I get really bored with veggies. Actually I just get bored easily. Walking up stairs, taking showers, brushing my teeth, chewing; these are all Very Boring Things. Since I clearly have some undiagnosed and not-yet-invented form of ADD, I have made it a personal goal to make food (and life) as interesting and flavorful as possible. I try everything. I often go to Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or a local farmer’s market just to see what’s out there, get inspired, and try my hand at something that might be change-your-life amazing or spectacularly awful. It’s anyone’s guess how my adventure in boredom will play out.
At Trader Joe’s, I found a bagged organic broccoli slaw made from broccoli stems and shredded carrots. Now, I really hate coleslaw. I worked at Chick-fil-A in high school at the tender age of 15, and one of my jobs was making coleslaw. (For the record, Chick-fil-A was still one of my favorite places to eat, even after I worked there. If you’re from the south, you can relate to the absolute devotion and reverence Chick-fil-A inspires. If you’ve never been, don’t go! It’s highly habit-forming. Like bad reality TV and Pinterest. It has taken me years of living in Oregon far from that chicken devil to break me of my habit.) Of the many menu items, coleslaw was/is not one of my favorites. I tend to think any time two cups of industrial strength mayonnaise is the main ingredient in a dish, it really can’t be good for you.
Smothering this finely shredded broccoli in mayo was never an option. I also don’t like raw broccoli because…it mostly just tastes like a tree. Unless you smother it with homemade ranch dressing or adorn it with one of Cee-Lo’s obscenely blingy watches, then I’ll eat it raw. But on regular days for regular consumption, I prefer my broccoli cooked.
So I threw the whole bag of the broccoli slaw in a skillet with some coconut oil, Braggs Amino acids, S&P, granulated garlic, and watched magic happen.
The broccoli became soft and slightly caramelized. It also developed a great tangy, Asian-y, smoky flavor. I finished it off with a good splash of fresh squeezed lemon, and it brightened the whole dish. This is a great alternative to noodles if you’re trying to cut down on carbs, and a great way to bulk up a Asian pasta dish if you’re not. Add some grilled chicken or sauteed shrimp and voila! You are ready to feed yourself and your family a tasty veggie dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 16 oz bag of Broccoli Slaw
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1-2 Tbps of Bragg’s amino acids (depending on what you like)
- A dash of S&P and granulated garlic
- 1/2 lemon, squeezed
Directions:
- In a medium skillet, heat coconut oil on medium high heat (8/10) until very hot, then add entire bag of broccoli slaw.
- Do a quick toss to coat the broccoli in the oil, then allow to heat uncovered for 4 minutes without stirring. (This is how you get that great caramelization!)
- Add half the Braggs, S&P, and granulated garlic, then toss again. Cook for another 4 minutes without stirring.
- Add the rest of the Braggs, toss again, and evaluate if it’s ready. If you still have uncooked portions, continue to cook without stirring for another few minutes. Shreds should be soft but not mushy and still be very green.
- Remove from heat, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the stir-fry and serve immediately.
See? That wasn’t boring at all. And definitely killed any craving for fried chicken. Right? Well, at least we tried, anyway.
What are your favorite broccoli dishes?
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