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Wynnie Chan

Broccoli salad with curry dressing

Serves 6

Curry dressing

1 cup plain low fat yoghurt

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp curry powder

5 cups broccoli, divided into florets

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 small red onion

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Method

Make the dressing by combining the yoghurt, honey, lime juice and curry powder in a small bowl. Cover and place in the fridge.

Place broccoli florets in a large pan of boiling water. Cook for a couple of minutes, drain and cool in ice-cold water. Drain off water and place the broccoli in a large bowl.

Add the cranberries, red onion, pine nuts, sunflower seeds and yoghurt dressing to the broccoli. Toss gently to mix. Serve immediately.

Make this a complete meal by serving with pitta bread and cheese or mixed cold meats.

Per serving of salad only: 329 calories, 15.8 grams protein, 17.8 grams fat, 27.6 grams carbohydrates, 6.9 grams fibre

Cream of broccoli soup

Serves 4

1 tbsp oil

1 large onion, chopped

21/2 lbs broccoli (use both stalks and florets), chopped

2 tbsp wholemeal flour

7 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 bay leaf (optional)

1 cup skimmed milk

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and broccoli and stir fry over a medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Add the flour, stir and then pour in the vegetable stock.

Add the bay leaf, if using, and bring the soup mixture to the boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for about 25 minutes, or until the broccoli has softened. Remove from the heat.

Put the soup mixture in a blender - you will need to divide the soup into two or three batches depending on how large your blender is - until smooth.

Pour the pureed soup back into the saucepan, add in the milk and then bring the soup back to the boil over a low heat.

Make this a complete meal by serving with grilled salmon with brown or red rice and steamed vegetables.

Per serving of soup only: 210 calories, 16.9 grams protein, 7.4 grams fat, 19.9 grams carbohydrates, 8.8 grams fibre

Broccoli comes from the Latin word brachium, which means branch or strong arm, and was first grown during the Roman Empire in the Italian province of Calibra, where it was known as calabrese. Broccoli is a member of the Brassicaceae, which includes cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale and turnips.

Did you know that one cup of cooked broccoli has as much vitamin C as an orange and the same amount of calcium as a 4-ounce serving of milk? If you are watching your weight, a cup of blanched broccoli contains less than 45 calories.  The veggie also contains vitamins B1, B2, niacin, B6, folate, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Like other dark green vegetables, broccoli is rich in beta carotene, interestingly frozen broccoli contains 35 per cent more beta carotene than fresh ones - that is because frozen packs almost always contain just the florets or flowers and not the stalks, and most of the beta carotene is stored in the florets. Besides this impressive array of nutrients, broccoli is a powerhouse of plant nutrients, these are responsible for helping to protect us against the development of certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and diabetes.

There are many  varieties of broccoli available, including purple-flowering broccoli which have longer stalks and smaller florets than the type we are so used to seeing in supermarket stores. Do not be too hasty in throwing the stalks away, they are also rich in fibre, vitamins B1, B2, niacin, folate, calcium and iron.



Broccoli