Eat Your Broccoli! (and enjoy it.)

Broccoli. Love it or hate it. I of course love it, and could probably polish off an entire head of it, but I am not your average veggie eater. BUT! This recipe will make you change your mind on this questionable vegetable. It is inspired by a dish that my best friend's mother would make. It's a perfect side dish for really any occasion or season. I did not have her recipe or any internet the day I made mine, so it was all an experiment, and I am pleased with the results. It's originally simply called Broccoli Salad, but since it was my own experiment, I decided to title this one 'Green Tree Salad'. It's also less daunting without the B word in the title. Here's what you'll need:

Green Tree Salad- ~serves about 6-8
1 Head of Broccoli, bite size pieces
1/2 red onion, diced
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt (regular or greek-style)
2 Tablespoons Light Mayo
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sugar
1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Equipment:
Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons
Small mixing bowl
Serving Dish

First, chop the broccoli into bite size pieces and place in your serving dish. Then, dice your onion and add to broccoli

I forgot to take a picture of the next step since I was on the phone, and multitasking isn't exactly my strong point. It is pretty self explanatory though. Combine the mayo, yogurt, vinegar, and sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add to broccoli and stir until combined. Stir in the cranberries and sunflower seeds.

That easy to a delicious dish! Now before serving, I just sprinkle on some more cranberries and sunflower seeds. I love the flavor of this dish, and the crunch of the broccoli. It's tangy, sweet, and creamy, and just a winning combination. It makes a great alternative to the redundant pasta or potato salad, and you're getting some veggies in!

Depending on how many servings you get, this dish is around 80 calories per serving. There's a great tool on sparkpeople.com that allows you to analyze recipes for nutrition information. If you really wanted to be accurate, or if you change any ingredients, here's the link:
Recipe Calculator

Do you have a favorite spin on classic side dishes?