This amazing superfood is topped up with the vitamin that you require to make collagen and is laden with antioxidants. Because of this, it is a great anti-aging food. We keep looking for that wonder vegetable or superfood which would be an elixir to all our problems. But what if we tell you that this magic formula is right there in your crisper? And what if we tell you that you have not been using it various delectable recipes? And you could have it with pasta as well. We are talking about ‘broccoli’. Yes, you heard it right. Before you rumple your nose and start reading something else, we insist that you read on because the advice that you got to eat your veggies was right.
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable which is actually hated by most, can be eaten from the stem end to the clusters of tiny buds. It happens to be a great source of vitamin C and A among other things that are needed by the body like calcium and iron [1]. And what’s interesting to note is that you need vitamin C to make collagen which makes your skin, nails, hair look nice. And broccoli has a lot of vitamin C.
Raw or steamed broccoli is a simple one. If you are not using the entire head of the broccoli, you are surely missing out on something. The veggie gives you a good payoff and also if you have more of it, you maximize the anti-aging benefits of the superfood. Not a broccoli fan? Time to crank up the oven and have it roasted and then made into a pesto. We are sure you will keep coming back to this pasta recipe.
To start with, peel the broccoli stems with a peeler for removing the outer bits. Then slice the stems thinly and toss with some olive oil, garlic and florets. Let the oven do its part for 20 minutes until the broccoli is scorched in spots. Keep aside roasted broccoli to give texture to your pasta but you can even add it all to make pesto. That’s also a great way.
You are almost there. All you got to do is make basic pesto with broccoli. In roasted broccoli pesto pasta, the roasted broccoli florets and stems are pureed with cheese, almonds, lemon, oil, arugula, reserved water for cooking pasta. For making a basic pesto, you need an herb like garlic, lemon, and oil and if that’s all that’s available, you may go rogue with these ingredients.
Incorporate this anti-aging and anti-inflammatory veggie in your diet [2]. The pasta with broccoli pesto is not a hard sell. You may even try pastas with functional ingredients or have a creamy broccoli pasta.
Broccoli is a great source of protein and fiber, has iron, calcium, potassium, selenium, magnesium and vitamins like C, E, A, K. and also B vitamins including folic acid. So, you must include it in your diet as the nutrient rich profile offers some real health benefits.
