California Miso, Avocado, and Lima Bean Salad

(recipe from 101cookbooks.com)

For the dressing:
1 Tbsp. miso paste
1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
juice of 1/2 a lime
4 Tbsp. dairy-free yogurt
sea salt

5 oz. broccoli, stems chopped, florets broken into little heads
2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 handfuls of seasonal salad leaves, washed and dried
1 ripe avocado, pitted and halved
One 15-oz. can lima beans (or any white bean), drained [these can be pan-fried and chopped a bit]

First make the dressing.  Mix all dressing ingredients together in a bowl, adding a little salt if needed, depending on how salty your miso is.  Alternately, if the dressing is too salty, add more yogurt.

Next, blanch the broccoi in boiling, salted, water for a minute or so, until it has lost its rawness and is a lovely bright green.  Drain and let cool.

Toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds in a pan until lightly golden, then spread on a plate to cool.

Pile the leaves into a serving bowl, then chop the avocado into chunks, and add them to the bowl along with the beans.  Once the broccoli and seeds are cool, add them too.  Pour over the dressing and toss well. 

(Can be served with steamed bown rice or soba noodles for a more substantial dinner.)

Broccoli, Cucumber & Napa Slaw with Coconut Lemongrass Dressing

(recipe from Clean Eating magazine)

1 English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, and seeded, thinly sliced (or julienned)
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
2 cups broccoli florets, plus stems (trim and quarter florets; peel and cut stems into matchsticks)
1 tsp. coconut oil
4 green onions, sliced, whites and greens divided (reserve greens for slaw)
1/4 cup finely minced lemongrass
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
5 Tbsp. coconut milk
1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Prepare dressing:  In a small saute pan on medium-low heat, melt oil.  Add whites of onion and lemongrass and cook until just softened and fragrant, 1 minute.  Add garlic and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  Transfer to a blender.  Add remaining dressing ingredients and puree until smooth.  Refrigerate while preparing vegetables.

Prepare slaw:  To a large bowl, add cucumber, cabbage, and broccoli.  Pour in dressing and toss to combine.  Toss in greens of onions and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Barley Cannellini Bean Stew with Broccoli and Tomatoes

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler & Mindy Toomay)

2 Tbsp. canola oil (I used coconut oil)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
One 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup dried cannellini beans
3/4 cup uncooked barley
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 medium carrots, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves (I used 1 Tbsp. dried oregano)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a stockpot over medium heat and sauté the garlic and onion for several minutes, then add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, and beans.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes. 

Meanwhile, put the barley in a small pan with a tight-fitting lid.  Add 2 cups hot water, cover, and let stand for 20 minutes. 

Add the barley to the soup, along with its soaking liquid, return to a simmer, and cook an additional 20 minutes over medium heat.  Stir in the broccoli, carrots, oregano, salt and pepper, plus 2 cups of hot water, and cook 20-25 minutes longer, until the vegetables and beans are tender.  Serve immediately.

(Makes a lot!  Very tasty.  May want to use canned beans; I found the dried beans took a long time to soften.)

Ginger Coconut Milk Soup

(recipe from 101 Cookbooks)

Two 14-oz. cans full-fat coconut milk
One 14-oz. can water (use the coconut milk can to measure)
2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced
3 large shallots, minced
1 tsp. salt, or to taste

Lots of seasonal vegetables, for example (use a bit of each to fill up the broth):
squash (summer or winter)
broccoli florets
asparagus, chopped
scallions, sliced
mushrooms, sliced

to serve:
lots of fresh lime juice and cilantro


In a large soup pot, over medium heat, bring the coconut milk, water, ginger, shallots, and salt to a gentle boil.  Dial back the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add the vegetables to the simmering coconut milk, and cook until tender. 

Can be served alone, or over egg noodles or rice.  Finish with a generous squeeze of lime juice and lots of cilantro.

(This is my new favorite soup!  I've made it a couple of times now, it's so easy and flexible!  Just add any veggies you have on hand to the broth, really.  I add the lime juice and cilantro right into the soup pot at the end.  I've used broccoli, butternut squash, asparagus, mushrooms, and scallions in varying groupings, but I can't imagine many veggies that wouldn't taste fabulous with this savory, tangy coconut broth.)

Andrew Feinberg's Slow-Baked Broccoli Frittata

(recipe from Food 52)

10 large eggs
2 1/2 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano Reggiano (I left this out)
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste (I halved this amount, and still found it to be a little too salty)
40 turns from a black pepper mill (I halved this as well)
7 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium (1 lb.) head of broccoli (4 cups once trimmed)
1/2 of a red onion, sliced thinly
1 heaping Tbsp. chopped garlic
1/8 tsp. plus a large pinch of dried chile flakes
1 squeeze lemon, to taste, for serving

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Crack the eggs and whisk together with the Parmigiano, salt, and black pepper, and set aside.

Trim 1/2 inch off the stem of the broccoli.  Using a knife, separate all the florets from the base leaving the stem attached and then cut floret pieces in half (you can cut any especially large ones in quarters so all are evenly sized.)  In a 10- to 11-inch oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook the broccoli in 4 Tbsp. of olive oil.  Let the broccoli develop a nice brown color on one side, then turn everything over and season to taste with salt.

Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the broccoli until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.  In a separate 10- to 11-inch sauté pan, cook the onion in 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, adding salt to taste.  Cook the onions for about 3 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat until lightly browned.  Reserve onions on the side.

Once the broccoli is fully roasted and tender, transfer the sauté pan back to the stovetop and reduce the oven temperature to 300F.

Over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil to the broccoli pan and add the garlic and chile.  Cook the garlic and chile for 1 minute carefully so as not to burn the garlic.  Add the cooked onions to the sauté pan with the broccoli and mix well.  Add the egg and cheese mixture and let cook for 30 seconds over high heat.

Transfer the pan to the 300F oven and let the frittata cook until the eggs are just set.  Should be about 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and then turn the frittata out with a rubber spatula onto a serving plate.  Squeeze lemon juice over the top.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle Parmigiano over the top to taste, optional.

(Found!  The secret to an amazing frittata: a longer bake in a lower oven!  Amazing custard-like texture.)

Mediterranean Crunch Salad

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans
1 cucumber, chopped
1 cup small broccoli florets
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup finely sliced kale, tough stems removed
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. finely chopped Kalamata olives
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (I used dried thyme)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

(Easy!  So yummy!)

Lemony Broccoli Chop

(pretty sure recipe was via the Energy Times magazine, from Brassicas by Laura B. Russell)

3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
One 14-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 lb. broccoli finely chopped (about 5 cups)
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon

Put oil and garlic in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat.  When the garlic starts to sizzle, add chickpeas and stir to coat with the oil.  Add broccoli and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until broccoli turns bright green.  Stir in the water, turn down the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.

Lift the lid and give the broccoli a stir.  If the pan seems dry, add another tablespoon of water.  Re-cover the pan and continue to steam 2-3 minutes more, until broccoli is tender.  Stir in pepper, zest, juice and tarragon, then taste and add additional salt, pepper and lemon juice if needed.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

(Simple and tasty.  I forgot about the zest, and it was still plenty lemony.)

Broccoli Salad

(not sure where this recipe came from...)

3 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries (or both)
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup raw pecans (optional)

Dressing:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for a couple of hours in water
3 Tbsp. raw honey
2 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup onion
Salt to taste
1/4 cup water

Add first set of ingredients to a large bowl.  Blend dressing ingredients until smooth.  Pour over other ingredients and mix well.  (You could also add purple cabbage, yellow peppers, just to make it more colorful.)

(This dressing is so tangy and delicious!  And healthy.  It would probably be awesome in cole slaw.)

Cauliflower "Rice" Stir-Fry

(recipe from wholeliving.com)

2 cups cauliflower florets
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 sliced red onion, divided
4 minced cloves garlic, divided
coarse salt
1/4 cup broth
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 thinly sliced small red chile
2 cups broccoli florets
1 julienned large carrot
1/2 diced (stemmed, seeded) red bell pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. shelled pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves

Pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor until finely chopped.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add 1/2 sliced red onion and 2 minced cloves garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes.  Add cauliflower and season with coarse salt.  Stir in broth and steam, covered, until broth has evaporated and cauliflower is tender, about 6 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and cover.

Wipe pan and heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat.  Add 1/2 sliced red onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add 2 minced cloves garlic, ginger, and chile and cook 1 minute.  Add broccoli florets, carrot, and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt.  Remove from heat and add lemon juice.

For each serving, top cauliflower with vegetables and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and cilantro.

(Simple, but quite good.  Cauliflower "rice" is the bomb!)

Creamy Broccoli Soup

(recipe from Martha Stewart Living)

1 Tbsp. coconut or olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

4 cups vegetable broth

1 head broccoli, trimmed and chopped (6 cups)

3 cups baby spinach

1 avocado, chopped, plus more for garnish

salt & pepper

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Add broccoli and cook, covered, until bright green and tender, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, stir in spinach, and let cool slightly.

Transfer soup to a blender and puree with avocado.  Adjust seasoning.  Garnish with avocado and a drizzle of olive oil.

(So, since February 1, I've been following a strict cleansing diet.  No dairy, no grains, no legumes, no alcohol, no sugar, no junk food.  The only meat I eat is fish, occasional eggs.  Mostly fruit, vegetables, and nuts.  The recipes here have been reflecting this.  Really the only cooked food I've been eating are these simple blended soups that I bring to work for lunch.  Breakfast is typically fruit and nuts, dinner a salad.  My go-to salad of late has been a mixture of kale, radicchio, spinach, spring mix with chopped walnuts, shallot, pomegranate seeds, a tsp. of oil, several tsps. of balsamic.  So good!  I feel great.  It took about 10 days, then I woke up and felt amazing.  So this is only supposed to be for 30 days, but we'll see...  It's hard to imagine wanting to go back to not feeling this great.  This recipe blog may just become a whole lot of salads and soups!

Anyway, this soup is EASY and just tastes like veggies.  Broccoli and spinach are so good for you!)

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Red Pepper

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

1 1/4 lbs. broccoli crowns, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
3 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
Large pinch of dried crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Toss broccoli and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast 15 minutes.  Stir remaining 1/2 Tbsp. oil, garlic, and red pepper in a small bowl.  Drizzle garlic mixture over broccoli; toss to coat.  Roast until broccoli is beginning to brown, about 8 minutes longer.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

(It took 32 years for me to really like broccoli.  Roasting it makes it so good!  Tender, but crisp, garlicky and zippy.  This says it serves 4 to 6 side servings, but I ate most of it in one sitting.  Yum.)

Broccoli Salad with Almond and Chile Dressing

(recipe from Whole Foods Market)

1/2 cup almond butter
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped pitted dates, raisins, or prunes
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. salt or 1 Tbsp. tamari
1/2 small serrano pepper, finely chopped (optional)
1/3 cup water
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets and lightly steamed
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts

In a food processor, puree almond butter, lemon juice, dates, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, and water until smooth.  Transfer dressing to a large bowl, add broccoli and cilantro and toss well.  Cover and marinate for up to 1 hour, if you like.  Arrange bean sprouts on a large platter, top with broccoli, garnish with cilantro and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

(The dressing was very tasty! - it would probably be delicious on soba noodles, too.  Make sure to drain your broccoli well after steaming, as mine was a bit watery and it made the sauce too thin.  Also, instead of the mung bean sprouts, I bought a mix of sprouts (like chickpea, lentil, etc.) and I think that tasted nicer, more like a salad.  This salad does not keep too well.  I kept the broccoli and sauce in a separate container from the sprouts, but the sauce breaks down after a day or two.  Perhaps keep the sauce separate and whisk well before using, if you'd like it to keep longer than a day or two.  I also added harissa to the sauce, which gave it a bigger kick than the pepper.)

Green Curry Noodles

(recipe from teaandcookiesblog.com)

Serves 1 or 2.

3 cups veggie broth
Green Thai curry paste, added to taste and preferred heat level (start with 1/2 tsp.)
4 oz. rice noodles
1 cup greens (pak choy, bok choy, napa cabbage, chard, or spinach)
1 cup broccoli, cut into bite-size flowerets, stems peeled and chopped
Chopped cilantro for topping (or basil, or green onions)

Optional additions: Splash of soy sauce, fish sauce, or Sriacha sauce to taste.  Squeeze of lime juice.

Cook the noodles in boiling water according to package directions, drain and rinse, set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a strong simmer and add the green curry paste.  Start with 1/2 tsp. and then add little by little until desired level of flavor and heat.  Stir to allow the curry paste to dissolve completely.  At this point, add a few drops of soy sauce, fish sauce, or lime juice, if desired.

Add the cooked noodles to the curry broth; stir to detangle.  Add the broccoli; stir and allow to simmer for 1 minute.  Add the chopped greens; stir and remove from heat.  Add a sprinkle of cilantro (or other herb of your choice), serve immediately.

(I made a version of this non-soupy, too:  just sauteed in a small amount of broth in a skillet.  Very tasty and easy!)