Broccoli side

This photo has nothing to do with my recipe, but it's so cute. I want to enjoy my broccoli as much as this little hamster.

I went to a friend's pot luck party a few weeks ago and someone had sautéed broccoli that was out of this world! Since my CSA is now distributing broccoli, I went to look for a recipe. I didn't find much that didn't have some kind of cheese sauce, so I experimented with this idea.

Sautéed Broccoli

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

chili powder

crushed red pepper

grill seasoning, such as GrillMate

1 head broccoli

Steam broccoli first with either a steam basket over boiling water or in the microwave. After water starts to boil I let broccoli steam about 5 minutes or until broccoli is bright green and tender.

Add oil to skillet and turn stove to medium heat. Make sure oil is hot before adding broccoli or the florets will absorb too much of the oil. Sauté garlic first until golden and add broccoli. Season with chili powder, red pepper and grill seasoning. I used a grill seasoning intended for steaks, but it doesn't have any animal product so it is still vegetarian. The grill seasoning adds a lot of flavor without added oils or ingredients. Sauté broccoli until starts to brown.

I served this dish inside a vegetarian burrito and fish tacos, but you can have it on it's own. I also served it over rice pilaf for a very light dinner. This is my new favorite side dish! Plain vegetable sides are difficult for me because I want massive flavor and, of course, I want to add cheese to everything. This side dish is good because it is so flavorful and works stand-alone.

If you have other ideas for this broccoli side please post! I would love to hear ideas from you too!