From Freezer to Table: An Easy Frozen Broccoli Side Dish

A Simple and Delicious Frozen Broccoli Side Dish with a Ginger, Rice Vinegar, and Tamari Dressing.

Do you like broccoli, but don't like cleaning and cutting it? Use frozen broccoli for a no fuss, no mess experience. 

Even something as simple as frozen broccoli can be brought to life with an interesting sauce such as my ginger tamari combo.

Eating well doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, the best dishes come together with just a few ingredients and minimal effort.

Weight Watchers Friendly Sauces

I’ve found that having low-calorie, flavorful sauces, toppings, and dressings on hand is a game-changer for staying on track with my weight loss following Weight Watchers.  

Plain steamed veggies or a simple baked potato instantly become more exciting with the right homemade healthy low calorie dressing or topping which helps make eating simple foods feel less like a chore. 

 The other day, I went out to a Chinese restaurant and ordered plain steamed broccoli, steamed bok choy, and steamed tofu— without any of their  sauces- just plain - and boring. 

Instead, I brought a small individualized container of my homemade low calorie peanut sauce (made with PB2, a no-fat peanut butter powder), and dipped my vegetables in it. It made all the difference. It was delicious, satisfying, and totally kept me on weight loss plan! ( I did it partially because I am dieting and partially because of my celiac concerns).

Regardless, my low calorie homemade sauce upped the game for me to make it a tastier meal without the added calories. 

I also use this sauce with rice noodle vegetable wraps and it is delicious. 

This recipe makes a small amount. Multiply the PB2, Hoisin sauce, and tamari sauce times 3 to make more sauce (add a little more water as needed) I estimate- the recipe is 2 points on WW. 

Recipe for Low Calorie Peanut Sauce : 

2 tablespoons of gluten-free peanut butter powder (PB2)

1 tablespoon of gluten-free hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons water 

1 small individualized package of stevia (1/2 teaspoon) 

1 tablespoon of tamari sauce (or GF soy sauce)

Directions: 

Mix all of the ingredients together forming a pasty sauce. If too thick, add another tablespoon of water. Use on steamed vegetables.

Try some other sauces 

Spicy Orange Sauce  (link to the recipe)

Cilantro Lime Oil-Free Dressing (link to recipe)

The Broccoli Salad You'll Actually Like To Eat

Broccoli in salad ? 

Yes, and it tastes great!!

The key is to "blanch" the broccoli so it stays vibrant, green, and tasty. 

My friend Noreen served this delicious salad at a recent gathering of friends and everyone really liked it. It uses baby salad greens as its base, some blanched broccoli, red onion, slivered almonds, sun dried tomatoes, and olives.

Frozen Vegetables Make Tasty Side Dishes

I always keep frozen vegetables on hand to make quick, healthy, and easy side dishes. Truthfully, I can enjoy a bowl of  low fat healthy veggies within 7 minutes from start to finish. 

So, no more excuses for not cooking veggies! 

Frozen vegetables are a great way to make sure you eat vegetables daily. 

I also freeze fresh ginger to grate in the skillet of vegetables. 

Keep fresh garlic frozen in the freezer ( don't peel it). To use it, simply grate it with the peel.

Freshly grated ginger tastes great with sautéed broccoli. 

I keep fresh organic ginger in the freezer in small baggies. It stays fresh for about 6 months. 

I wash and dry it whole (just the way it comes) before freezing it. 

Then I simply grate it frozen into the pan as needed and return the unused ginger to the baggy and back to the freezer.  The flavor is amazing. 

This simple, healthy, easy side dish was sooooo delicious that I felt I needed to share it. 

 I cooked up a bag of organic broccoli and some organic green beans (bought at a reasonable price at Costco). 

Recipe: Quick Frozen Broccoli and Green Beans With Ginger : 

I used a wide skillet. I poured in the bag of broccoli into the skillet and then added about a large handful of frozen green beans, 1/2 cup of water and grated freshly ginger on top, salt and garlic powder. Cook uncovered on a medium flame for about 5 minutes! (adding 1/4 cup of water while cooking if water evaporates)

Why I keep frozen vegetables in the freezer?

• Most frozen vegetables are frozen as soon as they are harvested, thus they retain the greatest amount of nutrients. 
• Fresh vegetables such as broccoli are shipped for a few days and then sit in the supermarket often for a few days or more. By the time we eat it, the nutritional value may have deteriorated. 
• My time schedule and lifestyle is unpredictable. I often buy fresh vegetables with great intentions, only to find out that we ate out or I just didn't cook them and they went bad!
• If I buy frozen, they can stay in the freezer for months. 
• I don't need to clean them and chop them, therefore I am more likely to actually make them.
• 
  

Not 

Recipe for sugar snap peas and ginger with sesame seeds 

Not Mushy 

If you cook frozen broccoli or frozen green beans in a skillet with just 1/2 cup of water to start for about 4 minutes uncovered,  they stay firm and bright green.

My favorite frozen vegetables: 

• Organic broccoli- Costco sells a large bag with 4 individual sized bags inside 
• Organic cauliflower rice- Costco for large bags with 4 individual bags or Trader Joe's for one 12 ounce bag.  
• Organic edamame - Whole Foods one bag
• Organic cauliflower-One bag at Whole Foods 
• Organic sweet peppers (red and green) one bag at Whole Foods which I use added to other vegetable dishes or for soup recipes.
• Organic peas - One bag at Whole Foods 
• Frozen organic artichoke quarters- One bag Trader Joe's
• Frozen Baby Brussels Sprouts (for Baby Brussels Sprout Soup)-I buy a bag from Hanover brand at most supermarkets and use them in stir-fry (with broth not oil) or soup.

Plain Cauliflower Rice (Heated in skillet with 1/2 cup of water, salt, pepper, and garlic powder).
Can beused it in place of rice! Try my cauliflower rice fiesta recipe that follows.


Cauliflower Rice Fiesta Recipe Link

 Frozen Baby Brussels Sprout Soup

I Need To Vent About Restaurant Service and Attitude

I need to VENT about a restaurant experience, attitude, customer service and quality. 

Last night my husband and I were driving home from North Jersey (1 and 1/2 hour ride to Pennsylvania) and decided to stop in a restaurant for dinner on our way home.  We stopped in a familiar restaurant chain that carries gluten-free pasta and endless salads! Perfect for me. BUT what is wrong with today's workers???

Spicy Orange Sauce in A Stuffed Baked Potato

Sauces are the spice of life and they taste really good on steamed broccoli, baked potatoes, green beans, cauliflower, veggie burgers, or just about anything. I think you will love the low fat sauce I made. 

Lemon Broccoli and Crispy Tofu

Lemon broccoli and tofu is one of those recipes that I make in a variety of ways depending on my mood and what I have in my kitchen. If I'm in a hurry, I stirfry everything in one skillet; if I want to spend a little more time, I crispy bake the tofu in the oven and then add it to the mixture. Sometimes I use cornstarch to make a creamy sauce, and sometimes I don't. I'll share all my different versions with you and then you can decide which one to try. 

Instant Pot Broccoli Soup Creamy or Not

Are you in the mood for a quick and easy broccoli soup? You can have it creamy or Broth-Y..

Using your Instant Pot, you can prep, cook, and serve from start to finish this nourishing delicious soup in under 30 minutes.

Broccoli Parmesan- one skillet dish

One skillet broccoli parmesan is one of those recipes that follow the rule that necessity is the mother of invention. 

I went out with my family one night to a local Italian restaurant. Although they had gluten free pizza and gluten free pasta on the menu, I just didn't want to eat a high carbohydrate meal. Being a vegetarian, there was little else I could eat. I asked the chef if he could make me a dish with broccoli, marinara sauce, and cheese. He did and it was delicious!

Creamy Broccoli Soup- Vegan

I like broccoli, and I have always wanted to make a good creamy broccoli soup, but I don't particularly like cream or milk based soups.

I finally created a recipe that is simple and healthy too.  
The creaminess comes from the blended vegetables.

It's a perfect gluten free soup because it doesn't call for any flour. Its relatively fast and easy to make and can be made from ingredients you already have in your kitchen.

Since it is so easy to whip up, I make a small batch that serves 4 generous cups.

Broccoli soup is light, so I can enjoy it in the winter or in warmer weather. It's a great way to eat more greens!

top with vegan cheese or grated cheddar cheese

Author: Judee Algazi @ Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes total
Serves 4-6


Ingredients

2 Tbsp of coconut oil or olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 leek, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 single rib of celery, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of fresh parsley
1 large head of broccoli cut into florets or (16 oz. bag of frozen broccoli florets)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste


Directions

Add the coconut oil and onion into a 3 quart soup pot. Saute until onions and leeks until begins to get translucent. Add garlic, celery, and carrot and sautee until vegetables are tender ( about 5-7 minutes) . Add broccoli, parsley, water and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and lower the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender to  puree the soup. Season to taste with salt, black pepper . Serve hot.

 ***can be made for Passover because this recipe is grain free

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My Notes: 
1. A good broth or vegetable stock is essential for good tasting soup
2. See my updated version that I now make using the Instant Pot

  may be shared on a few of the following blog carnivals

Every Sunday Deb in Hawaii sponsors Souper Sunday.
Whenever I make soup or a salad, I always share it on  Souper Sundays.