It appears to have become some what of a "norm" to throw away leaves from celery, broccoli, cauliflower plus others.
Why have we become so accustomed to throwing this part of the vegetable away? They are edible and full of goodness!
According to Nutrition Data, raw broccoli leaves are a
“good source of Protein, Thiamin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium, Iron and Selenium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese.“
Here is a recipe for delicious Roasted Cauliflower & Broccoli Leaves
Ingredients:
Use any leaves: Cauliflower, Broccoli, Kale or any green:
Soy Sauce to drizzle over the leaves. (Its best to use organic Tamari, wheat free sauce low sodium instead of Soy Sauce)
Scallions
Four cloves of garlic.
Any herbs or spices you like
Sesame Oil or Olive Oil (Mei Lei uses both.) Delicious with only Sesame Oil OR coconut oil
Salt and Pepper to taste (I use Himalayan salt as its FULL of trace minerals).
What To Do:
Pre-heat the oven at 200 °C/400°F .
Wash the cauliflower and leaves and cut into bite-size pieces, and then discarding the toughest outer layer of leaves. (Preferably into the composter!)
Smash a few cloves of garlic and chop them coarsely. Chop some scallions as well. The whole scallion, not just the white part. (I cheat and use already cut up garlic which is 2 cloves per teaspoon.) Note, you can omit the scallions if you don’t want them or don’t have them. This dish tasted the same to me with or without them.
Toss the garlic, onions, and cauliflower with a generous splash of soy sauce and oil in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper- or absolutely anything you want fennel seeds, tumeric, cayenne pepper, herbs spices
Place the uncovered roasting pan in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the green leaves are crisp and both the florets and the thicker stalks are tender and can be pierced easily with a fork. Don’t worry if you overcook the leaves. I love them crispy. It is so simply and so quick.
