Few foods are as nutrient-rich as broccoli, but for many people – perhaps scarred by being made to eat their greens as children or too long on the bodybuilder’s rations of chicken, broccoli and sweet potato – it’s an unwelcome sight on a dinner plate. The solution? Smuggle it into it your diet alongside ingredients that will complement – or even mask – its taste.
All these recipes have broccoli as a key ingredient and provide potent fat-fighting properties to help you get ripped. Plus they’re so tasty, you won’t even notice the green stuff.
More muscle-building, fat-reducing nutrition ideas.
You'll love it like this
Superfood salad - Ingredients (serves 1)
35g broccoli florets / 1 smoked mackerel fillet / Small handful of baby spinach / 2 radishes, sliced / 3 cherry tomatoes, halved / ¼ red pepper, sliced / Small handful of alfalfa sprouts / ¼tsp mustard / ½tsp white wine vinegar / 1tsp vegetable oil
Method
Steam the broccoli for 5min (or boil for 3min), then toss it with the spinach, radishes, tomatoes, pepper and alfalfa sprouts. Heat the mackerel fillet, break it up and add it to the salad. Make a dressing by mixing the mustard, white wine vinegar and oil.
Chilli beef stir-fry - Ingredients (serves 4)
125g tenderstem broccoli / 350g rump steak, sliced / 3tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce / Juice of 1 lime / 1tbsp sesame oil / 1 chilli, deseeded and chopped / 2tbsp sunflower oil / 200g mushrooms, sliced / 2 heads of pak choi, shredded / 75g bean sprouts
Method
Mix the soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil and chilli. Marinate the steak strips for 3hr. Fry the steak strips in 1tbsp sunflower oil over high heat for 2min, then set aside. Fry the veg in 1tbsp oil for 3-4min. Add the steak and leftover marinade and fry for a further 2min.
Broccoli and stilton soup - Ingredients (serves 1)
250g broccoli, cut into florets / 1tbsp olive oil / 1 garlic clove, crushed / ½ onion,
diced / Handful of spinach / 150ml vegetable stock / 1tbsp stilton, crumbled / 1tbsp toasted almonds / Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add the broccoli, spinach and stock and bring to the boil. Remove from the pan and blend until smooth. Serve with the crumbled stilton, salt and pepper and toasted almonds on top.
