Healthy Eating For Healthy Living Tips

Several readers were impressed by the nutritional benefits of broccoli, but wanted to try some different ways of cooking it.  Here are SIX quick ways to cook bellaverde® broccoli

Bellaverde (R) broccoli

1.    Balsamic and pine nut bellaverde® broccoli – Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® spears, then boil or steam for 3 mins.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, add 3 tbsp pine nuts and stir until golden.  Set aside.  Add 90ml/6 tbsp balsamic vinegar and simmer to reduce by half.  Drain the bellaverde®, then add to the frying pan, add the pint nuts and toss until coated.  Delicious served with grilled chicken or fish.

2.    Pesto Spaghetti with bellaverde® – Cook 350g spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water for 7 mins. Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® broccoli and cut the spears in half. Add to the spaghetti pan and cook for a further 3 mins. Drain the spaghetti and bellaverde and return to the pan. Add 6 tbsp pesto sauce and toss well. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

3.    Bellaverde® Gratin – Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® broccoli then boil or steam for 3 mins. Place in a gratin dish. Heat a (300g) tub ready made cheese sauce according to pack instructions, then pour over the bellaverde®. Crumble over 25g grated Cheddar cheese. Pop under a hot grill until the cheese melts and serve immediately as a vegetable accompaniment.

4.    Bellaverde® Broccoli with Warm Seed Dressing – Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® broccoli then boil or steam for 3 mins. Whilst this cooks, in a small pan, toast 2 tbsp each sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds in 2tbsp sesame oil until the seeds are golden. Drain the bellaverde®, return to the pan, then pour over the seeds, the juice of half a lemon and seasoning. Delicious served hot or cold with a wedge of crusty bread.

5.    Bellaverde® Broccoli with Soft Boiled Eggs – Wash and lightly trim a 200g pack of bellaverde® broccoli then boil or steam for 3 mins. Place 2 eggs per person in a medium pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 3½ mins, then lift the eggs from the water and place in egg cups. Stand the cups on plates then surround with the bellaverde® spears. Cut the tops off the eggs and dip the bellaverde® into the egg yolks – a delicious and nutritious brunch recipe.

6.    Barbecued Bellaverde® Broccoli – Bellaverde® broccoli makes a healthy colourful addition to summer barbecues. Take a (200g) pack bellaverde® broccoli, wash and lightly trim the end of each spear. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp water, 2 tbsp olive oil and a little salt and ground black pepper. Add the bellaverde® and toss until broccoli florets are coated. Cook over hot barbecue coals for 6-8mins, turning once or twice until the stems are just tender and lightly charred.

For more recipe ideas and information visit www.bellaverde.co.uk (launching soon).