I don’t know about you, but I eat broccoli at least once a week. Right now, you might be reliving images from your childhood. You are sitting at the dinner table trying to figure out how to sneak your limp, un-flavorful broccoli to the family pooch sitting at your feet. If this rings a bell, you know that broccoli gets a bad wrap with kids, who then become conditioned to dislike it as they grow older. If you are a broccoli skeptic, do me a favor. Go buy some organic broccoli, break it into florets, toss it with olive oil and salt, roast it on a sheet pan in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes until it starts to turn a little golden brown, and enter into the world of deliciously wonderful broccoli.

Not only is broccoli one of my favorite veggies because it is delicious, but it is a nutrient-rich, cancer-fighting powerhouse. It is loaded with potassium, folate, iron, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin C, and B6. Plus it has a healthy dose of sulforaphane, which is thought to combat prostate, liver, lung, bladder, skin, and stomach cancer. It is also high in fiber to fill you up. If that wasn’t enough to get you grabbing for the nearest broccoli stalk, additional research has been found it also helps:

• Prevent osteoarthritis
• Protect skin against damaging UV light
• Reverse diabetes heart damage
• Detoxify air pollutants in the body

If you’re bored with broccoli or still a little hesitant to try the veggie that haunted your childhood, I’ve got a recipe for you. Not only are the tops of broccoli wonderful, but don’t overlook the leftover stalks. They are just as nutritious as the florets and can be transformed into something delicious that doesn’t resemble broccoli in the slightest…broccoli fritters. Even the most adverse person to broccoli would come back for seconds of these.

Broccoli Fritters

Ingredients:

• 3-4 leftover broccoli stalks, trimmed of any extra leaves
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 whole egg and 1 egg white, whisked together
• 1/4 cup almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• Coconut oil for cooking (I use Tropical Traditions)

Directions:

1. Shred your broccoli with a hand grater or shredding attachment on a food processor. Do the same with the onion. (I highly suggest using a food processor if you have one.)
2. Place shredded broccoli and onion in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze! There is a lot of moisture in the broccoli and onion that you want to remove so it cooks up nice and golden brown.
3. Place the squeezed shredded broccoli and onion into a large bowl.
4. Add the egg, almond flour, salt, and pepper and mix well.
5. Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
6. Once coconut oil is melted, take a couple of tablespoons of the mixture in your hand and form a patty. Add into the pan.
7. Cook the fritters for about five minutes on each side until golden brown.
8. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any of the extra oil. Sprinkle with a little additional salt and enjoy.

These fritters are great on their own, but they are also amazing topped with some crispy prosciutto and eggs for a more complete meal. Give these a try and let me know if you have converted to a broccoli lover! I also want to hear how else you enjoy this powerhouse of a veggie.