Broccoli great health benefits and recipe ideas

July 1, 11:02 PMSeattle Women's Health ExaminerKellie Fielding

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Broccoli offers great health benefits and there are several ways to incorporate it into your every day recipes. This vegetable originated in the Mediterranean area and is a member of the cabbage family.

Broccoli is packed with important nutrients such as: vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, folic acid and fiber. It is a member of the cruciferous vegetable category and studies have linked this vegetable category to potentially helping to reduce the risk of some forms of cancer. When selecting broccoli at the store, or farmers market, make sure the floret clusters are compact. The vegetable should be uniformly colored without any yellowing on it.

While millions of people enjoy broccoli on a regular basis, many people seems to wrinkle their nose at the taste of this vegetable. For those who are less than thrilled with broccoli, it is important to remember that the taste is in the preparation. If you prepare it with flavors that you enjoy, chances are you will become a broccoli fan. Here are a few simple ideas and recipe tips to help incorporate this delicious green vegetable into your daily diet.

Broccoli Soup:  Chop 1 onion and add it to a sauté pan with 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil and 1-2 cloves of diced garlic. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes and then stir in 1 lb cut broccoli florets. Cook for a couple of minutes and then add 4 cups of chicken broth to the pan. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Working in batches, puree the mixture in the blender. Return the blended soup to the pan and stir in salt and pepper to taste. This makes a fast and healthy work night meal.

Steamed Broccoli:  Begin by filling a steamer pan with a few inches of water. While this is heating, cut 1 lb. of broccoli florets into ¼ inch pieces. Add the florets to the pan and steam for 5 minutes. If your pieces are larger, allow 1-2 extra minutes. Dress the broccoli with 2-3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1-2 cloves diced garlic, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. This will make 2 servings.

Wheat Pasta with Broccoli:  Prepare pasta as you normally would. In a separate pan, place 1-2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan. Add 2 diced cloves of garlic to the pan. Next add 1 lb cut broccoli florets (or 1 10 oz package of frozen chopped broccoli that has been thawed). After a few minutes in the pan, add in the pasta and toss together (be sure to reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water). If the pasta is a little dry, add a ladle of the pasta water to it until desired consistency is achieved and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with parmesan cheese and Italian parsley.

Every Wednesday will be a new article in my “Fruits and Vegetable” series. Each week will feature a different fruit or vegetable. It will discuss the health benefits and offer simple tips and recipe ideas to help you achieve your healthy living goals.