#broccoli

#broccoli

The broccoli you see in grocery stores today is man-made in the sense that it was selectively, purposely, and patiently bred back in ancient Roman times. Vegetable breeding and cross-breeding are now very common practices, essentially meaning that farmers create new plant varieties with desired characteristics by selective breeding of existing plants. Food growers have been doing this the natural way since long before the science of GMOs existed - including with the well-loved broccoli plant.

It's important to always use fresh, ripe broccoli and not frozen, so you have better control of what you're using. Additionally, according to Ramsay in this YouTube video, rich, dark green broccoli with tightly packed florets comes highly recommended. However, you don't want any of them to start opening yet. To ensure only the best parts get into the soup, Ramsay holds the broccoli stem up and trims in a circle to remove the florets while avoiding the thick, woody stalk,

While there seem to be endless fancy recipes for potatoes and an abundance of easy pastas you can prepare, there are never enough ways to fit vegetables onto the dinner table. With the help of a little cream, a lot of cheese, and a sprinkling of buttery crumb topping, though, any vegetable can be a star - even one as hard to love as broccoli, as proven by developer Michelle McGlinn's broccoli au gratin recipe.

For those of you looking for a vegetarian meal that isn't heavy on pasta or beans, Alexa Weibel is here for you. Her oven-steamed broccoli is topped with chile crisp breadcrumbs then scattered over a bed of whipped cashew cream (just a fancy name for silken tofu and cashew butter whizzed in a food processor until light and fluffy). Recipe: Roasted Broccoli and Whipped Tofu With Chile Crisp Crunch

Getting enough protein in your diet is essential for building muscle, repairing bones, and basically getting through the day. But if you're left feeling a little cold by protein shakes and low-fat cottage cheese, a bowl of chicken and broccoli soup can be just as high in protein but a whole lot more comforting. Chicken is famously high in protein, but the exact amount can depend on which cut you choose.

Adding more broccoli to your diet means enjoying the benefits of a vegetable rich in fiber, vitamins C and K, and a wealth of antioxidants. If you've ever fallen victim to bland, boiled broccoli, you may be searching for better broccoli recipes you're bound to love. One trendy method of food preparation, known as "melting" vegetables, takes a little extra time and yields an unforgettable batch of broccoli.

Many of us likely rinse our broccoli by holding its flowering crown under running water in our sinks, like we're holding a bouquet. That's considered the top of this veggie, after all. However, you actually want to hold broccoli upside down. The running water should hit the stem and make its way into all of the nooks and crannies of the head.

Thankfully, roasting solves both of these problems, intensifying the cruciferous vegetable's flavors and enhancing its texture with a delightful crunch. But if you are looking to turn an already irresistible side dish into a stand-out weeknight staple, try coating your broccoli in cornstarch before roasting to make it extra crispy. You might only associate cornstarch with thickening sauces or soups, but it also works great for crisping up just about any roasted vegetable.