Cooking with Annie: Amazing Roasted Broccoli

Yup, broccoli CAN be amazing. Don’t believe me? Let’s consider this a challenge…try this recipe and then tell me you still don’t like broccoli! If you already like broccoli, then you’re gonna love it even more. Not sure if you knew this, but aside from being a regular old vegetable, broccoli has tons of health benefits, too. We’ll get into that here, too. Ready? Here we go…

Being a cruciferous vegetable (member of the cabbage family) makes broccoli naturally high in vitamins, fiber, and disease fighting phytochemicals. Some research even suggests that cruciferae can help fight certain types of cancer. Broccoli specifically has some of the following health benefits: 

  – super high in vitamins K and C

  – lots of folate, chromium, and fiber

  – very low glycemic index, which also means very low in calories

  – anti-inflamatory

  – contains sulforaphane, which is linked to curing cancers

That’s just naming a few…but you get the idea. It’s good stuff. Some other really cool points about broccoli? Here in CA, it’s available year round, so it’s always around and always pretty cheap. Also, it’s a pretty sturdy veggie so it’ll last in the fridge for a while before cooking without going mushy. Being high in fiber, it’s a filling and satisfying addition to your plate. Enough already? I get it…let’s do some cooking! 

What you’ll need: 

  – 3-4 heads of broccoli, trimmed to bite-sized pieces.

  – olive oil

  – garlic salt

  – “Everything but the bagel” seasoning (you can use anything, but I chose this from Trader Joes)

What to do:

Cover a cookie sheet with either parchment paper or aluminum foil (easy cleanup) and spread your trimmed broccoli out evenly. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over it. Sprinkle your salt and seasonings. Toss everything with a large spoon or your hands, if you’re brave. Now, turn your oven on to 375 and throw that beautiful broccoli in. Keep an eye on it after about 30 minutes. It’ll take anywhere from 30-45 minutes. I like it when the edges get kind of dark brown, it adds a crispy texture and nice flavor. Guess what? You’re done. That’s it. Pull it out and dig in! Enjoy!