Creamy Broccoli Salad

By Sarah and Tony Nasello

Whenit comes to food, there are only two ways I enter a new year: either by giving in to the bitter cold with the most indulgent comfort food recipes or by opting to give myself a much-needed post-holiday detox. While broccoli qualifies as a prime detox ingredient, I like to think that it can also provide a bit of comfort, especially after all the rosettes, beef wellington, sparkling zabaglione and sparkling wine I consumed in December. My body is practically begging me to indulge in a nutritious, yet delicious, Creamy Broccoli Salad.

When I’m really committed to eating well, I’ll often prepare a big-batch salad on Sunday so that I have several servings ready to enjoy throughout the week.

These powerhouse salads always include a good variety of vegetables, as well as additional ingredients like beans and nuts for added protein — in this case, I’m using chickpeas, sliced almonds and sunflower seeds.

The ingredients in this salad have been selected primarily because they will hold up well over several days, even with a creamy dressing. Moreover, they all have great nutritional value and complement the broccoli in flavor, texture and color. And, to ease you into a healthier lifestyle, many of the ingredients can be purchased in packages ready to use, including the broccoli florets, matchstick carrots, shredded red cabbage, grated cheddar cheese and even the pomegranate seeds.

The amounts given in the recipe are just suggestions –- you can add more or less of any ingredient, as desired. Broccoli is one of the healthiest foods on the planet and a great veggie to embrace as part of a healthy eating regimen. This cruciferous plant is low in calories and packed with nutrients that help to decrease the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes, while boosting the body’s energy, immunity, digestion and even one’s complexion.

And, when combined with rest of the ingredients, there is enough ammunition in this salad to give your body just what it needs.

I toss the salad with a Lemon Pepper Yogurt Dressing made with plain Greek yogurt as the base. Creamy, tangy and wonderfully versatile, you can find plain Greek yogurt in whole fat, low-fat and nonfat varieties.

I am uncharacteristically opting for the non-fat variety, something I rarely ever do with dairy products. However, I’ve found Greek yogurt to be an exception to this rule because it holds up well in both texture and flavor, even without the fat. And skipping the fat in the yogurt means I can add just a touch of fat to the salad, in the forms of cheddar cheese, which pairs so well with broccoli, and extra-virgin olive oil.

Creamy Broccoli Salad with Lemon

Pepper Yogurt Dressing

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 12-ounce package of broccoli florets, stems removed and cut into smaller, bite-size florets

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

¼ cup sunflower seeds

1 cup red cabbage, shredded

1 cup carrots, matchstick style

½ cup pomegranate arils (seeds) or dried cranberries

1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, thick grate

Lemon Pepper Yogurt Dressing

⅔ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, add more as needed

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

½ teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

3 green onions, green part only, diced small

Directions: Make the dressing at least one hour, or up to 2 days, in advance of preparing the salad.

Place all the ingredients in a Mason jar — except the green onions — and shake vigorously until fully combined (a food processor can also be used). Taste and add more vinegar, lemon juice, seasonings, etc. as desired.

Add the diced green onions and refrigerate for at least an hour before using. (Marinating the green onions will mellow their heat and add flavor to the dressing.)

To assemble the salad: In a large bowl, add the broccoli and half of the dressing. Stir until broccoli florets are evenly coated.

Add the remaining salad ingredients, reserving some of the almonds and pomegranate arils to garnish, if desired. Add the rest of the dressing, starting with half and adding more as needed; stir to combine. Any leftover dressing may be refrigerated for at least 3 days.

May be served immediately, but for best results refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Store salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. D

Native art at the Tweed

The Tweed Museum of Art celebrated the opening of “Intersections & Manifest'o: A Presentation of Contemporary Native Art” on Nov. 15. The reception celebrated several local Native American artists and musicians and included a multi-media installation.

A night at the Tweed —

The Tweed Museum of Art hosted an opening reception for artist Anne Labovitz on Oct. 25. Her exhibit, "122 Conversations: Person to Person, Art Beyond Borders," celebrated the combined 122 years of relationship with Duluth’s five sister Cities: Rania, Iraqi Kurdistan; Vaxjo, Sweden; Petrozavodsk, Russia; Thunder Bay, Canada; and Ohara Isumi-City, Japan.