Broccoli - Loaded with fiber and so many ways to enjoy it!

After being gluten-free a few years, I discovered that so many gluten-free packaged items are quite lacking in fiber. This is not to say that the ‘regular’ ones are any better, it is that since the gluten-free ones require a bit more time to make, more attention to nutrition should also be made.

My method of mixing my own flour blends comes from two influences; my history of loving cooking from scratch and  a person who I really appreciated having her skills when I first started trying to bake gluten-free: Michelle over at Allergen Free Cooking. I attended her classes when she was at Tailor Made Nutrition.  She made it seem so easy and even provided substitutions in each recipe.  So, I owe a big thank you to Michelle,The Allergen Free Cook !

I am always checking how much fiber or how less sugar or fat is in a recipe I make.  That brings me to why this post is mostly about broccoli.  Broccoli is loaded with fiber!
A week or so ago, I saw this big bag of cut-up broccoli and grabbed it, because I had just bought the new Shark Food processor.  I planned to try making food purees and of course; smoothies!



First, I made  Just Another Green Smoothie,   then I modified it several times depending what other ingredients I had on hand.

The second one is below:
Another Green Smoothie II

Ingredients
1 cup broccoli florets (chopped broccoli)
1 cup 0% Greek Yogurt
1 cup frozen pineapple cubes
1/4 cup natural almonds
1/2 scoop vegetarian protein powder
Procedure
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pulse and push down as necessary until blended.
Servings: 2
Yield: 2 very filling servings
Nutrition FactsNutrition (per serving): 241 calories, 9.4g total fat, 5.5g monounsaturated fat, 2.2g polyunsaturated fat, 0g trans fatty acids, <1g trans-monoenoic fatty acids, <1g trans-polyenoic fatty acids, 2.2g linoleic acid, <1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 125.5mg sodium, 78.6mg calcium, 361.4mg potassium, 51.5mcg folate, 122.2mg phosphorus, 5mg phytosterols, 0mcg lycopene, 1.6mcg selenium, <1mg thiamin, 0mcg vitamin b12, <1mg vitamin b6, 78.7mg vitamin c, <1mg zinc, 22.9g carbohydrates, 4.7g fiber, 18.2g net carbohydrates, 14.8g sugar, 19.4g protein.

Modified again and even renamed it!
Frozen Fruit n Veggie Protein Smoothie




Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks(or frozen)
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/3 cup frozen sliced strawberries
1/2 medium frozen banana, sliced
1/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened
1/4 cup natural almonds
1/3 cup broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/2 scoop vegetarian protein powder

Procedures
1. Place all ingredients in a blender capable of crushing ice (or a frozen concoction maker). Replace the top on the blender jar.
2. Pulse two or three times.  A stick blender works well too, you may have to stir it a couple of times
3. Stir the mixture so that it will blend easier.
4. After the mixture is completed blended (no large blueberry skins showing, serve in parfait glasses. Eat with a spoon.
Servings: 1
Yield: 1 very large serving or 2 medium
Nutrition (per serving): 383 calories, 19.1g total fat, 10.6g monounsaturated fat, 4.4g polyunsaturated fat, <1g trans fatty acids, <1g trans-monoenoic fatty acids, <1g trans-polyenoic fatty acids, 4.1g linoleic acid, 1.4g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 236.9mg sodium, 123mg calcium, 751.4mg potassium, 69.6mcg folate, 216.6mg phosphorus, 18mg phytosterols, 0mcg lycopene, 2.5mcg selenium, <1mg thiamin, 0mcg vitamin b12, <1mg vitamin b6, 81.7mg vitamin c, 1.4mg zinc, 39.3g carbohydrates, 9.8g fiber, 29.5g net carbohydrates, 20.9g sugar, 20.2g protein.

again…. 
Frozen Fruit n Veggie Protein Smoothie II




Ingredients
1/2 cup broccoli, cut up
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen sliced strawberries
1/4 cup pineapple, fresh
1/4 cup whole natural almonds 
1 tbsp old fashioned oatmeal, uncooked
1 tbsp flax seed meal (ground flax seeds)
1/3 cup almond milk, unsweetened
chopped almonds for topping (optional)
1/2 scoop vegetarian protein powder

Procedures
1. Place all ingredients in a blender capable of crushing ice (or a frozen concoction maker). Replace the top on the blender jar.
2. Pulse two or three times. A stick blender works well too, you may have to stir it a couple of times
3. Stir the mixture so that it will blend easier.
4. After the mixture is completed blended (no large blueberry skins showing, serve in parfait glasses. Eat with a spoon.
Servings: 1

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 439 calories, 25.5g total fat, 12.1g monounsaturated fat, 8.1g polyunsaturated fat, <1g trans fatty acids, <1g trans-monoenoic fatty acids, <1g trans-polyenoic fatty acids, 4.3g linoleic acid, 1.9g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 260mg sodium, 166mg calcium, 750.2mg potassium, 84.4mcg folate, 304.3mg phosphorus, 11.6mg phytosterols, 0mcg lycopene, 5.4mcg selenium, <1mg thiamin, 0mcg vitamin b12, <1mg vitamin b6, 104.7mg vitamin c, 2mg zinc, 36.1g carbohydrates, 13.2g fiber, 22.9g net carbohydrates, 15.5g sugar, 23.4g protein.

I have eaten more broccoli in the past two weeks than in the past year!

I even served some over Millet with a a small amount of chopped bacon.



Another dish - served over rice (ingredients from the fridge)





Just Broccoli - with “horsey” sauce


Even in Omelets




Another omelet (ingredients from the fridge) make it a dish or an omelet




Enjoy broccoli, do not over-cook it!  I like it best, dropped in boiling water and drained immediately.  It’s called blanching vegetables. Broccoli will keep in the fridge for up to a week once this has been done, store loosely covered.

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