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roasted broccoli | confections of a dietitian

As a dietitian, I am always trying to find ways to get people to eat more vegetables. The problem is, usually these people do not eat a lot of vegetables because they do not like the taste. Depending on how vegetables are cooked, I’d have to agree with them. Mushy, overcooked carrots, green beans or broccoli are not high on my list of delicious foods. This post isn’t going to tell you how to make every vegetable taste good, but I am going to share how one vegetable went from “meh” to “I want to eat this every day” in our house. That vegetable is broccoli.

crispy lemon garlic broccoli | confections of a dietitian

Before I begin, I want to highlight some of the health benefits of broccoli. It is a nutrient dense food with only 55 calories in one cup. Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamins C, K and folate and a very good source of many other nutrients including fiber, potassium and Vitamin A. These nutrients also contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as support eye health, counter act skin damage and aid Vitamin D metabolism. In a nutshell, we should all eat more broccoli! But let’s not eat steamed or par-boiled broccoli that is cold before it makes it to the table. Let’s eat this crispy, roasted, garlic broccoli.

crispy lemon garlic broccoli | confections of a dietitian

Colin and I discovered this recipe a little over a year ago and broccoli in our house has never been the same. Bite sized pieces of broccoli are tossed with oil (I’ve been using grapeseed oil recently), garlic, red pepper flakes and salt before being roasted, with a squeeze of lemon juice added at the end for added brightness. The broccoli pieces get crispy and toasted as they roast in the oven, taking them from mediocre to outstanding. Who knew that roasting broccoli would make me wish I had gotten two heads of broccoli so I didn’t have to share?

roasted broccoli | confections of a dietitian

This dish comes together faster than the oven can preheat, so it’s a great option for weeknights. I never have a problem putting it in the oven at the same time as other dishes, which makes it even easier too. With a broccoli dish that’s as quick and delicious as this, you’ll never have a problem finishing your vegetables again.