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Dinner Diva | Frozen broccoli

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I’ve been a champion of eating fresh vegetables and fruits and eating them in season for years. Right now, however, I’m really enjoying frozen veggies for a number of reasons. One, they’re real cheap (especially when they’re on sale, and you’ve got a coupon!), and two, they enjoy a reputation for nutrition due to the fact they are picked at their prime and frozen quickly, without a lot of down time to lose their nutrients. You gotta love that!

I bought several bags of frozen broccoli cuts on sale. Broccoli cuts are less expensive than the spears. You get the flowers and the stems. In my book, that’s fine; I think the stems are tastier than the spears, to be honest!

Anyway, they cost $1.28 for each one-pound bag; that’s an awesome price. Let me share with you some of my ideas for cooking with the broccoli. One of those ideas (the soup) is currently on the stovetop. I’ll share all my “recipes” with you—you’ll love them!

1) Broccoli Quiche. Easy as pie to make—I make mine crustless. Saute an onion, add the frozen broccoli to the skillet, season with garlic powder, a little oregano and salt and pepper. Put it on the bottom of a lightly greased pie plate, add 8 ounces lowfat shredded cheese tossed with 2 tablespoons of flour, then fill it up with beaten raw eggs, about 6 eggs total. Cook in a 375 degree oven till set, about 30 minutes or so.

2) Quick Broccoli Soup. In a saucepan, sauté a chopped onion in a little olive oil, add a clove or two of pressed garlic, when onion is translucent, add the bag of broccoli. Salt and pepper to taste, add maybe 1/2 teaspoon of thyme and sauté for about 2 minutes. Now add a quart sized container of low sodium chicken broth. Simmer till tender, then blend it in a blender in batches. Serve hot with a sprinkling of shredded lowfat cheddar cheese.

3) Easy Chicken Broccoli Casserole. Prepare two boxes of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Premium White Cheddar. Undercook the pasta slightly and just follow the direction on the box. Add 1/2 a bag of the frozen broccoli, 2 cups chopped cooked chicken and mix together. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish, top with 1 cup crushed saltines or seasoned bread crumbs mixed with 1/2 cup lowfat cheese (your choice). Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven till warm and bubbly and cheese is nicely melted on top, about 20 to 30 minutes.

That’s all I have, but look at how easy, inexpensive and tasty all three recipes are. Have fun and give these recipes a whirl!

 

For more help putting dinner on your table, check out Leanne’s website, www.SavingDinner.com, or her Saving Dinner book series (Ballantine) and her New York Times bestselling book Body Clutter (Fireside). Copyright 2009 Leanne Ely. Used by permission in this publication.

 

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