Recipe for Roasted Broccoli con Pomodoro

Why roasted broccoli?  Do you ever get in a rut with what you're cooking?  I do.  With our weekly veggie delivery and a conscious effort to get more veggies in our diet, I've gotten in the habit of steaming almost everything.   Which in and of itself isn't bad.  Steaming is one of the best ways to keep calories down and retain the most nutrients.  But, it gets boring!

So...I've been trying to branch out and tonight I put together a simple but very tasty Italian flavored dish.  The flavor of the roasted broccoli is amazingly complex, intense, and almost sweet.  The addition of garlic, tomato, and a small amount of good cheese creates a perfect dish!

I'm committed to trying to be more creative with my veggies.  How about you?

Makes 3 servings each with 131 calories, 12 grams fat, 5 grams carbs, 3 grams protein

Ingredients:

2-3 cups of broccoli florets

2-3 TBSP olive oil (don’t be skimpy)

2 tsp chopped garlic from a jar

2 tsp kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 TBSP coarsely grated aged parmigiano-reggiano

For the tomato sauce:

1 medium tomato chopped

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp dried oregano

1 tsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Wash broccoli and dry very thoroughly-we want to roast it, not steam it.  Massage the olive oil and garlic into the broccoli.  Spread the broccoli out on a baking sheet with plenty of room between the florets.  Sprinkle with salt.

Roast for 20 minutes, shaking and turning the pan half way through.  Don’t be afraid of the color that develops, you want it to caramelize (not burn though)-it makes the broccoli wonderfully sweet and yummy.

While the broccoli roasts, heat the olive oil for the tomato.  Add the tomato, salt and oregano.  Cook over medium heat until reduced, about 15 minutes.

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Remove broccoli from pan.  Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.  Top with tomato sauce and cheese.

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