Broccoli

If cruciferous veggies hold a special place in your heart, and you have a real thing for those versatile, tender “grains” of riced cauliflower, there’s another ingredient you need on your radar: riced broccoli! Like its cauliflower counterpart, riced broccoli isn’t going to fool you as a stand-in for rice.

We’ll confess to throwing broccoli stalks in the garbage can every now and then. The florets are so appealing, and the stalks take longer to cook. (Excuses, excuses, we know.) Many of you make a habit of eating them, which is great, and we’re coming around. In fact, we threw some in a frittata last night. Get more ideas, below… Beyond the fact that we’d like to waste less food, broccoli stalks are delicious and healthy.

A new year means new goals. And for many people that includes changing food habits, cutting down on junk, and eating better. Sounds good. In theory. But resolutions around diets tend to be tedious and limiting, and are about as exciting as a bowl of wilted Brussels sprouts. And who really wants to kick off 2014 with a list of should nots and cannots? What if this year, instead of making a resolution to eat more healthfully, we make a promise to cook more playfully?

My number-one rule for eating better is changing the way I eat breakfast, and usually that means eating more than toast. Lately, a bag of frozen broccoli has been my accomplice in helping me start the day with vegetables so that no matter where the day leads, I’m guaranteed to have started with something green. Here’s how I use this freezer staple to eat a better breakfast. One of my favorite ways to use frozen broccoli for breakfast is to sauté it and add it to toast.

Inspired by one of our favorite soups, we’re breaking out the slow cooker for a warm, creamy, veggie-flecked cheese dip that will get your crowd cheering. This riff replicates the satisfying indulgence of broccoli cheddar soup, with a warm dip that relies on your slow cooker and the convenience of the freezer aisle. All you need is some thawed, frozen chopped broccoli to pull it off. Set your slow cooker to warm and add about 2 cups of cheese dip (homemade or store-bought) to the bowl.

If you don’t already have a bag or two of frozen broccoli in your freezer, add it to your grocery list immediately. We’re huge fans of the stuff here at Kitchn — not only for its affordability and ease (forget about chopping down a big head of fresh broccoli!), but also for its versatility. Here are seven ways we love to use it. Add a little green to your breakfast by throwing frozen broccoli into your scrambled egg routine.

With bagged broccoli slaw and a spoonful of red curry paste, you’re two ingredients away from totally transforming instant ramen into a veggie-packed noodle soup with a warm curry flavor. Bagged broccoli slaw has proved its worth time and again with salads and stir-fries, and this quick noodle soup is yet another way to put it to work. Contrasting with the chewy noodles, thin strips of broccoli, carrots, and cabbage bring a fresh, crunchy bite to the soup.

For weeknight dinners I’m all about super-simple sides. That usually translates to roasted veggies, with broccoli leading the pack. On its own, even the crowd-pleaser roasted broccoli can get a little boring and repetitive, but it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. The easiest way to switch things up? Change the seasoning. When I say seasoning, I’m not just talking about salt and pepper — this is deeper and way more flavorful.

Frozen vegetables are one of my secret weapons for quick and healthy meals. Broccoli has been in heavy rotation lately – we take a bag out of the freezer, and in a few minutes, it’s ready to be used in unexpected ways in all kinds of dishes. While there’s almost an endless amount of ways to use frozen vegetables, my go-to is usually as a side dish.

Broccoli has been sitting in the shadows of cauliflower for a while now. I’ve watched it happen, slowly, as cauliflower and its wonder recipes receive all the attention. Good ol’ green broccoli — the poster-child for all wonder-veggies — is full of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, antioxidants, and protein. Let’s not cast it away as the dark meat of the brassica family; it’s one we should consider eating on a regular basis.

Broccoli-haters take note. Broccoli-lovers, too. Broccolini may just be the great green equalizer.Broccolini is not baby broccoliThe flavor of broccolini is complex. It’s less bitter than broccoli with a sweetness that’s reminiscent of asparagus. It’s a robust flavor, both earthy and grassy. When cooked, the stems take on a pleasantly chewy texture while the florets become tender.