BROCCOLI AND CHEESE SAUCE





BROCCOLI AND CHEESE SAUCE

This is a fabulous side dish that will never make you hanker after the kind that uses a flour-based cheese sauce.  Seriously!  I also use the sauce in my Veggie Au Gratin Casserole.  You know many people when they begin low-carbing mourn the loss of dishes they used to love and, more importantly, it's a whole new mind set when it comes to cooking and baking.  However, honestly, with so many talented, creative people on the internet and in our cookbooks, nobody needs to feel deprived.  If you worry that you're young and haven't done much cooking in your life, don't worry....just remember if you can read a recipe, you can cook and bake!  It really is not all that difficult. 

 I remember when I was in my twenties, I taught myself how to cook.  I even taught myself how to cook Chinese food.  Oh, my husband loved that stage of my experimenting!  He always went to work with a Chinese dinner in his lunchbox.  I taught myself lots of things - how to crochet.  I used to crochet tiny, pretty doilies and huge bedspreads. I also taught myself to knit and there I excelled!  I knitted the most beautiful, little clothes for each baby I was expecting - coats, sweaters, hats, booties, gloves, blankets, and you name it! Now one thing I never ever did have much talent for, or patience for is...sewing!  Yep, I do admire those who have a talent for sewing.  I never wore anything I made!  LOL  When my husband was just young, he often worked at 2 jobs at a time in the computer industry.  He was even responsible for inventing a gadget that prevents patients from being able to leave a care facility unnoticed.  Well, since Ian was so busy and I was a young woman and not yet with children, I was bored silly even although I had a day job as a secretary. (I had two years of Physiotherapy at the University of Cape Town under my belt, but I realized it was not what I wanted to do.)  Guess what I did?  I took up sewing...for a short while!  Now that gives you some idea of how bored I was. LOL  I still have the sewing machine I bought at the time from Eatons.  I pull it out every now and then to put up hems, etc., but nothing major.  ;)

8 cups (32 oz) broccoli florets (2 L, 0.9 kg)
1/cup grated Monterey Jack, OR (125 mL)
  Cheddar cheese
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, optional (30 mL).

In pot in boiling water, cook broccoli florets about 10 minutes, or until tender (you may also steam your broccoli).  Drain and place broccoli in 8-inch (20 cm) square, deep casserole dish. 

Prepare Cheese Sauce.  Double the recipe.  Pour over the broccoli and gently toss to distribute the sauce evenly.  Sprinkle with Monterey Jack, OR Cheddar cheese.  Place in 350°F (180°C) oven 10 minutes, or just until cheese has melted.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if using.  Serve.


Helpful Hint:  I really like the broccoli with Monterey Jack cheese in the sauce.  I typically use almond milk in this recipe to cut calories a bit.

Yield:  8 servings
Cream/Low-carb milk
357.6/304.7 calories
12.7/12.9 g protein
32.4/26.4 g fat
4.4/4.1 g net carbs



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