Roasted Broccoli Salad

I was reminded a few days ago how healthy broccoli is and vowed to pay even more of it to our meals.  Various phytochemicals and other components in broccoli have strong anti-cancer qualities.  Its a real miracle food (along with its cousins, cabbage, bok choy, kale, kohlrabi, and Swiss Chard) and is delish!     

I shared this at Cybele Pascal's Alergy Friendly Friday.

2 large heads of broccoli (or several smaller heads)
1 large red onion
4 - 6 cups cooked chickpeas (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
2 - 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 or so tablespoons balsamic vinegar
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flake to taste (optional)
(extra olive oil for roasting the broccoli and sauteing the onion)

Break down the broccoli into small florettes (cut larger ones in half).  Peel and trim broccoli stalks and cut into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces.  Place florettes and stalk pieces  on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or foil.  Drizzle broccoli with a small amount of extra virgin olive oil and toss with your hands to coat the broccoli all over with the oil.  Place in a 425 degree oven on the middle rack and roast about 25 - 30 minutes.  Test with a fork, broccoli should have some caramelized spots, but still be somewhat crisp.

Meanwhile, dice the red onion and saute in a small amount of oil until caramelized (15 - 20 minutes) - stir frequently.

Let the broccoli and onion cool a bit before assembling the salad.

Place broccoli, red onion, chickpeas in a large bowl.  Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flake (if desired).  Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar - mix and taste.  Adjust the oil, vinegar and seasoning to your liking.

Options:
- add cooked quinoa, pasta, or brown rice for a more substantial salad
- add fresh herbs (such as basil, flat-leaf parsley...)
- use any other kind of beans (cannellini beans would be good)
- any vegatable can be roasted like this and used in a salad (califlower, squash, carrots...)
- add fresh greens, such as spinach, swiss chard, dandelion greens...

Chicken and Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

This is for my non-vegan friends, they are all lovely people and deserve some attention!

4 Tablespoons butter

2 shallots, minced
4 - 6 cups of mushrooms, sliced
Salt & pepper
Red pepper flake
3 - 4 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 - 2 cups non-fat evaporated milk (this has the exact consistency of half-n-half)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 cup or so of parmesan or pecorino cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 or 2 heads of broccoli, cut into large pieces
1/2 - 1 pound pasta (try whole wheat pasta, )

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and saute shallot for a few minutes.  Add mushrooms and seasonings, and saute at medium high heat until mushrooms begin to brown.  Sprinkle with the flour and stir until the flour cooks a bit (a few minutes).  There should be a nice brown roux as a result (the roux should not burn - so if it seems to be cooking too fast, turn down the heat). 

Deglaze pan with the wine over medium heat, stir and it should thicken.  When wine it entirely incorporated, start adding the milk, add 1 cup or so and add more if needed to make a nice sauce.  Turn heat under pan to low and add a handful of cheese and cream cheese, stir to combine.  Add a bit more milk if your sauce is too thick - however as the chicken and broccoli cook in the sauce, they will both give off moisture, so err on the side of too thick.  Taste your sauce and add more parmesan to your taste.

Add chicken and stir into sauce.  Place broccoli on top and cover.  The chicken will cook gently in the sauce and the broccoli will steam.  Check the chicken for doneness after about 12 - 15 minutes.  Continue to cook on a low heat if necessary.  Check for seasoning and adjust.    Serve over pasta with more cheese on top.

Options:
- this can be made without the chicken, add more veggies, such as red pepper, sliced fennel, whatever you like.  Saute addition veggies with the onions and mushrooms.
- use the gluten-free pasta of our choice
- use coconut milk instead of milk, use vegan cream cheese, use coconut oil instead of butter
- there really is no substitute for parmesan (if you find one, let me know)