Delicious Broccoli in Spicy Orange Sauce

I like broccoli but I don't love it (especially raw), so I'm always looking for ways to dress it up so that I can eat more of it. Broccoli is healthy because it is packed with nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, calcium and fiber, and it is believed to help shield us from many diseases and conditions. Also, I just read that vitamin A and vitamin C help us create and maintain beautiful skin as well!

Many years ago I found a delicious (and easy to make) recipe for broccoli in spicy orange sauce in my Mayo Clinic Cookbook. The cookbook is actually quite old, and it appears that they don't publish this version anymore, although there is a new version of the cookbook which I also own and love (all of the recipes are accompanied by huge pictures and calorie information which is a must for me): The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook: Eating well for Better Health.

Anyway, I thought I'd pass the recipe along here, with some slight modifications. If you make this recipe, what will result is a healthy dish of delicious orange flavored broccoli, that will taste a bit like something you'd get at a Chinese restaurant, without all the calories (see nutritional information below).

Broccoli in Spicy Orange Sauce (makes 6 servings)

Ingredients 

- 2 pounds of broccoli, or pre-cut broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon of grated orange zest (you can substitute orange oil if needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon of reduced sodium soy sauce
-1 garlic clove, crushed in garlic press
- 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 1.5 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon of toasted or raw sesame seeds

Instructions

- Trim the broccoli into small florets so that each one is around 4 cm each. If you want to use the stocks, trim them so they are about 1/2 inch thick.
- Place a steamer basket into a large pot, bring 2 inches of water to a boil. Add the stalks to your steamer basket and cover and steam for 2 minutes. Add the florets and then steam for an additional 3 minutes. If you don't have a steamer basket, you can also microwave the broccoli in a bowl with a couple of tablespoons of water.
- While the broccoli is cooking, add the orange juice, honey, mustard, orange zest, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper flakes to a small saucepan and boil over medium high heat.
- In another bowl, combine and whisk together the cornstarch and water. Once the cornstarch is dissolved, stir this mixture into the orange juice mixture, and cook both until thickened (should take about 1 minute) stirring constantly.
- In a new bowl, toss the broccoli with the sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds to taste.

This recipe comes out to only 67 calories per serving, with less than 1 gram of fat, and 4 grams of fiber, so each serving is a delicious and nutritious 0 weight watchers points.

Also, keep in mind that you can add other vegetables to this recipe. For instance, sometimes I substitute a pound of carrots for one of the pounds of broccoli.

Enjoy!