We know how nutritional broccoli is, but don’t just use the florets and discard the rest. The stem is fabulous for slicing thinly and added to stir-fry but it’s the LEAVES that I’m really excited about.
The broccoli leaf may not be a famous super food yet – but watch this space, it will have it’s day in the sun.
I was recently was introduced to the Broccoleaf at an industry market day earlier this week but had never thought to use the leaves before.
The broccoli leaves themselves look a little like kale on steroids or a robust version of silverbeet. With a firm, white centre stem and leafy greens, this low calorie green is rich in dietary fibre, minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. How about this for stats: more than 100% of your daily intake for Vitamins A, C and K plus 1/2 of your daily folate needs. Awesome.
If you aren’t growing broccoli in your garden right now, don’t panic. Broccoleaf can be purchased in specialist stores and goes under the brand name Nature’s Pick, if you are looking to experiment. If you are a kale-lover, you’ll soon add this to your repertoire.
What do you do with broccoli leaves? I’m super excited to try it in a bunch of recipe ideas but already have had great success with Broccoli Chips and a Broccoleaf Breakfast Smoothie.
Firstly you’ll need to give the broccoli leaves a thorough wash then pat dry with a paper towel before using. In some instances the stem of the leaf can be chopped up and used, or you may choose to tear the leaf from the stem and just use the greenery. It as a taste not dissimilar to kale so can be bitter on it’s own.
Broccoleaf Breakfast Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 x ripe banana
- 1/2 cup Greek style yoghurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp ground LSA (linseed, seasame, almonds)
- 1/2 tsp honey or to taste
- 1 x broccoleaf (broccoli stem complete with leaves)
Method
- Blend all ingredients together and voila!
I made this several times and experimented with the leafy greens minus the centre stem and the whole leaf, and both worked well. You may wish to swap out the honey for maple syrup, and for a dairy-free alternative, replace yoghurt/milk with fresh coconut milk.
