By Kelly Bogard

I have a confession to make–I haven’t always liked vegetables. Don’t get me wrong. I grew up eating the standard vegetables that my mother so lovingly cooked for each meal. But if it was any raw veggie other than a carrot, I wasn’t going to eat it.

Now that I am a mother, I’m starting to see that my aversion to veggies wasn’t passed on to my daughter. In fact, some of her favorite foods are raw avocados and fresh tomatoes. Now add to the list, at the ripe ol’ age of three, a healthy appetite for salad. I love that she is so willing to eat raw veggies and am proud that she is already eating things that it took me years to appreciate. She also is a big fan of cooked broccoli, so I decided to see if she liked Broccoli Salad.

For Broccoli Salad, you will need…Broccoli Salad - Ingredients
2 crowns of fresh broccoli, chopped and stems removed
1/2 medium red onion, diced
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

Since I’m not normally a huge fan of raw vegetables, I wouldn’t typically try a recipe like this. But a few weeks ago, I was inspired by a broccoli salad I had at a local restaurant and just had to see if I could come close to getting it right. Apparently I did a pretty good job, because there wasn’t any left after dinner last night.

First, wash and dry your broccoli crowns. Remove the stems and chop the florets into small pieces. Add in the diced onion and set aside.

Broccoli Salad - Onion

Begin cooking your bacon in a hot skillet. Next, while your bacon is cooking, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey and black pepper in a bowl. Stir until it becomes a smooth dressing.

Broccoli Salad - Dressing

Now add your cooked and crumbled bacon to the broccoli and onion mixture.

Broccoli Salad - Bacon

Pour the dressing onto the salad and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least one hour before serving. This helps the dressing soak into the vegetables.

Broccoli Salad - Dressed

Finally, right before you serve the salad, add the sunflower seeds and give it a good stir so everything is mixed well. If you add them before refrigerating, they tend to get soggy.

Broccoli Salad - Sunflower Seeds

This salad is bright and colorful—just like the spring we are enjoying here in Texas. It is perfect for picnics and barbecues or for a quick side dish for a weeknight dinner.

This recipe taught me to never underestimate the power of your taste buds. Whether you are three or 103, trying something new can be fun and tasty, too. From all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!

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Recipe: Broccoli Salad

Summary: A bright and colorful spring salad in the raw

Broccoli Salad - Final

Ingredients

  • 2 crowns of fresh broccoli, chopped and stems removed
  • 1/2 medium red onion, diced
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper

   

Instructions

  • Wash and dry broccoli crowns.
  • Chop the broccoli into small pieces, removing the extra stalk.
  • Cook bacon per package directions for crispy slices.
  • Combine the chopped broccoli and the diced red onion in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
  • Mix together mayonnaise, vinegar, honey and pepper. Stir until smooth.
  • Crumble the bacon into the broccoli mixture and stir to combine.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well, making sure everything is well coated.
  • Refrigerate the salad for at least one hour or until ready to serve.
  • Before serving, stir in sunflower seeds to complete the salad.

  

Prep time (duration): 10 minutes

Set time (duration): 1 hour(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4-6

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