2013 – Gluten Free Living

Healthy Broccoli Salad is awesome! Back in the late 90s I worked part time at a church office in Duncanville while the kids were in high school. The church had a very active Mother’s Day Out program and the workers would have a potluck fellowship every month where office staff were allowed to eat with all the other MDO workers.

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On one of those occasions Louise Bush brought in this delicious recipe. She had modified the original salad dressing to make it less calories by substituting yogurt for part of the mayonnaise in the recipe. I have gone one step farther and taken out all of the mayonnaise and now I use Chobani Greek yogurt instead.

It is fantastic made this way and for the health conscious you don’t have to worry about all the preservatives, MSG, high fructose corn syrup and other garbage that mayonnaise is made with these days.

Louise had actually combined a couple of recipes from church cook books and then added some other things as well to the original recipe. I pretty much make it the way Louise made it that day except for the changes in the salad dressing.

My recipe has lots of broccoli, sunflower seed kernels, bacon, golden raisins, green grapes, and a little red onion to give it texture and bite. The salad dressing is fabulous. It is so much better with Greek yogurt rather than the thinner plain yogurt that was available when I first received this recipe. Quite frankly, I like the taste a whole lot better than using mayonnaise, too. If you prefer a sugarless version, consider using honey, maple syrup or agave nectar as the sweetener instead.

If you’re looking for a delicious broccoli salad recipe with a healthier version of the salad dressing than please check out my recipe for Healthy Broccoli Salad. This tasty version is so appetizing and delicious even the kids ate it when we had this recipe for company last week. Broccoli is so healthy, too.

It’s rich in phyto-nutrients which help prevent prostate, breast, colon, pancreatic, and urinary bladder cancer. It’s also helpful for the retina in preventing macular degeneration! So eat your broccoli!

When I initially posted this recipe in April 2013, I was still using an iPhone for a camera, which was adequate but not really great for food photography. On top of that, I photographed this in a clear bowl which really doesn’t show up as nicely as white.

I recently remade this recipe (April 2015), for a spring barbecue with our church and retook the pictures. These new photos make me want a bowl of this delightful salad right now!

This delicious salad has all kinds of healthy ingredients including raisins, sunflower seed kernels, broccoli, and grapes.

Healthy Broccoli Salad is gluten free, low calorie, and delicious!

This close up shows the texture of the ingredients.

Here’s what I did.

I used these ingredients.

Microwave bacon until crisp. I don’t like bacon with the fat uncooked so I microwave it.  After the bacon cools, break it up into small pieces. Set aside. Meanwhile, cut up broccoli and place in a large salad bowl. I used 4 broccoli crowns. Add golden raisins, green grapes cut in half, diced red onion and sunflower seed kernels. Now add bacon pieces and stir ingredients to combine. Refrigerate.

To make the salad dressing, I used these ingredients. You can also use honey if you’re trying to avoid sugar.

Make salad dressing: Use Chobani plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for the salad dressing. Measure out Greek yogurt and place in small mixing bowl or tupperware container. Add sugar (or honey) and white vinegar. Whisk Greek Yogurt Dressing until smooth. Store the salad dressing ingredients in the refrigerator until just before serving to keep vegetables crisp.

Just before serving pour Greek Yogurt Dressing over top of salad ingredients. Stir to combine. Serve.

Here’s a view of this luscious Healthy Broccoli Salad on my plate. We love the taste of this crunchy and delicious recipe.

Here’s the recipe.

HEALTHY BROCCOLI SALAD

(Recipe adapted from Louise Bush, First Presbyterian Church, Duncanville, TX)

You and your family will love this healthier version of Broccoli Salad. It is mouthwatering and delectable.

Healthy Broccoli Salad is great for picnics, backyard barbecues and summer holiday get-togethers.

You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!

Broccoli Apple Salad

Broccoli Peach Salad

Broccoli, Pear & Pomegranate Salad