Broccoli is one of the best veggies that you can add to your diet, as it contains loads of vitamins, potassium, and fibers; and offers close to 30 calories per cup. But the problem with broccoli is that, while it is undoubtedly healthy, it does not do much for your taste buds. As a result, a majority of Americans tend to skip broccoli. That’s why we have picked up five delicious recipes for broccoli that will be beneficial for your health, as well as keep your taste buds happy. Once you check out these recipes, broccoli will cease to be the dreaded vegetable that it currently is!

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Before you get started with the recipes, you’d want to know why Broccoli is the strongest green veggie:

Broccoli Frittata

One of the best options when it comes to shedding those extra calories, broccoli frittata is very nutritious, and an excellent dish for breakfast. It provides fibers, keeps you full through the day, and is also very tasty. Adding eggs to the recipe increases the nutritional value as well.

Here are the ingredients:

• One clove of garlic, thinly sliced.
• Two tablespoons of olive oil.
• Three and a half cups of broccoli florets.
• Quarter teaspoon of crushed red pepper.
• Salt.
• Black pepper.
• Eggs- eight large ones.
• Parmesan cheese- half cup grated.

How to Prepare:

• Preheat the oven to 350 0 degrees F.
• Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet (ovenproof and non-stick)
• Add the sliced garlic.
• Cook for 30 seconds (over medium-high heat).
• Now add the broccoli with crushed red pepper to the skillet.
• Cook for one minute.
• Then, pour two tablespoons of water.
• Season the preparation with salt and pepper.
• Place a cover over the skillet and heat till the broccoli becomes crisp-tender and allow it to cool.
• Take a medium-sized bowl to put the eggs and whisk them with a quarter teaspoon of salt and pepper.
• Keep stirring the broccoli and return the skillet to the stove
• Heat the remaining one tablespoon of oil.
• Pour the egg mixture and heat for about 3 minutes over medium heat.
• Add cheese, and transfer the mixture to the oven.
• Bake for twelve minutes.

Then serve at the room temperature.

Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes with Egg (Olive Oil-Fried)

Here is another recipe for breakfast that is rich in calories, and will keep you energized throughout the day. Sweet potatoes are healthy carbohydrates, and do not stress your waistline. You can be assured of good health when you have this dish at least once a week.

Here are the ingredients:

• One medium sized sweet potato (cut into pieces).
• One medium sized broccoli head  (cut into slices).
• A quarter onion (cut into strips).
• Two teaspoons, and one tablespoon of olive oil.
• Two eggs.
• Salt and pepper.
• Salsa.

Here is how you will prepare this:

• Pour the two teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet  and heat (medium heat).
• Add the sweet potatoes in it and cook them (Stir till you see the char on the outside) for ten minutes.
• Add the sliced onions, broccoli  and salt and pepper seasoning.
• Keep cooking for eight minutes till the ingredients become soft, and broccoli turns bright green.
• Now, transfer the vegetables to a plate.
• Reduce the heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.
• Add the eggs.
• Flip and heat till the top is set.
• Add salt and pepper.
• Serve with eggs over the vegetables along with salsa.

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Instead of eggs, you can even try salmon. This makes a perfect combination of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, providing you with loads of Omega-3 fatty acids too.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

One of the best appetizers, broccoli cheese soup, is something that you try as soon as possible. Do not worry about the cheese in it. A little amount of dairy in your diet is good for getting that calcium for your bones. And if you take this with whole grain foods, it becomes a balanced diet.

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Here are the ingredients:

• Three cups of unsalted vegetable stock.
• Four  cups of broccoli florets (coarsely chopped).
• One cup of diced yellow onion.
• One chopped carrot.
• Half teaspoon of salt.
• Quarter teaspoon of pepper.
• Three cloves of minced garlic.
• Six tablespoons of half-and-half.
• Cheddar cheese, divided (four ounces).
• A quarter cup of parsley leaves (fresh flat-leaf).

Here is how you prepare it:

• Combine  the stock of onion, broccoli, carrot with salt, pepper, and garlic in a saucepan.
• Boil them and simmer later to allow the broccoli become tender for ten minutes.
• Turn off the heat.
• Purée the soup using a blender until it is smooth.
• Set the pan over low heat and stir in half-and-half with two ounces of cheese.
• Stir until it melts.

Garnished with cheese and parsley leaves before serving

Parmesan and Garlic Roasted Broccoli

A recipe for a great dinner. Here are the ingredients that you need:

• Four to five pounds of broccoli.
• Four garlic cloves (peeled and thinly sliced).
• Olive oil.
• Two teaspoons of salt (Kosher).
• Half teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
• Two teaspoons of grated lemon zest.
• Two tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• One cup of  Parmesan cheese (freshly grated).

Here is how you prepare it:

• Preheat oven  (425 degrees F).
• Cut off the broccoli florets from the stalks and pull the florets apart.
• This will give you eight cups of florets.
• Keep the broccoli florets in a single layer on a sheet pan.
• Throw the garlic on broccoli and pour five tablespoons of olive oil.
• Season with the salt and pepper.
• Roast till it is crisp-tender.
• Remove broccoli from oven.
• Toss with olive oil, zest of lemon, lemon juice and Parmesan.
• Serve hot.

Broccoli and Pepper Stir-Fry

Another easy to prepare 15 minute dish, here are the ingredients:

• One tablespoon of canola oil.
• One tablespoon of grated fresh ginger.
• One chopped bell pepper.
• One bunch of broccoli (6 cups).
• One bunch of scallions, sliced.
• Quarter cup hoisin sauce.
• One tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds.

Here is how you will prepare it:

• Take a large skillet with oil  and heat it over medium-high heat.
• Add ginger and cook for thirty seconds.
• Add bell pepper, broccoli, scallions and cook, for three to five minutes.
• Add hoisin sauce, with a quarter cup of water and cook for two to three minutes.
• Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Broccoli is definitely something you can’t afford to avoid if you’re serious about a healthier diet. There are also variations in the recipes described above that you can try, involving different ingredients. So enjoy your broccoli treat!

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