I've just discovered the holy grail of bagged salad mixes. Why did I never try this before? And how could matchstick sized pieces of broccoli stalk change my life?
It began with a lunch out to my favorite restaurant for vegetarian fare. I was digging into my delicious roasted red pepper and artichoke heart sandwich on multi-grain bread and eyeing the side dish suspiciously. It looked like cole slaw but it wasn't. It was broccoli slaw with carrots and red cabbage drizzled in olive oil and fresh pepper. Crunchy, tasty and cool.
The next week I bought a bag at the grocery store and started experimenting. Unlike the cabbage version, broccoli slaw doesn't have a strong taste so it can be used to add crunch to practically any dish. My favorite salad was transformed. Leafy greens topped with broccoli slaw, tiny chow mien noodles and almonds with Asian sesame dressing. Now I had a salad so crisp and crunchy that I couldn't hear what my children were saying--bliss!
Since then I've used it on practically everything. I topped my pinto bean, potato and chipotle pepper burrito with a handful to give it a crunch that lettuce just can't add. I've roasted it along with tomatoes and tossed it on top of pasta. It's a dream. And to think that I've been throwing away the bottom of the broccoli all these years. Thanks to my food processor, those days of waste are over.
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