Eat your broccoli!

Best of Broccoli
by Gowri Aiyar

Broccoli has been around for more than 2000 years. During the 16th century, the plant was grown in Italy and France. It began to be commercially grown in the United States in the 1920s. The word 'broccoli' derives from the Italian 'Brocco' meaning arm branch.Broccoli is related to cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.
Broccoli flourishes in a cool climate and moist soil. It is harv ested with 8-10 inches of stem left intact and the heads are cooled immediately to prevent opening and discolouration. In Singapore, broccoli is available all year round, and is generally air- flown from Australia and the USA.

When choosing broccoli in the market, select heads that have tight and compact bud clusters with an even dark colour. The stems should be a lighter green than the buds and easy to pierce with a fingernail. Avoid stalks with yellowed or open bud clusters and stems that are hard and dry. Broccoli can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. Before use, clean by rinsing well in water.
When it comes to nutritional value, broccoli tops the list. It is rich in vitamins, high in fibre and low in calories. Broccoli is said to contain as much calcium, gram for gram, as milk. By including broccoli regularly in your diet you can reduce and prevent ailments like cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease.


Copied from www.restaurantsweb.com


More about broccoli and some broccoli recipes
Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!

Top 12 Ways To Give Condiments a Flavor-Boost

By Leslie Fink, MS, RD 8/3/2005 WeightWatchers.com:

1. Add wasabi powder or wasabi paste to low-fat mayonnaise for a spicy vegetable dip or sandwich spread.

2. Get creative with Dijon mustard by adding a touch of honey and dill. Bev Bennett, cookbook author and recipe developer, makes her own honey mustard to get just the right level of sweetness. She also throws in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.

3. Mix together fat-free plain yogurt, shredded cucumber and garlic powder for a simple Greek-inspired vegetable dip, turkey burger topping or sauce for grilled chicken.

4. Add ketchup and mustard to bottled barbecue sauce and spread it over meatloaf before baking for excellent moisture and flavor. Bennett offers other barbecue sauce additions such as smoked paprika or minced roasted garlic cloves.

5. Combine sesame oil, soy sauce and minced scallions for an easy Asian dipping sauce for vegetables and steamed dumplings.

6. Create a creamy sauce for nachos, tacos, burritos and Tex-Mex wraps by adding fat-free sour cream to prepared salsa.

7. Stir fresh fruit such as minced pineapple into low-fat cottage cheese and serve with sliced apples for dipping.

8. Or go savory and mix salt-free garlic and herb seasoning (and fresh herbs, if desired) with low-fat cottage cheese and spread it into a pita filled with roasted vegetables.

9. Fold chocolate syrup into reduced-fat cream cheese and use as a fruit dip.

10. Top your favorite burger with a dollop of ketchup combined with plain, fat-free yogurt or nonfat sour cream.

11. Add some of the sauce (but not the actual peppers) from canned chipotle peppers to either guacamole or ketchup for a little smoky heat. Bennett suggests adding chipotle sauce (tastes like tomato sauce with a hint of chipotle chili flavor) to plain yogurt as a dressing for chicken salad.

12. Serve crab cakes with a sauce of low-fat mayonnaise spiked with horseradish.

Get This Amazing Southern Cookbook, Flavored with Love, Now!