-based journey has begun, I have wondered how to replace my mom's delightful caramel pudding recipe. I tried using almond milk but it just separated as I boiled it. Plus it is full of sugar and butter, so I knew that I needed to lay that recipe aside for now.

Well, until now. I am so stoked that I just had to share this with you. I now have a caramel pudding recipe that rivals my mom's dairy-filled one! It's smooth. It's creamy. It's delicious!

Originally, I browned a little butter to carmelize the sugar,

 but I don't think it's necessary and for true McDougall/Fuhrman followers, 

this step is out.

So here's the recipe:

Aunt Cia's Caramel Pudding

1 block any firmness Silken Tofu

1 or 2 T molasses

1/3 c raw sugar or maple syrup

1 pinch salt

1 T vanilla extract

2 cups plant milk
2 T browned butter, optional

Blend til smooth. It may be thinner than pudding consistency after mixing, but refrigerate for a few hours, and it becomes this spoonable, delectable dessert.

Use it to dip apples...

or mix in a few bananas and a crumbled graham cracker...

or top a black bean brownie with it...

The possibilities are many.

I hope you try it and it delights your tastebuds like it has mine.

Of Berries And Chia...

When I was a school girl and would have to be home for a sick day,

my mom would often make McNess Coconut Pudding.

It was such a delicious treat, but one of those things I have totally

abandoned in whole food eating, trying to clean up our diet.

But sometimes I miss coconut pudding.

Well, not anymore!

Hello Chia Coconut Vanilla Pudding!

I don't eat it warm like we ate coconut pudding at home,

but this pudding fills the bill...

I had it this morning for mid morning meal...

with fresh strawberries and raspberries.

What deliciousness.

And so good for me, too.

I don't like the large amount of fat

in coconut milk, so I combine it with

almond milk and water and keep

a jar of it in my fridge for things such

as this.

Here is what I made this morning:

Cia's Vanilla Coconut Pudding

Into a bowl place

2 1/2 cups coconut almond milk

1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

scant 1/2 c chia seeds

(I used white chia)
1 t. vanilla extract

2 T maple syrup

Stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnite

or just a few hours.

Combine with fruit of choice.

Deliciousness in every bite!

PS.

I didn't forget that I was going to write 

a post about my journey through food addictions.

I still hope to get that done some time.

A happy, healthy summer to all.

Another Green Smoothie...

Hi every one, how are we all doing? 

I am doing well, for the most part. 

I said 'yes' to some dairy and sugar
and it is not sitting too well with me,
and is causing serious addictions!
(blog post about addictions coming some day...)

 but other than that, we are enjoying no flu's and no colds, etc. 

The winter is very cold this year here in the Fingerlakes, 

and I confess I am looking forward to this:

and this:

and this:

but for now, 

I am enjoying the cozy warmth of the fire on the hearth

Here is a smoothie I recently made,

and the whole family loves it.

Hope you enjoy it, too:

Coconut Strawberry Smoothie

This recipe makes a Vitamix

2 quart jar full, so if you 

only have a regular blender, try

cutting the recipe in half

Into a Vitamix, place

1 can full fat, unsweetened, organic coconut milk
(I like Thai Kitchen the best)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. sugar

(I have not tried dates yet, but I 

mean to do that for a whole food sweetener)

Blend well.

Fill blender jar with baby spinach leaves.

Blend smooth.

Add 3 or 4 cups frozen strawberries.

Blend smooth.

Enjoy!

I also added 1 T ground flax and chia seeds to mine 

when i ground.milk, vanilla and sugar.

I grind my own in flax and chia in the vitamix

and put the mix into a ziploc and into the freezer

to keep them fresh and handy for baking (egg replacer)

and smoothies.

Read the health benefits of flax here.

Read the health benefits of chia here.

On the weight loss front, I was pleased to discover that I 

am down 17 lb. since last January.

Slow and steady is winning the race for me!

I am enjoying salads,

smoothies,

many cooked plant foods,

and look forward to making this recipe

for part of my supper tonite.

I am enjoying shredded sweet potatoes

'unfried' in my lovely

Princess House pan these days, too.

No fat needed to 'fry' them.

The key things that work for me are:

1. Eat for health. Do not make weightloss your

ultimate goal.

2. Eat only when hungry .

 3. Exercise doesn't have to be crazy.

15 minutes a day of something that 

strengthens muscles or gives the heart a good workout

is better than nothing, and for me, 

better often than an hour.

Here's hoping you all have a lovely day.

Secret Ingredient Beef Stew...

Ah, the season of soup has arrived. I love stew in many flavors. This week, I made this beef stew and we enjoyed it very much. I especially enjoyed the no-fuss way of making this in the crockpot overnite and waking up to its wonderful aroma filling the kitchen when we woke the next morning. (oh, but then we had to wait til lunch time to eat it!)

 

 

Secret Ingredient

Beef Stew

 

Into a large crockpot, place 2 quarts shredded zucchini
(I took mine from the freezer, the delightful fruit of summer harvest)

1 quart crushed tomatoes

(I had some diced tomatoes in the pantry that I pulse/chopped in the blender)

1 T salt

1 t black pepper

1 T chili powder

sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic

(I think I did a large onion, about 2 c. chopped mushrooms, 1 large bell pepper, and 3 cloves garlic)

1 or 2 lb beef stew meat, browned

3 cups potatoes, cooked but not soft

4 cups carrots, cooked but not soft

 

Stir. Cook in slow cooker on low for 10-12 hours.

 

Enjoy with crusty whole wheat garlic bread and a plate of veggies and hummus.

Sweet Pepper Strips...

Recently a friend who was a guest in my home for a weekend shared two jars of home canned sweet pepper strips with me and my family. They were so delicious! Now I have a new idea of how to preserve the bumper crop of peppers we are harvesting from the garden!

Ever get a Subway veggie sub and they asked if you want to put sweet peppers on it? Now you can do it at home, without the preservatives and food coloring!

2 pounds sweet peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4 or 1/2 inch strips or ringspickling salt (leave this out if you do an ice brine)
2 t. salt
2 cups apple cider   vinegar
2 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 or 2 T pickling spice mix (I got mine at Penzey's)

Fill jars with pepper strips. Heat other ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Discard pickling spice before adding the sauce to the jars. If you want, you can add a few onion slices to each jar, and even a clove of garlic and/or a thin slice of fresh ginger root.

Fill jars with hot sauce up to neck. Wipe rims clean, top with a heated lid, a ring and do a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

I am so looking forward to having these on veggie and hummus wraps, or on sandwiches, or added to a garden salad. Yummy!

Quinoa...

Today's lunch: Quinoa and Veggie Stir-Fry.

We have already put veggies with whole wheat couscous (and when I was thinking about what starch to add to the veggies today, my daughter suggested couscous) but today I decided to use quinoa for several reasons:

1. couscous is a flour product and I try not to over use flour products
2. quinoa is a complete protein
3. quinoa is a whole food
4. I have 25 lb of red quinoa waiting to be used in my pantry.
5. quinoa is delish!

Here is what I used today:

 

red onion

red pepper

zucchini

(had a half quart left after my daughters processed a

5 gal bucket full from my garden this morning and put in the freezer)

green beans

(had a pint in the fridge leftover from the weekend; also garden fresh!)

mushrooms

garlic

red quinoa

soy sauce

Adobo

(can be found in the

 Goya/international/ethnic foods aisle at the grocery story)

 

I stir fried the veggies while the quinoa was cooking.

(double the water from the amount of dry quinoa you use)

Then I stirred together in a serving bowl and served

with various Asian sauces:

sweet chili

General Tso's

sweet and sour

(I was tickled to find a line of Asian sauces at our local grocery store

without MSG or its cousins!)

 

We all thoroughly enjoyed our lunch.

Finished with some watermelon.

 



Kickstart Your Health 5

I am getting a little long in between posting menu ideas, but it is summer so please forgive me as I am busy weeding veggie and flower gardens, mulching and stringing tomatoes, harvesting zucchini and yellow summer squash, organizing freezers, cutting cilantro, dill and mint from my herb garden, enjoying red beets from my 'bit of earth', and picking bushels of green beans for winter's use.

Here is a plant-strong menu idea:

Breakfast:

Shredded Potato/Mushroom/Pepper/Onion and Garlic Scramble
Green Smoothie with ground chia and flax seeds

Lunch:

Strawberry and Spinach Salad
(layer spinach, sliced strawberries, pine nuts, red onion on a plate; drizzle with strawberry balsamic vinegar and walnut oil)

Baked Sweet Potato 'fries'
(peel sweet potatoes and cut into wedges. Layer onto a pan lightly sprayed with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and chipotle pepper. Bake at 350* for 45 minutes or til done)

Supper:

Rainbow Salad
(layer chopped red and green cabbage, romaine, shredded carrots, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, broccoli, and diced tomatoes in this order in a glass baking dish or pretty glass bowl; serve with a low oil Italian dressing)

Rice and Beans
(in a baking dish place 2 c brown rice, 1 t salt, 1 t dried onion flakes, 1/2 t pepper, 1 rounded T taco seasoning mix without MSG-I use McCormick's brand. Add 4 c hot water, 1 T olive oil or butter to prevent grains from sticking together, and 1 quart black, red or pink beans. Bake at 350* for 1 hour or til done. I often do this in the crockpot on high for 4 hours)

Pineapple/Strawberry Medley

(fresh pineapple chunks and sliced, fresh strawberries; toss in a pretty bowl and serve)

Kickstart Your Health 4



Breakfast

Green Smoothie

Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Muffin with Peanut or Almond Butter and Honey

 

Lunch

"Panera" Black Bean Soup

with Brown Rice

Veggies and Dip

of your choice

(ranch, hummus, etc; just keep it free of excess oil and dairy free)

Apple with almond butter

Dinner

Roasted Broccoli with Asian Sauce of Choice

Asian Cole Slaw

Strawberry "Shortcake"

 

 

This is what I use for shortcake. It has no added sugar except from the chocolate:

 

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

In a Vitamix or powerful blender place:

 

1 c pitted dates, roughly chopped

1 c plant-milk

1 c water

3 T Chia seed meal

(I grind ahead of time in my Vmix or Magic Bullet and freeze)

1 c mashed banana

1/2 c chocolate chips

 

Mix the following together in a mixing bowl:

 

2 c whole grain flour

(for GF use 1 c buckwheat flour, 1/2 c millet flour, 1/2 c tapioca starch)

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/2 t ground nutmeg

1/2 ground cinnamon

 

 

Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and mix.

 

Bake in muffin tins for 25-30 min at 350*.

I  usually make a double recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan

for 40 minutes or until done.



Tip:
Make enough soup to freeze for convenience food.
You can also serve the soup with a dollop of Almond Cream and garnish with cilantro.

Kickstart Your Health 3

Breakfast

Protein Shake

 

(1 c milk, 1 scoop Garden of Life Raw Protein, 1 T cocoa powder, 1 T peanut or almond butter, 1 t vanilla. Blend. Add 2 or 3 frozen bananas)

 

 

Lunch

 

Baked French Fries

Veggies and Hummus

Watermelon

Supper

 

Mixed Green Salad

(chopped cabbage, chopped romaine, chopped tomatoes, shredded carrots, red onion, chopped peppers, diced cucumbers)

 

with dressing of your choice

 

Stir Fried Vegetables

(stir fry whatever vegetables you like with whatever seasoning you choose. we like cabbage, green beans, carrots, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, onion, garlic with soy sauce and sweet chili sauce or sweet and sour sauce...MSG free of course!)

 

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Tips:

Keep frozen vegetables on hand to make quick stir fries.
Eat leftover watermelon tomorrow for breakfast or lunch.
Bake sweet potatoes ahead of time and freeze in meal-sized portions for convenience food.

Kickstart Your Health 2

Here is another sample menu for a plant based meal:

Breakfast
Granola and/or green smoothie

Lunch
Black Bean Burger
Veggie Platter and Hummus or Home made Ranch
Small piece of fruit, if desired

Dinner
Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad (there are several ideas for this,, such as here, as well as just making the traditional mayo/sugar/mustard/vinegar/salt dressing and tossing with chopped cauliflower, broccoli, red onion and adding cranberries or raisins and sunflower seeds if you like)
Roasted Veggies
Chocolate 'Ice Cream'

 

Roasted Veggies

 

Into a baking dish place

4 medium sized potatoes

(peeled, if not organic)

4 cups green beans

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2" pieces

1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

 

Toss with 1 or 2 c veggie broth or water

1 T dried onion flakes

1 T Mrs. Dash seasoning

1/2 t lemon pepper

1/2 t poultry seasoning

(I use Penzey's; no MSG)

 

Cover and bake at 350* for 1 1/2 hr or in a slow cooker for 4 hours on high.

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Ice Cream

 

Into a Vitamix or powerful blender place:

1 c milk

1 scoop Garden of Life Raw Protein Powder (optional)

1 scoop cocoa powder

1 t vanilla

1 rounded T peanut or almond butter

1 T chocolate chips (optional; we like the extra crunch)

Blend together.

Add 5 or  6 frozen banana pieces

(or more if you need them to make a soft serve consistency)

Blend til soft serve consistency.

 

Delicious over fresh sliced strawberries or bananas (or both)!

 

 



Of Summer and Ice Cream...



Humidity...it happens even here in the Fingerlakes in the summer, even though most days are pleasantly cool and breezy. Summer just seems to spell 'ice cream' and although we have not bought the traditional dairy, sugar filled ice cream for several years now, we certainly know pleasant replacements for it. I thought I would share some recipes with you that we enjoy in the summer time instead of ice cream as we used to know it.

Strawberry Coconut 'Frosty'

 

Into a 4 cup measure place

1 can coconut milk (like Thai Kitchen unsweetened)

2 c. almond or other plant based milk

1 t vanilla

Whisk together.

Into a Vitamix or powerful blender place

 

4 or 5 c frozen strawberries.

Pour the milk mixture over the berries.

Add 1/4 c sugar or maple syrup, if desired.

Blend til smooth.

 

Mango Peach Frosty

 

4 c coconut milk/almond milk/vanilla mixture poured over

2 cups frozen mango chunks

(I found awesome small chunks in 2 lb bags at Aldi in the seasonal freezer)

2-3 c frozen peaches

Blend until smooth.

 

 

 

 

We enjoy these so much we don't even miss ice cream

(not that ice cream is a must-have food by any means).

I certainly do not miss the sugar headaches and hangovers I used

to have when eating ice cream.

 

What about you.

 Do you

have a

favorite ice cream replacement

 to share?

 

 

Leave a comment and tell me about it.

Black Bean Burgers...

This is our supper for tonight...and it is awesomely delish!

 

Black Bean Burgers

 

1 quart black beans (mash with fork but not completely)

2 c quick oats (I pulse my rolled oats in the food processor a few times)

1 onion, chopped fine (I use the food processor after the oats come out)

about 5 or 8 sprigs cilantro (chop with onion in food processor)

3 cloves garlic (chopped with onion)

3 T ground flax seeds mixed with 1/2 c water (set aside while you chop the veggies)

1/2 c whole kernel corn

1 t chipotle pepper, ground

1 t salt

1/2 t oregano flakes

1/4 t ground black pepper

 

 

Mix all together and shape into 1/3 c balls. Roll in whole grain flour or bread crumbs and place on greased baking sheet. Flatten balls with your palm to make burger shaped patties.

 

 

 

Bake at 400* for 20 minutes. Flip and bake another 10 minutes.

 

Enjoy with burger fixings.

 

Or cut a burger into

strips and top a

Mexican style

salad:

 

shredded red and white cabbage

onion

shredded carrots

diced tomatoes

Pico de Gallo

Almond Cream

Taco Dressing

What a treat!

Roasted Broccoli...

A recipe on my menu for this coming week: recipe and photos credit of Girl Makes Food.
 

                                          

 

I find people often feel tempted to use frozen veggies to roast.  I have tried this with broccoli, just because I was curious what would happen (a normal curiosity, no?).  It will brown, but it also gets a little soggy, so if  you can deal with that go for it.  In a pinch I say its not the worst thing, but fresh is preferable in my book.

Health highlight of broccoli:  while broccoli may seem like a common, unremarkable veggie, it is actually a powerhouse of healthy stuff.  Broccoli contains a compound that has been shown to be effective in preventing certain cancers.  The nutrients in broccoli also help to promote and regulate detoxification in the body, which is fantastic.  Broccoli is also a strongly anti-inflammatory food.

Ingredients:

2 heads Broccoli (chopped)
1 tablespoon EV Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
• On a cookie sheet lined with parchment toss the broccoli with the oil, salt and pepper
• Spread evenly in a single layer
• Roast until the broccoli has browned in some areas
• Squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli
• Serve and enjoy!!!

PS
I plan to enjoy my broccoli with an Asian sauce of some sort. My favorite right now is Sweet Chili Sauce (be sure to get it without MSG or it's 'cousins' like autolyzed yeast extract or torula yeast extract, etc).