Simple Broccoli

Last night, after a day of snacking on the monster cookies I made last week, I was only a little hungry and craving something a little healthier. Lucky for me, I had saved the broccoli from my CSA box for just such an occasion. I love broccoli and feel it has magical powers. With my stomach a little mad at me for the transgressions of the day, I knew this cruciferous vegetable would make me feel better.

The head I received from the farm was small, about a cup or two when chopped, perfect for an individual serving. At first I thought about making a salad with it, but had a moment of inspiration when I spotted the walnuts in the pantry. Since it was already 7:00 p.m., I also wasn't up to anything too complicated. I decided sautéed broccoli with the walnuts was on the menu.

I added a bit of olive oil to a skillet along with the broccoli and the walnuts and cooked them together until the broccoli was that beautiful shiny green color and the walnuts were toasted. With about a tablespoon of feta to the top I was amazed at how beautiful it looked and how a few simple ingredients can come together to create something so much more. Although the broccoli didn't necessarily cancel out my sins of the day, I felt a little better after ingesting the greens after a day of golden browns.

This morning my stomach was raring to go again. I’ve been off of work the last week and celebrated my last leisurely morning by making scrambled eggs. When I opened the refrigerator, the garlic scapes curled out from the bottom shelf. I had planned to add a little cheese to my eggs, but instead grabbed one of the ribbons, cut it up and mixed it in. It added a nice garlic flavor to the eggs and complimented the Parmesan grated on top nicely.

Five days after picking up my first CSA box, I have worked my way through about half of my bounty. I have two heads of cabbage, some green onions, garlic scapes, and yes a salad turnip to use up. Putting it at the front of the refrigerator hadn’t helped. I’d completely forgotten about it. It looks a little wrinkled, but I’m sure it’s still crisp inside. I plan to eat it for lunch, so I’ll let you know how it goes.