Chinese Broccoli Salad

I know a lot of you faithful blog readers out there consider me the highest example of healthy eating, and I do try pretty hard, but this week I’ve really been eating a lot of junk I wouldn’t normally touch. It’s the holidays, and at school we’re having treats every day. It’s amazing how it works, but when I’m eating the wrong things, it doesn’t take long before I start craving something simple, fresh, and light. This broccoli salad really fit the bill.

One thing I loved about this recipe was that it was suggested as a way to use broccoli stems. I didn’t have that much broccoli, so I used the whole thing, but I’ll remember it when I have a broccoli recipe that only uses the flowerets. This didn’t keep well in the refrigerator, so make as much as you need for the meal.

The recipe was from The Ultimate Low Carb Cookbook, by Mary B. Johnson, a graduate of Cordon Bleu. If you’re even remotely into lower carb eating I recommend the book. I see at least 20 recipes in there that I’d like to try. The spine of the book says Barnes & Noble Books, or check the online source above.

Chinese Broccoli Salad
(Makes 4 generous servings, from The Ultimate Low Carb Cookbook, with slight adaptations by Kalyn)

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh broccoli
2 tsp. salt (for cooking water)
Dressing:
3 T soy sauce
2 T dark sesame oil (often called toasted sesame oil)
2 T rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. Splenda, Stevia in the Raw Granulated, or sugar (or less)

Instructions:
Cut off broccoli flowerets, cutting bigger ones into half or fourths. Peel broccoli stems and slice on diagonal. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and broccoli and cook exactly 3 minutes. Drain broccoli and plunge into bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, then dump broccoli into colander and let drain well and cool.

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk to blend. Just before serving pour dressing over broccoli and stir several times to coat broccoli with dressing. Serve at room temperature.

 
South Beach Suggestions:
Made with Splenda, this would be a perfect recipe for any phase of the South Beach Diet. For phase one, this would be great with Grilled Chicken Sanpete Kabobs or Grilled Fusion Chicken. For phase two or three add Lake Powell Spicy Rice or Brown Rice with Cashews and Herbs.