Broccoli-Mania

I learned long ago that taking a credit card to the Greenmarket is just asking for trouble. It would be far too easy to add a bottle of wine to my produce stash, or maybe some goat cheese, or a few jars of Ricks Picks (my current favorite is the Smokra – it’s so vinegary and spicy!), not to mention mountains of beautiful fruits and vegetables. Aside from spending too much money, I would also end up with far too much food to consume in a single week. Starting out with a set amount of dough keeps my purchases in check most of the time. —

Come fall, my dollars go a lot farther at the farmers market. I’m not buying expensive berries, tomatoes, or peaches, instead I’m loading my bag with hearty, inexpensive apples, greens and root vegetables. The fact that I’m getting more for my money can cause a problem though. One butternut squash, two delicata squashes, brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, two bunches of spinach, and a head of cauliflower are just too many vegetables for my little family to eat in a week.

So today I decided to plan ahead. I’d cook off some of my veggies to take for lunch, or at least give dinner a head start later in the week. I decided to roast the two gigantic heads of broccoli in the oven. Believe it or not, until about a year or two ago, I didn’t even know that you COULD roast broccoli. I thought that it was always sauteed or steamed. I was missing out. Roasted broccoli is delicious and succulent! Here is my favorite, easy recipe for roasting broccoli:

Lemon-Roasted Broccoli

2-3 servings

1 head broccoli, cut into florets with about an inch of stem attached

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground pepper

zest of one lemon

juice of half a lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Place the broccoli on the baking pan and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once, or until the broccoli is tender and browned.
3. Right on the baking sheet, toss the hot broccoli with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and/or pepper if necessary.

— Jenna Helwig, Rosaberry