By Christal Sczebel, C.H.N., Nutritionist in the Kitch

“What the heck is broccomole?!” were the exact words that came out of my mouth as I was reading the brunch menu of a restaurant I went to recently with some friends. It’s a neat little place in Edmonton called Canteen and their brunch is delicious to say the least. I ordered the “Smoked Sablefish, Fontina Egg Scramble, Seeded Rye, Broccomole, Roast Tomatoes” entree (sans fontina)…and was very intrigued with this Broccomole item.

My hubby, being the little smarty pants that he is, looked at me and said “it’s obviously guacamole…made from broccoli”, and I thought to myself, what? for real? no… it’s got to be some other kind of sauce or garnish or some kind of vegetable I’ve never heard of. But, after a quick google search, I realized my hubby was right! Darn!

Looking into this whole Broccomole thing a little more I happened to come across this recipe by Domestic Fits and wondered why I had never heard of this interesting little concoction before!

When I got my entree at Canteen and ate every little morsel (had the restaurant not been packed with people I may have even licked the plate) I made the decision right then and there that I… was a fan… of broccomole.

So I used the Domestic Fits recipe as inspiration and got mixing! In my food processor I added steamed broccoli, spinach (for a little extra green and nutrients), tomato, spices, silken tofu, and lemon juice!

A few blends and scrapes with the spatula later – this smooth, creamy, rich and dreamy guacamole-looking dip was created! Considering I’m not the hugest fan of broccoli to begin with, I was surprised how it had transformed into this yummy looking and very nutritious dip!

A couple dunks of my crackers and I was sold! Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a HUGE fan of traditional avocado guacamole, but for a lower calorie, nutrient dense, something-different-dip, this one is definitely worth a try!

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

3 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5 cherry tomatoes
2 tbs green onions
1 tsp olive oil
2 ounces silken tofu
¼ tsp chili powder
1 tbs cilantro
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the broccoli in lightly salted water until very soft. Overcook the broccoli in comparison to the al dente cooking that most recipes recommend.

2. Drain broccoli very well.

3. Transfer to a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth, add additional olive oil for a smoother texture.

4. Serve warm or chill and serve cold.