Food

Broccoli Steaks With Quinoa & Ricotta

Updated

9 years ago

January 8, 2020

Winter, once again, has forced us into our homes, where we find ourselves sinking further into our sofas, slowly morphing into the couch potatoes we swore not to be around New Years. But springtime is a perfect time to hop right back on the saddle of healthy living, and there’s truly no better place to start than the kitchen!

A juicy beef steak, while absolutely delicious, might not always be the best way to nourish the waistline. With too much butter, too much oil, and too many overall calories, it’s exactly the right kind of indulgence for a special occasion, rather than an everyday meal. To fill the void a good sirloin might leave behind, replace the high-calorie meat with fiber and nutrient-filled leafy green vegetables.

For ways to introduce more vegetables in your diet without missing meat too much, try this recipe for grilled broccoli “steaks” from The Australian Women’s Weekly‘s Super Foods and Power Juices ($26.64, Amazon) cookbook, which is full of flavor but lacks the regret of its savory beef counterpart. Cooked with crunchy almonds and tangy, sweet cranberries, this meal is sure to tap dance on your taste buds, all while you whittle your waistline. Bolster this already nutritious meal by pairing with a zesty quinoa salad. You might even forget you’re eating a vegetable!

Ingredients

1/2 cup white quinoa
24 oz. broccoli, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
2 small zucchini (6 oz.), sliced thinly
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 oz. ricotta, crumbled
2 Tbsp. natural flaked almonds
2 Tbsp. dried unsweetened cranberries

Lemon dressing

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. finely grated lemon rind
1 clove garlic, crushed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Rinse quinoa under cold water; drain well. Spread on an oven tray. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until toasted and golden. Cool to room temperature.
Combine broccoli, zucchini, and oil in a large bowl until vegetables are coated. Cook broccoli on a heated oiled grill plate (or grill/barbecue) over medium-high heat for three minutes, each side or until just cooked. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
Cook zucchini on heated, oiled grill plate for one minute each side.
Make lemon dressing: Whisk ingredients in a small bowl; season to taste.
Arrange vegetables on a serving platter, top with ricotta, quinoa, almonds, and cranberries. Serve drizzled with dressing.