We were about to leave for a few days for Canada. Living in Seattle has the wonderful location setting of being able to be close to mountains, to the ocean, and to Canada. For the last lunch at home before the departure, we had berries, pomegranate, kale and broccoli, and I felt like these ingredients had to be consumed at their freshest. This steamed broccoli kale salad in balsamic vinegar features raw raspberries and pomegranate, and is topped with olive oil.
I also finished reading a book with a provocative title, “How not to die” by Michael Greger and Gene Stone. In it, they explain that leafy greens like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, contain some of the most potent cancer preventing ingredients, especially when combined with garlic or green onions. It made sense to add a few slices of garlic, as a result: garlic enhances flavor while making you stronger. What’s not to like? Of course, the dose makes the poison just like the dose makes the cure. So a few bites of garlic are optimal, as long as you don’t stuff yourself with it and get a stomach ache. In the right quantities, you could call this a How not to die Salad. Sounds delicious.
The raspberries, pomegranate come into the dish after steaming the broccoli first, since it takes the longest to cook, then the kale. The process of cooking tends to destroy some of vitamin C, while making it other nutrients easier to digest and easier to absorb. For the fruits, they are added as is, raw, with the olive oil.
We made this salad, again, for breakfast this morning. I asked my two kids if they wanted some, and both ate it. They impressed me!
Broccoli kale salad in balsamic vinegar
Ingredients
Cooking or steaming ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli (about 1 large flower)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 4 cups kale
Topping ingredients added raw
- 4 garlic cloves
- 0.5 cup raspberries
- 0.5 cup pomegranate
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add the broccoli cut in small pieces with the avocado oil. Slow cook for 10 minutes, ideally with a lid on the skillet.
- Cut the kale, add it on top of the broccoli, and continue steaming it for 4 more minutes, mixing a couple of times.
- Turn the heat higher for one minute then add the balsamic vinegar. Stir well and turn off the stove.
- Place the cooked vegetables in a salad bowl. Add the thinly sliced garlic, raspberries, pomegranate, and olive oil. Mix well and serve immediately.
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