Roasted Twees (Broccoli)

Oh the cute names we moms conjure up to try to entice our kids to eat something new!
Kale Chips became Green Potato Chips or Dinosaur Chips, an assortment of veggies we call "Eating your Rainbow" etc... so when it came time to experiment with Broccoli, their moniker came directly from the kids themselves.

It was my daughter who lifted it up and said "Mommy, I'm eating a TWEE" and there you have it, Roasted TWEES was officially named!

Roasting is such a simple cooking technique but often hurried parents forget about it in crunch time. The all-too-often used steaming (or as I like to say, "murdering") of veggies gets the job done, but leaves us with a hardly edible, mushy veggie that gets passed over on the plate on the way to the potatoes.

Roasting elevates the flavor of the food by caramelizing the sugars so they are brought to the forefront, creating a sweeter, more bold flavor then you could ever get with a pot of boiling water.

This is a recipe we make often at Wholesome Tummies and it's one that kids actually request by name. I have given this recipe out to many parents after their kids asked for it- now that is a great feeling- kids actually requesting broccoli! I hope this one becomes a replacement for the steamed broccoli in your house like it has in ours so that you too can actually begin enjoying this delicious veggie again!

















Roasted Twees (Broccoli)

• 1 head of broccoli, thoroughly washed and separated.
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  
• pinch of sugar (optional)
• Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
  

Put a rimmed baking sheet into the oven and preheat the oven to 475.

Peel the base (stem) of the broccoli and cut into long pieces (it's OK to eat the stems this way!). You should get about 8-10 pieces in 1 head of broccoli.

In a small bowl, combine all the other ingredients and whisk well. Add the broccoli to the bowl and toss well. Once the oven is preheated, place the broccoli and the remainder of the mixture onto the HOT baking sheet and cook for approximate 15-20 minutes, tossing once until the broccoli is cooked and lightly browned.