Transform Broccoli Into a Food the ENTIRE Family Will Eat
January 19, 2011 24 Comments
Snack Girl KNOWS about the broccoli haters of the world. And she wants to change their minds.
There are 2 keys to getting people to like broccoli.
- The freshness of the broccoli.
- Creating a sauce no human would dislike.
Let me be very clear. Old broccoli tastes terrible. Yucky, stinky, and awful this stuff should be fed to a gerbil not a person.
BUT, fresh broccoli? Heaven! Broccoli that is cooked correctly (not too long) will be sweet and crunchy. You can tell it is fresh at the store by the tightness of the florets and that great green color. It if feels soft, don't buy it.
And, one serving includes 225% of your daily value of Vitamin C, and 8% of your daily value of Calcium and Iron.
Do NOT give up on broccoli.
So, how to you get kids and picky adults to eat broccoli? Use peanut butter. I know it sounds crazy, but it works.
The sauce below is a take on a Thai peanut sauce that you would find with a satay. The key to making it palatable for everyone might be to leave out the spicier components (garlic and ginger powder).
For children, this recipe can be a lot of fun because they can make the sauce themselves. My 6 year old can now measure out tablespoons of liquid and had a great time stirring this sauce.
I had her taste it before we added the garlic and ginger. SHE decided to add in the spicier components and ate about 1/2 pound of broccoli with zero prompting from me (hurray!).
This is also a great party snack, and is gluten-free, fast to make, and really delicious.
I just wanted to mention a new website that will help make healthy family cooking easier. Foodbuzz and Frigidaire will donate $50 to Save the Children for just a mention! (so of course, I am doing it.)
You can join in the Frigidaire Kids' Cooking Academy to get great recipes, how-to videos and tips, all designed to help involve kids in the kitchen. See: Make Time For Change.
Do you like broccoli? What's your favorite way of eating it?
Broccoli and Peanut Sauce Recipe
(serves 6)
2 pounds broccoli
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (unseasoned will work)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 minced garlic clove (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
Separate broccoli into stems and florets. Peel and chop stems. Steam broccoli in a steamer over boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes (or your favorite way to cook broccoli). Mix peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and ginger in a small bowl.
If you keep your peanut butter in the refrigerator, you will probably need to heat it for 30 seconds to get it to mix with the other liquids. Stir vigorously until combined. Serve broccoli with peanut sauce in small bowl on the side. Enjoy!
123 calories, 6.0 g fat, 13.9 g carbohydrates, 7.3 g protein, 4.6 g fiber, 372 mg sodium, 3 Points+
Do you like broccoli? What's your favorite way of eating it?
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