Real Food Favourites

Lemon-Garlic Roasted Broccoli (Paleo)

1 lb broccoli, rinsed and trimmed
2 Tbsp avocado oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 a lemon

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Cut the broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. Peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1/8-inch thick, round slices. In a mixing bowl, toss the broccoli with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Spread broccoli mixture out on a sheet pan with sides (stoneware, if you have it). Place in the oven and roast for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, stir / turn broccoli with a large spoon, and spread it out again. Roast for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately, drizzled with fresh-squeezed lemon juice.

Based on Alton Brown's Oven Roasted Broccoli.

Recipes to Remember: Sides

December 2011 to June 2013

• Patatas Bravas (Tapas by Susanna Tee)

• Celeriac Remoulade (Alton Brown)

• Best Vegetable Salad (Company's Coming)

• Classic Stuffing (#1; Food Network)

• Golden Rutabaga Casserole (Canadian Living)

• Cranberry-Orange Sauce (Rachel Ray) - we use much less sugar

• Bacon-Ranch Potato Salad (#10; Food Network)

• Cilantro-lime butter (on steak)

• Mrs. O'Callaghan's Soda Bread – we've made this a few times and suggest using 5 cups of flour rather than 6

• Traditional Irish Soda Bread (Canadian Living)

• Really Good Pico De Gallo

• Alton Brown's Tzatziki sauce - the BEST tzatziki, hands down

• Jicama-Carrot Slaw (Food Network Mag - yes, we like it a lot!)

• Sliced avocados tossed with lime juice and S&P - best condiment/side dish ever - goes with everything!

• Swiss Chard

• Double Broccoli Quinoa (I'd prefer less garlic next time)

• Kelsie's Cucumber Salad

• Grandma Mantay's Cucumbers & Sour Cream (cucumbers, salt, vinegar, sour cream)

• Southwest Quinoa Salad (Quinoa 365)

• Avocado drizzled with EVOO, balsamic vinegar, S&P

• Alton Brown's Oven-Roasted Broccoli (without bread crumbs) - best broccoli ever!

• Sauce Mornay (The Joy of Cooking) - cheese sauce for cauliflower or broccoli

• Ensalada de Granada (arugula, garlic, olive oil, sherry vinegar, pomegranate seeds, S&P; from the TV show, From Spain With Love)

• Faux-tatoes (steamed cauliflower, mashed and mixed with cream cheese, butter, S&P) - we all love this! (and we've used cream cheese we made from kefir)

• Greek Salad (The Complete Canadian Living Cookbook)

• Roasted Cabbage Wedges (Martha Stewart)

• Southwest Ranch Dressing/Dip - I searched for a homemade version of my favourite dip (Marzetti Southwest Ranch) and found this recipe; it's pretty close - I love it!

• Alton Brown's Dill Pickles (fermented)

• Ali's quinoa salad with figs, almonds, and cilantro (I don't have the recipe, but I need to get it!)

• Pomegranate Guacamole (Food Network Mag, 50 Easy Appetizers, #9)

• Alton Brown's Coleslaw

• Bacon-wrapped Cauliflower (Food Network Mag, Nov 2012)

• Oven Roasted Broccoli *and cauliflower* (and no bread crumbs)

• Roasted Cauliflower with Bacon and Garlic - and we added broccoli

• Colcannon - an Irish dish with potatoes, cabbage, and kale - delicious! (better picture on Pinterest) - leftovers are great with mini burgers (just the meat)

• Sweet Potato Wedges - love!

• Roasted Kabocha Squash - good but I prefer acorn squash

• Purple cauliflower faux-tatoes - fun!

• snack: sliced roasted turkey breast, gouda cheese, and green apple

• Roasted Cabbage - fantastic!

• Roasted Cauliflower with Orange Zest - and lemon juice on top

• Super simple guacamole - one avocado roughly mashed, juice from half a lime or lemon, S&P - yum!

• Hot Pink Garlic Jalepeno Kraut

• Roasted Butternut Squash - I used lemon instead of orange, and about half the maple syrup called for (also good with no maple syrup)

• Avocado Feta Dip

• Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes - lots of work but awesome - I used organic coconut sugar ipo. brown sugar

• Nigella's Macaroni Cheese - with whipping cream ipo condensed milk - and spiral rice noodles - yummy!

• Martha's Roasted Spiced Acorn Squash

• Alton Brown's Roasted Asparagus (Good Eats Vol. 3)

• Roasted Chile Avocado Cream Dip

• Roasted Butternut Squash (this method) - with butter, S&P, and a dusting of cinnamon

• Blackberry Lemon Salad - delicious! (used EVOO in place of flax oil)

• Mason jar salads - my first ones included grape tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, sugar snap peas, matchstick carrots, and lettuce - washed everything in water and vinegar

• Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing - yum

• Addicting Veggie Dip - yum!

• Lil' Dipper veggie dip - we make it with fresh herbs (when available) and add about 2-3 Tbsp lemon juice

• Alton Brown's Veni Vedi Vinaigrette (GE Vol 1) - with kombucha ipo of 1/2 the red wine vinegar - fantastic! THE best, in my opinion

• Alton Brown's Roasted Asparagus - good with or without nutmeg

• Neil's mac and cheese - quinoa/rice noodles with ricotta, cheddar cheese, and eggs; baked

Neil's Veggie Dip

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cream kefir (10%) or plain yogurt
juice from half a lemon
up to 1 Tbsp seasoned salt (such as Hy's, Lawry's, or homemade Lawry's), to taste
1 tsp dill weed (or 1 Tbsp fresh)
1 tsp parsley (or 1 Tbsp fresh)
1 tsp chives (or 1 Tbsp fresh)

Combine ingredients.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before eating with fresh vegetables.

Make-ahead Chickpea & Veg Salad

1 540 ml (19 oz) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 341 ml (12 oz) can of corn, drained
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup sugar (or less)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup salad oil (or olive oil)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Combine chickpeas and vegetables in a bowl. Combine dressing ingredients separately, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Mix vegetables and dressing together. Let stand in refrigerator overnight.

Serves 10-12.

This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

Based on Best Vegetable Salad from Company's Coming: Salads by Jean Paré.