Whole Foods Dinner: Broccoli Rabe

For many people, the mere thought of broccoli rabe (also known as rapini) is enough to send them running. It is far off course from the typical “peas and carrots” that is often present on dinner tables.  In the past five or six years though, broccoli rabe has exploded onto the restaurant scene and for many, it was love at first bite. While ordering it off a menu may be simple, the task of actually preparing it at home may seem a daunting one. Personally, many eager efforts have yielded an extremely bitter mess with a texture that just isn’t “there” as far as restaurant-quality goes. I then became convinced (and highly suspicious) that restaurants were dousing their broccoli raab in globs of butter (as any chef can tell you, butter does wonders for the taste of just about anything). Unwilling to sacrifice healthy eating for heap loads of butter, my love affair with broccoli raab had to end too… until I learned the secret to cooking it quickly, fabulously and healthy!

Amazing Italian cook, Joe Riti, quickly came to the rescue though and showed me the ropes on how to cook the most delicious broccoli rabe ever. I’ve been hooked ever since and I can confidently say broccoli rabe is now a staple on my weekly menu. The technique is so simple (watch the video) and the results are spectacular; I can’t imagine why anyone would cook broccoli rabe any other way. Best of all, once it’s cooked, it is incredibly versatile! For a healthy lunch option, try a heaping serving of sautéed spicy broccoli rabe nestled between two slices of sprouted whole grain bread. It’s amazingly satisfying and healthy too.

You will be happy to know that cooked broccoli rabe is a rich source of nutrients including vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C and potassium. Eat broccoli rabe and other greens (spinach, kale etc) regularly to support healthy vision and digestion.

My broccoli rabe recipe is for an incredibly fast eight-ingredient (water doesn’t count!) whole foods dinner that’s gluten-free and dairy-free (to incorporate dairy, just add some Parmesan cheese). The whole meal takes approximately 12 minutes to prepare, from start to finish. Delicious and quick, healthy whole foods eating doesn’t get any easier than this!

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