Try Broccoli stems (great under marinara)!

I saw this recipe posted on "The People's Market's" Facebook page the other day. It sounded interesting and looked FABULOUS! Tonight, I made spaghetti for my family which means that I made my mom's amazing spaghetti sauce. I really wanted the sauce but I didn't want all of the pasta carbs. I remembered this recipe and since I had some broccoli in the fridge, I prepared the broccoli ribbons the way that the recipe does and it was awesome! Broccoli stems are lovely when they are roasted, like so lovely that I would go out of my way to make them. So, whether you have your own favorite marinara or you use this great looking recipe, give broccoli stems a try. Yum!




Sweet Roasted Broccoli Stems with Marinara
Ingredients:

4 large crowns broccoli
1 onion (diced)
3T garlic (minced)
1 lemon (zested)
1/2 cup red wine
2T fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
2t oregano, sage, paprika
salt/pepper to taste
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
pinch of red chili flakes
1t red wine vinegar
2T olive oil
1/2 bunch basil
1/2 bunch parsley
2 macadamia nuts

Procedure:


saute onions in 1T olive oil with a pinch of salt. Once onions start to sweat add garlic, saute for a few more minutes stirring then add dry spices stir and turn heat down.
preheat oven to 400

add bay leaves, chili flakes, canned tomatoes, lemon zest, fresh thyme and 3T minced basil/parsley. fire should be medium high.
once sauce starts to boil add red wine let bubble for a few minutes then lower heat to a simmer.

while your sauce is simmering prep broccoli. cut off crowns saving for another meal, peal thick skin from stems then cut length wise into thin ribbons
set in bowl mixing olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and thyme stems until broccoli is nicely coated
put mix on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes then flip broccoli and bake for another 10 minutes till tender but blistered with a sweet aroma

Plating:

set broccoli portions in bowls add sauce on top with some fresh basil/parsley and last but not least grate macadamia nuts on top of dish. a great gluten free, vegan, nutritious dish that utilizes what most people throw away. Bon Appétit