Quantity:   As a side for 6 people OR  as a meal for 2 people.

Ingredients:

Salad

• 1 medium sized head of broccoli, roughly chopped into small florets
• ½ cup sunflower seeds or roughly chopped almonds
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• a good handful of spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup of italian flat leaf parsley finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dried blueberries or naturally sweetened cranberries roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 red (or green) capsicum chopped
• 3 rashers of cooked nitrate free, pasture raised bacon roughly chopped & cooled (optional or use your favourite protein source)

Mustard dressing

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp raw unfiltered honey (optional)
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced
• pinch of good quality salt

Directions:

1. Gently toast the sunflower seeds or almonds if using in a small pan.  To do this place them in the pan on a low heat for about 4 minutes.   Keep an eye on them and stir regularly to stop them from burning.  Let cool for a minute.
2. Add all the salad ingredients including the nuts or seeds into the serving bowl.  Leave and it’s time to make the dressing.
3. Place all the dressing ingredients i.e. olive oil,  apple cider vinegar,  dijon mustard, honey (if using), garlic and salt into a small glass jar with a lid OR use a small bowl.  Place the lid on the jar if using and give a good shake or if using a bowl, whisk until the mixture is well blended.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until all of the broccoli is lightly coated in dressing.
5. Serve and enjoy!

Notes:

• If there are particular veggies you know your family love, add them in as you’re chopping the broccoli e.g. I’ve added cauliflower, carrot and yellow squash into the mix – it’s a great way of diversifying and getting (sneaking) a few more nutrients and veggies in!
• If you have a thermomix (TM) chop the broccoli in the TM.  Place the broccoli into the TM and roughly chop for about 5 seconds on speed 5 – 6 or until the desired consistency is reached.